Anastacia-Reneé + Donald Dunbar

from (v.) and Safe Word

On July 1,

you will be able to purchase and read Gramma's all new (v.), by Anastacia-Reneé, and Safe Word, by Donald Dunbar. This Weekly Gramma offers a small taste of both titles.

Both Anastacia and Donald's books are very current books, very necessary. Despite their differences in style and form, they seem to compliment each other in a way that can only happen when two books are published in tandem on the same press: little patterns arise, unbeknownst to the individual author, the editor, and the designer. That is beautiful.

The themes at hand are not light. There are hopeful, comedic moments throughout, hopeless and tragic ones too; meanwhile each book's form meets somewhere between tradition and experiment, thereby successfully and vividly relaying such themes. They beg to be spoken out loud. They beg to be read alone in the dark. But Gramma will let you read them and see for yourself. Thank you in advance for reading our two new books. It is an honor to publish them.

Anastacia-Reneé's Seattle Book Release Party, Saturday, July 8 @ Generations

Donald Dunbar's Portland Book Release Party, Wednesday, July 5 @ Revolution Hall

The Soft Face of a Rabbit, Donald Dunbar

"The Soft Face of a Rabbit" was originally published in HOUSEFIRE

Pigeon (Baby), by Anastacia-Reneé

 1.

it is a thing to think about:
the pigeons where are the
babies

 2.

it turns out pigeons stay in the
nest for 40 sometimes 80 days
as in they come out when they
are practically adults

 3.

your baby pigeon is out in the world
& there he is walking & searching
for bread & you don’t like all the
men sprinkling his sidewalk
& you want to tell him only eat
the best crackers

 4.

you tell your baby pigeon who looks like
a grown up pigeon in disguise that
he is in his jesus years (a bit early) that
he is a prophet (like marvin gaye) that
he has to stop walking & fly & he says
his wings are too heavy that no one
can see how special he is when he’s with
the other pigeons

 5.

when you take him home to revisit his nesting
he tells you he longs for the days of nest
by the water of cliffs so high no one could
see him of being called (respectfully) rock dove

 6.

hide your babies
hide your babies
hide your babies

Fat Meat Ain't Pleasing, by Anastacia-Reneé

it’s as if we aren’t allowed to dance with our clothes off
do not show the broken shatter of a fat stretch mark
beneath a skinny line of faith do not be brave
& look see about jiggling imperfections
in ridges of skin rosary. no magazine wants to parade
your holiness down the cookie cutter pews
it’s as if your speckled back is a lonely devil fighting
to sin up the town

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