Poem

Poem (Describe The Shape)

Describe the shape
of an enormous L to do
the laundry on Monday morning.
The day is open and blue and no
one else is alive.
My wife was crawling on
the floor last night.
A few lights burning across the way.
A swoosh sweeps it
all away this morning.
And it is carted away through
the open windows. Grackles
man the spires in the sky.
Bring blue milk home from
the corner where they
bottle the day.

Matthew Rhorer from Rise Up (Wave Books)

Mei Mei Berssenbrugge and Prageeta Sharma- May 10th

I'm sure I'll blog about this more extensively as it approaches but I think this reading should be something special. Prageeta is moving away from Brooklyn so it's a bit of a bitter-sweet affair. Her new poems are great and the her third book, second by Fence should be out early next Fall.

What does one really need to say about Mei-mei? She's an amazing talent and will be in town from New Mexico and I'm thrilled to have her and Prageeta readingon the same bill!

I'll be moderating this one.

May 10th 7pm 2020 Visions: Mei-mei Berssenbrugge and
Prageeta Sharma


A reading with Mei-mei Berssenbrugge, author of I Love Artist: New and Selected Poems, Heat Bird, Empathy, Sphericity and Four Year Old Girl.

Prageeta Sharma, author of The Opening Question, winner of the 2004 Fence Modern Poets Series and Bliss To Fill.

A light reception to follow.

Teachers & Writers Collaborative
520 8th Ave, btwn 36th and 37th
suite 2020
Trains A,C,E, to 34th Penn Station
www.twc.org 212-691-6590
>

Frederic Tuten and Jason Napoli Brooks- May 3rd

Here's a fiction reading my friend, Jared Hohl is doing at Teachers & Writers. Frederic an amazing writer and as some of you know, also someone I sometimes work for as a personal assistant- so I can assure you that it will be a dynamic reading.

A reading with Fredric Tuten, author of 4 novels including Tin Tin in the New World and Van Gogh's Bad Cafe, and Jason Napoli Brooks, whose fiction has appeared in Pindeldyboz and Big Bridge.

FREE.

A light reception to follow.

Teachers & Writers Collaborative
520 8th Ave, btwn 36th and 37th
suite 2020
Trains A,C,E, to 34th Penn Station
www.twc.org/ 212-691-659

Lehman/Fabri Wrap Up

Well the David Lehman and Erica Fabri reading went quite well. David's poem, World Trade Center, from Valentine Place was translated into French and the translator was on hand and read the poem in French. It was quite nice and there was plenty of wine and cheese. I perhaps, hung around a bit too long after cleaning up with my friends/co-workers and drank a bit too much wine. So it goes.

I will post pics when I get to it. My thesis is due next week and I just started my 20 page critical on Wong Kar-Wai yesterday.... yep I like to procrastinate.

David Lehman and Erica Fabri Thursday April 19th

So I'm curating and moderating this reading at Teachers and Writers with the lovely poets David Lehman and Erica Miriam Fabri. Funny thing is I've sent it to so many people, magazines, and universities that I almost forgot to post it here!

The Skinny and Fat of it is an emerging poet, Erica Fabri (wonderful new poems in Sink Review) will be reading with a more established poet aka David Lehman (new poem in the Antioch Review pretty damn good!)

Keep up with David's other readings etc here: http://bestamericanpoetry.com/index.php
Check out Erica's webpage here: www.ericafabri.com


April 19th 7 pm 2020 Visions: David Lehman and Erica Fabri

A reading with David Lehman, author of 6 books of poetry, including
When a Woman Loves a Man and An Alternative to Speech, and 3 books of
non-fiction, as well as, series editor for Best American Poetry.

Erica Miriam Fabri, author of High Heel Magazine, winner of the Belle
Letters Chapbook prize. Her poetry has appeared in many journals
including, MiPoesia, Good Foot, and Sink Review.

A light reception to follow.

Teachers & Writers Collaborative
520 8th Ave, btwn 36th and 37th
suite 2020
Trains A,C,E, to 34th Penn Station
www.twc.org/ 212-691-6590

3 Readings in May

Thesis Reading

Thursday, May 3rd : 6-10pm
The readings will be held in the Lang Center, 55 West 13th Street, 2nd floor

Tuesday May 22nd 6:00PM GRADUATE POETS SERIES
Alissa Heyman & Sylvia Lee, hosts
$6.00 (gets you in the door + a house drink)
I will be reading with probably 3 other poets and will list them when I find out who they are.

Thursday May 24 7:00PM Teachers and Writers Meets Girls Write Now!
Teachers and Writers, 520 8TH Ave, Suite 2020
I'll be reading with fiction writer and fellow T/W'er Jared Hohl and poet/fellow T/W'er Adam Wiedewitsch plus 3 mentors from Girls Write Now. Bios and names forthcoming

My poem on Real Poetik

http://realpoetik.blogspot.com/2007/04/steven-karl.html

My Rock Star- Ferlinghetti Reading tomorrow

Say what you will, and despite gracing the cover of Poets & Writers, Lawrence Ferlinghetti is still under rated in the lens of American Poetry- in regards to his own poety- A Coney Island of the Mind, These are My Rivers, and most recently Americus- Book One, and what he has done for poetry. Let's just say City Lights: Prevert, Ginsburg, O'hara...

I've tried for about a year now to get him to read at the Teachers and Writers Collaborative Reading Series that I curate along with Jared and Adam but no such luck. So I'll be in line at 92Y and so should you!

http://blog.92y.org/index.php/weblog/item/cover_guy_lawrence_ferlinghetti/

Rain rain go away

It's a slow, wet Sunday and I've been reading some of Frank O'hara's Lunch poems and now I'm dying for brunch! But it looks like I'll have to swim to get it...

Mark Bibbins and Erin Belieu Reading (4/15)

Mark Bibbins has this to say:

I'm reading with Erin Belieu this Sunday (4/15) at Zinc Bar, 90 W. Houston, 7:00. Erin is also reading at KGB on Monday (with Dara Wier) and that will be more crowded. Erin’s a killer poet, and she almost never

Now You See It; Now You Don't

So Long Kurt Vonnegut... such is life so it goes

Interview with Kim Garcia

So a poet I like, Veronica has a pretty good interview with Kim Garcia. Lots of talk about "confessional poetry" feminism and Kim Garcia's book, Madonna Magdalene. Here's the link:

http://www.smallspiralnotebook.com/interviews/2007/01/angela_veronica_wong_interview.shtml

Veronica also keeps a blog with another person and their blog is here:

http://seriouslysquared.blogspot.com/

Alice Quinn Rules

No seriously she does! Last night after the PSA New Poets event myself, Bernie Kravitz, and Siobahn Ciminera were standing around drinking beer and wine at the reception and who comes easing over to our circle? None other than Alice Quinn. The four of us just simply talked the evening away. Quinn also a huge fan of the poet, Claudia Rankine. There's a wonderful interveiw with Claudia Rankine in issue 12 of Jubilat. I've also worked (NS weekend workshops) with the screen-writer Marilyn Goldin who is one of Alice's best friends so the 8 degrees became something more like 2 degrees which is about right for a city like New York.

Anyways, Alice is a sweetheart and if you see her around say hello 'cause it'll probably be one of the best conversations you'll have in quite some time. I mean she does do everything for poetry!

Bald Ego Party

The Bald Ego party was a pretty good time. My friend, Maggie was there with her friend, also named Steven and the 3 of us chatted and made use of the open bar. Once Maggie left I met Anton Perich who like so many New Yorkers does a little bit of everything... he's doing photography, videography, and also is the editor of Night Magazine. Naturally, there were a lot of myspace exchanges going on at the party- which is fine, I honestly think myspace works best for that intention, as opposed to some representation of a personal self... anyways here's the link to anton's magazine: myspace.com/nightmagazine

I also met Anjulie who is working with Anton. She's a Toronto export trying to break into the R/B, pop-music world which is a bit outside of my musical expertise. She's also doing a bit of acting in an indie-film who's name I can't quite remember right now. She was very laid-back, sweet, and fairly funny- one gets the feeling all the trade-marks for sucess in the entertainment game. Maybe she'll be my Sheryl Crow and put one of my poems to pop-stardom and I can take a break from looking for damn jobs and buy all my friends a round of drinks or many sips of delicate and delicious tea- HA!

Well here's Anjulie's myspace link: myspace.com/anjulie

I met the photographer Hal Hirshoon. Some of his photos are in Issue 3 of Bald Ego and I remember Sandy (my ex and a woman of many talents) and I both commenting on how much we liked his work so I wished she could have been there to meet him as well 'specially since she's served as muse for a few photographers in recent years...

Max Blagg was amazingly busy making sure everyone had a good time and was his usual gracious and witty self.

I found out there will be an article on Gregory Corso in the next issue and it sounds pretty damn interesting so keep your eyes peeled for it.

Cheers,

Steven

Update on PSA New Poets Festival

The schedule for Wednesday and Thursday can be found here: www.poetrysociety.org.

Semi-finalist

Well, I checked my inbox this morning and found out that I'm a semi-finalist for the St. Petersburg SLS this summer. Exciting news although it's unlikely I'll be able to afford the trip even with the stipend I've been awarded. tsk tsk tsk

LIT Magazine/my review for Moon Garden

I read submissions for this journal and sometimes write reviews too! Look for more of my reviews in Jacket- that is as soon as the books arrive- I moved and haven't been getting my mail for over 11 days! & guess what there really is a check in the mail. Who else hates the postal service????


http://lit-magazine.blogspot.com/

http://lit-review.blogspot.com/

Blonde Redhead

Okay, so I've listened to this band for what seems like ages and have seen them a few times back when I was living in Portland, Oregon. Their new lp, 23, drops on Tuesday. From the song clips I've heard on myspace and their website for the record http://www.blonderedhead23.com/ it sounds like it'll be more on the melodic side- mining the trajectory of Misery Loves a Butterfly- which I completely adored. Of course, I'm old enough to remember when some of my favorite records came out on 4AD in the 90's and early 2000. So I admit my bias...

Anyway, BR are playing a show this Tuesday for free at the Apple Store in SOHO that I think will be pretty special. I'll be otherwise occupied so I can't attend, but someone should then tell me all about it. I saw the Asobi Seksu's show at Apple for the CMJ festival and was impressed by the sound and intimacy of the show + it was the best show I've seen them play, though they were pretty damn good when they played Joe's Pub for the Citrus Release party.

As I recall the poet, Mark Bibbins, was at that show too and agreed it was a fine outing- so there you have it.

Happenings Around Town

Some jump-offs for this week include:

Dick Pig Review Reading tonight- Sunday April 8th with my Maggie Wells, Daniel Meagers, and David Lehman. Oh there'll be a go-go dancer too! Here's the complete info:

Baal Windjammer
Pussy Marmalade
Princess Nickelslot
Velvet Van Dix
and
DAVID LEHMAN

Dances by:
The Famous MISS HARVEST MOON

Information:

Sunday, April 8th
Galapagos Art Space
70 North 6th Street
btwn Kent and Wythe
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
(right of the 'L')

Full directions here:
http://www.galapagosartspace.com/directions.html

There is a $5 Attendance Fee

& while on the topic of David Lehman don't forget about the April 19th reading he is doing with Erica Fabri which I am hosting at Teachers & Writers!

Monday April 9th KGB Bar

Poetry: Eileen Myles and Anselm Berrigan
Start: 7:00 pm
End: 9:00 pm

Tuesday April 10th

Bald Ego Party @ Home
Sorry this is RVSP- I will try and blog about it on Wednesday or there abouts

or there is this- Wave( a Seattle-based press that I like a ton) Reading at The New School
Special Event:

WAVE Books:

Christian Hawkey, Eileen Myles, Matthew Rohrer, and Mary Ruefle
6:30pm, 66th W. 12th, Rm. 510, $5 (Free to NS Students and Alumni)


April 11th & 12th
PSA@ New School University
This should be pretty good. I quite like Jay Hopler- his book, Green Squall is one of my favorite recent releases from a new poet. My only complaint is that there isn't a day by day break-down of readers since I won't be going on Thursday. My friend, Nicole, is having a wine-tasting event at her house so I'll be up to my gills in vino- tsk tsk tsk

Wednesday, April 11 & Thursday, April 12, 7:30pm
THE PSA FESTIVAL OF NEW AMERICAN POETS

Two back-to-back evenings of ten poets each, with first-book authors Kazim Ali, Sarah Gridley, Tyehimba Jess, Janice Harrington, Jay Hopler, Douglas Kearney, Corinne Lee, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Robyn Schiff, Richard Siken, Tony Tost, and Stephanie Young reading alongside the 2005 and 2006 PSA Chapbook Fellows: Dan Chelotti, Jessica Fjeld, Stuart Greenhouse, Misty Harper, Idra Novey, Cecily Parks, Maya Pindyck, and Maureen Thorson. Performing Song Poems each night, Michael Zapruder.

$10 for both nights / $7 for PSA Members and Students.
$7 for one night / $5 for PSA Members and Students.

Co-sponsored by The New School Graduate Writing Program.

Tishman Auditorium, The New School
66 West 12th Street, NYC

First Blog

So I've decided to start a blog, which I can immediatley tell you I will be bad about keeping updated with commentary. I figured since I do and host so many readings, etc it'd be easier to have everything listed here, as opposed as to, some on myspace, some on friendster, etc.

So basically this will just have a series of events or readings I think are worth checking out, as well as, post of when and where my stuff is published.

Cheers,

Steven