Woodland Pattern Book Center, Milwaukee, WI

Woodland Pattern Book Center
720 East Locust Street
Milwaukee, WI 53216
(414) 263-5001

A CORONAL by: William Carlos Williams (1883-1963)
“New books of poetry will be written
New books and unheard of manuscripts
will come wrapped in brown paper
and many and many a time
the postman will bow
and sidle down the leaf-plastered steps
thumbing over other men's business….”

On the North side of Milwaukee in Riverwest, Woodland Pattern Book Center sparkles. For 25 years this phenomenal store has focused on poetry books, chapbooks, original broadsides, workshops, author talks, festivals and much more. They carry 27,000 titles. Here is an image never seen before: tall racks stuffed, cheek by jowl, with poetry chapbooks. Then, floor to ceiling bookcases packed with small press books, large imprints, regional, national and international poets/authors books, books about Native Americans. Books sizzling with information by writers and about writing.

The Artistic Director/Owner, Karl Gartung, and his wife, Anne Kingsbury, bought the building in 1980 and began Woodland Patterns. Thus, this bookstore became the second of two not-for-profit bookstores in the U.S. Anne applies for grants, signs up members, receives donations and keeps the place in the black. Authors are even paid for their lectures and workshops, Karl feeling they shouldn’t subsidize their own work. Wisely, Karl still drives an airfreight truck, keeping his benefits, but never loses sight of his mission.
often working 90 hour weeks.

Over coffee elsewhere, Karl and his Literary Program Manager, Chuck Stebelton, talked about Karl’s focus: “writing should not be taught separately from the rest of the arts” but as Karl said “as soon as you put the black marks on the page you are creating art…poetry has to be in the world, not separate…art must be held in common…”

Woodland offers each visitor a rare arts buffet under one roof: Redletter (authors/poets reading from their works), Alternating Currents Live (new music playing in the gallery and broadcast the following week on 91.7 FM), Experimental films and video? (last Fri. of every month). Even a bookmobile that tours with exhibitions of artist’s works, workshops and zines. This multi-disciplinary approach embraces, instead of segregates, the arts.

Run, don’t walk, to visit this Center. What a gift this place is to the literary world. When we despair that no one cares about poetry or literature visit Woodland Patterns. It is a living reminder that the arts thrive through the efforts of a few people at a time.