4X2 or FOURBYTWO BOOMING ALONG IN BEATNIK TIME

The 8th issue of FOURBYTWO is out from the hands of Klipschutz and Gaulke. If my scan of its contents seems askew, that's in honor of the skewedness of the layout of this particular issue and also of the "poems as in process" of  some the poems by James Schuyler (Pulitzer Prize in 1981 for The Morning of the Poem) included herein, plus the variety of the  typefaces for the various poems by Klipschutz, Rene Ricard (also, like Schuyler, deceased) and Schuyler. Of the three, only Klipschutz (latest, A Visit To The Ranch) is not deceased. The poetry as always is interesting and entertaining. Who could ask more of poetry than that?

As for myself, recently long lost in novel and short story and screenplay writing, poetry has fallen by the wayside, it's little vowels scattered and broken by the winds of fiction. All I have to report is that I'm plugging away at the short fictions I hope to imprison together into a book probably by the end of the year. Other stories are drifting into my imagination to be written for the first time. BUT, will I? At 78, I almost think I hear a gallop of creativity thundering over the far horizon, coming my way. Or, maybe, it's only the sound of my horse drawn hearse. 

I'VE GOT AN ACCORDIAN IN MY HANDS ... IT PLAYS ITSELF

I've got the latest FOURBYTWO in my grubby little hands, and it's designed anew again, by gosh and by gum and by Jeremy Gaulke. I've had it for a week about. This time it opens out like an accordion with the front and back covers as separate ends. Is it musical? Yes, and cryptic too, the songs. I can't say too much as I'm drained from fighting county hall commissioners who show up in priestly robes occasionally to drop their version of their God upon our skeptical and doubting heads and molest our blithe spirit with their Teapublican rue. 

Don't ask me why!

Maybe I'm just vulnerable, but Sandra Beasley's poem, "The Hotel Devotion", snuck right in between a couple of my ribs and found my heart [the seat of all poetical emotions]. It's too long to show here, so, this time, you gotta buy and read it. Klipschutz is inside too, nailing all the sidewalls up tight so the ocean won't drown you. I've got to go to the dentist now. I'm including a poetry review of FourByTwo from another source. See here!

FOURBYTWO IS A KNOCKOUT PUNCH

I now hold the latest FourByTwo in my hands, the Fall 2014 edition, the Los Angeles edition. I can't tell you how this tiny book affects me. Wait a minute ... yes, I can! It's delightful, magical, unique! FourByTwo is hand crafted by Jeremy Gaulke who has now departed for the East Coast, Virginia, making the book bi-coastal, and edited by klipschutz who still prowls his old haunts on the West. 

Order an issue or subscribe here. I'm telling you it's production values will be remembered as time goes by. It's a visual and tactile sensation to hold in your hands. The book's uniqueness resides in the fact of how lovingly the fine poetry is treated within the structure of an imaginative and beautifully designed book. Artistic far beyond selecting cover art, each issue is one of a kind! 

This issue of FourByTwo features the poetry of Paul Fericano, John Tottenham and klipschutz. Sample below.

THE SIGN OF THE DOUBLE CROSS

In the name of the Bogart,
and the Cagney,
and of the Holy Edward G.
Amen, see?

                   Paul Fericano

Delightful, eh?

BEATNICK A PATH TO FOURBYTWO / 2 ENTRIES IN 1 DAY

The Summer Issue of FOURBYTWO is in my hands, and a fine production it is, put together by Kurt Lipschutz and Jeremy Gaulke in association with Luddite Kingdom Press of Yakima/San Fransisco. This issue features the poetry of Klipschutz (Kurt's nom de plume) and Joie Cook. Very small and beautifully conceived, it cries out to be held and appreciated both for the poetry and for its polished and intriguing format. Altogether a handsome thing in a small package. You should get your hands on it as quickly as possible. The Spring Issue, I've heard, disappeared quickly. The poems aim for cultural relevance and are droll observations of the times we live in. Klipschutz's "Apples" is a brilliant send up of Steve Jobs, and, here, I'll give you the whole of Cook's 

TO AN INTELLECTUAL MODERN

we were born
in the same century,
i presume;
and from the same tribe
of carnivorous apes
we emerged,
craving warmth, shelter and food;
then three nights of babylon hit!
some cappuccino was ordered,
computers were down at the club,
and there you were,
strapped to canvas at the museum,
being perfectly analyzed.

SILENT BOOMER THRASHES THROUGH ANOTHER STICKY THICKET

The plot gets twisted....

This week has been a good week for writing, but I did learn a painful lesson about plotting. Awhile back, I jammed a different Chapter -7- into the novel, then renumbered all the chapters that followed. I added the chapter because I felt I wanted to complicate the plot at that point and, secondly, to add some danger for PI Manning for the purpose of hyping up the excitement. I thought the novel might be dragging. Well, the plot complication I added created other unforeseen complications that couldn't be resolved in a plausible manner. Each time I moved from one chapter to the next, I'd discover my Chapter -7- complication created many other situations that needed to be adjusted for. The adjustments piled up and each adjustment made other adjustments necessary until the plot became a bog through which my mind could no longer safely travel. This week, I've had to go back and remove Chapter -7- and another later Chapter that was dependent upon Chapter -7- for it's existence. I'm in the process now of rereading and reworking—where necessary—everything after the offending chapter to make sure that consistency prevails. The writer who said that writers must have their plots in order before beginning to write seems to have been correct. I did sit down this week and tried to lay out a plot before continuing, but, goshdarnitall, I just can't see my way clearly through to the end. I like the beginning immensely, and I know, roughly, the ending, but the middle steps aren't clear yet. I just can't imagine, sitting still and waiting to see the plot all the way through. If I do that, I could easily quit writing altogether.

Want to mention an interesting project that friend and poet/song writer, klipschutz, and his pal Jeremy Gaulke have begun. It's a pocket size poetry chapbook, they call fourbytwo. They are trying to develop a zine that is financially sustainable as well maintain a certain level of quality. I like the format, and the poetry, of course, is exceptional. Follow the link to see what it's all about.