Flaming June, by Joseph Cooper

Prose poetry, chapbook, 32 pages, from Bottlecap Features.

In Flaming June, Joseph Cooper utilizes the prose poem to explore the unexpected and indefinable. His persona, though accessible and quirky, creates an unpredictable journey through the ordinary and mundane. Cooper has the ability to weave together heartbreaking tenderness and whimsical humor.

Whether he is exploring his persistent wonder through childhood cartoons, shrinking himself to the size of a dollhouse, misinterpreting movie titles, or writing comical letters to his literary heroes, Cooper provides dreamy and authentic moments. Always surprising, mind-delighting, these are poems that a reader can visit for their relatability and generosity, but revisit for their breathtaking beauty and eloquent absurdity.

Joseph Cooper is the author of several full-length collections including Splash Fields (VA Press, 2024) and The Thief of Mars, forthcoming from Carbonation Press, 2025. His work has appeared most recently in Ambidextrous Bloodhound Review, Assignment Literary Review, Nat1 Publishing, Oddball Magazine, One Art: A Journal of Poetry, Scud, and Tough Poets. His poem, “The Nose”, published in the DMQ Review, was recently nominated for a Best of the Net Award. He lives in Lewisburg, WV.