I took my very first poetry class at C of O my sophomore year with a few cool people (see pic below for two of them). I knew nothing of poetry before then. Maybe a little Frost or something. But I'm telling you, I just wasn't interested. I was into journalism or something. Then Professor Paul Gianoli showed us a few Russell Edson poems. I had no idea what poetry was or could be. I had no idea it could be fun to write. This was my gateway drug into an entire new world, new life, etc. I bought The Tunnel, and from there I have not looked back.

So, I want to thank Mathias, who gave me this rare chapbook of Edson poems for my birthday. I'm not sure M knew Edson was the first poet I had ever really read, but he knew I was a fan. And that Mr. Edson has ignored about 20 emails from Octopus. Anyway, that's not the story I wanted to tell.

This book, Edson's Mentality, was published in the year I was born. It was a special edition issue of an old mag called Oink! You jealous?