At St Brigid Press, the table is set for design–and the type is set, as well, if you can read backwards.

I’m happy to announce that I’m working with Emily Hancock of St. Brigid Press to publish a haiku sequence entitled “Night Walk on Cape Cod” … in a very unique letterpress format.

Emily, whose work is featured in an article in Blue Ridge Life magazine, has done some great typographical work in books, posters, even a cool American Authors drink coaster series.

Samples of the “American Novelists Series” of letterpress drink coasters from St. Brigid Press.

Over the past few days Emily has begun designing a series of coasters which will comprise the eight-part haiku sequence “Night Walk on Cape Cod” from my book Vanishing Tracks. The set will be available soon here on the Translations site as well as at St Brigid Press.

Haiku on drink coasters? Would it be wrong of me to say that the combination strikes me as, well, intoxicating? (Okay, so it would be wrong. I just can’t seem to hit the backspace key, though.) Imagine lifting your favorite drink off the counter of your equally favorite drinking hole–even if that is your kitchen or den–and seeing the engimatic three line stanza that immediately identifies itself to you as a haiku, looking up at you invitingly as you take your first drink. Go ahead, read it. It doesn’t have to make sense. A few sips later, maybe some interpretive inspiration hits you, hmm, and next thing you know you are all zen with the world and entertaining your guests (or pets) with your newly found elucidation of things deep and mysterious. And like any literary treat, these coasters are reusable, and only get better with age, much like their content.

Should I go on? Great for book club meetings, most of which tend to involve some form of refreshing beverage! When you consider that the labors of writing and reading literature often drive a person to drink, it’s nice to be able to turn the tables on that equation and say that the enjoyment of drinking could potentially turn one to reading poetry…and appreciating fine printing.

I’ll have order information and some samples up on the site soon.

The print run will be limited so feel free to contact me if you would like to reserve a set. Opa!

Photos courtesy of St Brigid Press