Matt’s Zine
As I mentioned in my last post, Matt has been working hard on his zine. He just finished it! Aside from drawing, Matt’s forte is writing. He’s quite the poet. You should really considering checking out his zine if you want to read some sad, but hopeful poetry about living the punk life. I’m not a poetry person reason, let alone a poetry zine person, but I really like his.
’s right! I just finished the latest issue of my personal/poetry/sad-as-fuck zine Effigy! I thought this one was a bit more on the light side but two of my readers so far have described it as “sad, as usual.”
of this city, a vast unraveling.
I’m pretty jazzed on this one for a few reasons: ( a ) I’ve started giving myself a three month schedule with these, and this one I finished pretty close to on-schedule; ( b ) I’ve started drawing a lot more recently thanks to my friend Ramsey and my weekly comic trade, which means there’s a lot more of my awkward attempts at doodles in this one; ( c ) it always feels good to finish a project.
Aside from the three poems I’ve already posted from the issue on here, below is a sample of what you get this time around, called “Poem for Action.” For those loyal subscribers and close friends out there, yours should be coming in the mail or in person. If you want to order the issue, send 2-4 dollars to Matt Whispers 1743 N Mozart ST APT 1 Chicago, IL 60647.
Here’s what it looks like:
Poem for Action:
I hung a black flag from my porch
but I had never been through
battle, was no marcher. So I tried
to be a romantic, perched on the roof
of my house in Allston watching the town
in daylight. It was
too much for me.
Jamie’s hiking the
Himalayas right now. Toby’s in Florida
on tour. In Boston they’re probably
planning the night’s adventure w/
a case of malt liquor.
In Chicago
every day’s a battle to stand upright
so I’m here wandering Riverwest
where I spent most of February in
hiding trying not to be lost.
In
Chicago I try to find my place
among the mute buildings
and strips of old churches. At my
old place I used to climb onto
the neighbor’s roof and look east
toward the lakeshore.
At night I
could see all the high-rise condos
lit up, reaching towards the sky like
a monument to the flat sprawl
of this city, a vast unraveling.
