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is a program launched in 2004 by Shoshauna Shy in Madison, Wisconsin, with the mission of bringing poetry out of the libraries, bookstores and classrooms into the general public arena. Calls for submissions are conducted largely via cyberspace.

Poetry Jumps Off the Shelf Projects

           Since this program began, the work of over 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, in a plethora of jawbreaker capsules and in hand-sized books.

postcard samples

           2009 —The theme was "Lines in the Sand"—reaching across territorial, cultural and interpersonal boundaries and paired with the artwork of Sarah Spencer, then produced as postcards. These were made available to the public at the first Lorine Niedecker Poetry Festival in Fort Atkinson, the Harambee-South Madison Health & Family Center and the following places: 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.

verse-o-matic photo

           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 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