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t. kilgore splake | the poet tree

Here another of our longtime favourites and companions; t. kilgore splake, the bardsmith of the Upper Peninsula. In twenty years splake has become a legend in small press circles for his writing and photography. His artist supporters believe that splake possesses an original creative vision as well as exhaustive working habits. He is a celebrated photographer, editor, Pushcart Price nominee poet and a vigorous mountain & cliff climber.

Here at Kamini Press we are very proud to present the sixth chapbook in our poetry series

The Poet Tree

by

t. kilgore splake

34 pages of poetry. Cover art by Henry Denander. All 150 books signed by the author in Calumet, Michigan. Twenty-five of the books come with a signed water color by Henry Denander. Mini-chapbook format, in wraps.

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[quickshop:t. kilgore splake – the poet tree – signed edition – kamini press:price:10:shipping:0:shipping2:0:end]Signed edition $10 incl. shipping all over the world

[quickshop:t. kilgore splake – the poet tree – limited edition with signed artwork – kamini press:price:25:shipping:0:shipping2:0:end]Limited edition with signed artwork $25 incl. shipping all over the world

Sweden, please pay SEK 60 per book to Bankgiro 5889-0781, price including postage. 150 SEK for the limited version. Email to reserve. Books are also to be found at Bokmagasinet, Stockholm.


The spirit of the Beats lives on the far reaches of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the person of t. kilgore splake. He is a seeker after Truth with his spare, jazzy, plain spoken style, in a materialistic age where abstraction and buzz words have replaced a poetry of, and, for the people.  Read splake and remember what real poetry is supposed to be all about. -Alan Catlin

t. kilgore splake was born as Thomas Hugh Smith in 1936, in Three Rivers, Michigan. While teaching at Kellog Community College in Battle Creek, splake began writing poems. In 1989, he chose to take an early retirement as a college professor, to live in creative poverty and find his poetic voice. Upon retirement, he moved to Michigan’s upper peninsula, living for ten years in Munising, before moving to Calumet in the Keweenaw peninsula.

In twenty years splake has become a legend in small press circles for his writing and photography. His artist supporters believe that splake possesses an original creative vision as well as exhaustive working habits.