--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
“This Bloomington slam poet drops vivid images of wrecked lives, terminal illness and suicides. 
What's left is the poet's hesitance to acknowledge his own mortality.” 
-The Indianapolis Star 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Local poets pour out their work
Saturday poetry reading brings out a crowd at Espresso Royale Cafe

"When Jason Ammerman speaks, he doesn't use a microphone. He is so passionate and authoritative 
about his art, he doesn't need to -- his voice increases in volume tenfold with his delivery. 
Ammerman and his fellow literary warriors held a captive audience with their poetic insights into 
life and its nuances Saturday at the Espresso Royale Cafe, 430 E. Kirkwood Ave.

Live poetry is seeing a resurgence in Bloomington. More poets, storytellers and musicians can be 
seen around the town, in shops and out on the streets playing, singing and reciting their works. 
Joe Kerschbaum, a local poet and publicist for Matrix Literary Organization, began to organize 
readings and slams at various locations in the city. Past events have been held at Vertigo, 
but Kerschbaum said the move to Espresso Royale was good so the under-21 crowd could enjoy the art as well.
"The last time we had a reading at Vertigo, we had 10 people there, but had to turn away 15," he said.
The smaller Espresso Royale is a much more intimate setting, with the poets practically breathing 
onto their listeners while they drink their coffees and teas and take in the words offered to them.
Kerschbaum explained the difference between a poetry reading, which is what the Espresso Royale event was, 
slam and performance poetry.

A reading is just that; poets go to the stage and read their work, and the focus is completely 
on the message of the text. A slam is a competition where poets have two to three minutes to recite 
a piece, with no props or music. Judges score each poet every round until a winner is declared. 
Slams are often as rowdy as sporting events. A performance piece may encompass dramatic elements, 
music, a back-up band, props, etc.

The first up, who went by the name of Jenfish Superstar, sported flaming red hair and tattoos, 
but Kerschbaum and Ammerman looked like everyday guys. Kerschbaum resembled a taller Rick Moranis, 
and Ammerman appeared to channel "Clerks" star Kevin Smith with his long hair, orange plaid shirt 
and backwards ball cap.

All of the poets featured Saturday have books of their work available. 

Jenfish's book, "Shit Magnet", is handmade for each customer. She takes old books and pastes her 
poems onto the pages, and pastes her title onto the cover. Jenfish said each book varies in the 
amount of time it takes to make because if there are pictures already in a book to be transformed, 
she pastes her words around them.

Kerschbaum published his first book three weeks ago, and Ammerman has a book as well.

To support their literary exploits, all of the poets have day jobs.

Kerschbaum is a Promoter at 1st Books, a local publishing company.

"I consider that my job and (poetry) my work," he said.

Jenfish said she needs the balance that regular employment brings.

"I have to have a day job," she said. "If I did art all the time it would lose some of its meaning."

Jenfish and Ammerman are experienced poets and have read poetry in New York City, Chicago and other places. 
Jenfish said she got her break when she was invited to read at Ladyfest in Olympia, Wash. Ammerman has read 
and competed in slams around the country.

Jenfish began her set with a story about a boy with no belly button and the girl that was tormented 
with trying to find out why his orifice was missing.

"She figured he had a hole at the top of his head, like a dolphin ..."

Jenfish also dealt with divorce and faith in her work.

Kerschbaum's works had a common theme of an elusive female figure, the "she" pronoun was prevalent 
in the majority of his pieces, sometimes as the subject and sometimes as the object. Kerschbaum also 
addressed rising cultural prejudices in his own experience, in his piece about assuming a man who left 
his backpack in a cafe was a suicide bomber, only to find out he was a student when the man came back 
later to collect his books.

Ammerman ended the set with poetry that was filled with analogies to his hometown of Indianapolis and 
quips about his life experiences. In one piece, however, Ammerman dealt with the changing American social 
landscape.

"I lost America, but if you run into her, tell her I miss her."

Kerschbaum, if he has his way, said he will make poetry reading a regular event at the Espresso Royale, 
as well as other venues throughout Bloomington.

"I hope it becomes more common," he said. "There's always been an arts scene in Bloomington, you just 
have to keep stimulating it." "

Indiana Daily Student
Published Monday, November 11, 2002


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shelbyville poet explores human nature in first book 

Even during Joe Kerschbaum’s days at Shelbyville High School he was considered a talented 
writer and he exemplifies that in his first book, “The Human Remains.” 

Kerschbaum graduated from high school in 1995. During his time at the school, he achieved 
recognition as the editor-in-chief of the Squib yearbook, opinion editor of the Courier newspaper, 
and editor of the short-lived literary magazine, “The Insider.” 

He also made his first attempt at a magazine. The underground ’zine called “Hit and Run,” 
titled because it had to be passed hand to hand for circulation, had very little money to 
publish large amounts each print. It ran for five issues, over six months. Kerschbaum filled 
it with whatever he could get his hands on — short stories, essays, drawings, etc.

“I just needed an outlet for the writing,” he said.

He began his college career at Indiana University in fall 1995, and quickly got involved 
with the literary art scene on campus. 

He started his second attempt at a magazine, funded by the university, called “CANVAS.” It 
continues even in his absence. It contains student writing and art and is distributed all over campus. 

Kerschbaum graduated in 1999 with an degree in English. Since his graduation from college, 
he has worked in a couple of publishing houses and spent some time teaching English in Prague. 

He came home after spending a year abroad to a new beginning, a new house, a new job and a 
friend’s wedding to attend.

With this book Kerschbaum has been involved in multiple poetry readings. He is in a coffee 
house or book store reading almost every weekend and some throughout the week. 

“It’s like I’m on tour,” he quipped. His next stop is the Abbey Coffee House, 932 Indiana Ave., 
Indianapolis on Thursday. After that he will be off to Chicago as a featured reader at the 
UnderGround Coffee House on the Nov. 24 opening for a jazz group. While he is there, he will 
be recording his first spoken word CD tentatively called “1 of 29.”

Kerschbaum calls the book’s title, “The Human Remains,” a double entendre. It recognizes 
the time he spent watching television coverage of the aftermath of the Sept. 11 bombings. 
He continued to hear the newscasters repeat the phrase, “The workers continue to clear away 
debris and human remains.” It began to equate, in his mind, the people who died with 
unidentifiable remains. Kurshbaum then applied the idea to everyday life. 

“I began to realize that everything we leave behind is our human remains,” he said. The 
poetry is his human remains. 

“When you pull me apart, these thoughts, ideas, feelings and perspectives are left behind 
and they stand alone regardless of the original whole of myself,” he said.

The second side of the story is the reminder that no matter what, we are all still human. 

“One can love, suffer loss, achieve goals and fail miserably, but in the end — 
the human remains,” Kerschbaum insisted.

Kerschbaum plans to continue touring the Indianapolis and Bloomington areas until the 
first of the year. He then hopes to venture out to Chicago, Michigan and Ohio to promote 
his book until March. Through the winter and spring he plans to finish his second collection 
of poems, but what will become of them after he has collected them he is not sure of.

“I have a few options, but I don’t want to jinx myself,” he said.

He is now applying to several graduate schools.

 The Shelbyville News
published Saturday, November 16, 2002