Poetry Month 2024

It’s April. Your bracket is trash, the weather is unpredictable, and taxes are due. Take a break with some poetry (from here maybe), it’s National Poetry Month. We’re keeping it low key this time around, but allow me to make a few suggestions.

Wanna get some live poetry? Downtown Poetry’s monthly open mic is April 15. Just one day later, visit our friends at Spiva Center for the Arts for their annual 1000 Words event. Pick out a photo from their exhibit and create a composition to share, the deadline to participate as a reader is April 13.

Not confident in front of strangers? No worries, just share with your friends on Poem in Your Pocket Day. Who knows, it might become a habit. We’re good at habits. Did I say you could get some poems here?

Cheers!

Hysterical -- shipping next week!

Have you pre-ordered your copy? Awesome! Look for it on your porch next week. Haven’t ordered yet? What the heck are you waiting for? Do it now, here, or on Amazon.

We know Kim has friends all over the world, so if you’re looking at our international shipping rates and thinking to yourself, “gods that’s pricey”, send us a message so we can figure out the tricks of the trade. In the past we’ve sent folks like you to Amazon, but we would love to be able to fill those orders ourselves, especially since stock on Amazon seems to be hit and miss lately.

Check back here for updates about live readings and signing events!

Cheers!

Mostly, but not Always in the Clouds

You thought we were just drifting along, beers in hand, looking at animal shapes in the sky; wrong, we’ve been at work.

Kimberly Zerkel has graciously allowed PHP to print her terrific short fiction compilation, Hysterical. If you ever find yourself amused by the quirks of living in modern society, annoyed by patriarchal entitlement, or you’re just into smart writing, you will enjoy this book. We even talked the renowned zine-punk Lady Von Halbach into contributing a rad art piece to the production! I recommend you place a pre-order today, for delivery mid to late October. (Psst — Kim’s gonna sign the pre-ordered copies!)

Cheers!

F.C. Shultz, Always on the Move

He’s done it again folks, the guy just can’t sit still. F.C. Shultz has a new micro-book of poetry. “Micro-book?” you might say, well yes, it’s tiny. Also, it was published by a tiny press, Tiny Toad Press, in fact; an offshoot of the enigmatic art bros of The Joplin Toad. They’re silly, and it’s cool. But let’s get back to the (tiny) book, Fox World.

It contains eight poems, in a nifty pocket sized format, each of which feature the wildlife of the Joplin area. That’s not a euphemism for Bag Man, Dancing Lady, or Mix-master Mike, actual wildlife, like foxes, a donkey, and dinosaurs. It’s a clever concept, and two of our favorites from An Honest Life is Immortal are republished with enthusiastic permission.

Yet again, nice work Mr. Shultz. Check out all his stuff, and sign up for his newsletter, here.

The Featured Presentation

We couldn’t be happier for our wunderkind F.C. Shultz, a Featured Artist for the month of February for the Missouri Arts Council’s new program. Fancy! Check him out, alongside other select few, highly talented Missourians. While you’re at it, check out his book on our publications page, his appearance on the Pub Hound Podcast, and his poignant and photogenic reading on his site and YouTube. The guy is everywhere.

Keep up the great work F.C. and Missouri Arts Council. Cheers!

Hounds Don't Really Sip...

But that’s ok, we still like the occasional vino, especially when it accompanies great verse, like this.

That is to say, Richard has done it again, he’s gotten himself published by another great press. Wine Cellar Press is a journal of poetry, and fancy words related to grapes. I think that’s just fine, and that Rich’s poem is excellent, but of course I’ve known of his excellent poetry for some time, so it’s gratifying to see more people catching on. Good eye Wine Cellar Press, Better Than Starbucks, and Asses of Parnassus, and cheers to you Rich, may the momentum continue!

We have a new book? We have a new book!

We are extremely pleased to add the work of the inimitable F.C. Shultz to our humble collection of poetry publications. Avid listeners to the Pub Hound Podcast may remember his appearance. This one started shortly thereafter, pre-pandemic, but it’s come together nicely, from a distance.

Shultz has published a fair amount of fiction, check it out on his site or on Amazon, but this is his first collection of poetry, and I daresay, it sticks the landing. If you enjoy, as I do, the quirky musings on life’s daily quirkiness by the likes of Billy Collins or Ted Kooser, you’ll like his work. We have pre-orders up on this site to ship in the middle of November. Snap one up today to secure your copy, all pre-orders come signed by the author!

Social distancing is second nature for some

Normally around this time of year we would be making selections for the round of 16 while trying to shirk our responsibilities for National Poetry Month, but this year is a little different. Social distancing isn’t as fun when it’s de rigueur.

National Poetry Month in Joplin has been essentially called off in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. So too are all podcast recording sessions, for the time being. We’ll be back soon enough, the financial hardship isn’t much for us, we never made any money at this anyway. In the meantime, enjoy the respite, read some poems; we know some guys with books for sale.

In solidarity — cheers!

Wanna take it for a spin?

Would you like to preview the Pub Hound catalog before buying? Copies of Muddled and You/True, Maybe/Baby, as of yesterday, are ready and waiting in four of Joplin’s Little Free Libraries. If you haven’t heard of Little Free Libraries, check them out. There are a few of the cute little boxes in the North Joplin neighborhoods of Murphysburg and North Heights. It’s a take one, give one arrangement, so bring along your old copy of Dickinson or Longfellow (not the one with margin notes) to execute the trade. Combine with your favorite beverage, and a nice shade tree, then enjoy.

Cheers!

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The Podcast is back!

Well, we have one new show at least, check it out on the podcasts page or Apple Podcasts.

Our friend Ryan Drendel is moving on to bigger and better things like marathons (what?!) and grad school, so we bade him farewell with lager beer and mint juleps. Andrew Jinks from the Joplin Disc Golf Club was there too, and gave us the low down on JDGC and the redesign at McClelland Park. We hope you enjoy the show.

Cheers!

National Poetry Month

Many cool poetry events will be taking place across Joplin in April in celebration of National Poetry Month. I could take the time to type out all the events here, but that would be silly, since Connect2Culture has already done it! Check out the list here. 

Cheers!

The Pub Hound Podcast is live!

We've kept you waiting a long time, and we're finally finished with the first episode, so prepare for disappointment! Just kidding, hopefully you'll enjoy the show, we enjoyed making it! The second episode will not be so long in coming... maybe. Check out the podcast page or find us on Apple Podcasts. 

National Poetry Month

We, along with Connect2Culture and Post Art Library, have a slate of cool events this month for Joplin's celebration of NPM.

Tonight, 4/13/17 at Local Color, is a poetry workshop featuring Brad Modlin, MSSU professor and author of poetry and prose. Brad is talented and engaging, so this should be fun.

Next Tuesday, 4/18/17, Spiva Center for the Arts will hold the 9th annual 1,000 words reading. Make your way to the gallery today, choose a photo from the current exhibit, and join us next week to present your original work. 

Thursday 4/20/17 features two events: Third Thursday will be flush with poetry ambassadors handing out poems to commemorate Poem in Your Pocket day and Spiva Center for the Arts with Compass Quest Veteran Services will hold Veteran Poetry Reading Program.

Thursday 4/27/17 at MSSU Spiva Art Gallery (that's the one on campus) MSSU faculty will hold Polyphony, their annual presentation of creative work. Don't miss this one.

Last but not least, Friday 4/28/17 at Joplin Empire Market  , PHP will help facilitate an Open Mic Poetry Night. It's BYOB, but you can share our supply. You can also share our poems; we'll have plenty on hand if you prefer reading to writing. Come hang out with us!

It's going to be a busy month. Sorry Rich, you'll have to be seen a public a few times.

Cheers!

Well hello, 2017

It's a shiny new year, and we're optimistic that it's going to be a great one. Check us out social media or check back here for updates on events -- and while you're at it, tell your friends about the great book you picked up from us. Sorry no finders fees.

On another note, pre-orders of YTMB will be fulfilled today, sorry if you missed it, but you can still order the plain old standard version with no waiting to ship.

Cheers!

Pre-order Y/TM/B

Copies of Cody White's first volume of poetry, the excellent and challenging You/True, Maybe/Baby, will be available to ship on December 29, 2016. Place your pre-order today on the Publications and Products page and we'll sweet talk Cody into autograph.  

You/True Maybe/Baby

Our next book is almost ready. You/True Maybe/Baby, poetry by Cody White, will be here before you know it. As with Muddled, we'll begin taking pre-orders a few weeks in advance of the release date. So don't blow all your cash on your Halloween costume; you will want a copy of Y/TM/B. 

Another Reading!

We've got another chance for you to hear great poetry read aloud at Infuxn Vodka Bar. Wednesday July 27th we'll have Savannah Phifer and Henri Whitehead on hand to read their original works. 

Savannah Phifer is a creative writing major at Missouri Southern State University from Mansfield, Missouri. Even though she is a senior, it will probably be another two years before she graduates. Savannah enjoys all forms of writing, but is currently attempting to hone in her (already pretty damn good) poetry skills. 

Henri Whitehead has aspired to be the next Mark Twain ever since leaving his childhood home in rural Southwest Missouri to attend the prestigious Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri in Columbia. He is a proud father of four beautiful children, and when he's not writing, he works as an English teacher for McDonald County High School, where he also coaches track and cross country. Henri's other hobbies include running, reading, writing, playing disc golf, and working on his 1971 MG Midget.

Click here to check out Henri's first novel.