To the Ferraro Rocher Box in the Trash
By Josh Dale
You protrude a diagonal diamond
in a circle hole of eternity plastic
Orion’s Belt is the same overhead
as it was since its death erupted
the cold gust on my face
ethanol gasoline filling tank
sheering off more fossils by the mL
tearing up my eyes
artic howl as if
I was missing some variable
that included your name in my phone
in full because I'm that type of person
to insert your name as when I was first
acquainted with you.
Yes, sir, I am crying, ok? Please let me be
to watch the stupid gas pump tv station
thing in peace. Look, Jimmy Kimmel is speaking to me
and me alone. He keeps calling for
me but only in the 2nd person. So, maybe
when I'm done, I’ll be rude and walk inside
and buy a 3-pk Ferraro Rocher and proceed to
split it three ways: one for me, one for Jimmy,
and one for you,
the trashcan, of course.
What draws you to poetry as an art form? How would you describe your poetic aesthetic?
To me, poetry is the lack of words. Where in prose, you have articles, prepositions, etc., in poetry you can forego nearly all of that. It is also more malleable like clay or glass. It can be a specific form (or lack thereof), talk about basically anything and anyone the poet wishes to discuss. When I need a break from a narrative and complex characters, I indulge in poetry collections & chapbooks as a palette cleanser. It is a way to appreciate unbound, unregulated art.
How did you get involved with publishing? What are you hoping to promote as a publisher?
I started Thirty West Publishing when I was an undergrad at Temple. In the early years, I was roaming around the woods. No mentor, no guide, no aesthetic (if there ever is one). Spent a lot of money from my pocket to make little impact on anything. Almost called it quits in 2018 but was able to push onward into more enlivened aspirations. I’ve always been a fan of chapbooks, seeing how you can just pick it up and ingest it in a short time. Maybe revisit it a few more times, too. That was the initial drive. However, as TW gets older and increases outreach, I’m starting to see the value of full-length books and the potential it brings. I can’t speak for others on the masthead about their subjective tastes, but I wish to publish more fiction. Novels, short story collections, and even flash fiction are really what I enjoy reading. And there are scores of interesting writers really nailing it right now that I could only dream to publish. Fresh, new theory and perspectives that I could never account for would be perfect to diversify TW even more. The same goes with poetry. We will always have a home for poets. TW has become a platform for the voice of a lot of first-time authors, and I can’t ask for more than that.
Lawrence Ferlinghetti passed away on February 22nd at 101. Has your work as a publisher been influenced by Ferlinghetti?
When I visited City Lights for the first time in 2019, it felt like a pilgrimage (both geographically and prophetically). I signed his 100th birthday card, walked around the building, and took some time to read and buy books. I felt like I was meant to go there at some point. And I’m glad I did. My condolences go to his family for losing such a phenom.
But to answer your question, I think Ferlinghetti influences all of us (small press publishers). I’ve printed chapbooks on refuse paper. Was able to haggle for an obsolete inkjet printer from a shipping store. It’s all about the DIY aesthetic. And to prove how approachable and affordable publishing was, City Lights made a home for radical and marginalized artists of the time. I know how the work he published with the Beat poets has stirred many controversies, criticisms, and celebrations. Like how metal musicians of today seem to always trace back to Black Sabbath, Ferlinghetti/City Lights was a catalyst for people who wanted to publish the written word. I guess if someone was to stir it up, I’m glad he did.
Ferlinghetti was not only a fiercely independent publisher but also an advocate for his work through City Lights. How do you balance being a publisher and an advocate for your work?
That’s the closest possible thread I share with Lawrence. My initial intent was to ‘label’ myself under a press so that I could build a ‘brand’ for myself as a writer. Granted, what I did a mere 4-5 years ago is nothing like what I create now, but at the same time, it was necessary to bring TW into the public eye. Some people expressed interest later and before you know it, the submissions began to come in. I think it was the broadside contest in 2016 that really ‘kickstarted’ the press, followed by a handful of out-of-print chapbooks.
As for me, I’m just doing what I can by submitting to literary mags/journals and, once I’m finished with this novel I’m working on, will be querying to presses. Business as usual. As a writer, I’m on par with every other hard-working, dedicated author & poet, and being a dual-role publisher has not only made me realize the joys of finally getting that desired Acceptance, but it makes me stronger in querying and nurtures creativity by reading so many submissions. Hopefully, I’ll match with an amazing place, as to how some folks who submitted to us have felt.
Does where you live influence your writing?
To be honest, not really. The most I’ve written about my locale is a manuscript of creative nonfiction vignettes about my primary school. There has been a reoccurring theme of small-town and rural living that’s been popping up in my recent stories, but it’s more androgynous than one would believe. I like to withhold landmarks, natural elements, etc. that are specific to a certain city or state because I ultimately want my reader to insert their locale into my work. To become as relatable as possible, since I, too, come from the typical suburbia and have had close access to rural areas most of my life. A friend of mine that grew up in Appalachia once told me, and I’m paraphrasing here, “Small town America is the same anywhere you go.” I like to hold onto that as I travel to different states. More-so when not in global pandemic mode.
Where can readers find more of your work?
My website is a good start. www.joshdale.co It has my CV, some photos, and a blog I’ve been running since last May I believe. Just a little insight into who I am and my personality. For my creative works, I have some stories in Maudlin House, Drunk Monkeys, Rejection Letters, and more. I apologize in advance for the lack of poetry publications. It’s been years. Hope that doesn’t go against your creed. Maybe you’ll find my poem sample more engaging. Thanks for interviewing me!
Josh Dale is a graduate student, publisher, and subservient vassal to his Siamese cat. His work has been published in Drunk Monkeys, Breadcrumbs Mag, Maudlin House, Rejection Letters, The Daily Drunk, and a book, Duality Lies Beneath (Thirty West Publishing, 2016). He blogs occasionally at joshdale.co and posts average-ish content on IG & Twitter @jdalewrites. He lives in Pennsylvania
Catfish” John Wojtowicz grew up working on his family’s azalea and rhododendron nursery in the backwoods of what Ginsberg dubbed “nowhere Zen New Jersey.” Currently, he works as a licensed social worker and adjunct professor. He has been featured in the Philadelphia based Moonstone Poetry series, West-Chester based Livin’ on Luck, Mad Poets Society, and Rowan University’s Writer’s Roundtable on 89.7 WGLS-FM. Find out more at: www.catfishjohnpoetry.com.