This Is Important is the brainchild of F.A. Nettelbeck. It was inspired by a chance encounter with a religious pamphlet at the start of 1980 while riding a BART train to Concord in the San Francisco Bay area. Found on the seat next to him, it was printed in black with the words THIS IS IMPORTANT on the front in white letters.
F.A. Nettelbeck immediatley saw the potential of what he was holding in his hand. He applied it to the publication of poetry and soon published his first "magazine" since Throb No. 2, using the pamphlet as a model.
The actual cover of the pamphlet was used. It was doubled up along with six poems from six different poets that had been contacted.
They were then folded accordion-style and handed to whomever would take them: on buses and subways, in laundromats, bars, theaters, etc., as well as sending hundreds through the mail internationally.
Although the last regularly published pamplet was printed in 1989, a special dedication version of This Is Important was published in 1997. Over the years the poets who have graced its "page" have included William S. Burroughs, Richard Kostelanetz, John M. Bennett, Lyn Lifshin, Charles Bernstein, James Bertolino, Tom Clark, Douglas Blazek, Judson Crews, Anselm Hollo, David Fisher, and many, many others.
Click on one of the links below to view each one of these historic publications.
This Is Important #1 This issue contains works fromWanda Coleman, Thomas Michael Fisher, Robin Holcomb, F.A. Nettelbeck, and Mitchell Rhodes.
This Is Important #2 This issue contains works from Bob Heman, Richard Kostelanetz, Barry Nelson, F.A. Nettelbeck, and John Nettelbeck.
This Is Important #3 This issue contains works from John M. Bennett, William S. Burroughs, John Giorno, Bob Heman, Robin Holcomb, F.A. Nettelbeck.
This Is Important #4 This issue contains works from Flora Durham, Peter Fenton, Lyn Lifshin, F.A. Nettelbeck, Mitchell Rhodes, and Kirk Robertson.
This Is Important #5 This issue contains works from Charles Berstein, Douglas Blazek, F.A. Nettelbeck, Kenneth Pobo, Bob Porelman, and Dan Raphael.
This Is Important #6 This issue contains works from John M. Bennett, William S. Burroughs, John Giorno, Karl Kempton, and F.A. Nettelbeck.
This Is Important #7 This issue contains works from DavidFisher, Al Masarik, F.A. Nettelbeck, Wila Northsun, Doug Odom, andSteve Richmond.
This Is Important #8 This issue contains works from James Bertolino, Tom Clark, Ron Kolm, Paul Mariah, Ann Monebroker, and F.A. Nettelbeck.
This Is Important #9 This issue contains works from John M. Bennett, Randall Brock, James Grauerholz, jwcurry/Mark Laba, Richard Olson, and F.A. Nettelbeck.
This Is Important #10 This issue contains works from Ron Androla, John Levin, Jack Micheline, Todd Moore, Susan Osterman, and Mitchell Rhodes.
This Is Important #11 This issue contains works from Guy R. Beining, Judson Crews, Bob Heman, Karl Kempton, and Knute Skinner.
This Is Important #12 This issue contains works from John M. Bennett, William S. Burroughs, John Giorno, S. Gustav Hagglund, F.A. Nettelbeck, and F. Keith Wahle.
This Is Important #13 This issue contains works from Flora Durham, Loris Essary, Anselm Hollo, Ron Kolm, F.A. Nettelbeck, and Chris Toll.
This Is Important #14 This issue contains works from Tara Cross, Robin Holcomb, G. Huth, Richard Kostelanetz, and Harry Polkinhorn.
This Is Important #15 This issue contains works from John M. Bennett, William S. Burroughts, Greg Evason, John Giorno, and F.A. Nettelbeck.
This Is Important #16 This issue contains works from Allen Ginsberg, Kathryn McDonald, F.A. Nettelbeck, Scotty, and Jim Vallely.
This Is Important #17 This commemorative issue contains works from Wanda Coleman, Darrin Daniel, Stephen Kessler, and F.A. Nettelbeck with artwork by James E. Godowa Jr.
A complete set of the This Is Important pamphlets can be obtained by clicking here.
