Invite to the launch of When Apollinaire Died in 1996

 

The invite to the launch of When Apollinaire Died by Gary Cummiskey and Unmitigating Circumstances by Marc Glaser, both published by Firfield Press, at Walter Saunders' bookstore Hooked on Books, in Rosebank, Johannesburg. Firfield Press was run by the late Gus Ferguson - poet, cartoonist, publisher.

Gus Ferguson's rich contribution to poetry, by Gary Cummiskey

Gus Ferguson reading in 2016. Photo: Louis Reynolds 

With his sense of humour, generosity and humility, the late poet, cartoonist and publisher inspired and mentored others to assume the mantle of getting poems out to readers.

I can’t remember how I first heard about the late Gus Ferguson, or got hold of his work number at the Pharmaceutical Society of South Africa in Cape Town. I had no idea that he was a director there. As an aspiring poet, with two published poems and eager to get a full collection out, I had assumed the number was for the poetry publisher Snailpress. This was mid-1993. 

Far from being furious about my calling him at his employer, Gus immediately sounded warm and friendly. He explained that Snailpress was a small, home-publishing venture and that he already had several books in the pipeline. However, he mentioned that he did publish a small poetry magazine called Slugnews. More.