Bottle No. 3.

by Edited by Bill Roberts. Bottle of Smoke Press, 9002 Wilson Drive, Dover, Delaware 19904 $25.00. Signed edition by all living authors. bospress.net

Book Review by Michael Basinski

To define: 20 broadsides laid into card covers, letter pressed. Among the contributors: Charles Bukowski, Gerald Locklin, Jeffrey Weinberg, S. A. Griffin, Nathan Graziano, Ed Galing and more. Need I say more about the poems? Let me quote David Barker’s poem from this collection: “Keeping my yap/ shut is something/ I’ve never regretted.” And there is a picture of d a levy on cover! That’s an introduction, the best, as it should be. This could almost be like receiving an outlaw wanted poster package. Well it is. If’in I was a backwoods country sheriff poet controlling the poem with my intellect and forgetting the streets twenty blocks and two suburban rings away. You get it. And forgetting that there is a night, at night and night in each of us, these poems don’t do it. Well, I guess it would piss off that poet sitting in thee high white glistering Pulitzer towers, pulling on his trouser snake. And it does. And also these sorts of publications, Bottle of Smoke - Bill Roberts (he being the chief of this band of language robbers) - this type of publication pays homage in a fine way to a type of poetry that has often been neglected by fine printing. He did it. This do it. A gem of ruby tomato filled with vodka, mind considered and presented poetry like the best bourbon you got. The majestic aesthetic of small press has here risen to take a pride in itself and it should and take a swipe here at the ironed short-sleeve shirt poem also.