Tag Archives: Poetry

by | December 5, 2017 · 5:44 pm

What DO poets talk about? Find out now.

What do poets talk about when they think everyone is listening? The question is answered in the latest episode of the acclaimed Poets Underground show is up on YouTube, click below to hear guest host, Todd Cirillo and guest poet/publisher, Wolfgang Carstens talk inspiration, poetry, the value of cuss words, his latest book, Hell and High Water (available for purchase below), selling out to the highest bidder and other half-truths from New Orleans to Alberta, Canada. Enjoy.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/wolfgang-carstens/hell-and-high-water/paperback/product-23418912.html

Leave a comment

Filed under Drinking, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , ,

by | October 28, 2017 · 6:29 am

Now Available! Hell and High Water

Book_Cover-full-3.indd

The book is available NOW!! Click the link below or the Lulu link to your right! Us pirates at Six Ft. Swells Press are so thrilled to publish, Hell and High Water by Wolfgang Carstens, that we are hitting the rum hard in total celebration! To pre-atone for our drunken ways we are offering the book at a 25% DISCOUNT now until November 15th in honor of Wolfgang Carstens 25 years of matrimony, chronicled here in Hell and High Water.

The poems in Hell and High Water offer the gritty reality of a poet, husband, provider, father and shady romantic wrestling with life’s responsibilities and his own primal urges.  From the familiar dinner table to disastrous family vacations and mail order sex toys, Wolfgang Carstens presents us with vulnerability, humor, rawness, regret and the rejoicing in twenty-five years of intimacy with another as no other poet can. Carstens has wickedly disguised Hell and High Water as a twisted yet tender guide for the rest of us in maintaining the wildness among minivans, mortgages and matrimony.

http://www.lulu.com/shop/wolfgang-carstens/hell-and-high-water/paperback/product-23385664.html

Leave a comment

Filed under break up, Drinking, Giveaway, lost love, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writer's Block, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | October 14, 2017 · 10:22 am

Praise for Hell and High Water

Book_Cover-full-3.indd

The water is rising and the flames grow hotter as October 19th nears. Here is an early review of the book and a poem to get you through the weekend. Order information to follow.

Wolfgang Carstens promises “hell and high water” in his new book from Six Ft. Swells Press, and that’s exactly what you get. These poems blaze short and hot like matches, but baby, you’ll feel the burn; they both praise love and raise the level of pithy skewering to new heights. In Hell and High Water, whether he’s getting lucky (“i don’t write love poems”), or ruminating (“len,”  “contrary”), Carstens remains true to himself and his sometimes dark, sometimes hilarious, episodic visions of life.—Dianne Borsenik, publisher of NightBallet Press, author of Age of Aquarius (Crisis Chronicles Press, 2016)

instead of “Speed Bump,”

the sign read

“Speed Hump.”

“look Honey,”

my wife said,

laughing.

“finally,

a sport

you

can win.”

–Wolfgang Carstens, Hell and High Water

Leave a comment

Filed under break up, Drinking, lost love, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , ,

by | May 13, 2017 · 3:08 pm

Poets Underground featuring Todd Cirillo

Now on small screens everywhere, poet Todd Cirillo is featured on the internationally acclaimed Poets Underground show with host Wolfgang Carstens. This critically lauded episode features the two legendary poets and writers in conversation and performance. A must see for poetry fans and good time people alike. So open up a sixer, mix a tall drink and enjoy as Todd and Wolfgang bring the goods to the world. Click below to watch.

Leave a comment

Filed under Drinking, lost love, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | April 20, 2017 · 3:01 pm

Slutty review of Burning the Evidence by Todd Cirillo

Only a true fan of Todd Cirillo’s poetry could write this review (keep them coming):

Reading Todd Cirillo’ s Burning The Evidence feels sweaty, like a hot summer afternoon in the French Quarter. Slutty, like a stranger who opens her heart and legs to you for reasons she doesn’t even know. And drunken, Spoken in the moments between sober confusion and drunken clarity. Sweaty,slutty,and drunken. All things I like, A lot.–Anonymous Verified Amazon Purchase

French Quarter Happy Hour starts by clicking this link to order the Sazerac of poetry:

https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Evidence-Todd-Cirillo/dp/1926860586/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492724932&sr=8-1&keywords=todd+cirillo#customerReviewsthumb_img_8755_1024

Leave a comment

Filed under break up, Drinking, lost love, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writer's Block, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | March 21, 2017 · 5:47 am

Todd Cirillo book release reading 3/29-New Orleans

On Wednesday March 29th at 8pm at BJ’s Lounge in the Bywater 4301 Burgundy St. for the Blood Jet Poetry Series, Todd will be celebrating the release of his new book of poems Burning the Evidence published by Epic Rites Press with a reading along with poet Clare Welsh. Come on down, there will be strong drinks, cheap books for sale (only $10), great jukebox, slanted pool table, corner bar beauty and fun.IMG_8818

Leave a comment

Filed under Giveaway, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | March 11, 2017 · 6:29 am

Midnight Lane Boutique features Todd Cirillo

The incomparable Midnight Lane Boutique features Todd Cirillo and publishes three new poems. Click the link below and you can also order Todd’s new book Burning the Evidence (Epic Rites Press 2017) at the end of the article.

https://midnightlanegalleryii.wordpress.com/2017/03/11/feature-poet-todd-cirillo/

Feature Poet: Todd Cirillo

Todd Cirillo is co-founder and editor of Six Ft. Swells Press. His poems have appeared in numerous national and international literary journals, magazines and cocktail napkins everywhere. His books include ROXY (R.L. Crow Publications, 2003), Everybody Knows the Dice are Loaded (Rattlesnake Press, 2006), This Troubled Heart(Lummox Press, 2010), Sucker’s Paradise (Six Ft. Swells Press, 2012), and Sexy Devils (Epic Rites Press, 2016), among others. Todd lives in New Orleans, Louisiana, and can be found at afterhourspoetry.com or epicrites.org.

*

In Complete Agreement

She stood me up
on a Sunday.
On Monday
she sent me a text
saying she
ended up getting drunk
with an old boyfriend
but she was sorry
and it would never
happen again.

I looked at my phone
in complete agreement
with her
as I
hit
delete.

*

Nothing Wasted

I am using the last
of your shampoo.
I spent the .84 cents
left on the desk
where there once stood
a vase with yellow flowers.
I am playing
the Pink Floyd album
you forgot.
I gave the leftover
pack of cigarettes
to the first
homeless person
I saw.

Instead of throwing
it all away
I thought,
why waste it.

There has been enough
of that already.

*

Premonition

Everyone was dancing—
except you.
It was supposed
to be a good time.
You and I
and a thousand
other lovers
under the moon,
listening
to the Rebirth Brass Band
sing from the stage,
“I used to love her
but it’s all over now.”

I went and ordered
two more beers,
thinking
that might loosen
the evening.
You did not want another.
“Two for me then,”
I thought out loud,
and smiling
up at the white moon
felt the breeze
come off the river
and watched the girls’ dresses
rise as they twirled.

I continued to dance
and make friends
with those around us,
our space on the lawn
getting smaller and smaller.
You had no idea
what was coming,

but I sure did.

*

All Hail! Todd Cirillo’s latest collection, Burning the Evidence (2017), is available via Epic Rites Press.* Please, click on the cover image below to learn more . . .

Cirillo Cover

*Cover photo by Matt Amott; cover design by Julie Valin.

Tags: , 

1 Comment

Filed under break up, Drinking, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized

Tagged as , , , , , , , ,

by | January 13, 2017 · 3:56 pm

Review of Burning the Evidence by Todd Cirillo

thumb_img_8755_1024

“Todd Cirillo’s, Burning the Evidence, leaves your heart like “hail shattered windshields”. It is broken and beautiful, cynical with a hint of hope and a twist of absurdism, ugly but true. The poems hit you like a .357 Magnum. Some ask questions that others seem to answer. While some poems are almost too honest to bare. One page Todd is “just checking to make sure she’s still there and a few pages down he’s sleeping alone to the sound of tires on wet pavement and the clock”. This glorious, fragmented storyline is so perfectly threaded in highs and lows, heartaches and breaks, goodbyes and come-ons, your head will twist.”

—Madeline Levy, PERFUME & CIGARETTES

You can order Burning the Evidence and get your head twisted at:

https://www.amazon.com/Burning-Evidence-Todd-Cirillo/dp/1926860586/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1484350567&sr=1-1&keywords=todd+cirillo

Leave a comment

Filed under break up, Drinking, lost love, Poetry, Publishing, Small Press, The Writer's Life, Uncategorized, Writer's Block, Writing

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

by | December 24, 2014 · 8:27 pm

Happy Holidays-Let’s Get Under the Mistletoe, See What Happens…

Happy Holidays from your pirates and poets at Six Ft. Swells Press

Happy Holidays from your pirates and poets at Six Ft. Swells Press

We at Six Ft. Swells Press want to wish everyone many presents under the tree and much joy in the New Year.  Just because we are tried and true pirates does not mean we are above expressing our appreciation and gratitude to each of you for supporting us over the last year and many many moonlit evenings before that.  SFS ended the year on a high note; releasing Amber’s book and a poetry contest with a newly crowned poetry champion of the neons.  Our sincere thanks for that.  Whether it is buying our books, coming to our shows, liking and/or commenting on our posts, buying us a round, giving us a hug, sending a postcard, or just telling us you miss us, it means a lot and in lieu of actual dollars, gives us the goods to keep sailing.

Whether you are naughty or nice, near or far, on the beach, in the foothills, in the city or in the great north woods, keep sailing with us.  We can’t promise riches but we can promise poetry that will kick you in the sleigh bells, tremendous laughs, a shot and a beer (or nine), adventure, gibberish, a chance to fall in love, a discreet rebound, and a full and open heart.  Big waves are headed your way from Six Ft. Swells Press this coming year.  After all, the only time to get things done is right now, come hellfire or high-water and we are totally comfortable with both dear brothers and sisters.

Santa must be cutting through the sky at a whiplash pace because there are flashes of lightening high above and vague sounds of bells in the distance….whoops…scratch that, could have been the sound of the bottles we just knocked over… But you never know….it is christmas eve after all…

A toast to all of you, we will have a blue blue christmas without you,

Todd, Julie, and Matt (SFS Board of Directors, Publishers, Editors, Thieves, Poets, Pirates, Friends, Reasons for the Season, Two UnWise Men and One Wise Woman, New Years Babies, Sugar-Plums)

Leave a comment

Filed under Drinking, Publishing, The Writer's Life

Tagged as , , , , , , ,

by | November 2, 2014 · 10:13 am

We Have a WINNER!!!

After reading the many submissions that arrived from coast to coast, the semi-sober judges of Six Ft. Swells Press, have unanimously chosen the winner of the 2014 Who Left Who Poetry contest!  The last poem submitted minutes to the midnight deadline, stood out; alone like Achilles on the battlefield, a true poetry champion that caused us to raise our glasses high and remember that poetry can kick ass…you will certainly be seeing more from this poet.  The Winner…Madeline Levy!!!  We are proud to publish her and she will receive a signed copy of our latest release, “The Girl Who Left You” by Amber Decker.     And now the winning poem:

The Glass is Always Half-Full, When It’s Not Around

As I drove through the Interstates,
I fell in love with you.

Your annoying habits
became endearing.
I started to admire the way
you yell in public.
Started to miss
closing the toothpaste cap
every morning.

I had to cross
the Mason-Dixon line
to realize
how beautiful you are–

when I’m leaving.

Madeline Levy is from Fair Lawn, New Jersey currently living in New Orleans, LA. She’s a waitress at Sweet Lorraine’s Jazz Club, where she barely ever spills wine on her customers. Her voice is commonly compared to Fran Drescher from The Nanny, and she’s still trying to figure out if that’s a compliment or an insult.  When she’s not reading, writing, or laughing at her own jokes, Madeline enjoys successfully taking only one trip into the house with all her groceries, pretending to get references she’s never heard before and when her favorite coffee shop employee actually sees her putting a buck in the tip jar.
Madeline writes spoken word, and performs sporadically.  Lately, she has been experimenting with shorter, meant-for-the-page-type poems. She was inspired by Todd Cirillo and his book “Sucker’s Paradise”, which made her feel all types a weird. In a good way!

Maddie

1 Comment

Filed under break up

Tagged as , , , , , , , , , , ,