The Corpse Hits the Streets

The Exquisite Corpse introduced its second annual print edition Saturday night with a "Launchapalooza Extravaganza" at Bear's Den Pizza. 

The Corpse is a national literary journal produced by the UCA Department of Writing and Andrei Codrescu, who founded the magazine in 1983. It has been published online only since 1999 but UCA introduced the annual print edition when Codrescu moved the journal here two years ago. 

More than 200 people attended the party to hear readings by Codrescu, members of the UCA writing faculty and Philip Martin of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The department made more than $400 from sales of the annual edition and other books. The money will be used to help pay the printing costs of producing the issue. 

Andrei Codrescu and Philip Martin at poetry reading

The journal is known for its innovative forms and the readings reflected that spirit.Terry Wright, associate editor of the journal and a UCA writing professor, read what he called "fractal poetry." Wright feeds two stories into a software program that randomly combines the stories. He read one that combined the history of the chocolate-chip cookie with a report on the execution of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. 

Martin, a columnist and movie critic at the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, added a more traditional feel with his lyrical poems. He was followed by Codrescu, award-winning author of dozens of books, who ended the featured readings with the kind of raucous poetry that distinguishes The Corpse. 

Some of the material contained adult content was followed by apologies to several families dining in the restaurant. 

You can see Codrescu's reading here:

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