Saturday, February 03, 2007

dgp's first ever review

And boy do I disagree. I think the device works nicely. But content of poetry aside, since everyone is entitled to their opinions, I bristled more at the production cracks. I wanted badly to defend our little operation. I don't think the critic realizes quite how DIY we are. There is no printer who could trim the edges (except the one sitting here hooked to my laptop), no designer, no editorial staff, no funding. Just me and a bone folder. I've tried trimming in the past with both a regular paper cutter and a rotary one, and since the books tend to be thick, they just get mangled. Anything more inustrial would take alot of cash. Besides, I like that homemade rough around the edges feel. It's the poems that we're here for.

*sigh* But any press is good press...

3 comments:

DUSIE said...

it's such a matter of aesthetics, dgp cuts excellently! imho!!!!! look at all the wee books, geesh that reviewer would convulse! but seriously now, I could find a great cutter, but I do intentionally 'like' the uneven pages and imperfection in that each one is unique, vs geared up to look polished and factory-like...that said, I do have standards and there are so many wee ones, that didn't pass and while I hate throwing them away I can't send them out either....

direct us to that review, praytell... I am experiencing my own bitterness/frustration today in way of 'alternate' presses esp in seeing 'winning' ''alternate '' poetics....urghhh

kristy bowen said...

it's at:

http://www.getunderground.com/underground/columns/article.cfm?Article_ID=2112

Christine E. Hamm, Poet Professor Painter said...

Oh, Get Underground. I write art reviews for them... sometimes. But they've never let me do anything related to poetry. Seriously, their poetry section is quite understaffed and underthought. Except they did an interview with Daphne Gottlieb that I liked.

They're mostly just interested in rock stars and spoken word stuff. I wouldn't take the review seriously.

DGP chaps are beautiful!!