A Collaborative Poetry Collection
A delightful collection of poetry that is both accessible to new readers and complex enough for more seasoned poetry aficionados… At turns vulnerable and tender, at others severe and self-incriminating, this collection showcases a range of talents.”
—Lynda Laughlin
iNK BLOTS, Vol. 1 is the first compilation of poems from the DC Poetry Collective. We are ten poets offering a total of sixty-two poems which cover a wide range of subjects from nature to love, eroticism, politics, social commentary, death and more. This collection includes work from the following poets: Dana Gittings, Elizabeth Black, Julie Maurer, Keith David Parsons, LKN, Mark Fishbein, Martin L Parker, Rebecca Wener, Vadim Kagan and Zebra Black. If you’re looking to sample a variety of voices and poetry styles, this book is for you!
This book is dedicated to the multitudes who have perished and the deaths still to come due to COVID-19. All proceeds will go to Bread for the City, a Washington, D.C.-based charity whose mission is to help the city’s residents living with low income to develop their power to determine the future of their own communities. Bread for the City provides food, clothing, medical care, and legal and social services to reduce the burden of poverty.
Check out our NEW anthology, as well –
iNK BLOTS, Vol. 2!
Hear the contributing poets read their work, discuss the collection, and talk about their writing process.
Lost City Books Event #1:
View Recording
Lost City Books Event #2:
View Recording
Poet Keith David Parsons discusses our vision for the book:
Additional praise for iNK BLOTS, Vol. 1 (full reviews here):
The poets address grim realities, timely, topical, terrible, as well as love and loss, bringing the variety of their personal stories, the music of their idiosyncratic syntax, and the startle of their vivid imagery to ‘give sorrow words’… Order it now. It’s a life preserver.”
—Peggy Osna Heller, Author of Word Arts Collage
This is an excellent book of poetry that achieves the rare balancing act of being both powerful and soothing at the same time. Each author is incredibly unique with their own styles and each poem has a different rhythmic dance and beauty… This is a must-read!”
—David Rosenzweig
The thoughtfulness, vivid imagery, and DC nostalgia are what really make this collection for me. Great example of written word giving us strength in difficult times.”
—R. Young
What the collection shows is the power of poetry to save the world: by giving meaning and beauty to our daily lives, and by helping us process and transform the dark emotions and powers in the world.”
—S. Li
The poetry is refreshing in its straightforwardness and other multi-syllabic superlatives. Perhaps the best term one can use to describe this eclectic and bohemian tome is “available”… Despite being Volume 1, this poetry magnum opus goes to 11.”
—Philip J. Shannon
If you aren’t digging what you’re reading, just turn a few pages and you’ll find a new poet with a different style and perception of the world – whether it be funny, sad, erotic, or ironic. This is a great book for a poetry fan who also happens to have a short attention span!”
—Anonymous reviewer
DC Poetry Collective 