RACHAEL DIROSARIA, THE AMAZING TATTOOED ARTIST!

From recent trip to New Orleans, was blessed to bring home a work by Rachaela diRosaria.  We got her shadowbox painting, and here are photos of her (LOVE the phases of the moon across her face -- phase / face!), her supportive husband, and more of her works:

THE MANY INTRODUCTIONS TO THE UNIQUE RICHNESS OF PHILIPPINE LITERATURE IN ENGLISH

I'm working on the inaugural release of THE HALO-HALO REVIEW, a journal that will present and collect links to reviews and other engagements with Filipino literature of all genres.  One of its features will be presenting online material that is published offline, e.g. introductions to books.  Looking at the list --SEE BELOW -- and re-reading these material, I'm reminded yet again about the specific and unique nature of Filipino literature -- and how its glory is often subsumed, reduced or elided when it's contextualized into such frameworks as "Asian American," "___ of Color," "Immigrant," "Global," and so on.  There is a specific richness to Filipino English literature that reflects the Philippines' history and that, given the Philippine's history with English, will reach its glory this century (as I predicted last century).  What will be wonderful about this section below is that they present a compelling portrait of my claims.

I'm also presenting this list now as what I have for the first issue, including what I have permission to reprint.  If you have others you would like to add to this list, I can take them until Sept. 7, 2015.  Or (if there are permissions logistics), I can take them for the second issue whose deadline is Jan. 30, 2016.  Contact me at galateaten@gmail.com


From Books: Introductions, Prefaces, Forewords or Afterwords 
(Hopefully this list is incomplete as I'm not listing titles whose permissions are still outstanding)

Luis H. Francia introduces BROWN RIVER, WHITE OCEAN: An Anthology of Twentieth-Century Philippine Literature in English (Rutgers University Press, 1993)

The Co-Editors introduce BABAYLAN: An Anthology of Filipina and Filipina American Writers, edited by Nick Carbo and Eileen Tabios (Aunt Lute Press, San Francisco, 2000)
--Nick Carbo: "The Other Half of the Sky"
--Eileen R. Tabios: "Rupturing Language for the Rapture of Beauty"

Edwin Lozada introduces FIELD OF MIRRORS: Anthology of Philippine American Writers  (Philippine American Writers and Artists, Inc., San Francisco, 2008)

Nick Carbo introduces PINOY POETICS: A Collection of Autobiographical and Critical Writings on Filipino and Filipino American Poetics (Meritage Press, San Francisco & St. Helena, 2004)

Jessica Hagedorn introduces THE ANCHORED ANGEL: The Writings of Jose Garcia Villa, edited by Eileen R. Tabios (Kaya Press, New York, 1999)

Amanda [Ngoho] Reavey introduces not so, sea, a poetry collection by MG Roberts (Durga Press, 2014)

Three Poet-Editors introduce The First Hay(na)ku Anthology, co-edited by Mark Young and Jean Vengua (Meritage Press, San Francisco & St. Helena, 2005)
--Mark Young: "A not so tercet note"
--Jean Vengua: "The Chicken and the Egg"
--Crag Hill: "For Nico Vassilakis, Quarrying About Hay(na)ku"

Eileen R. Tabios presents Afterword to NOT EVEN DOGS, the first book-length hay(na)ku poetry collection and written by Ernesto Priego (Meritage Press, San Francisco & St. Helena, 2006)

The Co-Editors introduce FLIPPIN': Filipinos on America (Asian American Writers Workshop, New York, 1996)
--Eric Gamalinda: "Myth, Memory, Myopia: Or, I May Be Brown But I Hear America Singin'"
--Luis H. Francia: "The Other Side of the American Coin"

Thomas Fink introduces THE THORN ROSARY: Selected Prose Poems and New (1998-2010), a poetry collection by Eileen R. Tabios (Marsh Hawk Press, New York, 2010)

Edith Tiempo introduces Sea Serpent, a poetry collection by Alfred Yuson (Monsoon Press, Philippines, 1980)

Eileen R. Tabios introduces Gravities of Center, a poetry collection by Barbara Jane Reyes (Arkipelago Books Publishing, San Francisco, 2003)

Theodore S. Gonzalves's Editor's Note introduces STAGE PRESENCE: Filipino American Performing Artists, edited by Theodore S. Gonzalves (Meritage Press, San Francisco & St. Helena, 2014)

Eileen R. Tabios introduces Bridgeable Shores: Selected Poems (1969-2001), a poetry collection by Luis Cabalquinto (Galatea Speaks / Kaya Press, New York, 2001)

Vince Gotera introduces Seasons by the Bay, a short story collection by Oscar Peñaranda (T’boli Publishing, 2004)

Bino A. Realuyo introduces The Filipino Literature Issue of The Literary Review (Farleigh Dickinson University, 2007)

Jean Vengua introduces BEHIND THE BLUE CANVAS, a short story collection by Eileen R. Tabios (Giraffe Books, Quezon City, 2004)

Introducing VERSES TYPHOON YOLANDA (Meritage Press, San Francisco & St. Helena, 2014)
--Leny M. Strobel's Foreword
--Eileen R. Tabios' Introduction 

Alfred A. Yuson introduces FATHER POEMS, edited by Alfred A. Yuson and Gemino Abad (Anvil Publishing, Manila, 2004)

Leny Mendoza Strobel introduces ECSTATIC MUTATIONS: Experiments in the Poetry Library, a mixed-genre (poetry/poetics/fiction) collection by Eileen R. Tabios (Giraffe Books, Quezon City, 2000)

Vicente G. Groyon III presents Afterword to Trading in Mermaids, a poetry collection by Alfred Yuson (Anvil Publishing, Manila, 1993).

Eileen R. Tabios introduces the poetry section of BOLD WORDS: A Century of Asian America Writing, edited by Rajini Srikanth and Esther Y. Iwanaga (Rutgers University Press, New Jersey and London, 2001)

SOMETIMES, FACEBOOK DOESN'T SUCK

When Facebook (FB) "friends" (most of whom I've not met in person) actually show their love, then I love being on FB (and it's a love-hate relationship ain't it). Here are two reasons why I remain on FB:

Jay Santa Cruz informing me:

"I know this is kind of a weird way to make someone's acquaintance, but I just want to let you know that I'm such a fan of your work—when I was in college in SF, on the ramen-and-cheetos diet, I spent a few nights going to City Lights and camped out in the poetry room to read The Light Sang As it Left Your Eyes. This was one of the first hybrid books I'd ever read, so difficult and tender, and it affected me deeply. Maybe a year or so later, I came to Jose Garcia Villa, and was pleasantly surprised to find you as the editor of The Anchored Angel. He became—and remains—so important to me, so I'm so grateful to you for your writing, and for making Villa legible to me."

I have to say I'm really tickled by the idea of a young one camping out at City Lights to read my 366-page book. And I'm equally tickled to learn this EIGHT years after the book's release. (I am also tickled to learn this 8-year-old book will be taught this semester at SFSU -- perhaps things are happening for that book whose distribution is adversely affected by its length.)

The second reason I am loving FB today is more high-brow: Irene Suico Soriano noticed this freebie offer, contacted me, and I now am the proud owner of this ring (what is not to love?!):

ON STARTING UP A NEW REVIEW JOURNAL

Above are just some of the recently-received review copies for Galatea Resurrects (GR).  It’s a markedly different photo from the photo below of only two titles, which are review copies for a start-up review journal that I hope to release next month, The Halo-Halo Review (HHR). HHR which will present reviews and other engagements with Filipino literature in all genres. (More info on HHR to come.)

Part of the start-up phase of a review journal is getting review copies from publishers who don’t know your journal because, duh, it hasn’t been released yet!  I remember stacking GR’s review copies with books I published through my indie press, Meritage Press, and spare copies from my personal library.  With HHR, it helps that I have a track record with GR (forthcoming issue will be the 25^th!) and I’m grateful to the following publishers who’ve sent review copies to a journal whose existence they’ve yet to see: Kaya Press, Black Lawrence Press, Akashic Books, Seren Books, Nightboat Books, Aunt Lute Press and Marsh Hawk Press. Naturally, I also add Meritage Press books as well as spare copies from my personal library.  Here’s HHR's start-up review copy list on one of my worksheet blogs; hopefully that list will grow and reviewers will start engaging with those books, just as they’ve done with GR.

Speaking of books, here's my latest Relished W(h)ines update of recently imbibed books and wines.  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

SELECTED POEMS OF SALVADOR ESPRIU (powerful. and stellar)

SECRET WEAPON: SELECTED LATE POEMS by Eugen Jebeleanu, trans. from Romanian by Matthew Zapruder and Radu Ioanid with Intro by Andrei Codrescu (FANTABULOUS! LinkedInPoetryRecommendation (LPR) #196) 

A SUDDEN SKY: SELECTED POEMS by Ulrikka S. Gernes, Trans. & Edited by Patrick Friesen and Per Brasik (a welcome discovery)

A FIELD GUIDE TO LOST THINGS, poems by Peter Jaeger (smart and beautiful. LPR #194)

FRUITS AND FLOWERS AND ANIMALS AND SEAS AND LANDS DO OPEN, poems by Michael Leong (as ever, smart; this latest is also nuanced and lyrical. LPR #198)

YOU DA ONE, poetry by Jennifer Tamayo (LPR #191)

WET LAND, poetry by Lucas De Lima (LPR #192)

INTERVENIR / INTERVENE, poems by Dolores Dorante & Rodrigo Flores Sanchez (powerful, multi-layered, ravishing and ravished. LPR #195)

POSES, poems by Genine Lentine with drawings by Richard Diebenkorn (fabulous!)

THAT WINTER THE WOLF CAME, poetry by Juliana Spahr (moving)

*  MORNING RITUAL, poems by Lisa Rogal (charismatic in her obsessiveness)

PIGTAIL DUTY, poems by Melissa Eleftherion (wonderful)

*  THE BURDEN OF BEING BURMESE, poems by Ko Ko Thett (the first full-length book of poetry in English by a Burmese poet)

LOOK BACK, LOOK AHEAD: THE SELECTED POEMS OF SRECKO KOSOVEL, trans. by Ana Jelnikar and Barbara Siegel Carlson w/ Introduction by Richard Jackson

TEN SONGS FROM BULGARIA, poems by Linda Nemec Foster

INCUBATION: A SPACE FOR MONTERS by Bhanu Kapil

*  COURT OF THE DRAGON, poems by Paolo Javier

*  VIA DISSIMULATA, poems by Marisol Limon Martinez

*  TELLS OF THE CRACKLING, poems by Hoa Nguyen

*  OBJECT PERMANENCE, poems by David B. Goldstein

*  THIS AMAZING CAGE OF LIGHT: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS by Martine Bellen (Spuyten Duyvil, New York City, 2015)

*  GOLDBERG-VARIATIONS, poems by Charles Wyatt

*  WHAT ELSE COULD IT BE: EKPHRASTICS AND COLLABORATIONS, poems by Ravi Shankar

*  A GREEN SPRING IN RIVER: POEMS by Matthew Thorburn

*  WHERE WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU SOON, poems by Michael Ford

*  DON’T DRINK POISON, poems by Sarah Anne Wallen

*  FORMS OF LIFE, poems by Eric Hoffman

*  WHERE DRUNK MEN GO, long poem by Richard Hague

*  BEAUTIFUL WALL, poems by Ray Gonzalez

*  I’M NO LONGER TROUBLED BY THE EXTRAVAGANCE, poems by Rick Bursky

*  ANTIDOTE FOR NIGHT, poems by Marsha De La O

from BOOK OF KINGS, poems by Patrick James Dunagan

excerpts from A THOUSAND EYES by Jim Pascual Agustin 

SWAN: POEMS AND PROSE POEMS by Mary Oliver

*  DEAR YOU: A MEMOIR WITH POEMS by Wade Stevenson

MICROCHIPS FOR MILLIONS, poems by Janice Sapigao (in manuscript)

OTHERS WILL ENTER THE GATES: IMMIGRANT POETS ON POETRY, INFLUENCES, AND WRITING IN AMERICA, Edited by Abayomi Animashaun with Introduction by Kazim Ali

POEMELEON: A JOURNAL OF POETRY, Summer 2015, edited by Cati Porter 

HOW TO GROW UP, memoir by Michelle Tea (LPR #193)

HERE COMES THE SUN: A JOURNEY TO ADOPTION IN 8 CHAKRAS, memoir by Leza Lowitz (LPr #197)

BURYING THE TYPEWRITER, memoir by Carmen Bugan

SAINT PETERSBURG NOTEBOOK, journal by Ann Lauterbach

LAST [TRANS]MISSION, art by Trista Musco and wordless story by E. Steen Comer*

THE CHILDREN’S BLIZZARD, history by David Laskin

IN THE COUNTRY, short stories and novella by Mia Alvar

LOOKING FOR ALASKA, memoir by Peter Jenkins

THE BOY AND THE DOG ARE SLEEPING, memoir by Nasdijj

NINETY PERCENT OF EVERYTHING: INSIDE SHIPPING, THE INVISIBLE INDUSTRY THAT PUTS CLOTHES ON YOUR BACK, GAS IN YOUR CAR, AND FOOD ON YOUR PLATE, journalism by Rose George

*

After listing the books I read, I usually go on to list wines I’ve imbibed.  I pause to direct you to Allen Bramhall’s wonderful essay “Winetasting and Mindfulness” before sharing my latest wine list – his essay sheds light on why I share my wine tasting list when I’m addressing poetry. 

WINES

2012 Quivera zinfandel Dry Creek Valley

Mad Hatter in St. Helena Sangria

2012 William Fevre Chablis

OVER-THE-TOP CLAN DRINKING IN 3 STATES TO CELEBRATE SENDING THE KID TO COLLEGE:

2013 The Prisoner

Barbera d’Alba Cortese

Santa Christina Blanco

Nap’s House Sangiovese/Cabernet mix

1990 Soldera Brunello di Montalcino

1996 Bruno Giacosa Asili di Barbaresco

2002 Dom Perignon rose champagne

1998 Solosilo Vermentino Toscana

2008 Mille e una Notte

1982 Petrus

1982 Chevalier Blanc

1982 Lafleur

1982 Le Pin

1982 Trotanoy

1982 L'Evangeline

1975 d'YQuem

1985 Domaine Chambertin Leroy

1999 Corton Charlemagne Louis Latour

1970 Vega Sicilia

1998 Pingus

1996 St Ermita

2002 Screaming Eagle

1092 Le Montrachet Louis Jadot

1992 Chevalier Montrachet Colin-Deleger

1968 BV

1975 La Mission Haur Brion

1990 CNP  Reserve des Celestins

1981 Penfolds Grange Hermitage

1998 Elivi Galea

1990 Conterno Barolo

2011 Connhoff Dellchen Riesling

2001 Sandrone Le Vigne Barolo
Chambers Muscat Rosewood Vineyards Rutherglen

________
* I was recently in New Orleans and, while there, purchased LAST [TRANS]MISSION, a chap with art by Trista Musco and wordless story by E. Steen Comer. I was also blessed to acquire Trista Musco's wonderful painting/drawing:

THE ANTHOLOGY SLACKER

The kiddo's in college!  Back to work for me! And that's how I discovered that, notwithstanding 3 books in 2015 and the same number scheduled for 2016, by one measure I'm a slacker: 2015 will be the first year where I won't have gotten into an anthology.  I pay attention simply because MOI HEART BOOKS!  Fortunately, I'll always have the year 3023 to look forward to ... here's my anthology list!  And thanks to those who pay attention, though, like Noel Alumit, whose works you also should explore!

Noel Alumit reads Eileen Tabios' poem "The Creation Diptych" during the 2015 Los Angeles book launch for KUWENTO: LOST THINGS, an anthology of Philippine myths, Editors Rachelle Cruz & Melissa Sipin (Carayan Press, San Francisco, 2014)

POETRY BUYS ME COZ I BUY POETRY!

I'm on the road on moi way to dropping off Mi Hijo in college!  Yay!

*

Meanwhile, here's an update on moi Recently Bought Poetry List of books by poets or about poets/poetry.  I recommend them all!

First, through Black Radish Books' pre-publication special that's a wonderful deal! I suggest you pick 'em up too!

LUCI: A FORBIDDEN SOTERIOLOGY by j/j hastain

ORPHAN MACHINES by Carrie Hunter

CANT by David James Miller

THE  MESHES by Brittany Billmeyer-Finn

Also recommended are these purchases:

KALI’S BLADE by Michelle Bautista

HOTUS POTUS by Mark Young

UNPROTECTED TEXTS: SELECTED POEMS (1978-2006) by Tom Beckett

THAT WINTER THE WOLF CAME, poems by Juliana Spahr

SECRET WEAPON: SELECTED LATE POEMS by Eugen Jebeleanu, trans. from Romanian by Matthew Zapruder and Radu Ioanid with Intro by Andrei Codrescu

LAST WORDS: THE FINAL JOURNALS OF WILLLIAM S. BURROUGHS

TO BEGIN WHERE I AM: SELECTED ESSAYS by Czeslaw Milosz, Edited by Bogdana Carpentier and Madeline G. Levine

WET LAND by Lucas de Lima

MY TRANQUIL WAR AND OTHER POEMS by Anis Shivani

YOU DA ONE by Jennifer Tamayo

SELECTED POEMS OF SALVADOR ESPRIU, Trans. by Magda Bodin

POSES by Genine Lentine with drawings by Richard Diebenkorn

IN SEARCH OF DUENDE by Federico Garcia Lorca

A SUDDEN SKY: SELECTED POEMS BY ULRIKKA S. GERNES, Trans. and Edited by Patrick Friesen and Per Brask

BURYING THE TYPEWRITER: A MEMOIR by Carmen Bugan

STAGE PRESENCE: CONVERSATIONS WITH FILIPINO AND FILIPINO-AMERICAN PERFORMING ARTISTS edited by Theodore Gonzalves

HERE COMES THE SUN: A JOURNEY TO ADOPTION IN 8 CHAKRAS, memoir by Leza Lowitz

BENEATH THIS WRITER'S DESK

Achilles and Athena: my desk is their cave.

"SOMEBODY'S CODA" IS DISOBEDIENT

Thanks to Poemeleon editor Cati Porter for featuring one of my poems, "Somebody's Coda" in Poemeleon's DISOBEDIENT ISSUE. The poem is in fine company -- here's issue's Table of Contents.

"Somebody's Coda" also is from my Fall 2016 book, AMNESIA: Somebody's Memoir.

INVENT(ST)ORY: A PRE-ORDER SPECIAL WITH A COMPLIMENTARY BOOK

[Please Forward]

Dear All,

My poetry collection INVENT(ST)ORY: Selected Catalog Poems &New (1996-2010) will be released Sept. 1 by the publisher, Dos Madres Press (Ohio).  Before September, they are making it available as a pre-order, for shipment on Sept. 1.  As they are a new publisher for me, I’m doing what I can to help them promote the book.  In this case, if you do a pre-order with them, I will send you separately another one of my books!

You can pre-order with Dos Madres by going to https://www.dosmadres.com/shop/inventstory-by-eileen-r-tabios/

You can choose your complimentary book by going to my website and clicking on PUBLICATIONS at http://eileenrtabios.com   As long as the book is not out of print, it will be available for you. Email me your choice through galateaten at gmail dot com

INVENT(ST)ORY retails for $20, but hopefully that’s a bargain for a 222-page book sized at 8”x10”.  More information about the book is available at http://eileenrtabios.com/poetry/inventstory-selected-catalogue-poems-new/

As background, INVENT(ST)ORY is my second Selected Poems project. I’ve chosen to focus my Selected Poems projects on poetic form.  INVENT(ST)ORY is focused on the catalog or list poem form.  My first Selected, THE THORN ROSARY (Marsh Hawk Press, 2010) is focused on the prose poem form.  I focus on poetic form because I want to lay out clearly whether or not my poetry has contributed to expanding poetry’s landscape through its forms. I am laying it on the line...and it'll be easy to judge me! Whether you as reader agree or disagree, I would love to hear from you. 

Both of my Selected Poems were edited by one of the most astute poetry critics today, the poet-painter-scholar Thomas Fink. I mention this as he also provides an Introduction in each book that is useful and educational, not just on my writings but on the poetry forms.

Thanks in advance for your consideration,

Eileen R. Tabios

(Eileen's two Selecteds: THE THORN ROSARY and INVENT(ST)ORY)