Danny Shot reads from his book of poetry, Works, published by CavanKerry Press

“Our number one priority is, can you access this, can you step into someone else’s world, by way of this book?”

– Gabriel Cleveland, Executive Director of CavanKerry Press

Throughout April, we’ve been celebrating National Poetry Month in the State of the Arts archives, sharing stories from New Jersey’s vibrant poetry scene. Today, we’re picking up some books.

Founded by writer and poet Joan Cusack Handler, CavanKerry Press, based in Fort Lee, is the largest non-profit poetry publisher in New Jersey, but—as marketing director Dimitri Reyes puts it—Cavankerry is “a big press with a small press feel.”

“Everyone at CavanKerry Press is also an author,” says Dimitri in our recent feature, “and we want to make sure the authors that we publish are treated the same way that we want to be when we publish.” This mutual respect translates to beautiful books. As fingertips turn pages and poets’ voices fill rooms, CavanKerry Press’s library of publications fosters stunning connections between poet and reader.

Gabriel Cleveland emphasizes, “I can’t underscore enough just how much of a gift that Joan has given to the world, to say, ‘Here is a place for you to be heard. Here is a place where we will listen closely and read your work attentively and understand you the way we all deserve to be listened to and understood.'”

 

From 1982 to 2004, there was another poetry publication in New Jersey, based in Hoboken. Long Shot Magazine, cofounded by Danny Shot and Eliot Katz, was rooted in the Beat tradition epitomized by New Jerseyan Allen Ginsberg. “The last days of the Beat generation can be documented in Long Shot pretty well,” said Danny when he appeared on State of the Arts in 2018. The occasion for our profile of Danny Shot was CavanKerry Press’s publication of his first collection of poems, Works. Danny’s newest collection, The Jersey Slide, will be published by CavanKerry in fall 2025.

 

“Not all comedy has the sweetness and the heart and the love that is in Danny’s poetry.”

– Poet Alicia Ostriker

Danny Shot found inspiration in poets who called New Jersey home. Allen Ginsberg’s “Howl” allowed him to question the definition of poetry, and Patti Smith’s Horses further opened his mind to the potential of the medium.

Nowadays, CavanKerry’s publications follow in this tradition of making the world of poetry accessible to readers. As this year’s National Poetry Month draws to a close, take Gabriel Cleveland’s advice, and use a poem—or a book of poems—to step into someone else’s world.