Around the Internet & Saturday Real Time

New ish of SOandSO! Pretty Damn Good!

Also one of my fave poets, Christie Ann Reynolds over here

Vanitas Blog has Ceravolo's "Ho Ho Ho Caribou" with photos- check it out here

Ross Brighton has some great stuff on his blog about Ariana Reines which is over here

An interview with CA Conrand & Frank Sherlock here

SATURDAY LOOKS LIKE THIS:
THE ENCLAVE XXVIII

FEATURING: RENATO ROSALDO, ARACELIS GIRMAY & JARED HOHL

Saturday, February 27th @ 4 PM
Cake Shop
152 Ludlow Street
New York City
Free
For info: www.myspace.com/enclavianmatter


RENATO ROSALDO started writing poetry in English and Spanish while
recovering from a stroke in 1996. His first book of poetry, Prayer to
Spider Woman/Rezo a la mujer araña, received an American Book Award
(2004). Individual poems have won the El Andar poetry contest (2000)
and the Many Mountains Moving poetry contest (2005). He teaches at New
York University. As an anthropologist, he is the author of Culture and
Truth and Ilongot Headhunting, 1883-1974.

ARACELIS GIRMAY is the author of the collage-based picture book,
changing, changing (Braziller, 2005) & the collection of poems, Teeth
(Curbstone, 2007). Her work has been published in Ploughshares,
Callaloo, The Massachusetts Review, & MiPoesias, among other journals.
She has been awarded a Jerome Foundation Travel & Writing grant & a
GLCA New Writers Award for Teeth. A Cave Canem Fellow, Girmay also
serves on the board of the Acentos Foundation.

JARED HOHL is from Iowa. His fiction has appeared in The Apocalypse
Reader, The Agriculture Reader, The Washington Square Review, and
Torpedo, a literary journal based in Melbourne, Australia.
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Handsome Black Cold Ocean Front Reading & Party Saturday

Black Ocean and Coldfront Magazine are celebrating the release of the new HANDSOME by co-sponsoring a poetry reading slash dance party at COCO 66 in Greenpoint on Saturday, February 27.

Weather reports are inconclusive.

Featured poets will be: Brianna Colburn, Jordan Davis, DJ Dolack, Shafer Hall, and Justin Marks

The reading will be followed by a DANCE PARTY. DJs Tobychoo & J. Cannibal will spin funk, garage, freak 40 and 60s soul. Get down so you can get down. Or at least have a few...

As Richard Chamberlain once said: “Realistically, it doesn't hurt to be good-looking, especially in this business.”

Winter Mix

New York City finally got hit with all the snow the rest of the East Coast has been dealing with. I had to teach my Eng 101 course today but then the school closed for its afternoon classes, so after I had two student conferences I headed home to enjoy a grilled cheese and some coffee.

The weather is the perfect complement to the new Winter 2009/2010 issue of Free Verse which contains a special spotlight on New England poets edited by Chris Tonelli. I'm thrilled to say I have two excerpts from a couple of longer poems. I'm also happy to be in the company of two of my manuscript workshoppers- Dan Magers & Kaveh Bassiri & the my other "crew" ColdFront Mag is well represented too with poems by John Deming, Jackie Clark and DJ Dolack. There's a ton of other great poets and essays to be read as well so head on over and check it out here.

Good Stuff for a Rainy Wednesday

Niina Pollari's new chapbook is out! You can check it out here.

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My interview with Sawako is up on Coldfront, as well as, a review of Jill's book (not by me).

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& how about an interview with Justin Mark's here?

Preview

I have a brief interview or "snapshot" with Sawako Nakayasu forthcoming on Coldfront so I figured I'd give y'all a quick preview:

Insect Country (A) and Insect Country (B) (Dusie Press) are very ant-centric so let’s talk about ants— did you have a fascination with them as a child, perhaps a proud owner of an ant farm, or did they just appear in a poem and then the appearance triggered the idea that you could write a series of poems around them?

S: I’ve also always found collective energies really fascinating too, like when I used to go to concerts when I was younger – in those giant American stadiums – I loved the thought of being with so many people who were interested in the same music, being so in love with the moment and the music – but then again some very atrocious things can take place via collective masses of human energy too, so I can’t really advocate for it, but it’s nonetheless fascinating to me. I remember something Endo Shusaku once wrote, about how he couldn’t stand to go to baseball games because he couldn’t help but think about the fact that the huge number of people collected in this one building was a result of twice that many people having sex, and the thought of all that sex was just too much for him. Funny prudish man!

I suppose there’s also something endearing in the fact that ants are relatively small creatures. I am a relatively small creature too, so there’s some sympathy there. If only I had an exoskeleton too…I do remember one fine day in Providence, RI after I had purchased my first-ever set of full hockey padding, so that I could learn to play ice hockey. I put on all my pads and ran around the house crashing into walls and furniture, marveling at the fact that it didn’t hurt at all!

Anyway…on the other hand it’s not that I’m such an ant lover either – I do squash them if they invade the house, and there were some that once got sacrificed in the course of their involuntary participation in a performance piece. I just find them interesting, and for a while they served as some kind of poetic medium. It was only recently that I read The Earth Dwellers (by Erich Hoyt), and now I’m looking forward to reading those giant ant tomes by Edward Wilson and William Brown. Oh, and of course I loved that film, Microcosmos –

So Much To See & Do Don't Bother Shaking A Stick Or Twitching A Tweet

New ish of Spooky Boyfriend featuring a plethora of great poets such as Dan Magers and Nicole Steinberg.

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Always lava hot is Sous Rature so check out the new ish here

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I went to a panel yesterday on Hip-Hop, Pop, and Poetry for the Brooklyn Bookfest and wrote up a 'lil something for it, read that here

There's also a snapshot on G.C. Waldrep here

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How about a new e-chapbook collaboration from Sawako Nakayasu and Jen Hofer. What? Yep completely ridiculous in the way you love it most. Read it here.

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How 'bout the fact that Dan Magers & I are both reading on Saturday? Sadly at separate locations. Here's the info on Dan's reading. I'll post the flyer for mine on Wednesday.

Dear Gmail,

Please tell my friends that I am reading on Saturday at 2pm with Flarf powerhouse Katie Degentesh. I hear she's reading some new stuff, and I completely expect it to be amazing. Tell them that if they are not too hung over, or walking in the park with their loved ones, or making $$$, or staring into the void of your peeling bedroom walls, to please stop by and hear some Poetry.

Your #1 fan,

DPM


September 19: Katie Degentesh and Dan Magers

Katie Degentesh is the author of The Anger Scale. She lives in New York City.

Dan Magers is the co-editor of Sink Review (sinkreview.org). His chapbook Exploitation Poems was published in 2007, and he's had poems published in the tiny, Red China Magazine, and Thirteen Myna Birds.

2 PM on Saturday, September 12th at the Grand Central Branch of the New York Public Library: 135 East 46th Street, in the community/program room, which is on the upper level. Elevator available. Phone: (212) 621-0670. blog:http://grandcentralpoets.blogspot.com

The Last Book I Loved

My review of this book is here.

Art, Words, & Stuff

Hey y'all, my friend Stella has two pieces up in a group exhibition over at Joshua Linear Gallery. You should check it out as it is one of the strongest group exhibitions I've seen in a while. Francis and I were both lamenting about how we have neither the money to buy art or the space to hang it.
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Yesterday I embraced the heat by walking around The Storm King Art Center with Lila, Farrah, and Jared. Pics are coming.
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Speaking of Ms. Field, Coldfront Magazine has a little feature on her here

Coldfront also has a dope review of Ms. Greenstreet's Lame House Press chap here

Getting back to Jared, he updated his blog (something some of us have been bugging him about for a little while). It's the goods, so check it out here

Beer Legs

I have a review up at Coldfront. Check it out.

White Pop

Jared White has an essay on music here & poems here & here.

Have Y'all Heard?

Octopus Books will hold an open reading period for full-length poetry manuscripts in April of 2009. Manuscripts must be submitted between April Fools day and April 30, 2009.

We prefer you submit your manuscripts electronically.

To submit, 1) purchase the $10 reading fee through paypal from the button on the Octopus Books website on the "Submit" page (http://octopusbooks.net/submit.html);
2) attach your manuscript in an email to octopusbooks@gmail.com;
3) in the subject line of the email write your name and "Manuscript Submission."

There is no need to introduce yourself in the body of the email. Your email will be handled anonymously by an intern. Your manuscript will be forwarded in a different file without any identifying markers and read blindly by the editors and other readers. Do not include your name on the manuscript at all.

If you choose to submit by mail, send manuscript to:

Octopus Books
1031 SE 21st
Portland, OR 97214

Include a $10 check made to Octopus Books and your email address. We will still notify you by email. Also, include your name on the packaging, but not on the manuscript itself.
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I know it's a drag to pay a reading fee, but at least with Octopus I can assure you the money goes straight to publishing so you should feel good about submitting your MS and supporting poetry.
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Speaking of poetry, it's no surprise that it at times feels to be an insular world filled with complaint and controversy. Not that long ago everyone was blogging about presses filled with ego and mis-intent. Then there was the Issue One debacle. Recently, people seem to be hating on Zapruder for his essay on criticism (which I linked on this blog) and of course, with a feature story in the New Yorker and two less than riveting books, now it's the Dickmans. Michael and Mathew. When I lived in Portland I met both of them. I remember very little about either. One of them drove a truck. His gf (at the time?) asked (commanded) him to help me move a sofa. One of them was "infamous" for stealing kitchen appliances from Kitchen Kaboodle. Bla, bla, bla. I've got nothing for you. But Coldfront reviews both of their books this week so you should head over there and check it out.

Something Twisted In Them There Fields

Farrah Field's first book is out and you can read a review for it here.

Cold Front Gets all Glitzed for the Grammys

John Deming drops dimes about both Radiohead and Lil Wayne. Check it out.

Suit, Button, Pop

Oregon-live has a breif interview with Zachary Schomburg here

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Matthew Yeager is NOT a fan of Ben Buttons.

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Mark Bibbins misses Slowdive & recaps the best of music in '08 here

I Can Only Eat Fruit In A Relaxed Apartment

I picked up a copy of Sampson Starkweather's City of Moths on Friday at the Earshot Reading. I ran into Niina there who has a pretty good summation of the reading here.
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I had to work on Saturday and then came home and went to bed early.
Yeah I'm exciting that way.
Sunday I ate brunch at Cafe Olea, worked on poems, hung out with deep disco (roommate) & then watched Rashomon.
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I'm going to the Poets & Writers reading/party tonight in DUMBO (see previous post for info).
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Wednesday, the ever affable Mark Bibbins is reading along with John Deming.

6:00PM INTERCULTURAL POETRY SERIES
Cornelia Street Cafe 29 Cornelia Street, NYC 10014 212-989-9319
Julia Istomina, host
Mark Bibbins; John Deming; Michael Quattrone

Mark Bibbins is the author of The Dance of No Hard Feelings,
forthcoming from Copper Canyon Press, and the Lambda Award-winning Sky
Lounge.

Michael Quattrone is the author of Rhinoceroses (New School Chapbook
Series, 2006), and a curator of the KGB Monday night poetry reading
series. His work has appeared online in Octopus, McSweeney's, and
Jacket, and in the anthologies The Best American Erotic Poems
(Scribner, 2008) and The Bedside Guide to No Tell Motel—Second Floor
(No Tell Books, 2007). He works with Visible Theatre and lives in
Sleepy Hollow, New York.

John Deming is Co-Editor in Chief of coldfrontmag.com. His poems have
appeared or are forthcoming in POOL, Parthenon West Review, Tarpaulin
Sky, Past Simple and elsewhere. A New Hampshire native, he currently
lives in New York City and teaches at Baruch College and L.I.M.
College. He holds degrees in journalism and poetry from the University
of New Hampshire and The New School.

Cover $7 (includes one house drink)

Hope to see you there!

How to get to the Cornelia Street Café by Subway

A, C, E, B, D, F & V TRAINS

Get on the south end of the train.
Take the train to the West 4th Street stop.
Exit at West 3rd Street.
Walk one block north to 4th Street.
Make an acute left onto Cornelia Street.
1 & 9 TRAINS

Take the train to the Sheridan Square stop.
Walk 21/2 blocks east on West 4th Street.
Make a right onto Cornelia Street.
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Issue 3 of Saltgrass is hot off the presses! If you read this blog then you know I've blogged about quite a few contributors in this issue so you can imagine my excitement.

Eric Baus, CAConrad, Jessica deCourcy Hinds, Johannes Goransson, Kate Greenstreet, Brenda Iijima, Kristi Maxwell, Sawako Nakayasu, Keith Newton, Joshua Poteat, Joy Rhoades, Ken Rumble, Matt Sumell, Chris Tonelli, and Mike Young.

It's just waiting for you to read it. The basics: $5.00 print journal.

You can order the issue online & read sample poems at www.saltgrassjournal.blogspot.com.

Please pass on the good word.

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The Winter Issue of diode is up and eager for your eyes

Dear All,

I just wanted to let you know that the Winter, 2009 issue of diode is now live.

Dilruba Ahmed
Aaron Anstett
Tamiko Beyer
Ash Bowen
Charlie Clark
Arpine Konyalian Grenier
Angela Hibbs
Dennis Hinrichsen
dawn lonsinger
Bobbi Lurie
Ron Mohring
George Moore
Deborah Poe
Patrick Rosal
Michael Salcman
Maureen Seaton
Floarea Ţuţuianu, trans. Adam J. Sorkin and Irma Giannetti
Jakob VanLammeren

Fa ya eyes

New Issue of At-Large Magazine

Worst poetry book covers here

Awe & then some

Monday, monday... for some of us, yet another work week. How about a little company? I know just the thing! I'm the featured poet this week at No Tell Motel so you'll have a poem a day just waiting for the warmth of your eyes. Click here.

Still hungry? Really? That's okay, how about feasting on the new issue of Fou! Insatiable? Cool, no problem. How about a little Turntable + Blue Light.

Right, now you want dessert too, you got it. Spoon away at Spooky Boyfriend.

Now you want visuals? You want to sit back & be entertained? Goodreads & Coldfront Magazine aren't enough? How about Cutbank reviews? Still you want more? How about the Home Review of Books? Or watch two of the editors Julia & Mathias read here!