The cliquishness of the Chicago poetry scene led poet/publisher Batya Goldman, 31, to become a professional pen pal. Frustrated by the lack of communication between poets who, for the most part, only met within their own groups, Goldman began to distribute a “chap,” or self-made collection of her work, and to swap addresses, chaps, and zines with poets and writers around the country.
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The magic of zines, says Goldman, is the chance they provide for anyone to become an author. Within his or her own forum, the writer is able to try anything, and in the process achieve a sort of self-validation. “They’re for the guy who works at the 7-Eleven and lives in the trailer park–but yet his room is filled with books. He might be brilliant, and he deserves a chance,” she says.
“I think they [DePaul] were a little cautious at first,” says poet Gabriele Strohschen, who joined forces with Goldman to plan the event. Since the group was unfamiliar to the school, Goldman collected letters of support from potential participants. With Hernandez’s help, Goldman convinced DePaul to host the first Underground Press Conference.
Art accompanying story in printed newspaper (not available in this archive): photos/Yael Routtenberg.
