Preserving DUP: A Print-on-Demand Anthology
Preserving DUP
With DUP likely closing soon, I want to pitch an idea: let’s work together to preserve some of its magic by creating a print-on-demand anthology. A book that captures some of the best poetry, prose, forum rants, and unforgettable moments from this incredible community.
This would be a non-profit project, with the book available at cost [printing + shipping] so anyone can grab a copy. With permission [and hopefully some assistance] from the Webmistress, I’ll organise the design, including a cover that reflects DUP’s evolving logo history.
I’ll also look into an e-book option so that DUP’s legacy can be preserved digitally, making it more accessible for those who prefer a downloadable version.
What’s in the DUP anthology book?
The community will help nominate and identify:
1. Some of the most liked, reading-listed, and standout poems/prose from DU poets.
2. The best forum threads, rants, and memorable quotes that made this place hilariously addictive and inspirational.
3. A special tribute to poets who are no longer with us, so their words aren’t lost in time.
How will this work?
We’ll sort out copyright permissions and ensure that everything is handled properly. But this will take time and effort, and I’ll need help from the community to compile nominations, format content, and bring this together.
My hope is that we create a printed memory and tribute of this amazing creative community. And hopefully something magic that might just find its way into the hands of old poets who lost touch, catch word of the book… or maybe if they check theirbloody emails and take part in preserving a piece of the DU magic.
Hopefully we can keep the DUP legacy alive.
Curator Guidelines
As we move forward with curating the Deep Underground Poetry Anthology, I wanted to share how we’ll be approaching the selection process and the proposed breakdown of poetry categories.
1. Aim for most poems to fit within one page (100–250 words).
2. Allow a limited number of longer poems (250–500 words) but be selective.
3. If a poem is too long (500+ words), consider excerpts or formatting it across multiple pages.
4. Quality over quantity – We want the best of DUP, not just a collection of poems.
5. Aim for a balanced selection – Include a mix of well-known and lesser-known works that truly represent the depth of the category.
6. Poem Length Consideration – Most poems should ideally fit on a single page (~100-250 words). We can accommodate some longer pieces, but let’s be mindful of space.
7. Over-Select by 33% – If your section has 15 pages, aim for 20 pages worth of content. We’ll refine the final list later.
Poem Category Breakdown
To ensure fair representation across the diverse range of poetry on DU, we’re aiming for a total of 210 selected poems. However, we’ll over-select up to 280 poems (about 33% more) as a contingency. This will allow curators flexibility in the final selection process while ensuring we don’t feature any one poet more than 1-2 times to maintain balance.
Here’s the proposed breakdown of poetry categories, including the number of poems allocated and their percentage in the anthology:
Love Poems – 38 poems (18%) – Many poets categorise their work as love poetry, so we’ll need to evaluate selections carefully to ensure proper classification.
Dark Poems – 32 poems (15%) – A significant and well-represented category in DU’s history.
Erotic Poems – 17 poems (8%) – While popular, this category is allocated fewer slots to maintain a balance of quality over quantity.
Spiritual Poems – 17 poems (8%) – DU has a strong presence of poets exploring spiritual and philosophical themes.
Anger Poems – 11 poems (5%) – Represents raw emotion and intense themes, a staple of DU poetry.
Upbeat & Inspirational Poems – 17 poems (8%) – A mix of uplifting, motivational, and hopeful works.
Observational Poems – 21 poems (10%) – Encompasses poetry that reflects on life, society, and human nature.
Self Poems – 21 poems (10%) – A broad category including introspective and personal pieces.
Drugs Poems – 13 poems (6%) – Because we love them… but we need to do less!
Story Poems – 8 poems (4%) – Narrative-driven poetry that tells compelling stories.
Song Lyrics – 6 poems (3%) – For poets who have blurred the lines between poetry and music.
Fictional Prose – 4 poems (2%) – Shorter prose works that are poetic in nature.
Non-Fiction Prose – 4 poems (2%) – Reflecting the importance of personal essays and memoir-style pieces.
Miscellaneous Poems – 11 poems (5%) – A space for standout works that don’t fit neatly into the other categories.
The Best Poetry Competitions and Iconic DUP Moments & Features
I’ll provide some clarity on my thoughts for the inclusion of poems in The Best Poetry Competitions and Iconic DUP Moments & Features sections:
These sections will have their own curated selection of poems, meaning there’s no need to duplicate NaPo entries or competition-winning poems in the general poetry categories… unless, of course, a poem stands on its own merit beyond its original context.
For The Best Poetry Competitions, we’re looking to showcase standout pieces (approx. 36 poems) from some of DUP’s most legendary, creative, and challenging competitions over the years, along with highlights from NaPoWriMo (27 poems). Similarly, Iconic DUP Moments & Features will include forum rants, Q&As, satirical golden nuggets from The Muggle, and memorable moments and possibly featured poems from the DUP podcast.
To provide context and capture the spirit of these sections, I’ll be asking curators handling Iconic DUP Moments & Features and DU Comps & NaPo to write introductions, background notes, or commentary where needed. This will help frame the significance of the poems and moments we’re preserving.
Next Steps: Curation & Coordination
I’ll be setting up shared Google folders and a spreadsheet shortly to help consolidate the poem selections. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you start saving copies of potential selections for your category. Take screenshots of the poems and organise them in your own folders for now; this will help us later when we’re finalising selections.
Thanks so much to everyone who has volunteered! If I haven’t responded to you yet, I apologise… but if you’ve put your hand up, you’re in, and there’s no turning back now!
We need more volunteers! If you’ve already put your hand up to curate a section, please reach out to your DU friends and see if they’d be willing to help. We all have lives outside of DU, so the more people involved, the lighter the load for everyone.
If you're keen to help let me know!
List of Curators
Foreword - TBC
The Best of DUP Poetry (by Category)
Love Poems - summultima (help required)
Dark Poems - Casted_Runes
Erotic Poems - Hemihead
Spiritual Poems - Ahavati
Anger Poems - curator required
Upbeat & Inspirational Poems - curator required
Observational Poems - Northern_Soul
Self Poems - curator required
Drugs Poems - curator required
Story Poems - curator required
Song Lyrics - curator required
Fictional Prose - curator required
Non-Fiction Prose - curator required
Miscellaneous Poems - curator required
Best Poetry Collaborations - Magdalena
The Best Poetry Competitions
DU Poetry Competitions - Magdalena
NaPoWriMo Challenge - Ahavati
Iconic DUP Moments & Features
Forum Rants - CraicDealer
Best Questions from "Ask a Question" - CraicDealer
The Muggle - CraicDealer
DUP Podcast - CraicDealer
Hidden Gems & Underrated Poets - summultima
Memorials & Tributes - Ahavati (help required)
With DUP likely closing soon, I want to pitch an idea: let’s work together to preserve some of its magic by creating a print-on-demand anthology. A book that captures some of the best poetry, prose, forum rants, and unforgettable moments from this incredible community.
This would be a non-profit project, with the book available at cost [printing + shipping] so anyone can grab a copy. With permission [and hopefully some assistance] from the Webmistress, I’ll organise the design, including a cover that reflects DUP’s evolving logo history.
I’ll also look into an e-book option so that DUP’s legacy can be preserved digitally, making it more accessible for those who prefer a downloadable version.
What’s in the DUP anthology book?
The community will help nominate and identify:
1. Some of the most liked, reading-listed, and standout poems/prose from DU poets.
2. The best forum threads, rants, and memorable quotes that made this place hilariously addictive and inspirational.
3. A special tribute to poets who are no longer with us, so their words aren’t lost in time.
How will this work?
We’ll sort out copyright permissions and ensure that everything is handled properly. But this will take time and effort, and I’ll need help from the community to compile nominations, format content, and bring this together.
My hope is that we create a printed memory and tribute of this amazing creative community. And hopefully something magic that might just find its way into the hands of old poets who lost touch, catch word of the book… or maybe if they check their
Hopefully we can keep the DUP legacy alive.
Curator Guidelines
As we move forward with curating the Deep Underground Poetry Anthology, I wanted to share how we’ll be approaching the selection process and the proposed breakdown of poetry categories.
1. Aim for most poems to fit within one page (100–250 words).
2. Allow a limited number of longer poems (250–500 words) but be selective.
3. If a poem is too long (500+ words), consider excerpts or formatting it across multiple pages.
4. Quality over quantity – We want the best of DUP, not just a collection of poems.
5. Aim for a balanced selection – Include a mix of well-known and lesser-known works that truly represent the depth of the category.
6. Poem Length Consideration – Most poems should ideally fit on a single page (~100-250 words). We can accommodate some longer pieces, but let’s be mindful of space.
7. Over-Select by 33% – If your section has 15 pages, aim for 20 pages worth of content. We’ll refine the final list later.
Poem Category Breakdown
To ensure fair representation across the diverse range of poetry on DU, we’re aiming for a total of 210 selected poems. However, we’ll over-select up to 280 poems (about 33% more) as a contingency. This will allow curators flexibility in the final selection process while ensuring we don’t feature any one poet more than 1-2 times to maintain balance.
Here’s the proposed breakdown of poetry categories, including the number of poems allocated and their percentage in the anthology:
Love Poems – 38 poems (18%) – Many poets categorise their work as love poetry, so we’ll need to evaluate selections carefully to ensure proper classification.
Dark Poems – 32 poems (15%) – A significant and well-represented category in DU’s history.
Erotic Poems – 17 poems (8%) – While popular, this category is allocated fewer slots to maintain a balance of quality over quantity.
Spiritual Poems – 17 poems (8%) – DU has a strong presence of poets exploring spiritual and philosophical themes.
Anger Poems – 11 poems (5%) – Represents raw emotion and intense themes, a staple of DU poetry.
Upbeat & Inspirational Poems – 17 poems (8%) – A mix of uplifting, motivational, and hopeful works.
Observational Poems – 21 poems (10%) – Encompasses poetry that reflects on life, society, and human nature.
Self Poems – 21 poems (10%) – A broad category including introspective and personal pieces.
Drugs Poems – 13 poems (6%) – Because we love them… but we need to do less!
Story Poems – 8 poems (4%) – Narrative-driven poetry that tells compelling stories.
Song Lyrics – 6 poems (3%) – For poets who have blurred the lines between poetry and music.
Fictional Prose – 4 poems (2%) – Shorter prose works that are poetic in nature.
Non-Fiction Prose – 4 poems (2%) – Reflecting the importance of personal essays and memoir-style pieces.
Miscellaneous Poems – 11 poems (5%) – A space for standout works that don’t fit neatly into the other categories.
The Best Poetry Competitions and Iconic DUP Moments & Features
I’ll provide some clarity on my thoughts for the inclusion of poems in The Best Poetry Competitions and Iconic DUP Moments & Features sections:
These sections will have their own curated selection of poems, meaning there’s no need to duplicate NaPo entries or competition-winning poems in the general poetry categories… unless, of course, a poem stands on its own merit beyond its original context.
For The Best Poetry Competitions, we’re looking to showcase standout pieces (approx. 36 poems) from some of DUP’s most legendary, creative, and challenging competitions over the years, along with highlights from NaPoWriMo (27 poems). Similarly, Iconic DUP Moments & Features will include forum rants, Q&As, satirical golden nuggets from The Muggle, and memorable moments and possibly featured poems from the DUP podcast.
To provide context and capture the spirit of these sections, I’ll be asking curators handling Iconic DUP Moments & Features and DU Comps & NaPo to write introductions, background notes, or commentary where needed. This will help frame the significance of the poems and moments we’re preserving.
Next Steps: Curation & Coordination
I’ll be setting up shared Google folders and a spreadsheet shortly to help consolidate the poem selections. In the meantime, I strongly recommend you start saving copies of potential selections for your category. Take screenshots of the poems and organise them in your own folders for now; this will help us later when we’re finalising selections.
Thanks so much to everyone who has volunteered! If I haven’t responded to you yet, I apologise… but if you’ve put your hand up, you’re in, and there’s no turning back now!
We need more volunteers! If you’ve already put your hand up to curate a section, please reach out to your DU friends and see if they’d be willing to help. We all have lives outside of DU, so the more people involved, the lighter the load for everyone.
If you're keen to help let me know!
List of Curators
Foreword - TBC
The Best of DUP Poetry (by Category)
Love Poems - summultima (help required)
Dark Poems - Casted_Runes
Erotic Poems - Hemihead
Spiritual Poems - Ahavati
Anger Poems - curator required
Upbeat & Inspirational Poems - curator required
Observational Poems - Northern_Soul
Self Poems - curator required
Drugs Poems - curator required
Story Poems - curator required
Song Lyrics - curator required
Fictional Prose - curator required
Non-Fiction Prose - curator required
Miscellaneous Poems - curator required
Best Poetry Collaborations - Magdalena
The Best Poetry Competitions
DU Poetry Competitions - Magdalena
NaPoWriMo Challenge - Ahavati
Iconic DUP Moments & Features
Forum Rants - CraicDealer
Best Questions from "Ask a Question" - CraicDealer
The Muggle - CraicDealer
DUP Podcast - CraicDealer
Hidden Gems & Underrated Poets - summultima
Memorials & Tributes - Ahavati (help required)
This is a great idea, Case. If you need any help, holla.
A few thoughts:
- Perhaps a memorials page for those passed
- Ray Heinrich’s alligator clitoris rant
- Some of the best questions asked on the ask a question thread
- Napo
- Podcast
- Muggle
A few thoughts:
- Perhaps a memorials page for those passed
- Ray Heinrich’s alligator clitoris rant
- Some of the best questions asked on the ask a question thread
- Napo
- Podcast
- Muggle
Northern_Soul said:This is a great idea, Case. If you need any help, holla.
A few thoughts:
- Perhaps a memorials page for those passed
- Ray Heinrich’s alligator clitoris rant
- Some of the best questions asked on the ask a question thread
- Napo
- Podcast
- Muggle
HOLLA!!
What the fuck have I got myself into???
A few thoughts:
- Perhaps a memorials page for those passed
- Ray Heinrich’s alligator clitoris rant
- Some of the best questions asked on the ask a question thread
- Napo
- Podcast
- Muggle
HOLLA!!
What the fuck have I got myself into???
case28 said:
Yes, winners and losers. There’s been a lot of decent poets on DUP and a lot fly under the radar who aren’t prolific writers and others who don’t compete in comps. It’d be cool to get a cross section of various writers each year… inclusive of all topics.
I am totally absolutely up for your printed compilation of du poems poets moments n all the greater unique vital creativity that has happened happening.. not just by some inborne talents .. but as a catalytic effect of one another .. n the larger group dynamic here .. inspite of some biasedness, hatred, sidelining etc etc that too takes taken its numerous dark avatars here .. as had seen .
But yes the larger creativity & positivity are the themes that i i too would link here to be captured.
Would say a great hearty soulful thanks to you Case .. for you being a selfless poet embracing all then n now.. that haa blossomed unthought side of creativity in poets like me . esp the Viz & spoken poetry ..
So many great classic n quiet darkhorse & even unsung underdog.. & some such rare humane soulful poets in here.. past & present - that are inspirational n worthy of their work being shared.
Will do my best to be part of this thoughtful effort Case ..
Yes, winners and losers. There’s been a lot of decent poets on DUP and a lot fly under the radar who aren’t prolific writers and others who don’t compete in comps. It’d be cool to get a cross section of various writers each year… inclusive of all topics.
I am totally absolutely up for your printed compilation of du poems poets moments n all the greater unique vital creativity that has happened happening.. not just by some inborne talents .. but as a catalytic effect of one another .. n the larger group dynamic here .. inspite of some biasedness, hatred, sidelining etc etc that too takes taken its numerous dark avatars here .. as had seen .
But yes the larger creativity & positivity are the themes that i i too would link here to be captured.
Would say a great hearty soulful thanks to you Case .. for you being a selfless poet embracing all then n now.. that haa blossomed unthought side of creativity in poets like me . esp the Viz & spoken poetry ..
So many great classic n quiet darkhorse & even unsung underdog.. & some such rare humane soulful poets in here.. past & present - that are inspirational n worthy of their work being shared.
Will do my best to be part of this thoughtful effort Case ..
Based on the feedback so far and some consideration into how the lovely Webmistress has structured and categorised the website, this is the proposed structure for the DUP Anthology:
1. Foreword
A reflection on DUP’s history, its impact, and what made it special.
2. The Best of DUP Poetry (Divided by Categories)
Each section will feature standout poems from across the years, curated by the DUP community:
Love Poems
Dark Poems
Erotic Poems
Spiritual Poems
Anger Poems
Upbeat & Inspirational Poems
Observational Poems
Self Poems
Drugs Poems
Story Poems
Song Lyrics
Fictional Prose
Non-Fiction Prose
Miscellaneous Poems
3. Best Poetry Collaborations
The most epic collabs where poets created something truly special together.
4. The Best Poetry Competitions
Showcasing winning or standout poems from some of the most legendary, challenging, creative, and inspiring DUP comps and NaPoWriMo Challenge – Standout poems from this annual April poetry event.
5. Iconic DUP Moments & Features
Forum Rants – The most legendary rants, including Ray Heinrich’s alligator clitoris rant.
Best Questions from "Ask a Question" – A selection of the funniest, deepest, or weirdest Q&As.
The Muggle – A look back at this satirical publication and its impact on the community.
DUP Podcast – Memorable moments and featured poems from the site’s podcast.
6. Hidden Gems & Underrated Poets
A section highlighting poets who may not have competed in comps or posted prolifically but wrote incredible pieces.
7. Memorials & Tributes
A page dedicated to poets who have passed, featuring select poems or words of remembrance.
Feel free to make comment and let me know if there’s anything to consider.
1. Foreword
A reflection on DUP’s history, its impact, and what made it special.
2. The Best of DUP Poetry (Divided by Categories)
Each section will feature standout poems from across the years, curated by the DUP community:
Love Poems
Dark Poems
Erotic Poems
Spiritual Poems
Anger Poems
Upbeat & Inspirational Poems
Observational Poems
Self Poems
Drugs Poems
Story Poems
Song Lyrics
Fictional Prose
Non-Fiction Prose
Miscellaneous Poems
3. Best Poetry Collaborations
The most epic collabs where poets created something truly special together.
4. The Best Poetry Competitions
Showcasing winning or standout poems from some of the most legendary, challenging, creative, and inspiring DUP comps and NaPoWriMo Challenge – Standout poems from this annual April poetry event.
5. Iconic DUP Moments & Features
Forum Rants – The most legendary rants, including Ray Heinrich’s alligator clitoris rant.
Best Questions from "Ask a Question" – A selection of the funniest, deepest, or weirdest Q&As.
The Muggle – A look back at this satirical publication and its impact on the community.
DUP Podcast – Memorable moments and featured poems from the site’s podcast.
6. Hidden Gems & Underrated Poets
A section highlighting poets who may not have competed in comps or posted prolifically but wrote incredible pieces.
7. Memorials & Tributes
A page dedicated to poets who have passed, featuring select poems or words of remembrance.
Feel free to make comment and let me know if there’s anything to consider.
Well, what do you know… case opened his bloody mouth with another grandiose idea and look what happens…
DUP Anthology is officially in motion!
As I’ve previously mentioned, this will be a print-on-demand collection of poetry, forum highlights, and community moments that capture the core of Deep Underground Poetry. It will be available at cost (printing + shipping), with a possible e-book version as well.
This is a huge project, and I NEED YOUR HELP!
Here’s how you can contribute:
1. Nominate Great Poems and Prose
We’re organising the book by DUP categories (Love, Dark, Spiritual, etc.).
Submit your favourite poems from any poet, any year - perhaps your [narcissistic] own, but preferably someone else’s.
2. Help Identify the Best Poetry Comps and Collaborations
Which poetry competitions produced some of the best work?
What are the most legendary collaborations between poets?
3. Suggest Iconic DUP Moments
Got a legendary forum rant that deserves a place in history?
Memorable quotes from the “Ask a Question” thread?
Highlights from The Muggle, the Podcast, or poems from NaPoWriMo? Let’s see them!
4. Help with the Memorial Section
If you know of poets who have passed, please share their names and any poems that should be included as a tribute.
5. Assist with Formatting & Compilation (later stages)
If you’re experienced with editing, book design, or formatting, your help would be invaluable in bringing this all together.
Next Steps
- Drop your suggestions in this thread or message me directly.
- Let me know how you want to help with curation of the above list of categories.
- Can a mod please give the Webmistress a hug for me and have a discussion on copyright permissions for the project?
- Updates will be posted as the project takes shape.
Thank you for your feedback and offers to help!
DUP Anthology is officially in motion!
As I’ve previously mentioned, this will be a print-on-demand collection of poetry, forum highlights, and community moments that capture the core of Deep Underground Poetry. It will be available at cost (printing + shipping), with a possible e-book version as well.
This is a huge project, and I NEED YOUR HELP!
Here’s how you can contribute:
1. Nominate Great Poems and Prose
We’re organising the book by DUP categories (Love, Dark, Spiritual, etc.).
Submit your favourite poems from any poet, any year - perhaps your [narcissistic] own, but preferably someone else’s.
2. Help Identify the Best Poetry Comps and Collaborations
Which poetry competitions produced some of the best work?
What are the most legendary collaborations between poets?
3. Suggest Iconic DUP Moments
Got a legendary forum rant that deserves a place in history?
Memorable quotes from the “Ask a Question” thread?
Highlights from The Muggle, the Podcast, or poems from NaPoWriMo? Let’s see them!
4. Help with the Memorial Section
If you know of poets who have passed, please share their names and any poems that should be included as a tribute.
5. Assist with Formatting & Compilation (later stages)
If you’re experienced with editing, book design, or formatting, your help would be invaluable in bringing this all together.
Next Steps
- Drop your suggestions in this thread or message me directly.
- Let me know how you want to help with curation of the above list of categories.
- Can a mod please give the Webmistress a hug for me and have a discussion on copyright permissions for the project?
- Updates will be posted as the project takes shape.
Thank you for your feedback and offers to help!
Ahavati said:Thank you so much for including NaPoWriMo. It's been a decade of love & tears! This is a great idea, Case. If there's anything I can do as a graphic designer/layout/printing person let me know.
Well, it would be fantastic if you could be the chief curator for selecting the most outstanding poems from NaPoWriMo over the years.
Thank you, Ahavati.
Well, it would be fantastic if you could be the chief curator for selecting the most outstanding poems from NaPoWriMo over the years.
Thank you, Ahavati.
lepperochan said:Great idea, Case
Anything I can do to help ?
Glad to have you on board, Craic! You’ve got a keen eye for good poetry, and I was secretly hoping you’d offer.
It would be great if you could be one of the chief curators on the project. You could start making a list of the early DU poets that you’ve followed over the years, including URL links to their outstanding poems.
Anything I can do to help ?
Glad to have you on board, Craic! You’ve got a keen eye for good poetry, and I was secretly hoping you’d offer.
It would be great if you could be one of the chief curators on the project. You could start making a list of the early DU poets that you’ve followed over the years, including URL links to their outstanding poems.
