Bhutanese Slam Poets and a Purple Cow

My friend's six-year-old daughter, Lilly, has an extraordinary gift for naming things. I was two days away from printing my first chapbook and still had no imprint. I called Lilly to ask her what I should name by small press. Her reply was, "You should call it 'Lillian is beautiful and I am going to buy her presents.'" It dawned on me that she may not actually know what a small press is and that I would have to give her something concrete to name. So, I asked her to name the purple cow. Her response was that I should name the cow "Lozey-day." I shortened it to "Lozey," and did an internet search to see if I could find any references to the word. This is what I found...

"Lozey is the battle of wits and words through poetry and verse between opponents on subjects of love and challenge, or difference of opinion, where the parties involved use metaphors and symbols to outdo one another until a winner or a draw is declared. It was a form of entertainment celebrated, admired and respected greatly and widely in Bhutan."

Did I mention the kid is brilliant?

purple cow, small poetry press --- Bhutanese yak herder slam poetry

sounded good to me.

And this concludes the origin story of Sweet Lozey.

She really is a sweet cow.