Why Pony One Dog Press is Different

The mission of Pony One Dog Press is to restore poetry’s relevance by making it more interesting to the general reader. Entertaining readers is the most important of all the things poetry can do. This is the paramount idea.

Given that the news probably makes the most interesting reading, we look for poets and writers who have something new to say to readers. We believe that to do this, the ability to speak directly to readers is of the utmost importance. We aim to be a platform for poets who have not been trained in writing workshops, not been published by academic presses, who are not holders of the MFA degree. We feel the world has enough outlets for academic writers already. We on the other hand are willing to take a chance on being the one place today that can give non-academic poets a voice, and that their voices will be fresh, honest, alive and above all else, new.

It is also possible the most entertaining poets will be those who keep alive the pioneering spirit in which this country was founded. Today the pioneering spirit means breaking new ground in the American consciousness. Now is a time for Americans to turn inward. We look for our poets to take a fresh look into the American psyche, and by so doing, bring a creative perspective to our present situation.