Chimka Editor of Recently Published Poetry Collection by John Stoss

Justin Chimka / Lavender Ink

"Nobody Loves Me: Collected Poems of John Stoss" contains more than 50 years of work.

Justin Chimka, an associate professor of industrial engineering, has edited a recently published collection of poems by John Stoss, former U of A student and author of one of the original 12 books published by Lost Roads, the now legendary press started by Frank Stanford and C.D. Wright in 1977.

Nobody Loves Me: Collected Poems of John Stoss contains more than 50 years of work, including the poems "No Dogs Allowed in the Cemetery," "Nobody Loves Me" and "Always Looking for a Safe Place." The volume also includes Song Poems, published for the first time, and Finding the Broom, the second book published by Lost Roads.

Born in Great Bend, Kansas, Stoss earned a bachelor's degree from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, and subsequently attended the U of A as a student in the Master of Fine Arts program in creative writing. In Fayetteville, he met poets Frank Stanford and C.D. Wright, who published Stoss' first book and several others by poets and writers associated with the M.F.A. program. In addition to Finding the Broom, Stoss' other books are Machines Always Existed and Whatever Passes for Love is Love. Stanford wrote a biographical poem about Stoss called "The History of John Stoss," which appears in Stanford's book You and The American Poetry Review. Stoss lives in Salinas, California.

A Fayetteville resident since 2002, Chimka became interested in local history, art and literature. This interest pointed him to a New York Times story written by Roy Reed, a former Times correspondent and venerable U of A journalism professor. The article, "Arts in Arkansas: They Make Music, Poetry, Even Movies," published Feb. 2, 1977, introduced Chimka to the writing of Frank Stanford, C.D. Wright and the burgeoning literary scene in Fayetteville in the late 1970s.

Chimka began collecting the original 12 Lost Roads books. His effort to get these books signed by authors still living led to a friendship and eventual collaboration with the poet Ralph Adamo, a U of A graduate of the M.F.A. program and also one of the original Lost Roads authors. Chimka later met Stoss and Bill Lavender, a Fayetteville native and U of A alumnus who started Lavender Ink press in 1995.

"It was Ralph who first proposed the idea of collecting and editing a book for John, which would be published by Bill," Chimka said. "I collected material in various forms and conditions from all of them, as well as Trish Bryant, John's niece. Over the next five years, I managed to piece it all together. The hardest part was attempting to find a balance between consistency and readability, and honoring what I interpreted to be the intent of the author. Of course, the entire experience was wonderful."

Published by Lavender Ink, Nobody Loves Me: Collected Poems of John Stoss includes a preface written by Ralph Adamo.