Serving an 'underpublished area'

What could an American in London and King Kong possibly have in common?

Poems and essays about both are found in two books recently published by the Southeast Missouri State University Press.

"The Complete Book of Kong" by William Trowbridge and "Mind the Gap" by Dr. Robert Hamblin are the latest releases from the press. Both were written by Missouri authors.

Since 2002, the small publishing press has released four books, including fiction, nonfiction and poetry. Another novel is slated for release in April and already has won an award.

Dr. Susan Swartwout, director of the press, said she tries to find book manuscripts that are well-written, marketable and written by regional writers.

The third criteria isn't as strict as the first two, she said, "but since we're a regional press in an underpublished area of the nation, I like to read them and give them priority."

She found two really great examples with the latest books to be published. Both are collections of poetry that aren't usually found among publishing houses today.

Poetry has grown in readership recently, though it's not as mainstream as Louis L'Amour's Westerns or romance novels, Swartwout said. Yet, poetry is gaining a following and is beginning to show its diversity.

"The Complete Book of Kong" shows a monster of a fellow who's best known for beating his chest, swinging from building towers and stomping objects in his path. But Trowbridge, who lives in Lee's Summit, Mo., says he's always liked the giant ape. And his poems about Kong have been written over a 20-year span.

In the collection, Trowbridge shows that poetry doesn't always have to be serious, Swartwout said. "He shows it's part of the human condition."

And Trowbridge says the contemporary poetry he reads today isn't funny. He says that while most of it is brilliant and wonderful, there are pieces that are "devoid of the sense of our shaky perch between nobility and buffoonery."

Sometimes, he thinks, it's OK to lighten up a bit. He's always been interested in the combination of humor and seriousness. His Kong poems are "funny on the surface, but there's also an undercurrent," he said. "I'm attracted to that combination of emotions."

Hamblin uses his poetry to reflect on time spent in London, how he felt about the places he visited and what language differences he encountered. In his introduction, Hamblin writes: "Reading these poems will always lead me back through memory to the people, places and events that inspired their writing."

Hamblin wrote the poems after spending a semester teaching in London through an exchange program at Southeast. He knew he was going to write the book, so he tried to write daily during the semester. His wife, Kaye, often encouraged him, he said.

Some people take slides or photos of the places they visit, but Hamblin writes poems. He often carried a notebook or journal to write his impressions during sightseeing trips, and some of those entries turned into poems. Poems are his way of "remembering and reliving" a trip or experience, he said.

Hamblin disagrees with critics who said the last few poems in his book seemed melancholy. "There's an urgency and a reminder not to wait to do something. You may not have tomorrow."

The poems not only reflect on his time in London but also serve as his reminder to visit the places he wants to visit and see and do the things he wants, Hamblin said.

ljohnston@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 126