Mission

In 1988, Timeless Press undertook a daunting goal: to publish exceptional new American poetry, not as an amateur enterprise but as a full-fledged business. We were told over and over that it couldn't be accomplished, that we wouldn't survive long.

Seventeen years, twenty-three authors, and eighty-three books later, many of those who dismissed us are out of business, but we're still around. Our name has changed, and we are now a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, but our mission is the same: Time Being Books is dedicated, more than ever, to presenting great poetry that other publishers don't have the foresight or courage to promote.

Poetry That Tells a Story

Because poetry began as a vehicle for storytelling, we feel it’s at its very best when it remains so. Our books are orchestrated works of verse, not randomly gathered poems. All our books are shaped narratively — often in "chapter" form — with the tale unfolding poem by poem, thus building toward closure and leaving the reader with the feeling of having participated in a growth process with the characters.

Straightforward narration is essential in making poetry accessible to a wider audience, and that voice must be authentic, must ask readers to reach beyond the familiar confines of their "comfort zone." We have made a conscious effort to publish poetry that is culturally diverse, never because it is the "politically correct" thing to do but because it is the best thing to do. What better way to harness the incredible power of poetry than to have it serve as a depiction of segments of America few of us will ever see for ourselves? By employing a medium that illuminates societal issues and captures concise insights in a way no other can, our books of poetry are meant to enlighten as well as engage.