Tag Archives: Michael Czarnecki

Americans Who Write in the Spirit of Chinese Wilderness Poetry

At a recent poets’ retreat in the Finger Lakes region, Michael Czarnecki presented me with a long awaited gift, his latest FootHills Publishing release, an anthology of five contemporary poets who write, as the title states, In the Spirit of … Continue reading

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The FootHills Poets: W. Jed Berry

FootHills publisher Michael Czarnecki reveres Gary Snyder, our master poet of life in the western mountains lived and observed with simple directness. In Jed Berry, Michael has found a bearded young poet from Montana with a similar temperament. A little … Continue reading

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Two fun poems from “Liberty’s Vigil, The Occupy Anthology”

Two poems that I especially enjoyed in Liberty’s Vigil, The Occupy Anthology use form to generate great wit out of the tired language of slogans. A Villanelle for Hard Times The unending crisis—begun by the cronies of Shrub. While many … Continue reading

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“Read Local”: My Holiday Appeal

Among the nicest gifts I received this year were two heartfelt appraisals of my poetry books by Marc Schuster of Small Press Reviews. Many critics love to show off their smarts, but not so many share their real feelings as … Continue reading

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On Not Becoming a Chinese Poet

On an early October day, on the cusp of the autumn color invasion when the forest looks darkest green from a summer of soaking up sunlight, I helped lead a “Hike & Write” up to Giant Ledges as part of … Continue reading

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Michael Czarnecki, Chinese Poet

Where to begin? Perhaps with the publication of Robert Milby’s book, Ophelia’s Offspring, which set to page the declamatory poems inspired by Baudelaire, Shelley, Tom Waits, and doomed Romantics everywhere that Robert delivers night after night in the coffee houses … Continue reading

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Visiting Wheeler Hill

In late June I drove more than four hours due west through the Catskills and across the southern tier of western New York to visit Michael and Carolyn Czarnecki of FootHills Publishing at their unpainted house in the back corner … Continue reading

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