Seattle Press on Line - Wood Works--No Saw, No Chisel, No Hammer

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Wood Works--No Saw, No Chisel, No Hammer

By Stephen Herold

Jul 04, 2002 -- Publishing is really a very recent craft in our modern world. Before the mid-15th century, it was the one-at-a-time practice of the scribe, and the first printed books were done on speculation by dedicated printers and seekers after technological skill. By the 17th century printers were printing editions for many booksellers, often each with his own title page. In the 18th century we first see real publishers, who only grow into being a significant business in the mid-19th century. Somehow we have already divided this enterprise into niches that were largely imposed by the intellectuals of the universities who had previously owned all written knowledge--academic, commercial (or trade), art and "small".

This last, which merges with "art" when well done, has been an exotic world of zealots and eccentrics, and the place where innovative methods are tried and tested in the fires of publication. They can run from photocopied poetry pamphlets to offbeat how-to books to elegant works of the printer's art as with William Morris. Fremont has its own master small printer/publisher in Wood Works, the invention of Paul Hunter. Paul needs no introduction to anyone familiar with Seattle poetry. For almost 40 years he has amazed me with his powerful verse, and his energies have helped start such great venues as the Red Sky poetry readings. Certainly you will never forget his readings with their powerful enunciation and thoughtful words.

Yet, I believe that his exacting publications that he hand-sets and hand-prints in his basement will prove to be his most important legacy to mankind. Each is a unique little jewel of a book, where each letter is hand placed in the composing stick, each sheet hand placed and printed and each book hand bound. Paul even makes all the designs and engravings for the covers and illustrations. More authentic works of art do not exist. Nor are these works of little import as is so often found with "private" presses. Besides his own work Paul has published a wide range of poets in worthy editions. A few, like his short Matters of Timing and Open Season are reprinted as needed and, at $3 each, are a bargain introduction to fine printing. Almost all the others are only printed in editions as large as Paul can handle in one pass with his type, time and energy. All too soon these small books will become the new treasures of the collector's market and they should not be overlooked.

I take a personal joy in seeing these books, as Paul works in my old basement that, with its dingy coal bins that were only dominions of my cats, has become a workshop of skill and knowledge. If I had had the foresight to knock down the needless walls and open windows to the world I might have been as creative there too.

There is a great thrill in handling crafted pages that go with crafted words. In "Threshold" from Lay of the Land, Paul captures the sense of the past so well with:

Out of the patchwork quilt
of all that used to be
good times and hard

or Belle Randall's "Enamel Noir" from Drop Dead Beautiful where she notes so sharply

Noir is the lake, the lake of feeling,
cold is the skin of surface tension

or yet Charlie Burks" "A Single" from Gauze, Violins, Etc. where he reminds us:

A single tone, maintained,
Not music until something changes.

And, like any good artist, Paul makes and disposes of his works and eternally makes new ones in their place. Poetry speaks with an urgently loud voice when it is sung but once and not endlessly repeated for gain until we are immune to its sweetness. The songs of Wood Works are not to be ignored as their rhymes twist around our minds like fragrant curls from the plane, the thoughts well notched together and the pegs that bind them driven home in our hearts.

Steve Herold operates Wit's End Bookstore in Fremont.

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luke	Apr 07, 2003	mushin	carpentry
hello good day to you over there ,i will like to purchase item()i will like to know the cost of 100picese with the shipping costo nigeria thanks