"KAPWA'S SONG"

is the latest poem from my manuscript HIRAETH: Tercets From the Last Archipelago to find a home, this time in the brand new issue of Otoliths edited by Mark Young. I hope HIRAETH finds a home soon but until then, here's the one poem HERE!

Please do also enjoy the rest of the issue HERE featuring Jesse Glass, El Habib Louai, Scott MacLeod, Maria Damon & Alan Sondheim, Dennis Andrew S. Aguinaldo, Cecelia Chapman, Pete Spence, Kyle Hemmings, Heath Brougher, Volodymyr Bilyk, George McKim, Nicole Pottier, John J. Trause, Sanjeev Sethi, Ian Ganassi, Jim Leftwich, Willie Smith, Philip Byron Oakes, Mary Claire Garcia, Douglas Barbour & Sheila E. Murphy, AG Davis, Peter Ganick, differx (Marco Giovenale), Jim Meirose, Mark Roberts, Olivier Schopfer, William Repass, Texas Fontanella, Michael Gottlieb, John W. Sexton, Edward A. Dougherty, Eric Hoffman, hiromi suzuki, Simon Perchik, John M. Bennett, Ivan Argüelles, Scott Helmes, John Xero, Pat Nolan, Andrew Topel, Daniel John Pilkington, Demosthenes Agrafiotis, Raymond Farr, Lakey Comess, Bill Dunlap, Christopher Barnes, Robert Okaji, Jeff Bagato, Nico Vassilakis, Mitchell Garrard, Keith Higginbotham, Fabrice Poussin, Richard Kostelanetz, Sabine Miller, Meeah Williams, sean burn, Louise Landes Levi, Brendan Slater, Oscar Towe, Tom Beckett, Mark McKain, Jürgen O. Olbrich,  Sneha Subramanian Kanta, Jorge Lucio de Campos, Eileen R. Tabios, Andrea Mason, Joe Balaz, Michael Caylo-Baradi, Jacqueline M. Pérez, Owen Bullock, Roger Mitchell, Steve Dalachinsky, Jeff Harrison, Aurélien Leif, Holly Day, Stephen Vincent, Carol Stetser, nick nelson, Seth Howard, Taylor Leigh Ciambra, Poornima Laxmeshwar, Hamish Spark, Márton Koppány, Alicia Cole, Cara Murray, bruno neiva, Jack Kelly, Mark Cunningham, Massimo Stirneri, Matt Dennison, Olchar E. Lindsann, Karen Greenbaum-Maya, Darren Marsh, Nika & Jim McKinniss, Natsuko Hirata, Tony Beyer, Edward Kulemin, John Pursch, Irene Koronas, Darren C. Demaree, nick-e melville, Josette Torres, Shloka Shankar, Piotr Kalisz,  Ella Skilbeck-Porter, Bob Heman, Garima Behal, Paul T. Lambert, J. D. Nelson, Michael Brandonisio, Eddie Donoghue, Katrinka Moore, Indigo Perry, & Marilyn Stablein.  

What great company!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It wasn't planned. But it happened. As Las Vegas wasn't involved, I can share that, for Halloween this year, I was costumed T.S. Eliot. And John Bloomberg-Rissman was Pound:

Being edited is a rare experience--deliberately so, for me. I prefer to write alone, don't really mind the winging it (as I feel I get more from extensive reading than workshops). But this editing experience was a blessed one.  Thank you Ezra John.

P.S.  Once, T.S. Eliot was a British banker. Once, I was too...

FOR FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH

Book Presentations during Celebration for Filipino American History Month

Oct. 29, 2016, 2-4 pm

The Sitting Room: A Community Library

2025 Curtis Drive

Penngrove, CA

What a fabulous event--thanks to curator Sheila Bare , JJ Wilson and The Sitting Room community library. It was fabulous to read and present along with Justine Villanueva . The context--including an Ethel Adnan exhibit and, always, Virginia--was warm and interested. The cooks were superb. 'Twas joyful to say hello to my section in the library. And it didn't hurt that not only did all my books sell out but I brought home some mail orders! Here are some pics (click on images to enlarge):

"...THE GRACE OF THE MAKE-BELIEVE BED"

I read Ted Berrigan’s THE SONNETS this week and was struck by two specific things (in addition to my overall admiration for the work): (1) Alice Notley’s Introduction is among the best introductions I’ve read to a poetry collection … and I know why: the meticulous attention to process and form; and (2) there was this line that I found so erotic/romantic it found its way into a poem I was in the midst of writing: “To the grace of the make-believe bed”…

(That poem, "Big City Cante Intermedio", will be released this coming March by Tattered Pages' Panthalassa Pamphlets.)

Speaking of publications, 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

HEART THREAD, poems by Robert Kelly (the scale of and sustenance from poem is impressive! LPR #251)

UNCREATED MIRROR, poems by Tamas Panitz (pleasingly fresh. LPR #252)

STUDY & OTHER POEMS ON ART by Yuko Otomo (lovely and luminous. LPR #253)

THE SONNETS by Ted Berrigan (lovely poems, AND also perhaps the best Introduction to a poetry book I can recall reading, this by Alice Notley. LPR #254)

MORNING MOON, hay(na)ku poem by Alex Gildzen (enchanting!)

A YEARBOOK, poetry/memoir by Jim McCrary (sharp and poignantly sharp)

*  METEOR SHOWER, poems by Anne Whitehouse (lovely and resonant)

*  POSY: A CHARM ALMANACK & ATLAS, poems by Elizabeth Treadwell (enchanting!)

*  OROPEL / TINSEL, poems by Raquel Salas-Rivera (wonderful!)

LEG GODT, poems by Jeremy Benson (enchantingly quirky)

CELESTIAL JUNK, poems by Jeremy Benson (ditto, as in enchantingly quirky. Benson’s a new discovery for  me and I’m glad to know his poems!)

BREACH OF TRUST / ABUSO DE CONFIANZA, poems by Angel Escobar, trans. by Kristin Dykstra

THE ECSTASY OF CAPITULATION, poems by Daniel Borzutzky

SELECTED POEMS by Geoffrey Hill

CERTAIN MAGICAL ACTS, poems by Alice Notley

BARTER, poems by Monica Youn

NEBULOUS BEGINNINGS & STRINGS, poems by Alicia Cahalane Lewis

WANDERING IN WORD, poems by Kees van Meel

*  SO WHAT SO THAT, poems by Marjorie Welish

*  COMORBID, poems by Ginger Ko

*  KAOLIN OR, HOW DOES A GIRL LIKE YOU GOT TO BE A GIRL LIKE YOU?, poems by Sophie Mayer

*  BECAUSE I CAN SEE NEEDING A KNIFE, poems by Noah Stetzer

THE NIGHT’S BELLY, poems by Sara Tuss Efrik, trans. from the Swedish by Paul Cunningham

*  MAINLAND, poems by Stinne Storm

*  TAIL OF THE WHALE, poems by Alice Sant’Anna, trans. from Portuguese by Tiffany Higgins

*  TO AN AVIARY, poems by Genevieve Kaplan

MINERAL TERPSICHORE, poems by Mark Young

*  DREAMCRASHERS, poems by Susan Terris

VIEWS FROM TORNADO ISLAND, poems by Charles Stein

WATERS OF, poems by Billie Chernicoff

WE WILL SEE THE SCATTER, poems by Jasmine Nikki C. Paredes

VITILIGOD: THE ASCENSION OF MICHAEL JACKSON, poems by Amanda Chiado

GRAMMAR RULSE, poems by Daviel Shy

GRASSHOPPERS BEFORE GODS, poems by Karla Cordero

ALL THE WATER ALL THE WAVES, poems by Kallie Falandays

ADVICE FROM A SIREN, poems by Shari Caplan

SELF IS WOLF, poems by Nicole Oquendo

RULES TO WANT, poems by Melanie Jeffrey

NEEDLE MAKES TRACKS, poems by Dannna Ephland

THE UNREQUITED <3<3 OF RED RIDING HOOD & HER LYCAN LOVER, poems by Courtney Leigh

ECHO THE PILLARS OF NOTHINGNESS, poems by Maleqil Hoque

TRUMPOLINI, poem by Bill Costley 

RAGS, poem by Steve Dalachinsky 

AUGUST, poem by Staajabu

TO MOHAMMED, poem by Henry Bell 

STONES, poem by Shin Yu Pai

ADVICE, POEM BY ROQUE DALTON 

DEAR DARRELL (FORNEY), poem by Ann Menebroker

THE TRUTH, poem by Ted Joans 

SHEEP PIECE, poem by Shin Yu Pai 

TOPOLOGY—ON VISITING THE DISSECTING SUITE, poem by Zoe Venditozzi

FLIGHT OR FIGHT, poem by Clare Archibald 

SHOCK THERAPY: THE WRITING ASYLUM ANTHOLOGY, curated by Michael Riedell

ELEVENELEVEN: A JOURNAL OF LITERATURE AND ART, Issue 21

DUSIE #19: ASIAN ANGLOPHONE EDITION, edited by Cynthia Arrieu-King

LONG LIFE: ESSAYS AND OTHER WRITINGS by Mary Oliver

A VERY EASY DEATH, memoir by Simone De Beauvoir

INFERNO (A POET’S NOVEL) by Eileen Myles

THE FLY TRUFFLER, novel by Gustaf Sobin

WIRED TO ZONE, novel by Skip Fox

MY STRUGGLE, VOL. 5, autobiographical novel by Karl Ove Knausgard

THE RAVICKIANS, novel by Renee Gladman

SONG OF THE YUKON, novel by Trisha Sugarek

FOREIGN AGENT, novel by Brad Thor

THE FACE OF DEATH, novel by Cody McFady

WINES

2013 Fisher Vineyards chardonnay Sonoma

2011 Rostaing Cote-Rotie Ampodium

2014 Vincent Giradin Bourgogne Blanc

2013 Altamura Sauvignon Blanc

2012 Altamura caberneet

2009 Altamura Negro Maro

1990 Sandrone Baroloa Cannubi Boschis

2011 Domaine Des Comtes La Fond Meursault-Porusots

2004 Ch. Latour

2003 Hare’s Chase shiraz Barossa Valley

2004 Henri Boillot Chevalier Montrachet

2001 Vega Sicilia Valbuena

1994 Vega Unico

1995 Vega Unico

1991 Vega Unico

Vega Reserva Especiale Lote No. 019/94 (1970, 1972 and 1974)

1962 Vega Unico

Vega Reserva Especiale 1990 (1968 and 1970)

1946 Toro Albala Don P.X.

1853 Whithams King Pedro Reserve port

Launois Champagne Le Mesnil Sur Oger Grand Cru

2020 Tres Picos

1996 Denis Mugneret Richebourg

2010 Saint Marigold Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

2014 Nicolas Perrin Viognier

2015 Clif Family gewurztraminer, Anderson Valley

2013 Clif Family cabernet, Howell Mountain

2013 Grieve sauvignon blanc, NV

2001 Cuvee Frederic Emile Trimbach

2010 Tres Picos garnacha

2012 Ch. de Beaucastel CNP

2013 Barbera d’Alba Borgogno

2012 Rosso di Montalcino Castiglion Del Bosco

A NEW HAY(NA)KU POETRY BOOK PRIZE!

Spread 

the word 

throughout the universe!

Several hay(na)ku original hands have banned together for what will be the most fun poetry award this century: the first hay(na)ku single author poetry contest. And remember xPress(ed), that most brilliant poetry press helmed by Jukka-Pekka Kervinen? It's resuscitating itself to co-sponsor this award! Yes, the deadline is in December 2017, but that's to give you time to put together a manuscript if you don't already have one!

Judges: Vince Gotera, Jean Vengua, and Mark Young.

Check out the details at the CONTEST PAGE--

One / Two Three / Go Go Go!

HAVE A GREAT LAMANTIA DAY!

Always happy to note Philip Lamantia Day! Go over to Steven Fama's glade for a timely quote!

CALIFORNIA WRITER'S WEEK

I was blessed to participate in this event earlier today:

(click on images to enlarge)

Napa Bookmine First Annual Local Authors Fest in Celebration of California Writer's Week

Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, Noon-2 p.m.

Napa Bookmine

964 Pearl Street

Napa, CA 94559

Here are some photos from the event!

(AMNESIA is a Napa Bookmine Staff Pick!)

(the lovely, hard-working staff)

While manning a table, there'll be the occasional lull when no one is in front of you and you start casting your eyes about. In my case, I cast my eyes downward and saw the back covers of my books, including older books. And I ended up reading back cover blurbs that I'd not read in years -- as when Kevin Killian blurbed Menage a Trois With the 21st Century and when Tan Lin blurbed Black Lightning. And read them and thought, Hey, those old books aren't bad, are they?! :)Thanks to the blurbers!

FLASH AUTOBIOGRAPHIES!

We've heard of Flash Fiction, yes? Well, I started on a new form (new for me; don't know if others have done it): Flash Autobiography.  (Do let me know if you know of other writers doing this as I'd like to see how they're doing it.) The first four of my series are up Queen Mob's Tea House who has been so welcoming of my "misfit" documents--thank you Reb Livingston!

The first four are the first -- I hope to get more hewed muscles into future attempts with that kind of intensity that compresses coal into diamond. But, meanwhile, I hope these entertain (or do something for) you ... and if you're a poet, of course I wasn't referring to you!

"RIPPLED MIRROR HAY(NA)KU" AND "CLEAVE HAY(NA)KU"!!!

[Please Forward; this is also a CALL FOR POEMS--see UPDATE below]

It's October 4! And I am so grateful I have managed to hew to my 2016 New Year's Resolution to write everyday on a long-form novel! It's been/is a new experience--I'm grateful for it. But I didn't expect that, from yesterday's writing, the novel would generate a new variation of the hay(na)ku. I'm calling it the "Rippled Mirror Hay(na)ku" because, as you can see by its inaugural manifestation below, the "reflection" is not exact.

In the novel, I was writing a section relating to dictators and it spawned this new hay(na)ku poem:

"Power
corrupts absolutely"--
you provided proof. 

Your life proved
"Absolute corruption
powers."

I shared it with Vince Gotera, the poet who (you might recall) came up with the final name for the hay(na)ku (you can see the form's History HERE).  He responded brilliantly with one of his own:

Mirror 

I'm
Donald Trump.
Best president ever. 

Bust. President never.
Donald Trump.
Um...

Entonces, I'm initiating a call for poems in the "Rippled Mirror Hay(na)ku" form, as you may interpret it. The "ripple" refers to how the reflection is not exact between the two tercets. If I receive enough poems by Nov. 15, I'll write a feature presenting them in the next issue of Galatea Resurrects (A Poetry Engagement).

Spread
the Word:
"Rippled Mirror Hay(na)ku"!!!

Deadline: Nov. 15, 2016
Send by email (in body of email) to me at galateaten@gmail.com

UPDATE: I am expanding this call to include the "Cleave Hay(na)ku" form newly invented by Vince Gotera.  The "Cleave" is two hay(na)ku side-by-side, where the hay(na)ku on the left is read as one poem, the hay(na)ku on the right is read as a second poem, and then both hay(na)ku are read as a third, combined poem, both first lines together, then the second lines, and finally both third lines. Vince demonstrates with

Mycelia

mushrooms live forever like strange ghosts

do you know that people eat

—Draft by Vince Gotera    [Do not copy or quote . . . thanks.]

Here are the three different poems that we can read:

left side right side combined

mushrooms live forever like strange ghosts do you know that people eat mushrooms do live forever you know like strange ghosts that people eat

More information can be seen on Vince's blog HERE.


*****

Go HERE to see all the Hay(na)ku Variations possible. If you know more, let me know and I'll add to the list!

A RECOMMENDED POEM

I'm grateful to Melissa Studdard for recommending my poem "It's Curtains" in VIDA's series, "Voices of Bettering American Poetry 2015." The poem is one of the poems in my Marsh Hawk Press book, THE CONNOISSEUR OF ALLEYS.

Thank you, Melissa! What GREAT COMPANY to be noted in the company of works by Claudia Rankine, Kaveh Akbar, Lois P. Jones, Hafizah Geter, Jennifer Givhan, Pamela Uschuk, and Kamilah Aisha Moon.