Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf Projects
Since this program began, the work of nearly 100
poets from the U.S., Canada, England,
Wales, Spain, Australia, and China have appeared on over 2500 java jackets, over 4000 postcards, 1000 bookmarks,
and in hand-sized books.
2009—"Lines in the Sand"—reaching across territorial, cultural and interpersonal boundaries paired with
the artwork of Sarah Spencer were produced as postcards and made available to the public at the first
Lorine Niedecker Poetry Festival in Fort Atkinson, the Harambee-South Madison Health & Family Center, Willy Street Co-op,
Regent Market Co-op, Wil-Mar Neighborhood Center, Goodman Community Center, the Alicia Ashman Branch Library, Monroe
Street Branch Library, Southside Branch Library, Madison Central Library, Avol's Bookstore, EVP Coffee, the Edgewood College
campus and the Creative Writing Department at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin; Scott's Pastry Shoppe
in Middleton, Wisconsin; The Wired Cyber Cafe in Taos, New Mexico; the Sedona Public Library in Sedona, Arizona;
the Creative Writing Department at the University of Wisconsin in Whitewater, Wisconsin; InnerGate Therapeutics in
Evanston, Illinois; the Seattle Public Library and the Frye Art Museum in Seattle, Washington; the Get Lit! Spokane Literature Festival in Spokane, Washington; the
Skagit Poetry Festival in La Conner, Washington; Centrum Writers Conference in Port Townsend, Washington;
The Bistro on the Penn State Campus and at the Martin Library in York, Pennsylvania; and at Carmichael's Books
in Louisville, Kentucky.
2008—"No Direct Route Home"—surprising detours paired with the artwork of Sarah Spencer were
produced as postcards and as part of the National Poetry Month displays at four Madison public library locations,
and distributed at the Milward Farrell Fine Arts Gallery, Ma Cha Teahouse & Gallery, Absolutely Art, Bungalow Gallery, Java Joint
Escape Coffeehouse & Gallery, Zu Zu Cafe & Market, and Avol's Bookstore.
2005—"Postage Due"—modes of written communication published on java jackets and
bookmarks were made available at Michelangelo's and Fair Trade coffeehouses, A Room of One's Own
and Avol's bookstores, and at the annual Wisconsin Book Festival in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. The poems were
also featured in a literary periodical called A Cup of Poems and a Side of Prose, and on WisconsinPoet.com.
2004— Poems related to biking, walking
and an appreciation for nature, and were distributed by two different companies, Community Car and Budget Bicycles
in palm-sized vinyl-covered books tucked inside the glove compartments, and on laminated bookmarks attached to the handle bars.
Sample Images
Questions? shoshaunashy@yahoo.com |