WELCOME
Ol' Chanty is the website of the old Chanticleer Magazine, which has now been discontinued, except possibly when a special occasional issue demands it. The aim of this website is to publish poetry, essays, short stories, novel-excerpts, criticism and what ever else comes our way that we deem worthy of the world's attention. Ol' Chanty would like to continue the tradition of Chanticleer Magazine, which called itself "A Magazine Of Poetry And Ideas - Not Necessarily In That Order." Ol' Chanty also includes a blog and a film-blog in which the editor - or anyone else - can sound off on any film or subject which has stimulated them to say something interesting.
Chanticleer Magazine acquired the reputation of being an against the grain, 'underground' magazine which took a certain pride in being different from most other magazines. It received a lot of warm praise from various quarters, as well as some scathing criticism. One reviewer even described it as the most irritating poetry review journal he had surveyed to date. (Kudos indeed!) Ol' Chanty will do its best to continue this proud and noble tradition.
The old magazine often published a Chanticleer News and Views section at the end. The present Ol' Chanty will do likewise, but on a separate page - the Blog page. This feature will probably change more frequently than the Magazine itself, which I hope will come out every three months, though that cannot be guaranteed.
Finally, Ol' Chanty is proud to take part in a unique experiment - The global publication of the novel, Beer Mystic, by Bart Plantenga. The novel is being published in online magazines around the world and Ol' Chanty is publishing Excerpt Four. For more details, go to the relevant Beer Mystic page.
Richard Livermore - Editor
"The cock is Chaucer's Chaunticleer. He is herald of dawn. If he fails to crow, legend had it, the sun will not rise. His argent flourish both announces and hails the daily miracle of light. His sexual prowess - in English "cock" designates the male organ - enacts the life-giving potencies of the sun, the burst into heat which procreates life. In Gallic consciousness, the cock's strutting pride is that of a nation in flashing arms, in glory, where, in turn, gloire is kindred to sunlight. Through western practice and iconography, cocks' feathers adorn the head-dress of the warrior and the virile lover. On our weather-vanes, the rooster tells of wind and weather, directing our notice skywards. Spurred, he engages in ferocious combat and sexual mastery." George Steiner
Chanticleer Magazine acquired the reputation of being an against the grain, 'underground' magazine which took a certain pride in being different from most other magazines. It received a lot of warm praise from various quarters, as well as some scathing criticism. One reviewer even described it as the most irritating poetry review journal he had surveyed to date. (Kudos indeed!) Ol' Chanty will do its best to continue this proud and noble tradition.
The old magazine often published a Chanticleer News and Views section at the end. The present Ol' Chanty will do likewise, but on a separate page - the Blog page. This feature will probably change more frequently than the Magazine itself, which I hope will come out every three months, though that cannot be guaranteed.
Finally, Ol' Chanty is proud to take part in a unique experiment - The global publication of the novel, Beer Mystic, by Bart Plantenga. The novel is being published in online magazines around the world and Ol' Chanty is publishing Excerpt Four. For more details, go to the relevant Beer Mystic page.
Richard Livermore - Editor
"The cock is Chaucer's Chaunticleer. He is herald of dawn. If he fails to crow, legend had it, the sun will not rise. His argent flourish both announces and hails the daily miracle of light. His sexual prowess - in English "cock" designates the male organ - enacts the life-giving potencies of the sun, the burst into heat which procreates life. In Gallic consciousness, the cock's strutting pride is that of a nation in flashing arms, in glory, where, in turn, gloire is kindred to sunlight. Through western practice and iconography, cocks' feathers adorn the head-dress of the warrior and the virile lover. On our weather-vanes, the rooster tells of wind and weather, directing our notice skywards. Spurred, he engages in ferocious combat and sexual mastery." George Steiner
With special thanks to Karen Margolis for sending me the above picture
