GR'S NEW DEADLINES

Okay. Next weekend I'ma gonna take the kid to Yosemite. That means that peeps can send reviews for Galatea Resurrects' next or 12th issue for another week, or until May 10.

Meanwhile, I've set the Review Submission Deadline for GR's 13th issue to be Nov. 5, 2009. So do try to make the May 10 deadline since there'll be quite a gap until the next issue! Complete review submission and review copy availability HERE.

THAT POET-ENTITLEMENT THING

I don't have much spare time. Hence, I don't attend many poetry readings....and have even stopped doing them (not that I intended to stop but I just realized I've bagged out of doing readings for nearly two years now). So, yes, I wanted to note last night's poetry reading -- but whooooooo boy I didn't expect my prior post to get so much reaction. Why?

BECAUSE SO MANY OF YOU APPARENTLY HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT TORTUOUS FEELING OF BEING A CAPTIVE AUDIENCE TO SOME POET EVINCING SUCH A HIGH DEGREE OF ENTITLEMENT THAT S/HE LECTURES AS IF SAID S/HE IS A FOUNTAIN OF HIGH WISDOM!

(What's worse is when the poem being delivered is ... uh ... small...)

By the way, she continues to giggle, I recall seeing one poet do this in the past and catch himself in a fit of self-awareness. To excuse his pretentious self, you know what that poet did? He gamely chuckled, "Sorry, it's just that I'm a professor...."

Well, talk about giving academia a bad name. But also, are poetry students doling out hard-earned money for tuition in order to be tortured in the schools?

Oh. My.

.

I SAW THE DEATH OF POETRY

tonight when I attended a local poetry reading just because poetry readings rarely occur in my part of the woods. The featured poet clearly believed himself to have some prominence though he suffers from that American poetic disease of being unknown no matter what his achievements may be.

Anyway, he described himself as an academic ... which meant two things in his case. First, his presentation was ponderous, pedantic, replete with unnecessary explanations (I repeat moiself for emphasis). And this reminds me to note what I have noticed from some poet-academics doing readings in non-academic contexts: they treat their audience (even if it's not comprised of their students) like they are folks to be taught rather than folks with whom to share poetry.

Second, this poet said something like this: "I'm an academic and one of the wonderful things about being a poet laureate is realizing the diversity of poetry. A poem can be witty, funny, ..." etcetera et-banal-cetera.

Bathos: it's not when a poet writes his own P.R. but when that poet be believing his own P.R.

As for his poems? I can't remember...and that seems logical, though sad.



.

MY SON

never attended school until child welfare workers took him and placed him in an orphanage -- he was eight years old when he first entered a classroom. When I met him a couple of months back, he was a near-13 year old who could not add numbers beyond three digits and never heard of multiplication. But he is extremely intelligent -- even as his intelligence meant that he was aware for too long that he was woefully behind in his education (among other things).

In Colombia, we hired a tutor and placed him in private school while we finalized the adoption process there (it wasn't until after we'd come back to the United States that I learned that other students at the private school had verbally abused him because he was a "mere orphan" -- ahhh: sense my rage... ).

Last week, he finished his first week at school where he is enrolled as a sixth grader. Except for the English language, he is performing as well as his peers. In fact, one day last week, he turned in the "best" math homework. With Michael, my husband and I found someone with a fabulous potential who only needed a chance to develop -- a chance that adoption gave him (even as I rush to say that my husband and I feel he is a gift to us and not the other way around).

Many of you are asking how life is going with Michael. I find I am not equal to the task of describing this parenting experience. Whatever I share now is a total understatement of what is happening.

To know where Michael came from, to see how he is progressing, and to feel nothing but extreme optimism for his future -- to look deeply into the eyes of a child and see a joy that was once so alien to him: The sight leaves me awestruck.

DAD'S POETRY PRIZE

Well now. “The 2009-2010 Filamore Tabios, Sr. Memorial Poetry Prize” is getting some attention of late -- I saw a notice this weekend in FILIPINAS Magazine...and today there's even a link over at Ron Silliman's. But both, unfortunately, replicate a misunderstanding that may seem trivial but it's not. The accurate guidelines are HERE, but somehow that section of the correct guidelines that state

"Poets of full or partial Filipino descent, living anywhere around the world."

has been misconstrued to be eligible poets being those of full or half-blooded Filipino poets. Not quite. You could have one-millionth Filipino blood and you'd be eligible...Hope that clarifies (and lack of time prevents me from addressing the logistical and racial significance of the difference in interpretation...)

And of course, consider this too a reminder of the contest whose deadline is August 31, 2009.

GALATEA RESURRECTS

Another reminder: next deadline is this Thursday, April 30 for reviews....though I can take past said deadline if you let me know.

THE RECESSION IS ENDING!

Take it from Moi the Leading Indicator! To wit, after a six-month dry spell of not selling any of my own books at Amazon, I sold one in January (Secret Punctuations) and two in March (that be the BRICK and the MENAGE A TROIS)! I'ma tellin' y'all: that light at the end of the tunnel will soon blind y'all....uh, so to speak.

Hey--it's poetry sales, okay. I'll take whatever I can get!

Actually, what most amuses Moi today as regards Amazon is how moi Nota Bene Eiswein apparently has a "German Edition". Okay: such is the power of the internet. So, I think someone should order that (now that the recession is ending, I can start pitching poetry again -- she notes, tongue barely in cheek) and let me know if someone was drinking eiswein when they keyed in the book info...

LIST POETRIES

I often begin lists hoping that they ultimately will generate some poetry project (I've also found lists to be a successful manifestation of autobiography without getting all emotionally invested on how to present -- including censor -- autobiography). Some successful list projects appear HERE, HERE, and HERE. I've also had lists that went nowhere, most recently viz a now-defunct blog I'd concocted on the theme of economy-stimulation related spending. Anyway, I just started a new list on the mundane notion of grocery shopping. So, if you nosily want to know what I buy at the grocery store (yes, I naughtily included a donut today), you can go HERE...

...and hopefully some day a poem will result.

FRENCH KISSES, ANYONE?

L: Garbriela; R: Achilles



Nor is what you see the extents of their loving tongues, peeps.

THE SPACE BETWEEN...

I just consented to offering another blurb, this a re-work of an email I'd sent to the author. So, here's the blurb notes (unedited):

The poems in Aimee Suzara's THE SPACE BETWEEN should make their author proud. They together offer a voice that's captivating and with something worthwhile to say. "If home were a song" is a nice way to complete the circle of the path unfolded by each individual poem.

And here's the most recent Relished W(h)ine List (I will add that my Winter Garden harvest technically was boosted upon the discovery of two clumps of rabe, four cauliflowers and three red lettuces as we turned over the soil):

PUBLICATIONS
THE SPACE BETWEEN, poems by Aimee Suzara (lovely cover by Jenifer Wofford; lovely and evocative poems that altogether add up to a voice that both enchants and possesses wisdom to share)

WORK IS LOVE MADE VISIBLE: POETRY AND FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS by Jeanetta Calhoun Mish (an effective, often poignant, autobiography-in-verse)

THE STARS ON THE 7:18 TO PENN, poems by Ana Bozicevic (fabulously conceptualized project with an integrally organic chap design using images of seats by Lorie Trancho-Robie-- released by ellectriquepress.com as part of the latest dusi/e-chap kollektiv)

SALT LICK: A RETROSPECTIVE OF POETRY by Glenna Luschei

THE CURVATURE OF BLUE, poems by Lucille Lang Day

SUNNY WEDNESDAY, poems by Noelle Kocot

OHIO VIOLENCE, poems by Allison Stine

THE INNER LIVES OF WOMEN: NOT A MUSE: A WORLD POETRY ANTHOLOGY, Eds. Kate Rogers & Viki Holmes

A WORLD OF LOVE: THE INSPIRINJG TRUE STORY OF ONE COUPLE'S ODYSSEY INTO THE WORLD OF INTERNATIONAL ADOPTION, memoir by Maggie Francis Conroy

MASTER CLASS, novel by Morris West

A MAIDEN'S GRAVE, novel by Jeffery Deaver

SPEAKING IN TONGUES, novel by Jeffery Deaver

JESSIE, novel by Lori Wick


WINES
2004 Peter Michael Ma Belle Fille
2005 Peter Michael Ma Belle Fille
2005 Aubert Riesling chardonnay
2005 Dancing Hares Vineyard
1999 Williams Selyem Hirsch Vineyards pinot noir
1986 Chateau d'Yqem (surprised to be disappointed at this one)
1996 Fox Creek Reserve shiraz
2007 Dutch Henry rose
2005 Dutch Henry chardonnay
Schramsberg sparkling wine
1996 Draycott Reserve Shiraz
2005 Vincent Arroyo NV Petite Shiraz
1991 Dominus
1983 Chateau d'Yquem
1995 Mouton Rorhschild
2001 Hundred Acres
Domaine Chandon sparkling wine
2001 Haefner cabernet
200_ Haefner chardonnay

"FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL"

Parenting is open-ended poetry.

Lucidity leads one to realize that parenting a child is also a way for revealing how flawed we are.

Well-intentioned (intentions!) parenting will not automatically lead to successful parenting. Like poetry, so much depends on how the parentee will read us.

[EDITED DUE TO VARIOUS PEEPS' REACTIONS...]

*****

Hypervigilance -- many newly-adopted children have this. One example is a worry that making a mistake means being returned to the orphanage. This is why post traumatic stress is not alien terminology in the world of orphans/adoptees who are often victims of neglect/abuse.

Among poet-parent-friends' advice for my new parental status, Mei-mei noted, One can never praise a child too much. Her suggestion bears a higher significance/resonance for many adopted children.

BOOKISH NOTES

This weekend, we hosted two visiting couples from Puerto Rico, though one of the women is originally from Colombia. Which is to say, my son -- oh my, the frisson of that "my son"! (grin) -- could chatter along without struggling with language.

As they left the house, they bore away some copies of my poetry books ... which is how it came about that one of the visitors mentioned to Michael how great it was to be taking away some of his mother's poetry. Michael apparently replied, "Yeah, she writes all these poetry books...."

It was his tone that made me privately smile. His taking-it-all-for-granted tone that of course I'd be writing "all these poetry books" like it was the most common thing to do. I love that. (One of the disadvantages of not yet being fluent in each other's language is that my husband and I miss a lot of the nuance of his thoughts -- )

Relatedly, in Bogota we gave Michael the entire series of Narnia in Spanish. He has a charge to read a minimum of three pages a day -- he usually reads four to ten pages instead. When we returned to the U.S., one of the new items in his bedroom is the entire series of Harry Potter in English, as well as other books.

In other words, without really saying anything, we act under the assumption that of course he will be a reader.

There is ready modeling, of course, from the signs of many books in the house. And, today, at the grocery store, he was flipping through a display of chapbooks promoting SpongeBob. I asked him if he wanted one and he nodded. I bought it, noting, "You can have it because it's a book and books are important" (that much, my Spanish allows). Never mind that his interest was due to Sponge Bob (I never knew of this character -- don't even know if it's one word or two) since the text was English...a book is important.

I'm wingin' it of course, thinking/wondering if this is the way to grow a reader. You see, I've never forgotten the "library" at his orphanage. Here's a photo:


First, the orphanage is one of the better ones in Colombia and the fact that it has a library is not to be taken for granted. But to do you see all the boxes towards the background of the photo? These are boxes of donated books. They're still in the boxes, unpacked. There's no hurry, you see, to unpack them when there's never enough resources and attention to give to children to encourage them to read many books. Well, in an orphanage, there's rarely enough attention given to each child.

So yes, Michael. Finally, you must understand: reading is also as important as food and shelter.

NEW REVIEW COPIES AVAILABLE AT GALATEA RESURRECTS!

I just updated the list of available review copies for Galatea Resurrects. Many fabulous publications are available for your engagement -- check it out!

CATCHING UP TO YESTERDAYS

Thanks for all your good wishes and cooking strategies re Michael. Today, I told him he was not allowed to date until he was 28 years old. He negotiated me down to 21 years of age. So far, so good with this mommyhood stuff...

Meanwhile, I don't know a more visible affirmation of Galatea Resurrects' unanticipated impact on the poetry e-world than the "mile-high" stack of review copies awaiting my return to Galatea's mountain, to be opened and listed HERE for your review consideration. I hope to get to said stack over the next few days. But, I am here now and so you reviewers out there can start sending me your reviews for the next issue; note the April 30 deadline please....

...Also, while I was gone, Meritage Press inaugurated its first Kindle publication -- this be Kali's Blade by Michelle Bautista. All well and good but while the publisher is away, the authors will play: this Kindle edition was priced by the author at $0.99 per Kindle book. That gets Moi about a profit of 30 cents for each edition sold -- and why do I not overturn this poet's pricing, you ask? Well, it's because she's got a 4th degree black belt while the only martial arts I know involves thumb-wrestling, kapischkie?

...And now, about Moi: while I was gone, these occurred and I'm grateful:

From the Netherlands, I'm interviewed by Haruah: Breath of Heaven. Follow your nose HERE for moi enchanting perfume, including "When it comes to my poetry, so little nowadays is a result of conscious authorial intent."

From Hong Kong, the stupendous NOT A MUSE anthology has just been released. Thanks to editors Viki Holmes and Kate Rogers for asking, such that I've got 3 poems innit.

From the Philippines, my BRICK is used as an intro HERE to a British Life Insurer's recognition of English as one of the major advantages of Filipinos navigating globalization.

From Didi's Casa, I've got a couple of new prose poems partly hearkening the non-biblical Romans in the new issue of Oranges and Sardines.

Thank you all ... and meanwhile, here's my latest Relished W(h)ine List which is bereft of poetry but includes books I normally would not read were it not for the fact that I was going nuts climbing the walls of certain hotel rooms and ended up picking up anything that was writ in English...:

PUBLICATIONS
CASA DE LA MADRE Y EL NINO: 60 ANOS, history by Barbara Maria Vargas Escobar and Barbara Escobar Lopez
THE KNOW-IT-ALL: ONE MAN´S HUMBLE QUEST TO BECOME THE SMARTEST PERSON IN THE WORLD, memoir by A.J. Jacobs
HARD TIMES: AN ORAL HISTORY OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION, by Studs Terkel
THE LAND OF LITTLE RAIN, essays by Mary Austin
ONE GOOD ROAD IS ENOUGH, essays by Robert James Walker
12 SIMPLE SECRETS OF HAPPINESS: FINDING JOY IN EVERYDAY RELATIONSHIPS, self-help by Glenn Van Ekeren (you read some weird stuff waiting for bureaucrats to act)
THE MADONNAS OF LENINGRAD, novel by Debra Dean
A SERVANT´S TALE, novel by Paula Fox
A RATHER LOVELY INHERITANCE, novel by CA Belmond
THE SUCCESSOR, novel by Stephen Frey
THE SLEEPING DOLL, novel by Jeffrey Deaver
THE COLD MOON, novel by Jeffrey Deaver
THE RUN, novel by Stuart Woods
ALL THAT REMAINS, novel by Patricia Cornwell
AIRFRAME, novel by Michael Crichton
DEEPER, novel by Jeff Long
THE CHOICE, novel by Nicholas Sparks
SEDUCTION, novel by Amanda Quick


WINES
2006 Trivento Reserve Malbec (I know: just one wine listed -- having a kid seems to be creating a wet blanket over this habit. But no doubt this self-effacement won't last ...)

THE EAGLE HAS LANDED

I'm not totally back, as I confess to having lost sight of time and space from being off my usual groove for the past six weeks. But I can share these "thousand words" -- bleary-eyed Moi is now officially the Mom to 13-year-old Michael from Colombia. This photo is from when we picked him up six weeks ago in Bogota at the government child welfare offices:

Colombia: that vibrant land with its stupendous ancient culture, Garcia Marquez, Shakira (who uses her earnings to educate poor children), green mangos as pungent as the Filipino's but mas grande as if individually enlarged by Botero himself... Yep--amidst the exhaustion, there is much joy ... and I also know I wouldn't be here today were it not for Poetry.