Excerpt
EXCERPT FROM A.D. WINANS INTERVIEW:

The book reflects upon the struggles of both the publisher and poet, so most of us can take a slice of the reading to heart. The most intriguing question I think we can all relate to is—why do we continue to torture our souls submerged in this maddening art form? Throughout the book, it is as if you and Hank were there for each other in times of need....emotional support. I've heard that a good editing technique is to point your efforts toward one ace poet and let the other face cards fall where they must to keep the reader’s interest. My guess is that Bukowski was your ace? Did Second Coming survive after Bukowski's death, or did you decide to ante up at that point? I know you stopped publishing him for a while, but I was wondering if this was "the last straw" possibly?


That's because I lived both struggles and that's why I think the book is an important read for both small press poets and publishers. Too many small press publishers have no idea of what happened in the zines before they came on the scene.


Those of us who "torture our souls" do so out of a love and commitment to literature. With me, it was more like a parasite that burrowed its way deep into my skin and made its home there. Yes, Bukowski and I were there with emotional support for each other (at least in the early years) and that's always nice to have from a writer and friend whom you admire and respect.


I don't buy into the concept of concentrating on one "ace poet" and letting the other cards fall where they may. There were more like four aces in the Second Coming deck: Bukowski, Micheline, Kaufman and Wantling. And there were Kings and Queens who stood out as well. There is no denying that Bukowski was the star of the cast, but the others stood tall alongside him. I consciously used these aces in the deck to showcase other poets and writers who deserved a larger audience, and who otherwise might not have received the exposure if it were not for Bukowski.


As for the demise of Second Coming, Bukowski had nothing to do with it. Several factors entered into the picture. In 1989, I suffered a severe neck injury that left me disabled and unable to work. I was in a great deal of pain and publishing was the last thing on my mind. Financial considerations also played a role in my decision. I was unemployed for over a year, and had it not been for emergency writing grants from PEN and the Academy of American Poets, I would have been unable to pay the rent. Last but not least, I needed more time to devote to my own writing. It was these combined factors that entered into my decision to quit publishing. So you see, Bukowski's death played no role at all in the demise of the magazine. It ceased to exist before he died. I issued a series of broadsides (1989) that served as the final issue of Second Coming, and Bukowski was part of the broadside series, so he remained with Second Coming right up until the end.