Adrian Manning: A Poetic Microcosm

"Adrian Manning is an English poet and micro-publisher. He has had a number of chapbooks published, including Wretched Songs For Out of Tune Musicians, Down At The Laundromat, Bring Down The Sun (with Henry Denander), These Days, Days Like This (with John Dorsey) and 13 Poems from the Edge of Extinction. His poems have been published around the world and have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He is the founder of Concrete Meat Press, a micro-press that publishes poetry broadsides and chapbooks. He lives in Leicester, England."

In Case You Missed It: Don't Stop Until Incinerated by Gary Cummiskey

Gary Cummiskey's Don't Stop Until Incinerated is a short collection of poems that inhabit a desolate, disquieting place, a place in which the fabric of reality is threadbare. Cummiskey has mastered the art of minimalist unease, yet there are also moments of dark humour in these 26 starkly elegant poems, characterised by his iconoclastic surrealism.

New From Tearoom Books: Don't Stop Until Incinerated by Gary Cummiskey

Gary Cummiskey's Don't Stop Until Incinerated is a short collection of poems that inhabit a desolate, disquieting place, a place in which the fabric of reality is threadbare. Cummiskey has mastered the art of minimalist unease, yet there are also moments of dark humour in these 26 starkly elegant poems, characterised by his iconoclastic surrealism.

Forthcoming from Tearoom Books: Don't Stop Until Incinerated by Gary Cummiskey

Sinclair Beiles

Sinclair Beiles, le poète excentrique du Beat Hotel, by Bruno Sourdin.

Sinclair Beiles On Mental Illness And Being An Outcast

"In 1975 Sinclair Beiles gave an interview to Michael Butterworth, shortly after he had completed a lengthy in-patient treatment for mental disturbance at Bowden House." Continue reading.

New From Tearoom Books: 30 Poems by Pravasan Pillay

30 Poems by Pravasan Pillay collects a selection of poems written mostly between 2003-2006 and published in South African journals. The themes of the poems are old, new and broken love; sex; marriage; failure; vanity; and quitting smoking.

Forthcoming From Tearoom Books: 30 Poems by Pravasan Pillay

New Coin December 2014, Edited by Gary Cummiskey

Published by the ISEA, Rhodes University, Grahamstown. With over 200 pages, this bumper edition contains poems by Alan Finlay, Moira Lovell, Arja Salafranca, Mxolisi Nyezwa, Abigail George, Rethabile Masilo, Khulile Nxumalo, Bernard Levinson, Kobus Moolman, Angifi Dladla, Genna Gardini, Medzani Musandiwa, Nedine Moonsamy, Kyle Allan, Kelwyn Sole, David wa Maahlamela, Natalia Molebatsi, Dashen Naicker, Nazlee Arbee, Joop Bersee, Diana Bloem, Dawn Garisch, Sindiswa Busuku-Mathese, Raphael d' Abdon, Gerard Rudolf, Mick Raubenheimer, Saaleha Indrees Bamjee, Unathi Slasha, Vonani Bila, Lesego Rampolokeng, Gail Dendy, Jim Pascual Agustin, Jeannie Wallace McKeown, Brett Beiles, Hans Pienaar, Colleen Higgs, Mphutlane wa Bofelo, Erica Glynn Schofield, Robert Berold, Lionel Murcott, Marike Beyers, Denis Hirson, Lee-Mari Gower, Elme Vivier, John Simon, Justin Joseph, Leslie Howard, Damain Garside, Haidee Kruger, Julian de Wette, Linda Ndlovu, Tim van Niekerk, Tony Ullyat, Mbongeni Khumalo and Allan Kokski Horwitz.

The issue also contains a symposium on the state of SA poetry, with contributions from Mxolisi Nyezwa, Kobus Moolman, Kelwyn Sole, Dashen Naicker, Raphael d'Abdon, Colleen Higgs, Denis Hirson, Haidee Kruger, Lesego Rampolokeng and Allan Kolski Horwitz.

There are book reviews by Kelwyn Sole and Tlhalo Sam Raditlhalo, and a tribute to Mafika Gwala by Robert Berold.

Forthcoming Title From Modjaji Books And Dye Hard Press: Beyond Touch, Poems by Arja Salafranca

Beyond Touch is Arja Salafranca's third poetry collection and is scheduled to be published by Modjaji Books and Dye Hard Press in April 2015.

Two Poems And A Collage by Gary Cummiskey, On Hash n Pumpkins

Read two poems from Sky Dreaming published on Hash n Pumpkins.

50 Years of New Coin

Hand-made

Litmag editor on publishing poetry: an interview with Gary Cummiskey.

Gary Cummiskey Appointed New Coin Editor

Grahamstown, 13th November 2013: Well-known South African poet and publisher, Gary Cummiskey, is to become the editor of poetry magazine New Coin from 2014, taking over from this year’s guest editor, Vonani Bila. A widely published writer, Cummiskey is based in Johannesburg where he runs Dye Hard Press and a number of other poetry projects.

Cummiskey’s poetry and short stories have been featured extensively in literary journals both locally and overseas for the past 20 years.  He founded Dye Hard Press in 1994 specifically to give a platform to new voices, and has since published over thirty titles from local poets. He sees his New Coin editorship as a fresh opportunity to promote the kind of challenging, original work that keeps South African poetry alive and awake:

“A poetry that is restricted and does not offer the reader anything new adds to the view of poetry as something stuffy and dead that has no resonance with contemporary readers and makes publishers even less likely to take a chance on it.  A journal such as New Coin, which has always focused on writing that is willing to break out of the mould and take risks, is an essential vehicle to continue to promote and offer poetry as a form worthy of attention and admiration.”

New Coin was founded in 1965 by Guy Butler and Ruth Harnett and is published twice a year by the Institute for the Study of English in Africa (ISEA) at Rhodes University.  Cummiskey will work with an editorial board made up of the four poets who teach on the Rhodes MA in Creative Writing course: Mxolisi Nyezwa, Brian Walter, Joan Metelerkamp and Robert Berold – the last two of whom have edited New Coin in the past.

Berold comments: “Gary Cummiskey has a good grasp of the range of voices and sub-cultures that make up South African poetry in English.  His approach to publishing is the only way to keep poetry vital.  His appointment is good news for South African poetry.”

Subscribe now to get both the June and December 2013 issues of New Coin for R170. Email isea@ru.ac.za or call 046 603 8565.

New From Tearoom Books: Loop: Issue 2

Presenting the second issue of Tearoom Books' writing zine, Loop. Loop is published predominantly as free e-chapbooks. Issue 2 features poetry by: Jim Bennett, Marike Beyers, Owen Chirinda, Gary Cummiskey, R. M. Francis, Rosemund Handler, Peter Harris, Saaleha Idrees Bamjee, Eva Jackson, Aryan Kaganof, Kobus Moolman, Graham Nunn and Kenneth Pobo.

The chapbook can be viewed by clicking on the window above. Alternatively, it can be downloaded HERE. The embed codes for platforms such as Blogger, Tumblr and Wordpress can also be found after the link. Click on 'Share' if you would like to post the publication on Facebook or Twitter. Best viewed in 'Full Screen' mode.

Forthcoming From Tearoom Books: Loop: Issue 2

New From Tearoom Books: I Remain Indoors by Gary Cummiskey

I Remain Indoors is a collection of short poems by Gary Cummiskey, one of South Africa's leading alternative poets. The collection deals with ordinary moments, mundane even, but Cummiskey deftly pinpoints their vitality and fragility. The poems in I Remain Indoors are like text messages from a man a minute ahead of the rest of the city.

The chapbook can be viewed by clicking on the window above. Alternatively, it can be downloaded HERE. The embed codes for platforms such as Blogger, Tumblr and Wordpress can also be found after the link. Click on the little envelope if you would like to share the publication on Facebook or Twitter.

Please write to tearoombooks@gmail.com if you have any difficulties.

Forthcoming from Tearoom Books: I Remain Indoors by Gary Cummiskey

I Remain Indoors is an e-chapbook of short poems by one of SA's leading alternative poets. Out next week.

New From Tearoom Books: Loop: Issue 1

Open publication - Free publishing - More chapbook

Loop is a new writing zine published by the micro press Tearoom Books. It will be published predominantly as free e-chapbooks. The first issue comprises a selection of poetry. The poets include: Cathy Bryant, Barend Buitekamer, Gary Cummiskey, William Huyzers, Eva Jackson, Simon Jackson, Grace Kim, Anton Krueger, Joan McNerney, Nick Monks, Nashen Moodley, Kobus Moolman, Dashen Naicker, Seth Trent, and V.W. Williams.

The chapbook can be viewed by clicking on the window above. Alternatively, it can be downloaded HERE. The embed codes for platforms such as Blogger, Wordpress, MySpace, and Facebook can also be found after the link. Please write to tearoombooks@gmail.com if you have any difficulties.

Forthcoming From Tearoom Books: Loop: Issue 1