Hello and welcome to the Spring issue of BlazeVOX 13. Presented here is a world-class issue featuring poetry, art, fiction, and an arresting work of creative non-fiction, written by authors from around globe.

‘April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.’
—Sonnet XCVIII William Shakespeare

I am writing this while an unprecedented manhunt is going on in Boston for the two Boston Marathon bombers. One is now dead and the other is trapped in Watertown, MA in the middle of the model of the modern law enforcement gauntlet. It is difficult to concentrate while we wait to see how this event will unfold. There is the feeling of excitement, worry, fear for friends, sadness of those hurt, those that might get hurt. Trauma from gunmen is playing on all the television channels and I am seated at my desk reading poems and prose pieces. It is best to just continue on, I suppose. My heart is racing as I flip through word documents. It is spring once again; it is late April and the weather unpredictable. Yesterday it was sunny, warm for the time of year, almost summer time weather. Today it is cold and the rain is falling in dark swirls around our house. I was to take the covering off of the roses this afternoon. I think I will keep the burlap on until the weekend. A few more days of protection from the frozen months of winter, even though it is clearly spring. Buffalo knows how to do a proper winter, and this year did not disappoint. Springtime in Buffalo is an erratic time, a time of life fighting to come into it's greenery. Poetry is very much like April, and this issue represents that spirit of youth Shakespeare’s April embodies.

Spring Matters : We are pleased to present our regular journal issue and we are pleased to announce our new BXtraordinary section to the BlazeVOX web site. Our journal features 45 poets and 12 prose writers presenting some spectacular work. Our BXtraordinary section has twenty-eight Video Poems and eight interviews. The video poems consist of two full-length poetry readings from AWP and the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair, and our Wednesday's Poem series. In these short video readings, poets read from their BlazeVOX book. We have also gathered up our Friday series, 15 Questions into this issue. In this issue we have eight interviews consisting of fifteen questions with BlazeVOX writers. This is a wonderful way to bridge readers and writers and hopefully open a connection. Tune in each Friday and Wednesday for new installments of our interviews and video poems. We plan to keep on adding in new and interesting content on a weekly basis, so hurray!  

National Poetry Month Limerick Contest : It started out as an April Fools day joke, an email stating that we are having a limerick contest. I laughed as did many, but some of our dear readers took up the challenge and really went to work. We received a lot, more than I ever expected, submissions to this contest, twelve in all. So hurray, they are all really good and so, to be true to my word, I will publish all the entries in the journal – and everyone who sent in poems will win a book of their choice. Hip Hip Hurray! I’m sure you will get as much of a kick out of this as I did! 

Tattooed Cover Image : This issues cover image is wild! It's Nick Mansito’s new tattoo! Yes indeed that is the BlazeVOX logo with a moving quote from Neruda inked beautifully onto his leg. Now check out Nick’s two books, Miscellaneous Debris and 3rd  & 7th. You will be impressed!

BlazeVOX @ AWP 2013 | Boston : Do you still want to have some AWP fun now that there is time in the day to really enjoy it? Well here you go. We have all of BlazeVOX’s AWP activates right here for you to enjoy, we have a panel talk by our editor and publisher Geoffrey Gatza, an online poetry reading and a an table full of books priced like it's the last day of a book fair. Hurray and we’ll see you at AWP 2014!

National Poetry Month Limerick Contest!

It started out as an April Fools day joke, an email stating that we are having a limerick contest. I laughed as did many, but some of our dear readers took up the challenge and really went to work. We received a lot, more than I ever expected, submissions to this contest, twelve in all. So hurray, they are all really good and so, to be true to my word, I will publish all the entries in the journal – and everyone who sent in poems will win a book of their choice. Hip Hip Hurray! I’m sure you will get as much of a kick out of this as I did!

Our Winners! Will Pflaum, Tom Swanston, Tina Bodiak, Rosmarie Epaminondas, Mel Goldberg, Lanny Quarles, Jake Christensen, Jackson, Fred Whitehead, F.J. Bergmann, Chad Parenteau, Anthony Madrid

Read the whole selection here

iPad Poetry Reading at the Buffalo Small Press Book Fair

The Buffalo Small Press Book fair is a wonderful event that happens every spring! The Buffalo Small Press Book Fair is a regional two-day event that brings booksellers, authors, bookmakers, zinesters, small presses, artists, poets, and other cultural workers (and enthusiasts) together in a venue where they can share ideas, showcase their art, and peddle their wares.

BlazeVOX had a large table full of books and I cooked a large table of comestibles for the Friday Night opening poetry reading, All Poetry is Small Press Poetry. And after the wonderful success of the AWP iPad Poetry Reading, we are having another YouTube reading. Set right here in Buffalo we are bringing you some of our favorite authors for the Book Fair. Hurray!

Featuring: Sherry Robbins, Kristina Marie Darling, Jared Schickling, Damian Weber, Peter Ramos, Michael Kelleher, Jorge Guitart, David Hadbawnik, Nava Fader, Michael Boughn, Morani Kornberg, Celia Gilbert, and Geoffrey Gatza

Buffalo Small Press Book Fair - iPad Poetry Reading Series

 AWP 2013 | BlazeVOX in Boston

Do you still want to have some AWP fun now that there is time in the day to really enjoy it? Well here you go. We have all of BlazeVOX’s AWP activates right here for you to enjoy, we have a panel talk by our editor and publisher Geoffrey Gatza, an online poetry reading and a an table full of books priced like it's the last day of a book fair. Hurray and we’ll see you at AWP 2014!

Read Geoffrey Gatza’s panel talk:

Cooperative Publishing and the Future of the Small Press

BlazeVOX AWP iPad Poetry Reading Series. With readings by Travis Cebula, Burt Kimmelman, Michael Kelleher, Tony Trigilio, James Berger, Michael Ruby, Bill Yarrow, Christopher Shipman, and Geoffrey Gatza. Plus, find out why this list is all guys.

Our AWP online Book Fair with half price books is still up and running. Have a browse on over 24 titles, flip through online previews and buy a book or two. The best part is that we ship the books right to your doorstop. And when you are done, have a look around our full catalog of over 300 books, our journal,videos, podcasts, Thanksgiving Menu Poems and free ebooks. Hurray!