Poet Tim Staley incorporates fun into his art

Poet Tim Staley is baffling accountants worldwide.

That’s because Staley runs a micropress to publish poetry called Grandma Moses Press. He told the Bulletin that he doesn’t do it for money, since it makes none, but he does it because of his love of the art form.

But, he said, his accountant does not understand him.

Staley started Grandma Moses Press when he was still in high school making cassette tapes for friends in his Alabama home. He moved to Las Cruces around 25 years ago to attend New Mexico State University for an MFA in poetry. He stayed and now teaches English Language Arts at Organ Mountain High School.

Along the way he shifted the focus of his micro press, which is a one-man operation, to publishing poetry instead of mixed tapes.

Staley is also a published poet with several collections and he is published widely in literary journals and anthologies. He recently published a scented chapbook of poems called “Applepear.” He describes it as the “first ever” scented chapbook of poems. A chapbook is a small edition of, usually, 20-30 poems and is stapled. It has a DIY element to it and is a way to share poetry with friends and family.

In case you can’t tell, Staley has a sense of humor. Poetry is often thought of as the purview of academics, but Staley is boisterously enthusiastic about an art form that many choose not to engage in.

“When I was in grad school, I was called the poster boy for poetry,” he said. “That is true. I am ferociously optimistic and excited about it. That’s not gone down. It’s gone up. I’ve been pushing it at teenagers and pushing them to be poets and believe in it.”

Staley said he incorporates a lot of poetry into his English Language Arts classes at Organ Mountain High School. Staley said that, immediately after college, he got a corporate job but after a few years, he realized that life was not for him.

“I got laid off from corporate America during a recession. That’s when it really started. That’s when I made a very conscious decision to give up on money. I am no longer making decisions based on money. Some people give their life to God. I gave my life to poetry and never looked back and never stopped,” he said.

Staley said that while he wants to be published, too, he is almost happier seeing young people get excited by the magic of poetry – the rhythm of the words, the charge of making meaning out of a group of words placed together in a fresh way to tell a truth.

“I want to be published myself but I’m almost more excited to be in a room at a library with 20 students and they’re giving a poetry reading. I get really excited to see my students bloom,” he said.

Staley said he makes videos about poetry, and also about making rap music, which is poetry’s close sister. He said he teaches literature as a poet and described that process as “the way a mechanic sees an engine.

“It’s a subtle difference but it’s a difference,” he said.

Staley called the poetry community “a special club.

“It’s not going to come to you. You have to go to it. But it’s open. You have to go to readings. Poetry is not going to pop up on your [social media platform] feed,” he said.

Staley said he can’t imagine his life now without poetry.

“I read it every morning. It’s where I get my news,” he said.