There is a book of poetry so unique, so precious, that it contains four very different poets who mystically come together to form a metaphorical map of the last 150 years of poetry from all corners of the globe.
It includes Ranier Maria Rilke, whose popularity and importance grows more every year; Tristan Tzara, a polemicist of the Dada movement putting Africa oral poetry to paper, Jean-Pierre Duprey, the French surrealist whose poetry is so evocative, so moving that I made a one-minute poem about it that you can watch below, and Habib Tengour, an Algerian Muslim master of the postmodern story, meandering through the landscape of a fertile, troubled modern mind.
This books of poetry is called 4×1, since it contains first English translations of 4 poets all translated by the award-winning translator and poet, Pierre Joris. It was published by Inconundrum Press in 2002, but has received little distribution because of the common travails of the small press…mostly the difficulty in getting a wide distribution for a rather small first print run.
Inconundrum Press was founded by three smart English major types in Albany, NY who happened to be good friends of mine. When they were ready to move on to other things, I took over the press and became its executive editor. That was two years ago.
It’s been an experience full of miracles and mire. I’ve since moved the business to Philadelphia, changed the name to Inconnue Press, and learned that people want to read poetry (as this site’s healthy number of daily visitors can attest to) but few want to pay for it. I don’t blame them, I don’t like to part with my money either.
But publishing companies need our support. Mine, as well as others. And I’ve parted with $11.95 for two La Fin Du Mondes (the Belgian Trippel ale I love) and gone to bed with a headache and no book. I try to buy books as often as I can and to support small and independent presses. Independent presses pretty much exist solely on your direct purchases (what you buy on amazon.com leaves them with only about half of the sale), and all this money goes into publishing the next book. I’ve never made a personal dime on Inconundrum Press. But I love 4×1 and I feel privileged to be it’s keeper. And I want to publish books in the future, so in order to do that, I need to sell 4×1 and spread it all over the world like creamy butter.
That’s why I’m dedicating these next two weeks to posting poems from 4×1 and am asking those who I send free copies to during the “You send me a poem, I’ll send you a book” contest to write in with their reactions to the book.
And I am asking you to consider buying a copy of 4×1. There is no other book like it anywhere, and it is wonderful for fireside reading, a gift to your smartest friends, or, for you profs out there, adding to your English survey, modern poetry, or world lit course. It is only $11.95 plus tax and be purchased through paypal or by check (see below).
Thanks for your time and for supporting ninaalvarez.net, Inconnue Press (formerly Inconundrum) and most of all, thanks for continually supporting the life of poetry.
Yours,
Nina
To pay by check, make your check for $12.79 (includes Pennsylvania sales tax) out to Nina Alvarez and sent it to:
Nina Alvarez, Inconnue Press
P.O. Box 40782
Philadelphia, PA 19107
