American Small Press Poetry Zines “Ship of Fools” and “Avocet”, Ohio and California, 1996–2000

Ship of Fools Avocet

Periodical

Poetry zines documenting American small-press literary culture at the close of the twentieth century, comprising three issues of Jack Hart’s “Ship of Fools” and one issue of “Avocet.” Their editorial statements articulate distinct commitments to lyrical expression and the relationship between nature and human experience. “Ship of Fools” favors economical, sensuous poetry while explicitly welcoming both free and formal verse; “Avocet” encourages writers of all levels to explore the natural world. Recurring contributors, including Maura Ramer and Rose Ann Spaith, connect the two publications, preserving evidence of the overlapping literary communities sustained by small poetry magazines.

Archive of four poetry periodicals. Rio Grande, Ohio, and Calabasas, California: “Ship of Fools” and Avocet Poetry Press, 1996–2000. Three scattered issues of “Ship of Fools” and one issue of “Avocet,” listed chronologically.

[1] “Ship of Fools.” No. 36, Fall 1996. Rio Grande, Ohio: “Ship of Fools.” Edited by Jack Hart, with assistant editor Catherine Grosvenor. Includes Pamela S. O’Brien’s “The Phoenix Sonnet,” Rose Ann Spaith’s “The AIDS Victim,” and Daron Harris Feingold’s “The River Merchant’s Wife.” Illustrated cover by Syd Edwards; submission guidelines favor concise poetry grounded in recognizable human experience.

[2] “Ship of Fools.” No. 43, Winter 1999. Edited by Jack Hart, with assistant editor Catherine Grosvenor. Contributions include Jennifer A. McGowan’s “Eurydice,” Michael L. Newell’s “A History,” and Charles Coleman Finlay’s “Mary Cassatt’s.” Peach illustrated wrappers, with interior artwork credited to Harry Clarke and H. J. Ford, among others.

[3] “Ship of Fools.” No. 44, Spring 1999. Edited by Jack Hart, with assistant editors Catherine Grosvenor and Kendra Phillips. Includes Robert Cooperman’s “Mortal Courtiers,” Richard Epstein’s “After the Assumption,” and Joyce Odam’s “Pierrot Gathers Children.” Lavender illustrated wrappers, with artwork credited to Arthur Rackham and Edward Burne-Jones, among others.

[4] “Avocet. A Journal of Nature Poems.” Vol. III, no. 4, Summer 2000. Calabasas, California: Avocet Poetry Press. Edited by Pat Swenson, with associate editor Nancy A. Taylor and production editor Steve Brillhart. Contributors include Anne Marie Johnson and Robert Arthur Lewis; its editorial statement emphasizes nature’s interconnectedness with humanity and encourages poets to develop individual voices.

These issues document the editorial preferences and contributor networks through which small magazines sustained poetry in print. “Avocet,” established in 1997, places the offered issue within the journal’s early years of publication. Stapled paper wrappers, three with pictorial covers; decorative borders and illustrations throughout the “Ship of Fools” issues. Light handling wear and uneven fading to some wrappers, particularly the lavender issue. Overall very good condition.

Item #24071

Price: $225.00