Heller Levinson is a true wordsmith, and The Abyssal Recitations takes you on a submarine dive into the depths of the poet’s mind. The way these poems roll off the tongue is a work of art. This book isn’t simply a collection of poetry, it’s an educational journey into the abyss of wordplay. A beautifully crafted, well-written, and highly recommended read. Heller Levinson and Concrete Mist Press have done us all a great service in bringing it to the surface of the literary fathoms. —JDCIV, Founder/Editor-in-Chief of Cajun Mutt Press
Cover Design:
Back CoverFront CoverThe Abyssal Recitations by Heller Levinson (Concrete Mist Press, Jan. 2024)
Whatever you think you know about Heller Levinson, guess again. Levinson’s latest book, The Abyssal Recitations, not only requires the suspension of your disbelief, but also requires a complete reorganization of your sensibility. Hallmark and/or AI rubbish does not live here. Look at his poem “Abyssal Reminiscence” in its entirety:
From beginning to end, Abyssal Recitations reads this way. The best way to enjoy these poems is to forget how you’ve been taught poetry should read and focus intently upon the relationships that Heller’s lexicon creates, especially the vibrations of sounds and senses his words generate. To apprehend the following lines requires readers to actually experience the poet’s linguistic vibrations as they rattle neurons from their slumber:
verbs incinerate incline grief vowels wish you were here twine thickens straits thru mewling chaw wipe bibelot courtesies in the company of balance thistle thrush threshold thicket cymbal clunk cadaver slaver skins thins (“Abyssal Abject”).
Concrete Mist Press is known for supporting some of the most unique poetry around today, and Heller Levinson surely belongs on this list of fresh voices. Pour yourself a glass of wine, if you like, but hunker down some place where the nonsense of the world isn’t too much with you and feel those neurons rattle like the tail of a Southeastern Diamondback.
—Alan Britt, author Gunpowder for Single-ball Poems Towson University
“For my money, Levinson is THE most challenging, interesting, frustrating and brilliant writer on the scene today. His books are NOT easy…and they’re not meant to be! This is not bathroom throwaway, stand-up comedy poetry…this stuff’s legit. It takes work. Buy one and see if you’re up to the task!”
—John Yamrus, author of The Street and People(and other bad ideas)
“Only Heller Levinson’s poetry makes my mind feel like it’s moving in all directions at once. I can go inside the words and feel boundless running space for my imagination. It invites dialogue between the page and the gaze. Love it!”
September is the month of my birth, and I’ve been feeling the years lately. Mentally, I feel young. Physically, I feel older than I am because of my wild past. Yet I’ve always held a close affinity with the last four calendar months. So that makes me feel a little better.
I’ve loved this time of year since I was a kid. Not only because of being born in September. It’s like one big end-of-the-year blowout. Halloween in October is my favorite. I actually enjoy that better than my own birthday. Then the Great Feast in November. I make shrimp stuffed mirlitons every year in honor of my Great Aunt Mary Jane (Nanny). Holiday cheer after that in December.
Now, I’m not too fond of Christmas. Mainly because I’m usually broke. So I’m not able to experience the joy of giving gifts unless I know you personally and it’s handmade. What I do like about it is that everyone just seems to be in a better mood in general. I dig that. It’s nice to go somewhere and see happy people. Most of the time they look so damn miserable.
Okay, initial rant—over. Down to business. This month’s featured writers are listed below. I’ll have today’s featured writer posted in a little while. If you’d like to send some work, shoot 1-3 poems to cajunmuttpress@gmail.com with a bio and author photo. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can, but please be patient.
Keep your eyes peeled for Fear Of Falling Backwards by Ian Mullins later this month! I’m aiming for the 19th, but waiting for some blurbs. I’ll keep y’all updated. Get in touch with Timothy Dodd if you’d like a copy of last month’s release, Vital Decay. He has signed author copies! So does John Tustin of his book, Written Under Duress which came out earlier this year! Get in touch with him if you’d like a signed copy of that one. More info about the other last few releases of the year coming soon as well.
Also, I’m still offering AD spots. $5 one-day promotions on Tue/Thu and $50 permanent spots on the Cajun Mutt Press main website. Get in touch with me if you’re interested. It helps keep the publishing ball rolling. Infinite thanks to everyone who’s grabbed one so far.
One more thing, a quick shout-out to the close friend who bailed me out of a jam today! You know who you are. I wasn’t expecting that to happen this morning, and I needed some help. You came through big time, brother. Infinite Thanks for the smokes.
CALLING ALL POETS, BOOK SHOPS, SMALL PRESS VENUES, BIG NAME PUBLISHERS, ARTISTS, TATTOOISTS, PIERCERS, JEWELRY MAKERS, BOOTLEG TOY MAKERS, EDC WEAPON FORGERS, COLLEGES, CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, SHOP OWNERS, CRYSTAL HEALERS, PERFUME MAKERS, FORTUNE TELLERS, SEX WORKERS, BARS, COMEDIANS, TAXI DRIVERS, MOTELS, HOTELS, CRACKSHACKS, HEAD SHOPS, DISPENSARIES, OR CREATIVE SOULS OF ANY KIND, CAJUN MUTT PRESS NEEDS YOUR HELP!!! (New CMP AD Section)
I’ve been thinking a lot for the past few days since we got home. About all kinds of shit. The Past & Future Me. The horrible state that I’ve let my body and mind and SOUL crumble into over the decades after my accident. The things I’ve done wrong that nobody can forget. The things I’ve done right that they refuse to remember. The things that I can achieve if I play my cards right from here on out. Not only with Cajun Mutt Press but in my personal life. I’m ready to be Mentally, Physically, & Spiritually Healthy again. I’m sick of being so fucking sad. Things need to change. I’m sure a lot of us feel the same way, but I was seriously contemplating an end to a few things. Meeting everyone at Gonzofest, and my mentor Ron Whitehead above all has given me the fuel I needed to continue. But, Cajun Mutt Press needs your help!
My Gonzofest Loot
After I got hurt in 2008, and only because I was LUCKY enough to be working for a man who cared for his employees and had workman’s comp. I did get a small settlement. It was $75,000. Should’ve gotten WAY more for the injuries I sustained, but I didn’t want to go the lawyer route. Just quietly settled out of court. Well, that money is LONG gone. I did a lot of fucking up with it, but I also did a TON of good. A lot of thoroughly illegal activities as well. Illicit Thrills are the Devil’s Candy, and that shit is sweet. Why do y’all think I have diabetes?—I’m Kidding. I also helped friends and family members with money/bills, paid off a couple of my vehicles, put some money down on a house, yada-yada-yada. This isn’t AGT. So I’ll shut up. But Yeah, I was living what I THOUGHT was the American Dream. Until it all came crashing down. By a combination of my own hand, and cruel fate. Now I’m in need of some fundage. I’m trying to Make My Own Way instead of relying on some janky government bullshit that isn’t guaranteed. They also told me that as a stipulation, I couldn’t file for any kind of SSI or disability or even bankruptcy in 10 years’ time. Well, 2018 has come and gone, and I’ve been denied disability twice already. Everyone keeps telling me, “Third time’s a charm.” or “Get a Lawyer.” A nightmarish situation that I do not wish to traverse. So I have a few plans.
I have a million different ideas right now, but this article is about ONE in specific. We’ll get into the other killer ideas I have at a later date. One of which is a Tattoo & PoetryExtravaganza! For now, I’m creating a CMP AD section. It pains me in hearing “There’s no money in poetry.” Or “Poetry should be free.” Because while that’s partially true, it is indeed NOT entirely true. Particularly from MY standpoint. It’s different when you’re only writing and sending work out, compared to Working On The Work. There is Most Definitely Money involved in running a publishing company. Especially if you’re trying to be legit and build something that lasts. As I’m currently doing—BEEN DOING—for some years now. SO many presses come & go. They pop up and disappear constantly. Seemingly overnight sometimes. I think people jump into it not knowing what they’re getting themselves into and panic when it becomes too much. Not Me. I’m in this for the long haul. You see, in the beginning, I WAS a Small Press. That’s what CMP always identified as. But the tune has changed over the years. It was all fun and games before. Now I have obligations, deadlines, & overhead costs. I’m giving out free author copies every time I publish a book, buying proof copies & ISBNs, and charging people $0 to edit and format their work. My authors also receive a $3 per book royalty from Amazon sales. I do it all out of love, but this has become a full-blown business. So, THERE IS MONEY IN POETRY. Especially when you do what I do. There’s money, but no profit. That’s the real statement people should be making. I barely break even a lot of times with these titles. If I do make a little, it goes Right Back into the press. Either that or supporting my friends by buying their books. Not to mention all the packages I send people. I do a lot. For Free. And I can’t keep doing that unless I get some funds rolling in. Be it book sales or otherwise.
There’s a difference between involvement & commitment. Ever heard the Chicken & Pig analogy? I’ve been publishing books since 2015. Started Cajun Mutt Press in 2018. And I am 100% committed to poetry, art, and helping people get their words out into the world. Here’s how you can help me keep doing so, and get some good exposure in the process. I’m planning on making Tuesdays & Thursdays $5 paid promotion days. In between the featured writers on MON/WED/FRI. If you send me your business info, some photos of yourself and or your work, and $5 via PayPal, I’ll build you an ad post. Just like the featured writer posts, but for your business. It doesn’t even HAVE to be for a business. It can be anything you’d like to promote or say. A book, your art, someone special’s birthday/anniversary/wedding, whatever you want within reason. (RACIST OR HOMOPHOBIC BULLSHIT WILL NOT BE TOLERATED IN MY HOUSE, AND CMP IS MY FUCKING HOUSE) Think outside the box. The cooler the idea the better. I’ll post it for you for $5 and put it on the schedule for either Tuesday or Thursday, Or, you can have a Permanent Spot on our AD page for a one-time fee of $50!! I’ll be revealing the CMP AD page tomorrow.
Featured Writers will continue with their regular schedule. If you’d like to send some work, shoot 1-3 poems to cajunmuttpress@gmail.com along with a bio and author photo. ALL AD Inquiries should be sent to the same email address with “Advertising” as the subject. Featured Writer subs will always be free! I’ve never charged for poetry submissions and I never will, but I need y’all’s help to keep CMP alive. I’ve given myself a deadline. I’m going to finish working on the books I have scheduled for 2023. If things aren’t looking up by December, I’m not gonna be able to open manuscript subs in Jan. I’ll have to push the plate away. I’m losing my ass over here throwing money that I don’t have at publishing these books. It was a MIRACLE that Rai & I even made it to Gonzofest. We actually had to borrow money to do so, but it was worth it! Just to meet y’all. I LOVE doing this. I do it ALL for Y’ALL. But I need a business model that makes sense if I’m going to continue publishing.
So, here’s what I can offer. $50 for a PERMANENT Spot on our CMP AD page, or $5 for a one-day paid promo on Tuesday or Thursday. Paid for via PayPal. (https://www.paypal.me/JDCIV) Kind of like a Super Bowl commercial. Between the poetry. To make ends meet. That’s more than reasonable if you ask me. You’ll be helping Rai & I keep Cajun Mutt Press alive.
Infinite thanks to our first two permanent partners, Gill’s Flooring & Quaint Cadaver!!! One is a lifelong friend of mine that I grew up with, and the other is a close friend of my beautiful muse! That’s What Friends Are For. Mikey Gill & Jess Salisbury, Raissa & I are Eternally Grateful! I’m building the CMP AD section tonight. I’ll be revealing it tomorrow!
Gonzofest has ignited a flame deep within me. Please help me keep it stocked with firewood. I’ll Keep that fucker ablaze for as long as y’all will have me! If you don’t want to takeout an AD, please buy a book! If you do grab one, please leave a review! If you can’t afford a book or an AD, please share the article!! I’ll be posting more about the Tattoo & Poetry Extravaganza and the all other ideas I have soon!!!!
James Dennis Casey IV is a poet, artist, and founder/editor-in-chief of Cajun Mutt Press. His work has been published in print and online by several small press venues and literary magazines. His new book, Bad Weed Never Dies, is available now on Amazon!
The 2016 La Voce dei Poeti, La Catena della Pace international poetry contest gave his entry “Warriors of the Rainbow” a critic’s choice award, and his poem “That’ll do Pig” was nominated for the Pushcart Prize by New Pop Lit in 2019.
James was born in Colorado, grew up in Louisiana/Mississippi, and currently resides in Illinois with his muse and their three cats.
