NOO INTERVOO

Here’s a new interview of MOI.

Many books are discussed.  They’d asked for an author photo to go with the interview.  I gave them a photo of Achilles, editing my forthcoming book.  He’s a special dawg!  I always look for places to insert his presence in the internet (besides my blogs of course).  And if I have to blather elsewhere I will!  

Seriously, thanks to La Doctora Jee Yoon Lee for asking ...  As I said at the end of the interview, I am grateful for any interest in my works and don't take it for granted.

READING THE DIFFICULTIES!

Well.  I wasn't looking to do it but I did it -- my first "academic" publication re poetry. I want to thank Tom Fink for recruiting me, prodding me, then editing me in order to be part of an absolutely fabulous and critical (pun intended) anthology: READING THE DIFFICULTIES: DIALOGUES WITH CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN INNOVATIVE POETRY (University of Alabama Press, 2014).  The book includes an essay much-revamped from its public debut as an engagement in Galatea Resurrects -- an essay looking at John Bloomberg-Rissman's book-length poem, 2ND NOTICE OF MODIFICATIONS TO TEXT OF PROPOSED REGULATIONS, REGULATION AND POLICY MANAGEMENT BRANCH, CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND REHABILITATION.  I know--it's a mouthy title but, hey, it's a mouthy poem!

Here's some of the publisher's info on the book:

CONTRIBUTORS: Charles Bernstein / Carrie Conners / Thomas Fink /Kristen Gallagher / Judith Halden-Sullivan / Paolo Javier /Burt Kimmelman / Hank Lazer / Jessica Lewis Luck /Stephen Paul Miller / Sheila E. Murphy / Elizabeth Robinson /Christopher Schmidt / Eileen R. Tabios

The bold essays that make up Reading the Difficulties offer case studies in and strategies for reading innovative poetry.

Definitions of what constitutes innovative poetry are innumerable and are offered from every quarter. Some critics and poets argue that innovative poetry concerns free association (John Ashbery), others that experimental poetry is a “re-staging” of language (Bruce Andrews) or a syntactic and cognitive break with the past (Ron Silliman and Lyn Hejinian). The tenets of new poetry abound.

But what of the new reading that such poetry demands? Essays in Reading the Difficulties ask what kinds of stances allow readers to interact with verse that deliberately removes many of the comfortable cues to comprehension—poetry that is frequently nonnarrative, nonrepresentational, and indeterminate in subject, theme, or message.

Regarding my own contribution, the difficulty partly arises from how the poet created his poem.  To write create 2nd NOTICE..., John Bloomberg-Rissman took a document (about the death penalty) he received through his email, printed it out, and slapped a cover around it.  That's it.  Is that a "poem"?  I argue it is -- though it may be difficult (difficult, get it?) to persuade others.  How does one critique such a project?  Well, read my essay -- and other fabulous essays in THE DIFFICULTIES. But here's a teaser -- an excerpt from my essay on how to read this particular difficulty:


EXCERPT:
...[because] the source text was an editing document, it contained various editing formats, like the underline indicating added text and the strike-through indicating deleted text. Based on just the first page, the editing changes offer much of what's poetic—or can be poetic—about the document, I mean, poem. For example, at one point, "person" was deleted and replaced with "inmate".   A possible reading or interpretation could be how "inmate" allows for a distancing effect from the "person" soon to be killed.

In another example, when the word "warden" was edited to reflect the capitalization of the first letter into "Warden," a possible reading is how that capitalization gives additional weight to the role of said Warden. 

One doesn't have to rely on those parts of the text that are being edited. Just this sentence, copied a hundred percent and presented forthright, bludgeons with no other needed ornamentation:

Inmates sentenced to death shall have the opportunity to choose to have the punishment imposed by lethal gas or lethal injection.

If one goes through the rest of the poem beyond the first page, there are many effects generated without the need of additional textual aids from the poem’s author.  And it’s that allowance of the thing speaking for itself that can maximize the effect on the reader.  For instance, to take certain statements in 2^nd NOTICE… at face value is to realize how its legalese or bureaucratese-speak serves to elide the horror of the matter at hand.  Some sentences, for example, serve to eliminate the reference to “Condemned Row” within the document.  There is also the section

(t) Lethal Injection Room means the room where the inmate is executed.

Why “Lethal Injection Room”?  Why not use “Execution Room”?  The mind can go into many different directions as a result of considering the implications of what may seem like a simple creation of a legal definition.  Execution Room would be a more powerful reference to what the poet calls “judicial murder.” Why the euphemism?  Who is doing the spinning—the massaging of language?  How is the language being massaged?  Who is being protected, and not?

I was also struck by one of the exhibits, a “SERVICE OF EXECUTION WARRANT-WARDEN’S INITIAL INTERVIEW”.  This document is what the inmate is supposed to sign to acknowledge receiving the Warrant of Execution issued by a Country Superior Court, as well as to acknowledge understanding of his entitlement to a choice of either lethal gas or lethal injection for purpose of execution. 

I found this attachment horrifying!  Why is it necessary to force the inmate to address the means of execution?  Why could not the more humane option simply be applied?  I am baffled by the need to force the inmate to address this issue—which can only serve to heighten suffering.  Given the context—he’s already being executed and it’s often not the inmate’s choice—it seems an unnecessary potential source of mental torture.  As with this matter, 2^nd NOTICE… serves to accomplish the poet’s desire to draw attention to the death penalty proceedings without the author having to insert his own words.

END OF EXCERPT

***

What does it signify when poet seeks to make a poem but avoid "having to insert his own words"?  Many things, and John Bloomberg-Rissman undoubtedly has his own reasons--some of which are manifested on his own blog, Zeitgeist Spam.  For me, this practice is an admirably radical application of one of my ars poetica beliefs: 

Poetry is all around us; the poet's job is not just to make up poems but to be lucid enough to see and recognize ... the poetry all around us.

DO SEE DUSIE!

I've always thought Dusie to be one of the most entrancing poetry publishers out there!  And now I'm so pleased to be part of the latest Dusie Issue (#15) with poems from my forthcoming book SUN STIGMATAS!

The featured poems are "(The Frozen Gasp," "(ECLIPSE" and "(The Kritios Boy." The latter poem, of course, is after the ancient Greek sculpture from the Classical Period, which also happens to be one of the most moving sculptures I have ever seen:

I like to trick up Ekphrasis so that my poems after art doesn't lapse to mere illustration.  I hope you find unexpected my poem "(The Kritios Boy" (scroll down in link) when compared (so to speak) with the image of the statue.

SNAPSHOT OF A POET (#7): "WHAT ARE YOU READING?"

[Poets are invited to participate in this series of snapshots of poets’ reading habits. For information, go HERE.] 

Rebecca Loudon on Reading

1)  What are you reading now?  As well, what is in your To-Read-Soon stack?

I am currently reading:

DARGER, The Darger Collection at the American Folk Art Museum

Beethoven In Person, Peter J. Davies

White Heat, Brenda Wineapple

Haute Surveillance, Johannes Göransson


Little Dorrit, Charles Dickens

The Shining, Stephen King

The Salt House, Cynthia Huntington

Wild, Cheryl Strayed

The Complete Oz Collection, L. Frank Baum

Middlemarch, George Eliot

At Play in the Fields of the Lord, Peter Matthiessen

My soon to read stack:



The Luminaries, Eleanor Catton

I Want To Show You More, Jamie Quatro

Gore Girl, Gillian Flynn

The Ocean At The End Of The Lane, Neil Gaiman

Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro

Cunt Norton, Dodie Bellamy

Shelves

A close-up

2)  Please share a comment …

My top list is heavier than my bottom list. I’m counting on my library to fill in the gaps.

“art books and dust”

WHAT DO YOU NOT READ?!

Hm.  I wonder if there's a series that could revolve around the question "What do you NOT read?"

Because I realized recently that, as a result of the internet, I might not ever read a certain pile of 20 books: THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY!  All twenty volumes!

Because when I need to look up a word, I just go to the internet!

Hm.  On the other hand, I might yet dive into these books some day.  Because just frolicking through the pages often generates fabulous projects!

I once did a series of poems based on whichever word Merriam-Webster (MW) emailed out as its "Word of the Day."  I describe that process over HERE at Lantern Review.  (Those poems are also available in my book I TAKE THEE, ENGLISH, FOR MY BELOVED.)  I could see myself opening The Oxford at random for poem prompts -- why not?  As with the MW poems, the structure allows the poet to transcend the limits of one's conscious imagination.

MAY I INTRODUCE YOU TO ...

Woot!  Another check mark checked on the To-Do List!  My Marsh Hawk Press in-house editor just finished reviewing my manuscript for SUN STIGMATA whose release is scheduled for later this year.  And I was so pleased when he said that reading my manuscript introduced him to some words new to him -- an effect that apparently happens, too, when he reads Wallace Stevens!  Great company!  

Anyway, what three words did I introduce viz SUN STIGMATA to my learned editor, poet-scholar-critic (and painter!) Thomas Fink?  These:

frigorific
datsan
haruspex

It's always interesting to learn new words, but also interesting to see what folks don't know.  Like, I'm surprised Tom didn't know the word "datsan".... And while I'd have been tickled if Tom found one word he didn't know in the manuscript, I'm really tickled he found more than one!

I remember that I had just learned the words "frigorific" and "haruspex" and such discoveries were the only reasons they made it into the  poems in which they appear.

Anyway, here's moi and Tom:

One of the greatest blessings in my life as as poet is to have had him as an editor.  Thank you, Thomas Fink -- there's a reason why SUN STIGMATA -- my 21st* print collection -- is dedicated to you!



* 21st is an estimate.  I've actually lost count of the number of my books ...

SNAPSHOT OF A POET (#6): "WHAT ARE YOU READING?"

[Poets are invited to participate in this series of snapshots of poets' reading habits. For information, go HERE.]


Ed Baker on Reading


1)  What are you reading now?  As well, what is in your To-Read-Soon stack?

I'm reading Leonard Shlain’s  SEX, TIME, and POWER:

I am also re-reading my unpublished book, NEIGHBOR.

[Eileen's Note:  Here are two poems from Ed's manuscript:]

Dead Ignition


green 
station 
wagon

parked 
between 
commitments

shadows 
moved

all inclinations

push 
it
on

far 
beyond 
dead 
battery

whine
had been 
unwelcome 
then & there

from here 
to there 
jumper

cables 
long

stretch 
to 
start

her 
long-thin 
body

hard 
against 
spark 



*

A View


I hardly knew 
her then

there was something 
particular that slowed

me

leaves 
suddenly 
playing 
in
warm 

breeze

deliberately 
I had kept 
my 
distance

to get a better 
view
across the way

for days shades 
up

blinds open

nothing was 
said or done

for days 
thinking 
meant

more 
of
so

what 
was 
just 
beyond

going 
over 

READ, CHILDREN, READ

My son came to the United States at age 13 without a word of English.  Less than five years later, he's more proficient in English than in his native language, Spanish.  Why?  Because he (fortunately and what a relief!) took to reading.  He reads everyday, including reading himself to sleep every night -- just like Mom!  And this week, he wrote an absolutely brilliant short story of the characters calculating their way through space and then moon travel -- so nifty!

This is one of the reading figurines in our library: subliminal encouragement!

FIRST "RECENTLY RELISHED W(H)INES" POST FOR 2014

I'll occasionally post here my recent reading and wine-drinking list, or "Recently Relished W(h)ines."  Here's the first for 2014 below.  My definition of "relished" means I finished reading the book (I may not think it great writing or I may even dislike it but if I finished it that implies there was something in it that caused me not to close the book mid-way).  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

ASEMIC COLON, poems by Mark Young (wonderful read and easy sampler for his larger book, THE CODICILS) 

A MESSENGER COMES, poems by Rachel Tzvia Back (fabulous, LinkedIn Poetry Recommendation, or LPR, #101) 

SYMPHONY NO. 9 (NOCTURNES & THRESHOLDS), poems by Ric Carfagna (excellent!  I blurbed it and called it “a welcome addition to postmodern and deconstructed romantic poetry.” Future LPR.  Also, I first read this in manuscript form so it’s always interesting to see the actual designed book – and the design is lovely with drawings by another wonderful poet, Peter Ganick)

NOTWITHSTANDING SHORING, FLUMMOX, poems by Emily Abendroth (distinct charm)

Ted Pearson in THE GRAND PIANO, which is ten volumes of a "collective autobiography" by ten poets. Because all of the volumes were released prior to my paying attention to this series, I have been reading each individual poet’s contributions sequentially with the idea that, if I was so moved after reading all authors’ contributions, I then would read the books as collectively authored. As regards Ted Pearson’s contribution, I found his discussions on “community” quite useful even as what I take from his discussion is not really about personal engagements (not to say, such wasn’t there for him) – specifically, I found most useful the idea that the nature of the poem itself plays a role.  That is, one can interact with people but it would be logical that as a poetry community forms, the poems being written would play a role as glue.  That’s perhaps why, just speaking for myself, I would have trouble fitting in (though try to amiably fit in with everyone/anyone) with communities formed around other elements besides the poem, elements such as race, gender, generation, geography (another reason I love the internet as it is trans), etc.  I liked Pearson’s gentle contributions.  And I much appreciated not just the quote by, but the fact that he quoted, Andrew Vacchs!

Barrett Wattten in THE GRAND PIANO (see above)

THE ANGELS OF BREAD, poems by Martin Espada (undoubtedly a re-read. As ever, a crowd-pleaser)

THE SELECTED POETRY OF EDNA ST. VINCENT MILLAY, edited by Nancy Mitford (wonderful, but of course!)

DEAR GOOD NAKED MORNING, poems by Ruth L. Schwartz (some fabulous poems in here.  But it’s also the first time I’ve read a poetry collection and wondered whether the lyrical touch was, at times, too lyrical)

THE CURVED PLANKS, poems by Yves Bonnefoy, Trans. By Hoyt Rogers

*  THE PINK, poems by Jared Schickling

*  IMPERIAL NOSTALGIAS, poems and images by Joshua Edwards

*  & NOW MY FEET ARE MAPS, poems by Jenn McCreary

MINIATURES, poems by Meredith Cole

SEASONAL WORKS WITH LETTERS ON FIRE, poems by Brenda Hillman

*  FIND THE GIRL, poems by Lightsey Darst

*  DANCE, poems by Lightsey Darst

WOMAN IN THE PAINTING, poems by Andrea Hollander Budy

HEROES IN DISGUISE, poems by Linda Pastan

EVERYTHING ARRIVES AT THE LIGHT, poems by Lorna Crozier

*  INCIDENTS OF SCATTERING, poems by Karen Lepri

*  COLLECTED POEMS by Patricia Dobler

TALISMAN: A JOURNAL OF CONTEMPORARY POETRY ANDPOETICS, Issue #42, 2014  (honored to be in its section, “The Occupation: The First of Three Major Selections of Works by and about Women Writers Around the World” edited by Lisa Bourbeau)

HUNGARIAN LANGART, visual poetry by Marton Koppany 

PUZZLES OF FAITH AND PATTERNS OF DOUBT: SHORT STORIES AND POEMS Edited by Gregory F. Tague

ANIMALS VS. FURNITURE, poetic picture book by Normandy Raven Sherwood with illustrations by Jesse Hawley

GONE, novel by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge

WINES

2007 Aubert Lauren Sonoma Coast chardonnay

1991 Casa Ferreirinha Barca-Vellha Vinho de Mesa Tinto

2012 Rutherford Vintners Pinot noir NV

2009 Nero d'Avola "Nerojblea" Gulfi Sicilian

Long Meadow Ranch Ranch House Red NV

2010 Les Halos de Jupiter Par Philippe Cambie Cotes du Rhone

N.Y.’s Eve Wines:

2008 Launois Pere & Fils Le Mesnil Sur Oger Reserve Blanc de Blancs Champagne Grand Cru

2007 Peter Michael La Carriere

1997 Gaja Sperss Lange Nebbiolo

1977 Dow Silver Jubilee Vintage Port