TO WITNESS COMMITMENT IS TO BE INSPIRED

... and so I'm reading THE GRAND PIANO by reading one poet at a time through his/her contributions in the series' ten volumes. The idea is, if I'm moved to do so after the individual reads, to then compare this type of reading with reading each volume as published in order to determine the significance of "collective autobiography," the terms upon which the project presents itself to the world. The sixth poet I read (after Lyn Hejinian, Ron Silliman, Tom Mandel, Bob Perelman and Kit Robinson) is Carla Harryman...

...whose contribution is educationally dense and admirable in its articulation of Commitment with a capital "C."

So  many details and so little time, and after all this isn't a professional review so I apologize by begging off with explications of my admiration.  However, I will note how I found interesting the tension between her at-times reluctance in writing for something like THE GRAND PIANO and the actual writing results which seem to have come up helplessly, at times, as urgently demanded by her subjects.  I suspect this is a person who believes, if one's going to do something, one needs to do it well (or as well as one can).  Bow.

ON PUBLISHING ZOMBIES

Just when I thought I'd achieved EVERYTHING I could ever do in one's life, the Danes save me from Moi's hubris.

To wit, this week I received two copies of a book that I thought were sent as ill-suited review copies for Galatea Resurrects. I put them on the book stack for donations to the local library as I couldn't figure out why I would be receiving books with a book cover like this (definitely click on the images to enlarge!):

I know: que horror! Then, the slow gears in moi brain finally slipped forward another step and I realized, hey, they're published and sent from Denmark! Now, what is my relationship with Denmark? Oh yeah! There was a Danish publishing company who'd requested permission to reprint two Tom Beckett poems! Since I'd earlier published one of Tom's books, UNPROTECTED TEXTS. Sure enough, I flipped through the Danish book and on Page 38 saw two of Tom's Zombie poems:

And this is when I realize there is so much more to achieve in life. I mean, as a publisher, I hadn't realized that my goal was to publish poems that also would fit into an anthology like Conrad Kisch's HORROR! After all, look at some of the company:

This horrific book, though, is actually an educational text. It's used to facilitate creativity by middle-school aged students ... and of course at that age many such kiddos are into horror. Hence, the book also has pop culture representations, like Michael Jackson:

And guess who is a contributor, too? I bet, Mr. Tom Beckett, you never thought that as a poet you'd be in a book in the company of Stephenie Meyer! Who?, you ask? Actually, that was my first response, too. Well, that Meyer concocted the billion-dollar empire of the TWILIGHT movies!!

Ta-dah. I'm so amused at your company I'm going to emphasize it with a second shot -- and it's pure coincidence in moi choice that this second shot contains hunks ... as befits, of course, werewolves:

Oh, Edgar Allen Poe is also represented, but that's just clichetic at this point compared with the above company. I then shall leave you with the Study Questions for the children as a result of Tom Beckett's Zombie poems. Study Questions. I am so amused. Here they are:

--Why do you think zombies don't go to churches, synagogues, or mosques?

--Why don't zombies read scripture (religious texts), poetry, or pornography?

--Why does Tom Beckett say that zombies read telephone directories?

--Why do zombies eat cold pizza and warm beer?

--Why do zombies smell disturbingly sweet?

All great questions to facilitate the creativity of small people. Congratulations, Tom! An astounding, worthy result for some of your poems!

ART, POETRY, PHILOSOPHY--

what more can one want? But there's more in the just-released issue of OurOwnVoice which is fresh and full of lovely lovelies. Among them, my essay on Jean Vengua's haptic drawings:

Post Visual: Jean Vengua's Haptic Drawings

which was really fun to do. We both give props to Stephen Vincent for the original inspiration of haptic drawings. I love Geej Langlois' conflation design (which you click on in OOV to get to the article):

I'm also blessed to have a review of "the avant garde" THE AWAKENING by Aileen Ibardaloza

and then

an engagement of an older (but still favorite) book, MENAGE A TROIS IN THE 21ST CENTURY,  along with Joi Barrios' fabulous poetry, by a writer new but now beloved to Moi: "The Self Revolution of Radical Love--Externalizing Internal Worlds of Freedon in Filipina Poetry" by Michaela Spangenburg. Nifty title.  

[Did you pay attention to this post?  Are you interested in a menage a trois courtesy of a book?  Click HERE for more info--if the book seems interesting and you email me in the next 24 hours (GalateaTen@aol.com) with your snailmail addy, you get a comp copy!  It's an older book, but I always thought it one of my best and I don't mind it getting more play ...   Moi loves to play!]            

THOSE POETS WHO SPEAK "THE LANGUAGE OF LIGHT" AND THUS PERHAPS SPEAK FOR US ALL

Art: ... The prayer that leads to stigmata,...
--Eric Gamalinda

I've said in the past, Judge Moi by what she reads -- and then I've mentioned my ongoing "Relished W(h)ine List" through which I post everything I read (to its completion); I don't discriminate between bad and good in that list; if I finish a book, it gets on that list (I don't list books I don't finish reading). And I do think this Relished List says something about Moi. (And since truly horrendous books don't end up being read to their "The End"s, it does say something good about a bad book to get onto the list...)

But perhaps a more accurate picture will be portrayed by a list still in its relative infancy, The LinkedIn Poetry All-Stars list. For example, my Recommendation #8 is a book by Eric Gamalinda. And so, go HERE for one of his poetics prose I published in PINOY POETICS -- I heart it and highly recommend you read Eric's "Language, Light and the Language of Light"... thus learn.

Another excerpt--this one I'm feeling is particularly timely today:

The reality of a poet living in contemporary society involves, unfortunately, constantly submitting himself to the judgment of a small elite of industry people, many of whom may not even be inspired by the music, history, art and poetry that inspire the poet, and whose only purpose, to put it a little unkindly, is to sustain the very industry that feeds them. I often wonder how many of these people, because they have been trained and conditioned to think only in certain terms, understand the work that artists do and the aesthetics and faith that compel them to create. In any case I believe they constitute a kind of barrier that insulates author from audience. I am thus inclined to praise the work of small presses, but more especially the inevitability of more widespread self-publication in the future, the democratization of publishing, which new technology makes increasingly possible: to demolish the authoritarianism of the industry and the institutions that support it, which I regret to say includes even the academe on one hand and the “spoken word” scene on the other, two poles that have contributed to creating a kind of herd mentality in poetry, a common, generic, “acceptable” set of voices. There is a tendency among poets in the academe and spoken word scene to mimic one another, particularly in diction and delivery; read any journal or go to any performance and you’ll see how everything is the same. This, however, is not necessarily a bad thing: If anything, it is an indication that we have reached the same crisis that made a poet like Rimbaud inevitable and necessary, a poet who would deviate and speak only for himself, not just TO an audience, and certainly not TO A MARKET, and in so doing perhaps speak for us all.

VEGETABLES AND NOT

-dedicated to Vince Flynn, whose novels have often graced this List below…

And that’s a shot of some of the results of the harvest with which I begin a new “Summer Harvest” section—all in an attempt to have the world witness the extremely incompetent Martha Stewart side to moiself, notwithstanding that I do live in one of the most fertile spots on earth. Anyway, here’s the latest update of my Recently Relished W(h)ine List below. As ever, please note that in the Publications section, if you see an asterisk before the title, that means a review copy is available for Galatea Resurrects! More info on that HERE.


2013 SUMMER HARVEST
4 Meyer lemons
6 yellow onions
15 apricots (some very hard apricots, sigh)
18 yellow squash
7 strawberries
3 Italian cucumbers


PUBLICATIONS
HE LOOKED BEYOND MY FAULTS AND SAW MY NEEDS, poems by Leonard Gontarek (ravishing. Deservedly been called “a poet’s poet.” LinkedIn Recommendation #1)

DÉJÀ VU DINER, poems by Leonard Gontarek (reading above made me want to check out the poet’s other works and this, too, is just ridiculously sublime!)

IN THE LAURELS, CAUGHT, poems by Lee Ann Brown (delicious expanse! LinkedIn Recommendation #3)

* NEW ORLEANS VARIATIONS & PARIS OUROBOROS, poems by Paul Pines (fabulous textual jazz! LinkedIn Recommendation #4)

VARIATIONS ON PAINTING A ROOM: POEMS 2000-2010 by Alan Baker (magnificent. Admirable supplety. LinkedIn Recommendation #6)

* ON GHOSTS, poetry [/] essay by Elizabeth Robinson (suffused with light and insight)

I WANT TO MAKE YOU SAFE, poems by Amy King (nicely done! quite smart)

THE VOICE AT 3:00 A.M.: SELECTED LATE AND NEW POEMS by Charles Simic (voice of experience)

* HOUSES, poems by CB Follett (well constructed! pun intended)

* MY FUNERAL GONDOLA, poems by Fiona Sze-Lorrain (interesting conceptual underpinning)

* COMES UP TO FACE THE SKIES, poems by Steve Gilmartin

* FASCICLE 30, poems by Brad Vogler

* PHRENOLOGUE, poem by Judah Raanan Rubin

SUSPENSION OF A SECRET IN ABANDONED ROOMS, poems by Joshua Marie Wilkinson

THE POEMS OF ALICE MEYNELL

10 MISSISSIPPI, poems by Steve Healey

* DARKACRE, poems by Greg Hewett

THE NEXT ANCIENT WORLD, poems by Jennifer Michael Hecht

HIROSHIMA IN THE MORNING, memoir w/ poem by Rahna Reiko Rizzuto (courageous and thus inspiring)

DAYS ON THE ROAD: CROSSING THE PLAINS IN 1865: THE DIARY OF SARAH RAYMOND HERNDON

OREGON TRAIL STORIES: TRUE ACCOUNTS OF LIFE IN A COVERED WAGON

HEARTS WEST: TRUE STORIES OF MAIL ORDER BRIDES ON THE FRONTIER by Chris Enss

DEAR MAD’M, autobiography by Stella Walthall Patterson

MODERN COUNTRY: REINTERPRETING A CLASSIC STYLE, interior decoration by Nancy E. Ingram and M.J. Van Deventer with photography by Jenifer Jordan

ALL IS FORGOTTEN, NOTHING IS LOST, novel by Lan Samantha Chang (fabulous novel involving poets and the art of poetry. LinkedIn Recommendation #2)

THE GANGSTER WE ARE ALL LOOKING FOR, novel by Le Thi Diem Thuy

THE WRONG MAN, novel by David Ellis

RUSHED TO THE ALTAR, novel by Jane Feather

AN UNSUITABLE BRIDE, novel by Jane Feather


WINES
Cheated from Austerity Diet with
2010 Layer Cake Primitivo
2009 Domaine Drouhin Pinot noir
2010 Rex Hill Pinot noir Willamette Valley
2010 Cowhorn syrah 80
2011 Layer Cake South Australia shiraz

BUT BUT BUT … latest doctor’s appointment freed me from said Austerity Diet—I AM HEALTHY AGAIN!—and I can return to being a lush (albeit presumably balanced lush…you know: as balanced as Moi am as a poet …)

WHILE I WAS CLEARING THE CAT LITTER,

an idea for a new poetry book surfaced. This is why I clean the cat litter. Anyhoo: this new poetry book (is about and) will be entitled KING LEAR'S FOOL. Excited am Moi!

Speaking of books, 'twas a pleasure to have a poetry discussion rise with the son this morning. I happened to have my manuscript-in-progress -- MICHEL'S REPRODUCTIONS OF THE LOST FLAG: SCULPTURES -- on the counter and he asked about it. And, among other things, we discussed the evolution of its title per

Sculptures of Reproductions

Sculpting Reproductions of Emptiness

Sculptures of Reproductions of Emptiness

Reproductions of the reproductions of the empty

REPRODUCTIONS OF THE LOST FLAG: SCULPTURES

to finally its final (I think) title:

MICHEL’S REPRODUCTIONS OF THE LOST FLAG: SCULPTURES

I explained how this book is based on sculpting verses out of the prose poem blocks in my 1998 book, REPRODUCTIONS OF THE EMPTY FLAGPOLE. And that I'd found it unexpectedly complicated to generate a title that hewed to the new collection's concepcual underpinnings that might be evident in its two epigraphs:

“Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it.”
—Michelangelo (1475-1564)

What if the block of stone was a block of prose?
—Eileen R. Tabios

I said that the reference to "Michel" referred to "Michelangelo" but that since a reproduction is not quite the thing itself, I shortened the name to approximate-due-to-reproduction the name. I said, "It's just like when you take a photograph. Your photograph is not the same thing as what you capture in your camera."

That made my photographer-son's eyes light up in understanding. What a blessing to see that light. Such a different nature of conversation than what he encapsulates in his Facebook post where he claims that when I talk about being a poet, I usually only talk about making books.  I look forward to more poetry discussions with moi son!

But here's the thing, when I was clearing the cat litter this morning and an idea for a new poetry project came up, I didn't think of writing a new poem entitled "King Lear's Fool." I thought specifically of a new BOOK with that title. That says something about Moi as a poet -- I'll leave it to others, though, to articulate that matter...

HOUSEKEEPING

Forgive the formality of prior post.  I had to create a post that can be linked to because LinkedIn's activity summary is so fleeting and recommendations get dropped off the list.  Anyway, the permanent link to my LinkedIn Poetry Recommendations is now

http://angelicpoker.blogspot.com/2013/06/the-linkedin-poetry-all-stars.html

This is the type of housekeeping at which your Chatelaine excels -- for example, in other Domestic Goddess matters, I harvested five apricots today and, oh my, never has an apricot been harder ...

"THE LinkedIn POETRY ALL-STARS"

is a list of poetry publications that I've read and loved/love (this list will be updated over time as I read and love what I read). I read poetry frequently and stylistically as widely as I can.

Why LinkedIn? After joining it this year, I realized I could use it as a forum for recommending (others') poetry. My choices mostly reflect poetry readings beginning in 2013, though if I recall a poetry book I read pre-2013 and loved, I'll add it on the list.

I am fortunate in having roles that expose me to much poetry (e.g. editing the most fun online poetry review, Galatea Resurrects, and I do try to read every single review copy sent, whether or not I review it). I hope my "LinkedIn Poetry All-Stars" (sorry but that title amuses Moi) will be another way for people to discover poetry that might not otherwise receive their attention.  That's really all I'm doing: paying attention and drawing attention to ...


LINKED-IN POETRY RECOMMENDATIONS:
Most publications are poetry collections, unless stated otherwise.

[UPDATE:  The list of LinkedIn Poetry Recommendations has been moved to http://linkedinpoetry.blogspot.com/  Please go to that link for all recommendations, which will be updated frequently.]



#18: THE HISTORY OF VIOLETS by Marosa Di Giorgio, Trans. By Jeannine Marie Pitas (Ugly Duckling Presse, Brooklyn, 2010)

#17: LARYNX GALAXY: PROSE POEMS by John Olson (Black Widow Press, 2012)

#16: THE MIDDLE ROOM, a poet's memoir by Jennifer Moxley (Subpress, 2007)

#15: CHINOISERIE by Karen Rigby (Ahsahta Press, 2012)

#14: MADNESS, RACK, AND HONEY: COLLECTED LECTURES (on poetry) by Mary Ruefle (Wave Books, 2012)

#13: FRIGHT CATALOG, poetry and visual poetry by Joseph Mosconi (Insert Blanc Press, 2013)

#12: RED WALLS by James Tolan (Dos Madres Press, 2011)

#11: AS IF IT FELL FROM THE SUN: AN ETHERDOME ANTHOLOGY: TEN YEARS OF WOMEN'S WRITING, Edited by Colleen Lookingbill & Elizabeth Robinson, featuring Merle Bachman, Faith Barrett, Margaret Butterfield, Erica Carpenter, Valerie Coulton, Caroline Crumpacker, Susanne Dyckman, Kelly Everding, Renata Ewing, Amanda Field, Kate Greenstreet, Anne Heide, Brydie MPherson Kuchi, Erica Lewis, Susan Manchester, Linda Norton, Roberta Olson, Megan Pruiett, Lisa Rappoport, Sarah Suzor, and Stacy Szymaszek (EtherDome Chapbooks / Instance, 2012)

#10: A THING AMONG THINGS: THE ART OF JASPER JOHNS (essays / art criticism / meditations which also reveal something about ars poetica) by John Yau (Distributed Arts Publishers, 2008)

#9: HAD SLAVES by Catherine Sasanov (Firewheel Editions, 2010)

#8: PEOPLE ARE STRANGE (short stories w/ poetry references) by Eric Gamalinda (Black Lawrence Press, 2012)

#7: THIRTY-FIVE NEW PAGES by Lev Rubinstein, note-card poems translated from Russian by Philip Metres and Tatiana Tulchinsky (Ugly Duckling Presse Eastern European Poetry Series No. 28, 2011)

#6: VARIATIONS ON PAINTING A ROOM: POEMS 2000-2010 by Alan Baker (Skysill Press, 2011)

#5: COUNTERPART by Elizabeth Robinson (Ahsahta Press, 2012)

#4: NEW ORLEANS VARIATIONS AND PARIS OUROBOROS by Paul Pines (Dos Madres, 2013)

#3: IN THE LAURELS, CAUGHT by Lee Ann Brown (Fence Books, 2013)

#2: ALL IS FORGOTTEN, NOTHING IS LOST (novel involving poets and ars poetica) by Lan Samantha Chang (Norton, 2010)

#1: HE LOOKED BEYOND MY FAULTS AND SAW MY NEEDS by Leonard Gontarek (Hanging Loose Press, 2013)


More to come...

Happy Reading!
Eileen R. Tabios

AND MOI LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATION #4

is, as I just posted at LinkedIn:

POETRY Recommendation (#4): NEW ORLEANS VARIATIONS AND PARIS OUROBOROS by Paul Pines (Dos Madres, 2013). My recommendations are generated from what I fall in love with during readings. I am happy to read a lot of poetry, which usually are chosen at random from a desire to read poetry (and about poetry) as widely as I can.

I don't give details on why I love the books I'm recommending on LinkedIn.  And, candidly, I like that lack of pressure -- when one discusses poetry, one often ends up sounding a fool (albeit -- when one is lucky -- a la Shakespeare's type of fools). 

But for Paul Pines' new poetry collection, I'm happy to share here a poem that shows the fabulous jazz and manifestation of a Homer quote cited by the book, "We leave home to find ourselves."  This is a part of a poem, "Hello From Nola"--

THE AFTERMATH


a party awash in rice and beans
Popeye’s fried chicken
and biscuits
chorizos and King Cake
with the baby
still in it

served by Sor Juana
still in her escudo
I enter in jeans and a t-shirt
no longer recognizable
to those who sit
around a larger table
until my hostess
introduces me
as the man who was Jesus
at which there are random
nods of recognition

I’m asked
from time to time
to perform an intervention
as when the dog
leaps up to a low lying
bowl and devours
the sausage
or a reveler
spills her rum and coke
on the sofa but nothing
approaching a miracle
though I tell them
I can turn wine
into urine

a Mad Hatter
challenges me
to make it through the airport
dressed as our Savior

says it would be a spectacle
to watch them scan my robes
divest me of my hair and beard
conduct a cavity search
a veritable security
Golgatha

a new wrinkle
on the Grand Inquisitor
I appear before a southern judge
who finds me guilty of
inciting to riot
disrupting the status quo
a warning to Terrorists
a Republican trope

     one can’t be
     too careful when
     the Prince of Peace
     might be just another
     apocalyptic
     intruder

who just last week
danced without incident
in the second line
all the way to
Canal St.

Nifty poem from a poet at the peak of his prowess!

TEENSPEAK

I don't usually heart "teen speak" but, this time, I don't mind -- thanks Michelle for sending this to Moi from Michael's Facebook:

Hm. I do have to come up with a better way to describe what being a poet means rather than lapsing to showing the physical output (book).  I mean, I could always tell him to read my blog but then he'd just "mock" me with probably a barfing motion.  Teenagers....sigh.  Still, I think it's pretty BIG IN ALL CAPS for a 17-year-old boy to say this in public -- a BLESSING!

AND MOI LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATION #3

is, as I posted:

POETRY Recommendation (#3): IN THE LAURELS, CAUGHT by Lee Ann Brown (Fence Books, 2013). My recommendations are generated from what I fall in love with during readings. I am happy to read a lot of poetry, which usually are chosen at random from a desire to read poetry (and about poetry) as widely as I can.

I find myself fascinated by LinkedIn because it's (primarily) a job-hunting tool.  As a result, the poets (like others) usually post their resumes and, thus, reveal something different than what may be featured in literary bios ... more on such later.    

MOI LINKEDIN RECOMMENDATION #2

Just posted on LinkedIn:

POETRY Recommendation (#2): ALL IS FORGOTTEN, NOTHING IS LOST (novel involving poets and ars poetica) by Lan Samantha Chang (Norton, 2010). My recommendations are generated from what I fall in love with from frequent reading of poetry, chosen at random most of the time from a desire to read poetry (and about poetry) as widely as I can.

This was also part of my vacation reading whilst in Oregon, which was simply lovely.  Ironically, I don't have photos from the Shakespeare Festival.  But here's a photo from Crater Lake which we also visited:

and also from our visit to University of Oregon -- never too late to push college on the kiddo!  Here's the son and hubby with the U of O mascot, ye olde duck!

Actually, here's Michael with the big "O" (perhaps graphically the best treatment I've seen of this letter)

which he brought over to Crater Lake:

Which is to say, I'm back!

LINKED IN POETRY RECOMMENDATIONS

Since I otherwise would not be active on LinkedIn, I decided to use its space for Poetry -- as my entry today shows:

I read at least five poetry books or poetry-related publications a week; I read as widely as I can.  I've decided to post a recommendation now and then on LinkedIn (the frequency depending on the publications I read).  My first Recommendation: HE LOOKED BEYOND MY FAULTS AND SAW MY NEEDS by Leonard Gontarek (Hanging Loose Press, 2013).

It's basically a highlighting from my Relished W(h)ine List that I blog here.  Why not?  But I will say that the LinkedIn Focus allows me to not just cite what I'm reading but what I really fall in love with -- like, I oved this collection by Leonard Gontarek (a poet who's been around but is new to me); it's just ravishing ... and ravished!

SHAKESPEARE IN THE COMPANY OF OTHERS

Off to Oregon this week for Oregon Shakespeare! Will see "Cymbeline," "King Lear," "The Taming of the Shrew," among others. Before said road trip, here's one more update on lit activity -- i.e., moi latest blurb which is for Ric Carfagna's brilliant forthcoming book-length poem, SYMPHONY NO. 9 (nocturnes and thresholds):
   

Speech is not just a means of communication. Speech may also be an attempt to engage with an other or, in Ric Carfagna’s Symphony No. 9, many Others. Speech however, often falters in the face of its desires. And perhaps for certain matters there simply are no words. That Carfagna nevertheless brings forth a poem—a long poem—signifies how Poetry is more than speech. This moving poem aspires to address the entirety of the universe even if it often lapses to dream-speech: “by eyes / in a windowless prison / at an ocean’s edge / or it is a vase / of withered orchids / turning to ash.” Wisely, the poem also knows to question its ambition: “why / the forgotten heart / aspires in silence / to fill the chasms of emptiness / which lie at the core / of its reticent being.” Since the quest produces so many luminous lines—so many thresholds into emotional interactions—the poem not only rationalizes its existence but makes itself a welcome addition to postmodern and deconstructed romantic poetry.
--Eileen R. Tabios

Relatedly, here’s one more update of my Recently Relished W(h)ine List below before my trip. As ever, please note that in the Publications section, if you see an asterisk before the title, that means a review copy is available for Galatea Resurrects! More info on that HERE!


PUBLICATIONS
SYMPHONY NO. 9, a long poem by Ric Carfagna (one of the best poets writing today—this poem is lovingly immense; see above blurbie)

SHE, poetry and book art by Susanah Gardner (fabulous! see link!)

KUNDIMAN, poem by Emmanuel Lacaba, Trans. by Paolo Javier (fabulous! see link!)

AND SO FOR YOU THERE IS NO HEARTBREAK, poetry novella by K. Lorraine Graham (wonderful, witty and welcomed reading!)

* PIECES OF WATER, poems by Michael Smoler (made Moi purr from the pleasure-ridden reading)

HOUSES, poems by CB Follett (her grace is consistent and ever fabulous!)

88 SONNETS by Clark Coolidge

* AIRLINE MUSIC, poetry/meditations by Amarnath Ravva

MANY WINTERS: PROSE AND POETRY OF THE PUEBLOS by Nancy Wood with drawings and paintings by Frank Howell

THE SPIRIT OF THE SAINTS / EL ESPIRITU DE LOS SANTOS 2013, poetry and art annual journal of St. Helena High School (fabulous poem in there by Moi son, says the unbiased Moi=Mom)

CENTURY OF THE SELF, essay by Alexandra Grant (this essay was published in a leaflet-type series by Rabble, an imprint of Insert Blanc Press co-edited by Holly Myers and Mathew Timmons.  It's a modest and yet elegant publication -- I adore its existence as yet another attempt to dilute the dilution of culture.)

PEOPLE ARE STRANGE, short stories by Eric Gamalinda (fabulous! the author is a poet, too, and it shows marvelously)

UNDISCOVERED, memoir with poetry by Debra Winger

FILIPINO IMMIGRANT WOMEN IN THE NETHERLANDS, feminism / study by Mary Alice P. Gonzalez

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: PASSION AND PROPERTY IN MANHATTAN, journalism by Steven Gaines

GUN DEALERS’ DAUGHTER, novel by Gina Apostol

INDISCRETION, novel by Charles Dubow

THE ACCIDENT MAN, novel by Tom Cain

NO SURVIVORS, novel by Tom Cain

THE RACKETEER, novel by John Grisham

THE SECOND CHAIR, novel by John Lescroart

HOME SAFE, novel by Elizabeth Berg

SPLIT SECOND, novel by Catherine Coultier

A PROMISE TO BELIEVE IN, novel by Tracie Peterson


WINES
2010 Clos de L’Oratoire Des Papes CNP (I had to cheat from the austerity diet with a slight sip and oh man was it ever worth it!)





 

MOI = POETRY VIRUS

Virus.  Yep.  Yesterday I was scheduled to read a poem by phone into some recorder which then would integrate the recording into an upcoming journal's issue.  The recorder had technical problems.  So the one who would record asked if I could read the poem by leaving a message at her husband's law firm which apparently possessed this high tech ability to resend phone messages as recordings (I'm sure I didn't describe that accurately but you techies might get the drift that, uh, I don't get).  So I did that -- called the given number and read a poem by leaving it as a phone message.

This morning, I woke up to the email that that law firm will never be the same again, "infected" as it has been with poetry.

I like that. 

Mayhap it could do more pro bono work since poetry, after all, is (not just a curse but also) a gift ...

EXTENDING THE BOUNDARIES OF THE BOOK!

Susana Gardner is featured with mini book art over at SitWithMoi!  Click HERE for explication of the following "winged prayer":

That feather might even tickle you ...

WHAT TO DO ON YOUR SUMMER VACATION

I keep adding fabulous poetry titles over at the Available Review Copy List for Galatea Resurrects.  Have you checked it out lately?  How's about writing a poetry review this summer?!  Please go look at all these available poetry books!  Be a part of the fun! If interested, contact Moi at GalateaTen@aol.com

BONUS!  And if you review a poetry project, I'd be happy to post a photo of your pet if you have one! 

THE RIGHT ATTITUDE!

Last night was the Baseball Banquet for Michael's school, graciously hosted by the faboo Frank Winery.  Here is the JV team, on which -- to my and his father's pride -- Michael played (he's at top left of the shot on whose image you can click to enlarge).

We've been so proud of of Michael's attitude in baseball.  He's not gotten much playing time since most of his teammates grew up playing the game in Little League et al.  This is basically his second year playing/learning baseball.  But, last night, the Coach said about him that toward the end of the season, he let Michael play in the last three games and he batted 4 for 7!  I have no idea what that means but the Coach said the stats made him think that he should have played Michael more!

It's all good.  So inspiring.  Almost makes me want to write a baseball poem ...

Speaking of poems, have I mentioned that Michael got a poem published in his school's annual literary journal?  I haven't mentioned that yet?  No?  Well, he did!  And here's the poem!

JOHN



Do you know this kid? His name is John.
I bet you know John.
You might not even know you know John.

You see him sometimes, isolated,
Not socializing with others.

You see him sometimes skipping lunch.
You see him swallow hard, watching others
toss part of their sandwiches
or apples into the trash cans.

Maybe you don’t see John at school
and you wonder where he is.
Have you ever guessed why John
was absent from class?

Maybe he is helping his dad on a job
to be able to support the family.

How many are we in our English class?
I count 19 students.
Did you know that one out of five kids
in the United States is poor?

19 students in our class.
This means that, on average,
Maybe three or four of us are poor.

I bet you know John.
You might not even know you know John.

Mom is so proud ...