Poetry Vending Machine Project

We know, poetry isn't for everyone. Except it is-- just not always in an easily consumable way for the doubters out there. What if you don't want to commit to an entire book of poetry, or pay admission and attending a 2-3 hour reading? So we thought we'd try our hand at something different... sorta like impulse-buy poetry.

Bubble gum, stickers, tiny toys that contribute to our planet's plastic problem. If someone can buy an iPad from a vending machine at the airport, then what about one that sells poetry? Poet and vintage machine enthusiast Alex Woolner has now brought this idea to life in Attack Bear Press's Poetry Vending Machine Project. Thanks in part to a grant from Massachusetts Cultural Council, there are now two machines in the Pioneer Valley currently touring from business to block party to cozy writers room.

We have a lot of electronic media these days, and a lot of screen watching. But there is something truly just fun about using a manual vending machine. The machines we refurbished formerly led lives of service selling stickers in Central Mass restaurants (Does anyone remember Bickfords?). Now anyone with two quarters to spare has the opportunity to read someone else's words, and maybe lift their day a little.

A live reading was held on Saturday, March 9th, 2019 at Black Labyrinth Tattoo Syndicate in Easthampton, MA with local poets who had submitted to the project as part of a launch event. Video submissions from writers in Los Angeles, Boston, and Austin were also played. Since its kick-off, the Poetry Vending Machine has received poetry from all over the world.

We at Attack Bear Press remain endlessly grateful to all the writers out there who have offered their poetry for this project.

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If you would like to submit your work to the Poetry Vending Machine Project, hop on over to our Submissions page here: