Introduction to Misfit 34

Just once I would like to be able to spend time, energy, and mental resources on something that is neither political nor a catastrophic world event.  Given the world situation, it seems like wishful thinking to even think that might be possible. Not with The Cheeto Frito, Disgraced, Badly Beaten, Ex-President’s best bro invading a neighboring country under false pretenses and firmly establishing himself as a mass murdering genocidal maniac. Trying to recreate World War II in Ukraine is unconscionable but Trump (“The One-Man Crime Wave” as congressman Jamie Raskin so aptly named him) has not only refused to condemn the actions of his bro but hails him as a genius. Just today The Don made absurd, if predictable comments like, “this would never have happened when I was president.” No, you would have held Vlad’s hand and escorted him into the country without him having to engineering a terribly planned, poorly executed invasion.  All of which begs the burning question of the last six years, “Just what does Vlad have on The Don besides the obvious keys to his bank account?” I would rank the answer to that question up near the top of stuff we will never learn such as, “Was Lee Harvey Oswald the lone gunman or not?”

But, as I write this, it is National Poetry Month, we are here to celebrate poetry not to dwell on politics. Besides, as local poetry open mic host Dan Wilcox likes to say, “In Albany, every day is poetry month.” So shall it be in the Misfit pages.

We continue to receive a large number of exceptional poems from new poets, as well, as, familiar, old friends.  I also received a record number of books to review, including several which could be considered epic (plus 200 pages). I don’t want to place a page limit on books but as there is only one reader, me, please keep that in mind when you are considering sending your books for review.

That said, one of the books I enjoyed the most was the longest, at plus 400 pages, and it was one of the quicker reads. You’ll have to read the reviews to figure out which one that is. At some point, I will be posting links to my new books, of which there will be at least three chapbooks, and one full length one coming out sometime in the next couple of months. The full-length one is, Exterminating Angels from Kelsay Books. Angels concludes my series of Noir movie poems that began in 2017 with Hollyweird (Night Ballet Press) and the Slipstream Chapbook Contest Winner, Blue Velvet. ( Plus two full-length books of three chapbooks each Lessons in Darkness, Luchador Press and The Road to Perdition, from Alien Buddha Press. Angals is also three chapbooks in one book)

First up will be my “bar poems” from the energetic new press, Gutter Snob Press, Satan’s Kiss. Others will follow that I have no firm publication dates for at this writing. Please support your favorite small presses because without an alternative press we will just be another third world country with no dissenting voices. Orwell may have been right about the misuse of language and the terrible consequences of disinformation but we don’t have to give up without a fight. Keep the small presses healthy and keep the words flowing!

As always, this issue would not be possible without the creative energies and time spent by Jennifer Lagier and Gene McCormack. And most indispensable of all, the poets who send us their work and trust us with their words and dreams.