NON-COTERIE READING (2009)

In 2009, I read at least 184 poetry books/collections, 9 poetry or poetry-related anthologies, 8 poetry/literary journals and 16 other books/publications involving poetry. The Blog's capacity as Filing Cabinet allow Moi to list them all below.

The list is not a portrayal of the type of poetry I favor. In reading poems partly as a practitioner, I just want to know what's out there. I've found that POV to be more elucidating than trying to read through some defined aesthetic gate. The process is not just more educational and makes for the fabulous moments of welcome discoveries (e.g. Laura Carter, Michael Leong, Douglas Kearney, poets whose works were previously unknown to Moi) but given me many moments of humor--e.g., I once read a nationally prestigious prize-winning book hailed partly for doing something "new", but in fact was very similar to a book from a small press which, I don't think, bothers to enter its books in poetry contests. The latter example, of course, bespeaks the communicative inefficiency of a world that often moves based on cultural capital.

The list is also incomplete; for one, it excludes another 50 or so manuscripts I've read but which I can't reveal. The list also excludes my voluminous online reading of poems.

But I stand by my reading record as, in part, a reflection of what underpins the occasional activities I engage in that requires me to make some sort of judgment. At a minimum, this means I can tell a certain someone (who I know reads moi blog--Happy New Year!) that he's full of it whenever he goes on a rampage over at the Silliman comment section about the lack of quality of Lulu-published poetry books. How many of these books have you actually read, Sir?

The list does reveal certain personal tendencies -- I prefer to read a body of work rather than a single poem or two by a poet. This means I don't really go out of my way to read many anthologies or journals. I prefer to read poetry collections.

Last but not least, my choice of what to read is often serendipitous. In Poetry, I don't often get curious about a particular book and so must obtain it/read it, though peeps in this category in 2009 are the books listed by Sarah Gambito, Sesshu Foster, Arthur Sze, Abelardo & Tarrosa Subido, Amy King, Brenda Hillman, Bill Berkson, Brenda Cardenas, Eileen Myles....perhaps there's a few more but this is logically a short list. My ethical desire is to read every poem, which means a lot of times, I randomly grab from a huge TO-READ pile (which includes but is not limited to THIS and THIS ). I also end up reading a few books for unique reasons--like if my local library stocks a new poetry book, I check it out in order to prove there's demand for poetry...and then inevitably read it before I return it (e.g. Billy Collins).

Did I like every book I read on this list? Nope, but that's irrelevant. Even the most banal poem has a place in this wonderland-landscape of Poetry. All poems are welcome to Moi. And contrary to would-be pundits' proclamations, THERE ARE NEVER ENOUGH POEMS.

There are, however, a few authors whose books I meant to read but didn't get to in 2009--these are books that I wish to read when I'm not in the midst of a multi-tasking fever. For instance, the COLLECTED POEMS and a biography on Amy Carmichael, Ron Silliman's poetry, Sheila Murphy's COLLECTED CHAPS, John Olson's writings, Ann Lauterbach's essays, John Yau's latest book on Jasper Johns, Vicente Huidobro's ALTAZOR, among many others. But since I'm always in the midst of multi-tasking, I can see that I'll have to do a conscious revamp of that intention as I'm rarely able to clear space...

And, yes, I could be reading more poetry books. But the murder mysteries need Moi attention, too. Still, if you think I should be reading your poetry book sooner than later, say so in a cover letter (wink). Galatea's Iron Gate never bars ... poetry.

Here's the poetic Relished W(h)ine List for 2009
(UPDATE: I just added a few more that earlier slipped Moi mind...):

Poetry Books (184)
INTERVENING ABSENCE by Carrie Olivia Adams
TO THE BONE by Sebastian Agudelo
THE LOST COUNTRY OF SIGHT by Neil Aitken
LIGHT FILLING MY BONES, poems by Dorothy B. Anderson with cut-paper illustrations by Donna Bruhl
NARROW ROAD TO THE INTERIOR, haibun by Matsuo Basho & Translated by Sam Hamill
ALL MY EGGS ARE BROKEN by Michael Basinski
TUNE DROVES by Eric Baus
ANALFABETO: AN ALPHABET by Ellen Baxt
STEPS: A NOTEBOOK by Tom Beckett
TAKE IT by Joshua Beckman
SHY GREEN FIELDS by Hugh Behm-Steinberg
PORTRAIT AND DREAM: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS by Bill Berkson
HAVE A GOOD ONE by Anselm Berrigan
GLAD STONE CHILDREN by Edmund Berrigan
AIRS & VOICES by Paula Bonnel
THE STARS ON THE 7:18 TO PENN, poems by Ana Bozicevic
A STRANGER'S TABLE by Anne Brooke
WASTE by Thierry Brunet
THE SHUNT by David Buuck
SONG OF A LIVING ROOM by Brigitte Byrd
BOOMERANG by Brenda Cardenas
AT THE PULSE by Laura Carter
SITUATIONS by Laura Carter
(B)ITS by Joel Chace
THE BRITTLE AGE and RETURNING UPLAND by Rene Char, Trans. by Gustaf Sobin
RHAPSODY IN PLAIN YELLOW by Marilyn Chin
AND HOW TO END IT by Brian Clements
WALLS (ANAMNESES) by Marcel Cohen, Trans. by Brian Evenson & Joanna Howard
BALLISTICS by Billy Collins
IDENTITY THEFT by Catherine Daly
NOW SHOWING by Jim Daniels
THE CURVATURE OF BLUE by Lucille Lang Day
TRUE CRIME by Donna de la Perriere
THIRD BODY by Michel Delville, Trans. by Gian Lombardo
TERRA LUCIDA by Joseph Donahue
WEAVING THE LIGHT by Mary Ruth Donnelly
KA-CHING by Denise Duhamel
237 MORE REASONS TO HAVE SEX by Denise Duhamel and Sandy McIntosh
FROM CHANSONNIERS by Patrick Dunagan
BHARAT JIVA by kari edwards
LOVED LETTERS: MAILED WITHOUT A SCENT OF HOME (in manuscript) by Niki Eskobar
THE ANGELS OF BREAD by Martin Espada
THE RUSSIAN VERSION by Elene Fanailova, Trans. by Genya Turovskaya & Stephanie Sandler
HOW TO PAINT SUNLIGHT, NEW POEMS by Lawrence Ferlinghetti
CHIMES by Adam Fieled
GENERIC WHISTLE STOP by Thomas Fink
AUTOPSY TURVY by Thomas Fink & Maya Diablo Mason
WORLD BALL NOTEBOOK by Sesshu Foster
DARK CARD by Rebecca Foust
MOM'S CANOE by Rebecca Foust
DELTA BLUES by Skip Fox
THAT TINY INSANE VOLUPTUOUSNESS by Elisa Gabbert and Kathleen Rooney
DELIVERED by Sarah Gambito
[LAPSED INSEL WEARY] by Susana Gardner
KENMORE: POEM UNLIMITED by Geoffrey Gatza
BLACK DIAMOND GOLDEN BOY TAKES BULL BY HORNS by Geoffrey Gatza
HOUSECAT KUNG FU: STRANGE POEMS FOR WILD CHILDREN by Geoffrey Gatza
TO AFTER THAT (TOAF) by Renee Gladman
NEWCOMER CAN'T SWIM by Renee Gladman
GAHA (BABES0 NOAS (OF THE ABYSS0 ZORGE (BECOME FRIENDLY) by Jesse Glass (in manuscript)
QUATERNITY by Scott Glassman and Sheila Murphy
THE SEVEN AGES by Louise Gluck
TERMINAL HUMMING by K. Lorraine Graham
THE LAST 4 THINGS by Kate Greenstreet
TINDERBOX LAWN by Carol Guess
OBSOLETE--AN ALPHABET OF POEMS INSPIRED BY DEAD WORDS by Katie Haegele
IN SEARCH OF SMALL GODS by Jim Harrison
SING, MONGREL by Claire Hero
AND AENEAS STARES INTO HER HELMET by Tiffany Higgins
BRIGHT EXISTENCE by Brenda Hillman
JOURNEY TO THE END, by John Hoffman, edited by Garrett Caples
TRAJE DE BODA (in manuscript) by Aileen Ibardaloza
NEW EXERCISES by Franck Andre Jamme
SPEAK WHICH: HAY(NA)KU POEMS by Jill Jones
HUMANIMAL by Bhanu Kapil
THE BLACK AUTOMATON by Douglas Kearney
MAID OF HEAVEN: THE STORY OF SAINT JOAN OF ARC in verse by Ben D. Kennedy
RANDION SCREPTS by Jukka-Pekka Kervinen
SLAVES TO DO THESE THINGS by Amy King
RINGING by Rauan Klassnik
SUNNY WEDNESDAY by Noelle Kocot
EVEN BEFORE MY OWN NAME by Tracy Koretsky
THE ELDER SERIES 3 by Chris Kraus and Tisa Bryant
THE SWEETNESS OF HERBERT by Stuart Krimko
A DARK CONTINENT COMPANION (in manuscript) by Sean Labrador y Manzano
MARCH 18, 2003 by Michael Lally
DESTROYED WORKS by Philip Lamantia
TAU by Philip Lamantia, edited by Garrett Caples
POSTCARDS TO BOX 464 (in manuscript) by Amanda Laughtland
e.s.p. by Michael Leong
NEIGHBOR by Rachel Levitsky
PLAGIARISM / OUTSOURCE by Tan Lin
POLYTHEOGAMY, poems by Timothy Liu and paintings by Greg Drasler
ARCHIPELAGO DUST (in manuscript) by Karen Llagas
DICK OF THE DEAD by Rachel Loden
NAVIGATE, AMELIA EARHART'S LETTERS HOME by Rebecca Loudon
CADAVER DOGS by Rebeca Loudon
DISCLOSURE, conceptual poetry by Dana Teen Lomax
AT THE END OF THE DAY: SELECTED POEMS AND AN INTRODUCTORY ESSAY by Phillip Lopate
OPEN NIGHT by Aaron Lowinger
BOSQUEJOS / SKETCHES by Edwin Agustin Lozada
SUENOS ANONIMOS / ANONYMOUS DREAMS by Edwin Agustin Lozada
SALT LICK: A RETROSPECTIVE OF POETRY by Glenna Luschei
SEE HOW WE ALMOST FLY by Alison Luterman
WAITING FOR SWEET BETTY by Clarence Major
HI HIGHER HYPERBOLE by Nicholas Manning
ZERO READERSHIP; AN EPIC by Filip Marinovich
ERNESTA, IN THE STYLE OF THE FLAMENCO by Sandy McIntosh
INSTANTS by Philip Metres
FOR LOVE OF AN ARMADILLO, poems by Didi Menendez, illustrations by Jeremy Baum
FORT DAD by Stephen Paul Miller
WORK IS LOVE MADE VISIBLE: POETRY AND FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS by Jeanetta Calhoun Mish
HOW TO SPELL THE SOUND OF EVERYTHING, poetry -- visual and text -- collaboration by Sheila Murphy & mIEKAL aND
SORRY TREE by Eileen Myles
BIRD EATING BIRD by Kristin Naca
BY WAY OF, four-chap collection of poems by Matthew Nienow, Emily Carr, Diana Woodcock and Diana Alvarez
CATCH LIGHT by Sarah O'Brien
UNSWEPT ROOMS by Sharon Olds
A TOAST IN THE HOUSE OF FRIENDS by Akilah Oliver
SWARM OF EDGES by John Olson
RIZAL IN SAN FRANCISCO AND OTHER POEMS (in manuscript) by Don Pacis
SOME HAY by Lars Palm
FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR (in manuscript) by Lars Palm
CANTAR DE MIO CORMAN by Lars Palm
PERSONATIONSKIN by Karl Parker
LAST CALL AT THE TIN PALACE by Paul Pines
“…AND THEN THE WIND DID BLOW: JAINAKU POEMS by Ernesto Priego
GRAVITY & GRACE by Ernesto Priego
FORMS OF INTERCESSION by Jayne Pupek
LEAFLETS: POEMS 1965-1968 by Adrienne Rich
CORPORATE GEESE by Christopher William Purdom
THERE'S THE HAND AND THERE'S THE ARID CHAIR by Tomaz Salamun
BOOK LEFT OPEN IN THE RAIN by Barry Schwabsky
FOR COLORED GIRLS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE / WHEN THE RAINBOW IS ENUF by Ntozake Shange
ITINERARY by Reginald Shepherd
THE ALPS by Brandon Shimoda
FROM HERE, poems by Zoe Skoulding and images by Simonetta Moro
NEGATIVE INVENTORY by Shannon Smith
MYTHS & TEXTS by Gary Snyder
from THE TRADITION by Juliana Spahr
THE UNDERWATER HOSPITAL by Jan Steckel
THE METHOD by Sasha Steensen
OHIO VIOLENCE by Allison Stine
JOINT (in manuscript) by Angelo Suarez
SONNETS FROM A GARDENER AND OTHER POEMS by Abelardo Subido
PRIVATE EDITION: SONNETS AND OTHER POEMS by Tarrosa Subido
THE SPACE BETWEEN by Aimee Suzara
ARRANGING THE BLAZE by Chad Sweeney
MAGDALENE & THE MERMAIDS by Elizabeth Kate Switaj
THE GINKGO LIGHT by Arthur Sze
WATER THE MOON (in manuscript) by Fiona Sze-Lorrain
HYPERGLOSSIA by Stacy Szymaszek
A CONCISE BIOGRAPHY OF SIN by John Samuel Tieman
THE LONG LOST STARTLE by Joel Toledo
THE PARIS HILTON by Keith Tuma
ATLAS by Katrina Vandenberg
IRRATIONAL DUDE by Nico Vassilakis & Robert Mittenthal
TATTOO (in manuscript) by Joel Vega
ROCK CANDY by Jenifer Rae Vernon
ALL ALONE AGAIN by Dan Waber
MY NEW JOB by Catherine Wagner
SMUDGING by Diane Wakoski
THE BUTCHER'S APRON by Diane Wakoski
PLAY by Liz Waldner
TRUST by Liz Waldner
THE AMPUTEE'S GUIDE TO SEX by Jillian Weise
TO LIGHT OUT by Karen Weiser
HEATHEN by Lesley Wheeler
SELF-PORTRAIT WITH CRAYON by Allison Benis White
TANSEN DONNER: A WOMAN'S JOURNEY by Ruth Whitman
GOD'S SILENCE by Franz Wright
OCTOBER CENTERFOLD by Jeffrey Cyphers Wright and images by Nathaniel Hester
AIM STRAIGHT AT THE FOUNTAIN AND PRESS VAPORIZE by Elizabeth Marie Young
TERRACOTTA WORRIERS by Mark Young
LUNCH POEMS by Mark Young
MORE FROM SERIES MAGRITTE by Mark Young
ODES TO ANGER by Jason L.Yurcic
CIRCA by Hannah Zeavin
GUARDIANES DEL SECRETO / GUARDIANS OF THE SECRET by Lila Zemborain, trans. by Rosa Alcala


Poetry(-related) Anthologies (9)
1000 VIEWS OF "GIRL SINGING", multi-genre anthology of translations/collaborations edited by John Bloomberg-Rissman
ANTHOLOGY SPIDERTANGLE, visual poetry anthology Edited by mIEKAL aND
BEATS OF NAROPA edited by Anne Waldman and Laura Wright
THE CHAINED HAY(NA)KU ANTHOLOGY, curated by Ivy Alvarez, John Bloomberg-Rissman, Ernesto Priego and Eileen Tabios (in manuscript)
INCLINED TO SPEAK: AN ANTHOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY ARAB AMERICAN POETRY, edited by Hayan Charam
POEM, HOME: AN ANTHOLOGY OF ARS POETICA edited by Jennifer Hill and Dan Waber
SALU-SALO: IN CONVERSATION WITH FILIPINOS, AN ANTHOLOGY OF PHILIPPINE-AUSTRALIAN WRITINGS, edited by Jose Wendell P. Capili and John Cheeseman
THE INNER LIVES OF WOMEN: NOT A MUSE: A WORLD POETRY ANTHOLOGY, edited by Kate Rogers & Viki Holmes
THE WINE OF ENDLESS LIFE: TAOIST DRINKING SONGS FROM THE YUAN DYNASTY, poems translated by Jerome P. Seaton


Poetry/Literary/Arts Journals (8)
"DARK TIMES\FILLED WITH LIGHT": A TRIBUTE TO JUAN GELMAN (Special Issue of THE CAFE REVIEW), poetry/visual art/reminiscences Edited by Paul Pines)
THE ENIGMATIST, Dec. 2009, poetry journal edited by Mike & Joyce Gullickson
HOUSE ORGAN, Summer 2009, literary journal edited by Kenneth Warren
HOUSE ORGAN, Fall 2009, literary journal edited by Kenneth Warren
SPIRITS, Spring 2009 (Indiana University Northwest literary journal), edited by Dylan McKee
TEENY TINY # 11, poetry zine edited by Amanda Laughtland and featuring fabulous poems by Katie Haegele, Marvin Cata DuPlessis, Jessica Ritchey, June Sawyers, Laura-Marie Taylor and Charline Bozek
TEENY TINY #12, Aug. 2009, edited by Amanda Laughtland
VANITAS 4 (TRANSLATION ISSUE), literary/arts journal edited by Vincent Katz


Other Books/Publications Involving Poetry (16)
THE ANTHOLOGIST, novel by Nicholson Baker
INTERPENETRATIONS, poetry conversation by Tom Beckett and Geof Huth (in manuscript)
BARF MANIFESTO by Dodie Bellamy
LANDSCAPES OF DISSENT: GUERRILLA POETRY & PUBLIC SPACE by Jules Boykoff and Kaia Sand
LENINGRAD: AMERICAN WRITERS IN THE SOVIET UNION, 1991 collective memoir by Michael Davidson, Lyn Hejinian, Ron Silliman and Barrett Watten
NO GENDER: REFLECTIONS ON THE LIFE & WORK OF kari edwards, Edited by Julian Brolaski, erica kaufman & E. Tracy Grinnell. Includes Cara Benson, Frances Blau, Mark Brasuell, Julian T. Brolaski, Reed Bye, Marcus Civin, CAConrad, Donna de la Perrière, E. Tracy Grinnell, Rob Halpern, Jen Hofer, Brenda Iijima, Lisa Jarnot, erica kaufman, Kevin Killian, Wendy Kramer, Joseph Lease, Rachel Levitsky, Joan MacDonald, Bill Marsh, Chris Martin, Yedda Morrison, Eileen Myles, Akilah Oliver, Tim Peterson, Ellen Redbird, Leslie Scalapino, Michael Smoler, Sherman Souther, Eleni Stecopoulos, and Anne Waldman
MADE-UP INTERVIEWS WITH IMAGINARY ARTISTS featuring Pat Ament, Lorna Dee Cervantes, Joanne Greenberg, Peter Granbois and Cecilia Vicuna by Alex Stein)
AS A FRIEND, novel by Forrest Gander
THE WINTER SUN: NOTES ON A VOCATION, poetry/memoir by Fanny Howe
"WISHING YOU A GREEN CHRISTMAS" 2009 holiday broadside featuring "Wind Farm" by Mark Lamoreaux
2008 HOLIDAY CARD POEM -- "Vierzehnten Dezember" -- by Mark Lamoreaux
2008 HOLIDAY CARD POEM --"Upon the Year 2009" -- by Sheila Murphy
ARTS OF THE POSSIBLE: ESSAYS AND CONVERSATIONS by Adrienne Rich
AURA: LAST ESSAYS by Gustaf Sobin
"IN MEMORY OF REV. MARLEA J. CONRAD WABER", mail art by Dan Waber
MAKE IT HAPPEN, poem broadside by Jeffrey Cyphers Wright