HSTQ: Summer 2017 by Arthur Graham

HSTQ: Summer 2017 Reviews

• 
  Janie

  Bravo to the first anniversary issue of HSTQ! What it lacks in horror is well made up for in grit and, yeah, balls. There is a lot of talent and raw emotion in this issue, with a variety of subject matter and voice tones. This is definitely my favorite issue, and I look forward to many more to come. Great job, everyone!
• 
  Arthur Graham

  They say this summer's gonna be a HOT one, and it ain't just 'cos of climate change...
  
  THE FUCKING GLACIERS ARE MELTING Y'ALL, so get your free ebook before it's too late!
• 
  Melki

  Horror and sleaze are definitely prevalent in this collection, and anal sex seems to be a popular theme.
  
  I was tickled pink by
  James D. Casey IV's Talking to Myself in Public (been there, done that), and unexpectedly touched by
  John D. Robinson's Listen to Me Son.
  
  Why not indulge your prurient and poetic interests by contacting this guy -
  Arthur Graham for your own free copy of these ditties?
  
  You'll be glad you did.
• 
  Harry Whitewolf

  Putting to one side that my own humble offering has been included in this edition, and that there needs to be more horror, I felt that this was the best issue of HST Quarterly I’ve read.
  
  Absolute favourites of this collection were: ‘one of those shits’ by Michael D. Goscinski (“it’d been a while / since i had to shit like that / it was one of those cheek squeezers where you try to hold it / together running for the bathroom / hoping you don’t let loose”) and: ‘Imagining Something In Her Mouth’ by David Mac (“‘I’ve had all shapes and sizes,’ she said. / ‘Of dicks?’ I asked. / ‘No. Of pasta,’ she replied. / ‘Oh, I thought you meant dicks.’”), with close runner-up poems by J. A. Carter-Winward, Rebecca Gransden, Casey Renee Kiser, Arthur Graham (I felt that ‘real tough guy’ was the best of Graham’s poems that I’ve read), A. Lynn Blumer, Johnny Scarlotti, James D. Casey IV and Ben John Smith.
  The others were pretty damn good too.
  
  Trashy sleaze at its finest.
• 
  Rodney

  If you have read any of the other HST Quarterlies you have an idea of what to expect, a mix of cynical, dirty and heartfelt poetry. This may be the dirtiest so far, but is not without it's deeper pieces.
  My favorites of the bunch:
  Art by Ben John Smith
  Dumb, Poor and Benign by Michael Marrotti
  Stepdad by Scott Emerson
  Talking to Myself in Public by James D. Casey IV
  What a Day by Johnny Scarlotti
  A Close Escape by Harry Whitewolf
  When the Dick Died Inside by Rebecca Grandsen
  A Burned Past by Craig Moffatt
• 
  India

  Rating for the poets that are far more talented than I am. I like to read poetry a couple of times before I feel like I'm done and I read this over and over and enjoyed it more every time.
• 
  A. Blumer

  I think I laughed more throughout this quarterly than any of the others. Maybe HST isn't particularly meant for invoking humor but I think it also matters how sick and twisted you are.
  
  I felt like the work in here followed the HST theme rather well, actually. If we go by the definition of things which create aversion, (like having a dead body for a boyfriend or filleting a human carcass to fuck and die inside) I would say horror was represented along with Sleaze and Trash.
  
  Two poems that stuck me, by their style and context, was Juxtaposition Among Redwoods by Flower Conroy, and A Burned Past by Craig Moffatt. Very beautiful. Very strong.
  
  And to the rest of the raunchy fuckers, thank you for providing me that grit I need and desire so.
  
  Here's the list of the other poems, no particular order at all, that I enjoyed:
  
  Talking To Myself in Public – James D. Casey IV
  Moving Sale – Changming Yuan
  My Little Death Boy – Casey Renee Kiser
  Real Tough Guy – Arthur Graham
  Art – Ben John Smith
  Stepdad – Scott Emerson
  The Art of False Emotion – Adam Schirling
  Dumb, Poor, and Benign – Michael Marrotti
  Anything Johnny Scarlotti
  Multitasking – Rodney Gardner
  Making Feminism Great Again – India LaPlace
  When The Dick Died Inside – Rebecca Grandson
  A Close Escape – Harry Whitewolf
  
• 
  James IV

  Great issue featuring some incredible talent. Proud to be a part of it among so many other awesome writers.
• 
  Jason

  Wow it's been a year of these publications already. I've enjoyed this one, only problem is either I'm getting desensitized to the violence or things are getting more sensible. Great to see the regulars posting Arthur Graham, Ben John Smith, A. Blumer and Johnny "The Great" Scarlotti. Was also good to see some newcomers that I've heard off JA "QMC" Carter-Winward, Rebecca Gransden and Harry Whitewolf....In stockings it seems :-)
  
  If I had to pick a favourite it would have to be a poet, unknown to me, Scott Emerson. His "Stepdad" was brilliant, had me laughing and grossed out at the same time. I recommend drinking milk whilst reading that one just to have something interesting come out your nose as you snort with laughter.
• 
  Leo Robertson

  Made for a highly entertaining flight back from Glasgow! For 24 pages, I didn't think about dying in a horrible crash—and that's saying something ;)
• 
  J.A. Carter-Winward

  Arthur Graham does an excellent job of fooling you. You might think you're getting "horror, sleaze, and trash," but he throws in some damn fine, goddamned good shit in there, too. No, it won't make your MFA brother-in-law quiver with lambent illumination in his decorous-dulled chinos, but for those of us seeking the real world in our art, rather than forcing a fake one into it, it nudges you right where it counts (I'll let you decide where that is for yourself. )
• 
  Jack Stark

  Shockingly repulsive.
• 
  Igrowastreesgrow

  As always, a great collection.
• 
  Marc

  Sometimes poetry should chafe a little bit. Leave you a little sticky, and wishing that public bathroom had had running water or soap. Schedule that doc appointment now before the itching starts...
• 
  Michael Faun

  A very entertaining unholy bible of rawness and sleaze! Looking forward to read the autumn edition!
• 
  Kent Winward

  I've been re-reading the HSTQ as part of the whole New Year's resolution gig -- go for what is attainable -- plus it pads my "Books Read" stats for later when I start reading 900 page Russian novels.
  
  I've always thought Bukowski was relevant and a classic, not because he wrote about menial jobs, drinking, women, and horse racing, but because he managed to capture universal and ineffable aspects of the human condition. The booze and tough guy shtick was his artistic means of entry.
  
  Now that I'm on the fourth HSTQ in three days and Arthur has managed something that you can only do with a collection of authors: he has found the universal through a particular tribe of poets. The collection begins with a question of sorts from
  John D. Robinson, what is the point of all this poetry?
  
  The collection ends with
  John D. Robinson's old drunk father alienating and offending a group of bar poets. As I finished the collection I had the distinct impression that none of the authors in this collection would have been offended, and laughed right along with the father and son. And this at least provided a little answer to why these collections are so compelling, because the editorial combination of the poets accomplishes what Bukowski does with his poetry, it illuminates the universal human condition. At least that is how I see it.
  
  
• 
  Joseph Spuckler

  Anniversary edition. Well done