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Posts by Ink

With a fiendish addiction to all things caffeinated and fermented as well as a thorough knowledge of how to waste time, Ink disrupts his neighbors' dreams by taking recycling out at odd times and singing too loudly along with whatever song fits his mood. He once asked the world if it wanted him, and the small packet of poems he found in his breast pocket notepad after the fog cleared turned into 61 Central (Finishing Line Press). Ink remains fortunate enough to reside in New Jersey. Books of Ink: 61 Central (2018) Drinking Coke & Smoke with Beer on the Table” (2000) Miserable with Fire (2011) Chapbooks of Ink Words That Should Never Be Said... (2006) Inanimates” (2004) Tripped Tongues & Fallen Cases” (2003) Drinking Coke and Smoke with Beer on the Table
by Ink

Hiatus

First and most of all, I want to thank all of the poets from around the globe who saw Stanza Cannon and took a gamble on trusting us with their voice. I still believe, 100%, in the mission of this humble zine but have lost faith in my own ability to properly support the poets who contribute. Putting a magazine together – gathering submissions, editing audio, and assembling the issue – is one thing, but the constant promotion necessary to provide exposure for our contributors and the rag has proven to be far beyond /contrary to my capabilities / sensibilities. In short, I feel I am failing the poets who have contributed, and I cannot bring myself to continue to let anyone else down in that regard.

But this I vow: Stanza Cannon will not, so long as I have the monthly fee, become a dead link. The magazine will live on until my own end of days. I personally owe the poets who dared to contribute that much. And, who knows, if my own headspace changes and I’m able to be the hype man poets deserve, there will be new issues in the future.

For now, however, I’d urge you to check out past issues, follow links to the poets’ works, and support them in any way you feel able. Poetry is community. For many, poetry is life. And I am so grateful to have been a part of something larger these past three years. Thank you for listening. Thank you for contributing. Thank you for feeling in an an increasingly callous world.

—Ink—

by Ink

Issue No. 12 is Live!

Our twelfth is packed with poetic goodness and fantastic voices. On our playlist or sample-able as a pick-and-choose your own adventure, we’re featuring poetry from Matt Dennison, Abhik Ganguly, Jayden DeWald, Jessie McLean, Tim Duffy, Alex Carrigan, Andrew Smith, and Aurynanya. Now, go listen!

by Ink

Issue No. 11 is Live!

Our eleventh issue, featuring thirteen wonderfully orated poems by seven outrageously talented poets, is ready for your ears. Several have pamphlets/chapbooks and formal collections out, so check out the links in their bios! (Because reading poetry is also cool.) Of note, one of our contributors, Paul atten Ash, challenged our visual poetry policy by delivering a perfect oral interpretation; we were floored and ecstatic to publish the piece. We are so humbled by all the fantastic pieces sent our way during the reading period for this issue. Thanks to all for trusting us with your voice, and thanks to all our listeners around the globe for listening. Now, go listen!

by Ink

Issue No. 10 is live!

As short and powerful as a poem itself, the tenth issue of Stanza Cannon is ready for your ears! Five poets and seven poems comprise this issue, which includes two poets who dared to enter the Grab Bag and came out swooning! Poets in this issue have vision and voice as aspiring filmmakers, voice talent, and more. We are incredibly honored to be able to present these voices, and now that the summer heat is waning here in NJ, we’ll be hitting the trails promoting them too. Click the link above and start listening. And if you feel the vocal urge, send us your voice!

by Ink

Issue No. 9 is live!

The ninth issue of Stanza Cannon is ready for your ears! Six poets and ten poems: give them twenty minutes, and they’ll give you their worlds. We could not be happier with the quality of submissions coming our way. Authors often express gratitude for providing a place that caters not only to their written voice but their vocal one as well. We are so happy to be able to do so and overjoyed that they, like us, see the value in it.

There is one poems not in Issue #9 because we’re waiting on more participants. So if you’re feeling daring, or curious, or any other emotion that makes you take a leap, try submitting to our Grab Bag, where a poem you submit will be read by another and posted along with your reading to show how differently words resonate in others minds and from their mouths. All who submit are given another poem to read as well.

by Ink

Issue Nos. 7 and 8 are live!

The seventh and eighth issues of Stanza Cannon are live, and we are humbled once again! We’ve had a record number of submissions, and our page views keep growing. Listen to all collective contributions as a playlist or select tracks to play one at a time as is your pleasure. We cannot possibly thank enough those talented artists who trusted us with their work. It means the world to us to be able to broadcast your voices.

Reminder: Submissions are open 24/7/365, but we are currently accepting for our Spring 2024 Issue due out mid-March(-ish). And don’t forget the Grab Bag. It’s an excellent way to hear how your poem can be read / is being read by others!

Listen. Be inspired. Submit, and break the sound barrier.

by Ink

Proud Sponsor

At least for the time being, because I(nk) believe(s) poetic expression should not have financial barriers, Stanza Cannon will remain a free-to-listen, free-to-submit literary quarterly. Unfortunately, that also means SC’s coffer depends on the founder’s funds. That means there’s almost no spare money behind this project, which in turn limits what we can do to compensate our contributors. (And we want to remedy this as soon as possible.)

So as a means to increase the visibility of Stanza Cannon and thereby give its contributors more ears and more than a publication credit, the EIC cut a deal to sponsor CIUT 89.5FM’s Howl — an online radio program that is dedicated to poetry and features an open mic which mirrors what Stanza Cannon loves: voices from around the world.

You’re thinking, “But couldn’t you just pay contributors with the sponsorship money”? And, yes, we could, but only for a brief period. But if we grow our audience, maybe we can then offer subscriptions to access old issues (unrestricted access) and keep the current issue free. This would enable us to reach our goal of paying both new and previous contributors while providing free-to-submit, free-to-listen content.

If you’d like to find out more about the sponsorship and how it came about, listen to this episode of HOWL featuring an interview with Ink.

by Ink

Issue No. 6 is live!

As our very first issue with a (faux) guest editor, our second summer issue features ten poems by five poets. We’ve got a playful cautionary tail, we’ve got poetry writing pointers, we’ve got mental conditions (but you already knew that), and we’ve got social strife – all related to the human condition. Is that not what poetry is for? We’ve also got a picture of a fantastic pupper (Pebbles) and cannon sent in by Kody Taylor! Head on over and give the issue a listen here!

by Ink

Number Five with a Cannon Ball!

Number five is alive! Short and sweet with punch and pucker, our first issue of 2023 features eight brilliant poems by five poets who bring their pages to life. We have the return of a music-backed meditation by Gregory Schwartz, three poems as diverse in their expressiveness as their focus by Kevin Hodgson, two modern and whimsical takes on myth from Laura Cooney, as well as a poem a piece from Jack Ferguson and Gerard Sarnat on, respectively, apprehension towards aging and the appreciation of being able to continue doing so. Head on over and give a listen here!

by Ink

Something Different

So, we have an idea. (A few, actually.) There’s a Discord we set up during this rag’s inception, but we rarely broadcast it and have yet to actually make use of it. That’s because, honestly, we weren’t sure if there would be any interest. However, like we said, we have an idea. (Several, actually.) And that includes bringing poets together for a live reading, a la an open mic, to be recorded as a special issue. If there’s enough interest, we’re thinking of planning it for publication between our Spring 2023 and Summer 2023 issues. Just one of the ways we’re thinking of expanding our potential and serving the poetry community. Guidelines would be two poems or five minutes per poet, with the same content guidelines as Stanza Cannon proper.

We want to know what you think. Would this be something you’d like to listen to/participate in? If so…

Would you rather readings on a theme as opposed to a free-for-all, vice-versa, or alternating issues that feature one or the other?

Since slots will be limited but open to all on a first-come-first-read sign-up sheet, how long, rounded to the nearest 15 minutes, would your ideal listen be?

Should we do a Grab Bag, where poets read a couple of their own poems and then one from each other chosen at random by the EIC?

Would you prefer an audience (as a reader, as a listener) for clapping/snapping/wooting during or at the ends of poems?

Leave a comment below to let us know, or hit us up on the socials!

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