NO HEARTBREAK IN COLOMBIA

I just got back from Bogota, Colombia -- I went there last week on one day's notice to address a major disaster whose details I can't reveal publicly. But in dealing with this disaster that made me feel like my life was one bad C-version of a James Bond movie telenovela, the days were jammed with heartbreak, despair, intense frustration -- I came back and several people observed, Wow: you've suddenly got white hair!

There were also a few dead moments of waiting for various things to happen or not happen (ever noticed how life is also filled with these idiotic periods of waiting?). And I am pleased to report that, notwithstanding the disaster unfolding around me, during one of these waiting periods, I wrote a book review of a poet's memoir just because the book moved me to do so (one of a group of books I randomly grabbed from my To-Read pile to bring along on the trip). (The memoir is WHAT THE STONES REMEMBER by a poet unknown to me, Patrick Lane.) And I am so pleased because what this proved to me is that even when I'm not consciously thinking of poetry, poetry (concerns) dont' leave me -- they are so integrated into my life now like ... breathing.

That is, I used to be concerned about carving out spaces within my life to address poetry. Now I know -- I've restructured life so there's no seam between the two. Many wise poets say that to write effective poems the poet has to change one's life. I guess I did ... and, btw, for this past week I also had to change my diet. Here's a touch of yummy Colombia:

Ay yay yay -- those lovely chicharrons!

A HONEY OF A REVIEW

as well as a one-act passion play! You're welcome, I say, to Rebecca for her review of Galatea's honey. To make that honey, the girls (what we in the trade call the bees) sip/pollinate from many oak trees, Mexican sage, tons of roses, lavender, the vegetable garden, sunflowers, tons more flowers that I cannot name ... and the water which is better than anything bottled hence the name of my street, "Crystal Springs."

I'm posting "You're welcome" here because I can't comment on Rebecca's blog for some reason -- but not surprising to Moi as mountain internet is not capacious ... anyway, You're welcome and Enjoy!

VIVA LAMANTIA!

A highly anticipated event! That'd be the publication of THE COLLECTED POEMS OF PHILIP LAMANTIA, edited by Garrett Caples, Andrew Joron and Nancy Joyce Peters. Also a Foreword by Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Bibliographical research by Steven Fama (the latter being the poet's ideal reader which any poet would be blessed to have!) And there's a celebration this Wednesday in San Francisco -- if you're in the area, I suggest you hightail it over to:

Click on image to enlarge.

SON-SHINE!

Last year, Michael had a poem published in his school's annual literary/arts journal. Either the school librarian or a teacher must have submitted it on his behalf to Pine Tree Poetry since he didn't know anything about said Pine Tree Poetry. Don't know anything about them either. But they've taken his poem for republication in the Pine Tree Poetry 2013 Collection. Dear Reader: I am sure you can just imagine how BURSTING-WITH-PRIDE I am. Yes you can! Yes. You. Can.

MOI SON THE SUN

In a dusty corner (Moi don't dust) of the house library, there's an old photo of Moi when I was probably 19. Here 'tis:

I never knew that photo even got Michael's attention, until he gave me the following FANTABULOUS drawing for my birthday!

Interesting parody style -- isn't he such a brilliant artist! Such a line! (Work with Mama Moi here; just Nod your head at your computer screen.) And do you see his inscription? It sez:

Mom, Happy Birthday!
You looked beautiful and still do. :)

Sniffle. When your son calls you "beautiful," it has a different meaning from when that same compliment comes from someone else. I never knew that, until I received it. I am blessed...

OTOLITHS: BRIGHTENING (E-)PUBLISHING OF POETRY

It's worth a pause to note Otoliths's wonderful accomplishments in poetry (e-)publishing, as directed by the very bright Mark Young. Please hearken over to HERE and if you want to do yourself a favor, order some books!

So happy the journal will continue to live on ...!

FIGS SPLIT WHEN RIPE

A bowl of purple figs from the garden which includes four fig trees! And here are other relishes with moi 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
1 cantaloupe
3 red bellpepper
25 jalapeno peppers
81 yellow Heirloom tomatoes
4 red Heirloom tomatoes
9 orange Heirloom tomatoes
1 red tomato
76 cherry tomatoes
55 green figs
32 black figs
4 Meyer lemons
6 yellow onions
27 apricots
44 yellow squash
20 strawberries
17 Italian cucumbers
37 sprigs of basil


PUBLICATIONS
HELLO, THE ROSES, poems by Mei-mei Berssenbrugge (as ever, breathtaking. LinkedIn Poetry Recommendation (LR) #76)

O YOU OF THE COTTON PAJAMAS, poems by Sarah Sarai (fabulous. Created for SitWithMoi though have yet to blog about it due to Blogger problems)

THE UNFINISHED: BOOKS I-VI, poems by Mark DuCharme (ravishing ars poetica)

* THE ARC OF THE DAY / THE IMPERFECTIONIST, POEMS BY Steve Schrader (the poems are wonderful. But also can’t help reflect on how the book’s editor, Susan Schultz, is a poet’s ideal reader – would that all poets would come to have a reader like Susan)

FINDING MY ELEGY: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS Ursula K. Le Guin (shows how the pursuit and practice of poetry has been worthwhile for this poet. LR #75. Having said that, I could be wrong but I do wonder if this author—more well-known for her speculative fiction—could have done much more with the poetic form had she focused more on, uh, the poetic form)

* DEATH CENTOS, poems by Diana Arterian (well-wrought. LR #78)

* HERE COME THE WARM JETS, poems by Alli Warren

* AMERICAN SONGBOOK, poems by Michael Ruby

* PROGRESS ON THE SUBJECT OF IMMENSITY, POEMS BY Leslie Ullman

A THOUSAND MORNINGS, poems by Mary Oliver

EVENING WILL COME: WOMEN OF VISUAL POETRY ISSUE / THE VOLTA, Guest-edited by Jessica Smith / Eds. Joshua Marie Wilkinson & Afton Wilky (historic and beautiful. LR#77)

YELLOW FIELD #8, literary/arts journal curated by Edric Mesmer (as ever, a wonderful read)

* ECCOLINGUISTICS, August 2013 poetry zine

* ELEVEN ELEVEN: A JOURNAL OF LITERATURE AND ART, 2013 edited by Hugh Behm-Steinberg

* HOUSE ORGAN, Fall 2013, literary zine edited by Kenneth Warren

IN FLAGRANTE COLLECTO, monograph on the art of collecting by Marilynn Gelfman Karp

BOOTSTRAPPER: FROM BROKE TO BADASS ON A NORTHERN MICHIGAN FARM, memoir by Mardi Jo Link

LIFESAVING LESSONS: NOTES FROM AN ACCIDENTAL MOTHER, memoir by Linda Greenlaw

PATRIOT & ASSASSIN, novel by Robert Cook

MOSCOW RULES, novel by Daniel Silva

PORTRAIT OF A SPY, novel by Daniel Silva

THE DEFECTOR, novel by Daniel Silva

PRINCE OF FIRE, novel by Daniel Silva

THE REMBRANDT AFFAIR, novel by Daniel Silva

THE SECRET SERVANT, novel by Daniel Silva

THE SHADOW TRACER, novel by Meg Gardiner

TRUST YOUR EYES, novel by Linwood Barclay

AFTERSHOCK, novel by Andrew Vachss

HIDDEN ORDER, novel by Brad Thor


WINES
2007 Peter Michael La Carriere chardonnay
2006 Kistler Cuvee Kathleen chardonnay
2004 Colgin Tychson Hill Vineyard
1853 Whitwham’s King Pedro Reserve port
2007 Arcturus cabernet NV

HOLD THE PRESSES FOR SOCCER MAMA!

POETRY IN MOTION!

Local newspaper Napa Valley Register covered the soccer game between Justin "Braves" and Michael's school, SHHS "Saints." Here's photo of the near all-page coverage that features, in top photo, the goal by Michael's buddy Edgar (in red) doing a bicycle kick. The lower photo focuses on the defenders, including goalkeeper Armando and, yep, my son Michael defending against No. 10. So proud!

EVENING HAS ARRIVED

And we're not just talking about evening, the time of day, but an even-ing as verb. THANKS so much to The Volta editors Joshua Marie Wilkinson and Afton Wilky, as well as guest editorcurator Jessica Smith for putting together EVENING WILL COME: WOMEN OF VISUAL POETRY ISSUE.

It's a monumental and historic issue; click on link above for Jessica's useful Introduction and links to the 63 women visual poets from around the world. This issue just shows that there's so much talent out there unbeknownst to many (the majority?) of poet-editors who put together special issues with insufficient gender representation. I'm honored to be included with "Entry."

Enjoy!