[I posted this blog a few days ago on my Crisis Chronicles site, but am reposting it here for the convenience of our MySpace friends as wells as to simply get the word out a bit more.  Peace and poetry, John]

I spent most of the day finishing up Dianne Borsenik's chapbook, HardDrive/SoftWear, the second release by Crisis Chronicles Press — tweaking the layout slightly, obsessively scanning for typos, printing, collating, and stapling.  It turns out I'm a whole lot happier with this than I am with the first CC Press release, my own Bloggerel.

I published Bloggerel last July, when I'd only been involved in the local poetry scene for a couple of months, as an experiment of sorts.  I did it cheap and quick, only including about a dozen poems that had already appeared on my blogs.  I've since rewritten and/or improved several of the poems in it - so I don't consider that collection anywhere near definitive anymore.  It had some good pieces and was a necessary step in my development, but in retrospect it's really not that impressive.

Dianne's new collection, on the other hand, is a whole lot better in several ways.  At over 30 pages, it's more than twice as long — so it has a lot more really good poems.  In addition to featuring some of her most popular works — among them "Pink Hell" from Slipstream, "Greenheart" from the 2008 Hessler Street Fair Anthology, and Muse from the Crisis Chronicles Online Library — it features many pieces you've never seen online or in print, and even some I've never heard her read live (and I've heard her dozens of times).  Aside from its excellent contents, I think HardDrive/SoftWear looks a lot cooler than Bloggerel as well.

Our official launch is yet to come.  But starting today (yesterday, actually) you can buy the book!  The price is $5, plus $2 for shipping.  Send $7 to Crisis Chronicles Press; 420 Cleveland Street; Elyria, Ohio 44035.  Or save the shipping cost by coming to one our poetry readings in the Cleveland area and grabbing one in person.  Next up: Lix and Kix 6 at the Bela Dubby Art Gallery and Beer Cafe (13321 Madison Ave. in Lakewood, Ohio) on St. Patrick's Day (17 March at 7 pm).

Then last night, Geri and I attended the As We Speak reading at Bela Dubby.  The featured poets were Alex Nielsen, Zachary Moll, Robert Fraser, John Dorsey, Dianne Borsenik, and event organizer C. Allen Rearick.  We had a great time and I caught them all on video - which I will post online (along with lots of still photos) as soon as I can get around to it.  I also have video of Dianne's and my featured reading (and the subsequent open mic) in Toledo last Tuesday to post.  And I haven't yet posted my photos from last month's Lix and Kix featuring Steve Goldberg and Nick Traenkner.  Allow me to channel the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz and say, "All in good time, my pretties... all in good time."

Here's a sample from Dianne Borsenik's HardDrive/SoftWear:


   Muse  
    by Dianne Borsenik
                               
   She has been with you again,
   I can tell.
   You have that furtive look
   about you, and you have the smell
   of ink on your breath.
 
   I know that she has taken you
   by your thin white wrist,
   and caressed the fine hair
   that furs your arm.  I imagine
   her guiding your hand
   to her lap, you touching her,
   her touching you. 
   I close my eyes, and I can see
   her moving closer to you, whispering
   in your ear, her exhalations
   hot on your stubbled cheek.
   I know 
   you took her
   in your arms, opened your lips
   for her kiss; I know you let her
   explore your teeth, the roof of your 
   mouth, your tongue.
 
   And I am quite certain
   that when you wake up
   in the morning, the indentation
   of her wanton form
   will be reflected in the crumpled sheets
   of your poetry.