American Zen: A Gathering of Poets
224 pages, paper, perfect bound, 6x9
ISBN 0-933087-91-8, $15.00
Harmony Series, Bottom Dog Press
Edited by Ray McNiece and Larry Smith
Due out: September 15, 2004

From the Intro:

"Outside the Box, Inside the Circle"
In gathering this loose sanga of contemporary American poets, we discovered much about the nature of Zen Buddhist art and its impact on America and its poetry. Some of which we'll share here; much of which you will discover for yoursel fin your reading of these poems and personal Zen statements. Three main streams of the Zen outlook and aesthetic flow into the river of American poetry: the teachings and practice of Buddhism in America, the writings of older American Zen poets, and the translations of ancient Zen writings into English, typically by modern and contemporary poets...
- Larry Smith

So this diverse American sangha continues to sit and chant amid the frenetic activity of America... In general, America looks on poetry as it does Zen - as a useless, unnecessary waste of time; meanwhile it finds meaning in the superficial flash of televised samsara, looking for the new and improved, the bigger and better. And still we sit, write, and recite, wide open to a sky full of fiery flowerets comprising the jewel in the lotus. The stars shine from webs spun by Whitman's noiseless, patient spider. We sping forth these filaments, these breaths of light, gossamer stranders disappearing.
- Ray McNiece

Featured poets: Nin Andrews, David Budbill, Thomas Rain Crowe, Kathe Davis, Diane di Prima, Stanford Forrester, Tess Gallagher, Margaret Gibson, John Gilgun, Netta Gillespie, Sam Hamill, William Heyen, Jane Hirshfield, Holly Hughes, Mary Sue Koeppel, Mark Kuhar, Mac Lojowsky, Ray McNiece, Tom Montag, Shin Yu Pai, Paul Piper, Maj Ragain, David Ray, Seido Ray Ronci, Andrew Schelling, Paul Skyrm, Larry Smith, Tony Trigilio, Chase Twichell, and Anne Waldman

Book release reading: December 1, 2004 at the William Benton Museum of Art at the University of Connecticut featuring Margaret Gibson, Chase Twichell, Stanford Forrester and Shin Yu Pai.