# Contact/II > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Contact/II > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Contact/II.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact%2FII > Source revision: 1347069509 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) ***Contact/II***, or simply ***Contact II***, was an American literary magazine from New York. Established in 1976, the periodical was edited by [Maurice Kenny](/source/Maurice_Kenny) and [Josh Gosciak](/source/Josh_Gosciak). *Contact II* published poetry, reviews, and interviews.[1] *Contact II* also published books and chapbooks of contemporary poetry.[2] The name *Contact II* was a tribute to [Contact](/source/Contact_(literary_magazine)), a small press poetry magazine produced in the 1920s and 1930s by [William Carlos Williams](/source/William_Carlos_Williams). *Contact II* was part of a proliferation of small independent presses based in downtown New York City in the 1970s and known for high production values.[3] Maintaining a post box at the historic Bowling Green post office in Manhattan's financial district, the editors worked from [George's Diner](/source/George's_Diner) and their apartments in the Lower East Side and Brooklyn.[4] In addition to the magazine, *Contact II* also published poetry chapbooks and mini-anthologies inserted into the magazine, including one by [Mei-mei Berssenbrugge](/source/Mei-mei_Berssenbrugge).[4] *Contact II* developed a focus on multicultural poetry at a time before the idea of multiculturalism was widespread, and also fostered what Gosciak has called "a rough-edged regionalism" among poets writing outside of established American literary strongholds.[4] It has been said that Kenny has immensely contributed to "the growth of multicultural literatures of North America in his work as an editor [...] and as a mentor to emerging writers of color."[5] Alex Jacobs, a [Native American](/source/Native_Americans_in_the_United_States) poet, said that Kenny helped emerging poets receive funding from the New York State Council on the Arts. Kenny also often published new poets in *Contact II* and his own imprint, [Strawberry Press](/source/Strawberry_Press), devoted to publishing Native American poets.[6][4] *Contact II* also supported the feminist movement of the late 1970s and 1980s. The magazine published a special edition on women's writing and only included works by and about women for that issue. It featured articles about [Audre Lorde](/source/Audre_Lorde), [Laura Riding](/source/Laura_Riding), and [Judy Grahn](/source/Judy_Grahn), as well as poems by [Carol Berge](/source/Carol_Berg%C3%A9), [Ntozake Shange](/source/Ntozake_Shange), [Rachal Hadas](/source/Rachel_Hadas), [Sharon Olds](/source/Sharon_Olds), Joan Colby, [Frances Chung](/source/Frances_Chung_(poet)), Carolyn Stoloff, [Wanda Coleman](/source/Wanda_Coleman), and many others.[7] ## Authors published in *Contact II* magazine Writers published in the pages of *Contact II* magazine included:[4] - [Diane Burns](/source/Diane_Burns) - [Mei-mei Berssenbrugge](/source/Mei-mei_Berssenbrugge) - [Ishmael Reed](/source/Ishmael_Reed) - [Wendy Rose](/source/Wendy_Rose) - [Elizabeth Woody](/source/Elizabeth_Woody) - [Shawn Wong](/source/Shawn_Wong) - [Victor Hernández Cruz](/source/Victor_Hern%C3%A1ndez_Cruz) - [Joe Johnson](/source/Joe_Johnson_(poet)) - [Steve Cannon](/source/Steve_Cannon_(writer)) - [Jorge Brandon](/source/Jorge_Brandon) - [Bimbo Rivas](/source/Bimbo_Rivas) - [Pedro Pietri](/source/Pedro_Pietri) - [Sandra María Esteves](/source/Sandra_Mar%C3%ADa_Esteves) - [Amiri Baraka](/source/Amiri_Baraka) - [Safiya Henderson-Holmes](/source/Safiya_Henderson-Holmes) - [Allen DeLoach](/source/Allen_DeLoach) - [Elliott Murphy](/source/Elliott_Murphy) - [Rose Lesniak](/source/Rose_Lesniak) - [Bart Plantenga](/source/Bart_Plantenga) - [Richard Armijo](/source/Richard_Armijo) - [Will Bennett](/source/Will_Bennett_(poet)) - [Max Blagg](/source/Max_Blagg) ## Books published by *Contact II* In addition to the magazine, *Contact II* published numerous books and chapbooks. A partial list includes: - *Toll Bridge* by [Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel](/source/Wilma_Elizabeth_McDaniel) (1980) ISBN 9780936556017[8] - *The Haiku's of Teaching* by William Packard (1980)[9] - *Dan de Lion* by [Michael Castro](/source/Michael_Castro_(poet)) (1981)[10] - *Blue Moon for Ruby Tuesday* by [Elizabeth Marraffino](/source/Elizabeth_Marraffino) (1981) ISBN 9780936556024[11] - *Riding the One-Eyed Ford* by [Diane Burns](/source/Diane_Burns) (1981) ISBN 9780936556055[12] - * *Reggae Or Not!* by [Amiri Baraka](/source/Amiri_Baraka) (1981) ISBN 9780936556048[13] - *Hello, I'm Erica Jong* by [Kathy Acker](/source/Kathy_Acker) (1982) ISBN 9780936556079[14] - *Cutting Our Losses* by [Steve Kowit](/source/Steve_Kowit) (1982) ISBN 9780936556031[15] - *What Happened When the Hopi Hit New York* by [Wendy Rose](/source/Wendy_Rose) (1982) ISBN 9780936556086[16] - *Packrat Sieve* by Mei-mei Berssenbrugge (1983)[17] - *What Matisse Is After: Poems and Drawings* by [Diane C. Chang](/source/Diane_C._Chang) (1984) ISBN 9780936556123[18] - * *Trying to Understand what it Means to be a Feminist: Essays on Women Writers* by Rochelle Ratner (1985) ISBN 9780936556109[19] - *Nuke Chronicles: Writing and Art on Nuclear Devastation* edited by [Josh G. Gosciak](/source/Josh_G._Gosciak) (1985) ISBN 9780936556000[20] - *W.C. Fields in French Light* by [Rochelle Owens](/source/Rochelle_Owens) (1986) ISBN 9780936556147[21] - *The Man with the White Liver* by [Angela Jackson](/source/Angela_Jackson) (1987) ISBN 9780936556161[22] - *This Wanting to Sing: Asian in South America: Poetry from Peru, Ecuador, Brazil* edited by [Jaime Jacinto](/source/Jaime_Jacinto) (1988) ISBN 9780936556178[23] - *These Waves of Dying Friends* by [Michael Lynch](/source/Michael_Lynch_(professor)) (1989) ISBN 9780936556192[24] - *The Green Dream* by [Olga Cabral](/source/Olga_Cabral) (1990) ISBN 9780936556215[25] - *Mississippi River Poems: Selected & New Writing* by [Arthur Brown](/source/Arthur_Brown_(poet)) (1990) ISBN 9780936556208[26] - *Hotel Madden Poems* by [Paul Pines](/source/Paul_Pines) (1991) ISBN 9780936556253[27] - *Paysanne: New & Selected Poems, 1961-1988* by [Rochelle Owens](/source/Rochelle_Owens) (1991) [28] - *The Edwardian Poems and the Queen of Swords: A Day in the Life - Tales from the Lower East Side* by [Barbara A. Holland](/source/Barbara_A._Holland) (1991) ISBN 9780936556246[29] - *Seismic Events* by [Harold Norse](/source/Harold_Norse) (1993)[30] ## References 1. “Contact 2: A Poetry Review.” UlrichsWeb.com. Abstracted/Indexed. 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=inpublisher:%22Contact+II+Publications%22&tbm=bks&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiI7IqDwYuRAxWjFlkFHbiHDUcQmxN6BAgJEAI&sxsrf=AE3TifNb3e5Lf49H7FcqwxAZTL5kUDWZDw:1764012062879#ip=1](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=inpublisher:%22Contact+II+Publications%22&tbm=bks&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiI7IqDwYuRAxWjFlkFHbiHDUcQmxN6BAgJEAI&sxsrf=AE3TifNb3e5Lf49H7FcqwxAZTL5kUDWZDw:1764012062879#ip=1) 1. Wright, Jeffrey Cypher. "Indy Indeed: A Half Century of Downtown's Independent Presses." New York Public Library. [https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/community-showcases/indy-indeed-half-century-downtowns-independent-presses](https://www.nypl.org/events/exhibitions/community-showcases/indy-indeed-half-century-downtowns-independent-presses) 1. Gosciak, Josh. "Contact II, 1970s – 1990s: When Poetry Mattered More." Poet's House. [https://digitalcollections.poetshouse.org/digital-collection/chapbook-collection/riding-the-one-eyed-ford](https://digitalcollections.poetshouse.org/digital-collection/chapbook-collection/riding-the-one-eyed-ford) 1. Kelsey, Penelope Myrtle. “An Introduction to the Works of Maurice Kenny.” Suny Press.[https://www.sunypress.edu/pdf/62232.pdf](https://www.sunypress.edu/pdf/62232.pdf) 1. Caudell, Robin. “Charismatic Poet Tastes Strawberries.” Press Republican. [https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/charismatic-poet-tastes-strawberries/article_1dd1ef4a-89af-55ee-99b6-0641fc0f30d4.html](https://www.pressrepublican.com/news/local_news/charismatic-poet-tastes-strawberries/article_1dd1ef4a-89af-55ee-99b6-0641fc0f30d4.html) 1. “Racism is the Issue.” *Heresies* 4(3), 1982. [http://heresiesfilmproject.org/archive/](http://heresiesfilmproject.org/archive/) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Toll_Bridge/1SWyAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Toll_Bridge/1SWyAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Haiku_s_of_Teaching/JO6rnQEACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Haiku_s_of_Teaching/JO6rnQEACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dan_de_Lion/xjvujgEACAAJ?hl=en&kptab=overview](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dan_de_Lion/xjvujgEACAAJ?hl=en&kptab=overview) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Blue_Moon_for_Ruby_Tuesday/dpyZAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Blue_Moon_for_Ruby_Tuesday/dpyZAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Riding_the_One_eyed_Ford/EaCZAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Riding_the_One_eyed_Ford/EaCZAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reggae_Or_Not/geWwAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Reggae_Or_Not/geWwAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hello_I_m_Erica_Jong/HzVaAAAAMAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hello_I_m_Erica_Jong/HzVaAAAAMAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cutting_Our_Losses/PKGZAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Cutting_Our_Losses/PKGZAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/What_Happened_when_the_Hopi_Hit_New_York/Om2xAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/What_Happened_when_the_Hopi_Hit_New_York/Om2xAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Pack_Rat_Sieve/AGbKMQAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Pack_Rat_Sieve/AGbKMQAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/What_Matisse_is_After/z9ZQAQAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/What_Matisse_is_After/z9ZQAQAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Trying_to_Understand_what_it_Means_to_be/w91lAAAAMAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Trying_to_Understand_what_it_Means_to_be/w91lAAAAMAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Nuke_Chronicles/mzaxAAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Nuke_Chronicles/mzaxAAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/W_C_Fields_in_French_Light/NJc9AAAAIAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/W_C_Fields_in_French_Light/NJc9AAAAIAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Man_with_the_White_Liver/_pTAAAAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Man_with_the_White_Liver/_pTAAAAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/This_Wanting_to_Sing/smFYHQAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/This_Wanting_to_Sing/smFYHQAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/These_Waves_of_Dying_Friends/QqlpQgAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/These_Waves_of_Dying_Friends/QqlpQgAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Green_Dream/hWxyAAAAMAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Green_Dream/hWxyAAAAMAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mississippi_River_Poems/auuTpwAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Mississippi_River_Poems/auuTpwAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hotel_Madden_Poems/G7hqAAAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hotel_Madden_Poems/G7hqAAAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Paysanne/Rt8I0QEACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Paysanne/Rt8I0QEACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Edwardian_Poems_The_Queen_of_Swords/s6ugAAAACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Edwardian_Poems_The_Queen_of_Swords/s6ugAAAACAAJ?hl=en) 1. Google Books. [https://www.google.com/books/edition/Seismic_Events/XDXUZwEACAAJ?hl=en](https://www.google.com/books/edition/Seismic_Events/XDXUZwEACAAJ?hl=en) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Contact/II](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact%2FII) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contact%2FII?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.