Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960–2025
Text by Steve Clay, M.C. Kinniburgh.
A revolutionary anthology of visual poetry contextualizing works within their original small-press publications, from authors such as Wallace Berman and Marian Zazeela to titles such as Ginger Snaps and Futura
By the 1960s, visual and experimental poetry was widely acknowledged as the first truly international poetry movement, occurring on several continents. The simultaneous "mimeograph revolution"—an emerging name for the proliferation of small, poet- and artist-operated presses and little magazines that emerged in the postwar era—meant that an extraordinary variety of experimental work appeared in ephemeral outlets, often reflecting an array of geographic influence and communities. After Words is a thematic journey through the history of these experimental poetics, including cut-up, collage, sound poetry scores, performance scripts, practices of "writing through," erasure, glyph systems, calligraphy, experimental typography, non-Western alphabets, assemblages and beyond. Most importantly, it presents these works within their original contexts through photographs of page spreads from storied publications and presses. Contributors include: Mary Beach, Wallace Berman, bill bissett, William S. Burroughs, Henri Chopin, Judith Copithorne, Johanna Drucker, d.a. levy, bpNichol, Seiichi Niikuni, Tom Phillips, Miroljub Todorovic, Cecilia Vicuña, Marian Zazeela. Little magazines include:A: An Envelope Magazine of Visual Poetry, Alcheringa, Futura, L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E, New Wilderness Letter, Poor.Old.Tired.Horse., Revue OU, Stereo Headphones, The Difficulties, The Improbable, The Insect Trust Gazette, The Marrahwanna Quarterly, WhiteWalls. Small presses include: Beau Geste Press, blewointmentpress, C Press, Chax Press, Coach House Press, Edition Hansjörg Mayer, Goliard Press, Hawk's Well Press, Openings Press, Poltroon Press, Siglio Press, Station Hill, Tarasque Press, Tetrad Press, Xexoxial Editions.
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April 23–July 26, 2025, New York City's Grolier Club presents After Words, a thematic journey through the history of recent experimental poetics, including cut-up, collage, sound poetry scores, performance scripts, practices of “writing through,” erasure, glyph systems, calligraphy, experimental typography, non-Western alphabets, assemblages and beyond. Drawn from the collections of Steve Clay and Granary Books and curated by Clay and M.C. Kinniburgh, the exhibition catalog is published by Granary Books, Inc. continue to blog
Behold, spreads from early Fall 2025 release, After Words: Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960–2025, drawn from the deep collection of legendary Granary Books publisher Steve Clay and published to accompany an exhibition curated by Clay and new Granary co-publisher MC Kinniburgh, on view at the Grolier Club in NYC through July 2025. A thematic journey through the history of recent experimental poetics—including cut-up, collage, sound poetry scores, performance scripts, practices of “writing through,” erasure, glyph systems, calligraphy, experimental typography, non-Western alphabets, assemblages and beyond—this humble but mighty collection spans from Kenneth Patchen’s The peacock when placed (1955) to Lois Elaine Griffith’s You See What You See (Granary, 2025). Clay and Kinneburgh conclude their introductory essay by touching on the significance of manifestoes across the decades of visual poetry covered here. “A new way of looking, a new way of being. Now more than ever, we continue to live in text-based environments that are increasingly image-heavy—social media, email, the Internet. We continue to share the anxieties that haunted the first generations of concrete and visual poets—war, nationalism, ecological destruction. May our turning of ears and eyes towards these poets chart new ways forward in political and aesthetic life, and may the evidence of their efforts inspire us to create works and communities that sustain us.”
d.a. levy, The Tibetan Stroboscope, Ayizan Press, 1968. Taii Ashizawa and Takehisa Kosugi, guest eds, Japanese Schmuck, no. 8., Beau Geste Press, Spring 1976. Mary Beach, ed, Fruit Cup, no. 0., Beach Books, Texts & Documents, Inc., 1969.
FORMAT: Pbk, 8.25 x 10.75 in. / 232 pgs / 262 color. LIST PRICE: U.S. $49.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $69.95 GBP £39.99 ISBN: 9781887123877 PUBLISHER: Granary Books, Inc. AVAILABLE: 5/20/2025 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: WORLD
After Words Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960–2025
Published by Granary Books, Inc.. Text by Steve Clay, M.C. Kinniburgh.
A revolutionary anthology of visual poetry contextualizing works within their original small-press publications, from authors such as Wallace Berman and Marian Zazeela to titles such as Ginger Snaps and Futura
By the 1960s, visual and experimental poetry was widely acknowledged as the first truly international poetry movement, occurring on several continents. The simultaneous "mimeograph revolution"—an emerging name for the proliferation of small, poet- and artist-operated presses and little magazines that emerged in the postwar era—meant that an extraordinary variety of experimental work appeared in ephemeral outlets, often reflecting an array of geographic influence and communities.
After Words is a thematic journey through the history of these experimental poetics, including cut-up, collage, sound poetry scores, performance scripts, practices of "writing through," erasure, glyph systems, calligraphy, experimental typography, non-Western alphabets, assemblages and beyond. Most importantly, it presents these works within their original contexts through photographs of page spreads from storied publications and presses.
Contributors include: Mary Beach, Wallace Berman, bill bissett, William S. Burroughs, Henri Chopin, Judith Copithorne, Johanna Drucker, d.a. levy, bpNichol, Seiichi Niikuni, Tom Phillips, Miroljub Todorovic, Cecilia Vicuña, Marian Zazeela.
Little magazines include:A: An Envelope Magazine of Visual Poetry, Alcheringa, Futura, L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E, New Wilderness Letter, Poor.Old.Tired.Horse., Revue OU, Stereo Headphones, The Difficulties, The Improbable, The Insect Trust Gazette, The Marrahwanna Quarterly, WhiteWalls.
Small presses include: Beau Geste Press, blewointmentpress, C Press, Chax Press, Coach House Press, Edition Hansjörg Mayer, Goliard Press, Hawk's Well Press, Openings Press, Poltroon Press, Siglio Press, Station Hill, Tarasque Press, Tetrad Press, Xexoxial Editions.
