After Words: Visual and Experimental Poetry in Little Magazines and Small Presses, 1960-2025

A revolutionary anthology of visual poetry contextualizing works within their original small-press publications, from authors such as Wallace Berman and Marian Zazeela to titles such as Ginger Snaps and Futura

By the 1960s, visual and experimental poetry was widely acknowledged as the first truly international poetry movement, occurring on several continents. The simultaneous "mimeograph revolution"—an emerging name for the proliferation of small, poet- and artist-operated presses and little magazines that emerged in the postwar era—meant that an extraordinary variety of experimental work appeared in ephemeral outlets, often reflecting an array of geographic influence and communities.
After Words is a thematic journey through the history of these experimental poetics, including cut-up, collage, sound poetry scores, performance scripts, practices of "writing through," erasure, glyph systems, calligraphy, experimental typography, non-Western alphabets, assemblages and beyond. Most importantly, it presents these works within their original contexts through photographs of page spreads from storied publications and presses.
Contributors include: Mary Beach, Wallace Berman, bill bissett, William S. Burroughs, Henri Chopin, Judith Copithorne, Johanna Drucker, d.a. levy, bpNichol, Seiichi Niikuni, Tom Phillips, Miroljub Todorovic, Cecilia Vicuña, Marian Zazeela.
Little magazines include: A: An Envelope Magazine of Visual Poetry, Alcheringa, Futura, L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E, New Wilderness Letter, Poor.Old.Tired.Horse., Revue OU, Stereo Headphones, The Difficulties, The Improbable, The Insect Trust Gazette, The Marrahwanna Quarterly, WhiteWalls.
Small presses include: Beau Geste Press, blewointmentpress, C Press, Chax Press, Coach House Press, Edition Hansjörg Mayer, Goliard Press, Hawk's Well Press, Openings Press, Poltroon Press, Siglio Press, Station Hill, Tarasque Press, Tetrad Press, Xexoxial Editions.