ERASING "I FORGOT" (#1)

I posited I forgot. When I erase the "I forgot," does that mean I remember or never forgot? The difference between film and photograph? I am meta-meta-ing myself. When the eraser leaves, the paper still bears the marks of what was erased. I am meta-ing myself into the debris of marks. Perhaps dust or glitter. Perhaps poetry or not.

Thanks to curator Ian Whistle for giving "[Erasing 'I Forgot'] #1" a home at h&, a mag of visual poetry.

I am erasing -- and hopefully doing something more than just erasing -- the database-poem from my MURDER DEATH RESURRECTION project.

ADVENTURES WITH/AT BOOKSTORES

The most minor act of activism can be so exhausting!  Today, while at Copperfield Books bookstore, I noticed a donation display requesting books for COPE Family Center which is described as a place that “empowers parents with the support they need to manage times of crisis and challenging life events so their children can thrive academically, socially, emotionally and physically.”  Great idea, so I bought and donated to their bin A CHILD’S ANTHOLOGY OF POETRY edited by Elizabeth Hauge Sword.

I envisioned some kid or two getting their first exposure to poetry through this anthology, and that pleased me. But why was this “exhausting”? Because in going through the anthology’s table of contents, again there was little representation of poets of color … when it’s probable that much of the Center’s constituency may be kids of color.

When I read through Sword’s introduction, she had mentioned that the idea came up partly because there was a dearth of such books when she had to look for such for her son, then in second grade (if my memory is correct on my skimmed read). I believe her, so I bought the book.

But wouldn’t it be great – and time – if such a book also was crafted with the readers of color in mind? Not to say all of that book’s poets need to be POC—William Carlos Williams’ “The Red Wheelbarrow” can certainly speak to readers regardless of their race.  But certainly enough poets of color can be presented, too…  Yes, exhausting to belabor this point.

But does such an anthology exist? I don’t usually pay attention to children’s literature so I don’t know.

AND this incident also is reminding me of when I once judged a teen poetry contest. The prize books were ALL by white males … when a majority of the contestants were Hispanic and female.  I spoke up then, but also resented having to speak up again on what would seem to me to be such an obvious point (as I noted then, “You do know that the country’s Poet Laureate is Hispanic, so it's not like alternative books don't exist?” (Juan Felipe Herrera, at the time, was the Laureate).)

*****

Partly to release the incidents’ bad taste, do let me share why I was in a bookstore this afternoon. While running errands, I deliberately included a bookstore stop because I’m in the middle of reading Shaun Bythell’s memoir THE DIARY OF A BOOKSELLER. I am wallowing in this book, relishing every word and hoping it’ll never end. It’s a book I would shamelessly replicate one day if I ever did the condition precedent of operating a bookstore. Basically it’s the daily diary of a bookseller, including daily sales. You start reading it long enough and you get into a meditative zone formed by mundane but somehow not tedious details of running a bookshop. I’ll post excerpts below … but in honor of this wonderful book, I decided to give some business to the nearest bookstore. Hopefully, Copperfields also stocks Bythell’s book as it is wonderful!

(Click on all images to enlarge)

"FLIP-FLOP HAY(NA)KU"

"Flip-Flop Hay(na)ku" is Vince Gotera's term for a chained hay(na)ku (more than one stanza) where the form alternates between 1 / 2 / 3 words to 3 / 2 / 1 words and so on.  Here's one inspired by today's morning views:

WRITING / YOUR OWN / REALITY: "GOOD MORNING!"

Write

avoid falling

off the mountain

to avoid falling

off the

mountain

Speaking of hay(na)ku, there's still time to send 1-3 hay(na)ku poems to the 15th Anniversary Anthology Celebration: HAY(NA)KU 15!  Deadline is end of February, and there's more information at https://eileenrtabios.com/haynaku/haynaku-15-call-for-submissions/

GALATEA'S BOOKSTORE SERIES

The Kindle is lying dusty in some forgotten corner of the house. I love books too much to be able to trade their form for a computer pad. Which is to say, I LOVE BOOKSTORES!

Which is to say, Galatea Resurrects is starting up a "Bookstore-Related Series." Send essays, poems, fiction etc. about bookstores and we'd be happy to feature it!

Previously-published works are okay (we'll provide acknowledgements) as long as they are not yet online.

Email: Eileen Tabios at galateaten@gmail.com

Here's a photo of one of my favorite bookstores, Main Street Books in Saint Helena -- it's tiny, but with a huge impact!

FIRST 2018 EDITION OF GALATEA RESURRECTS!

You can see it HERE, but replicating it below for convenience:

JANUARY 2018

Galatea Resurrects is accepting engagements with poetry projects such as reviews, book introductions (or forewords prefaces or afterwords) not currently online, coverage of poetry events, and other engagements in any form (e.g. letters, poems, art, etc. in response to poetry).

You can review any poetry project. Book and chapbook review copies are available HERE. Reviews are not limited to recent releases as we believe Poetry is eternal. You can even review some beloved book that's long stayed on one of your bookshelves!

Email for queries and sending reviews: galateaten at gmail dot com

Eileen Tabios
Editor, Galatea Resurrects

CONTENTS

Click on title-links to be directed to the review or article

JANUARY
POEMS & OTHER CREATIONS INSPIRED / INFORMED BY JOSE GARCIA VILLA
(1/23)
Ten Poems by Luis H. Francia
A Rendition of "Lyric 17" in RIGODON, a film by Sari Lluch Dalena and Keith Sicat starring Joel Torre, Chin-Chin Gutierrez, and Art Acuna
"Dream" by Marton Koppany
"The Buzzard" and "The Giant in the Dirty Coat" by Jesse Glass
Tattoo by John Bloomberg-Rissman
Two Artworks by Cecilia Ibardaloza
Three Collages by Rupert Loydell
"[There, demons, demagogue]" by Nick Carbó
"The Secret Life of an Angel" by Eileen R. Tabios
Writing-Prompt responses by Prof. Rupert Loydell's students at Falmouth University

Transnational BattleField by Heriberto Yépez and Miximum Ca’ Canny: The Sabotage Manuals by Ida Börjel, Translated by Jennifer Hayashida

Reviewed by T.C. Marshall (1/22)

like a solid to a shadow by Janice Lobo Sapigao
Engaged by Eileen Tabios (1/21)

A Change of Climate edited by Sam Illingworth and Dan Simpson

Engaged by Helen Mort (1/20)

Albedo by Kathleen Jesme
Reviewed by Neil Leadbeater (1/19)

The End of Something by Kate Greenstreet
Reviewed by Judith Roitman (1/18)

upROUTE: The Language of Plates and NOTES ON THE SIGN OF POETRY: ADDENDUM & PRINTS, both by Sacha Archer
Engaged by Eileen Tabios (1/17)

LOSSES OF LIFE by Eric Hoffman
Reviewed by Paul Pines (1/16)

A WIFE IS A HOPE CHEST by Christine Brandel
Engaged by Eileen Tabios (1/15)

Publications by Scott MacLeod, Philip Whalen, Jim Leftwich, Olive Blackburn, Lyn Hejinian, Brandon Brown, and Anonymous
Engaged by Scott MacLeod (1/14)

I BOUGHT POETRY IN 2017

An outstanding read: Leona Chen's BOOK OF CORD

Purchased poetry publications are not the primary source of my poetry reading. But I did find this list of 134 poetry titles—poetry collections or other genres but authored by a poet—in 2017. I know it's an incomplete list, but here's what I know I bought:

ALL OUR NAMEABLE DAYS: POEMS REVISITED by Gemino H. Abad

WHERE NO WORDS BREAK: NEW POEMS AND PAST by Gemino H. Abad

MY MOTHER TONGUE by Rose Alcala

STEP BELOW: SELECTED POEMS 2000-2015 by William Allegrezza

AFTER IRA AFTER HARVEY by Ivy Alvarez, Mary Kasimor, Agnes Marton, Lisa Melnick and Eileen Tabios

A MANUAL FOR NOTHING by Jessica Anne (Noemi Press Subscription)

BREEZEWAY: NEW POEMS by John Ashbery

QUICK QUESTION: NEW POEMS by John Ashbery

SELF-PORTRAIT IN A CONVEXT MIRROR / HOUSEBOAT DAYS by John Ashbery

NATALITY by EG Asher (Noemi Press Subscription)

THE CLOTHES WE WEAR by Amelia Bande

KALI’S BLADE by Michelle Bautista

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

DEGRETS by Anselm Berrigan

COMPREHENDING MORTALITY by John Bloomberg-Rissman and Eileen R. Tabios

IF THEY HADN’T WORN WHITE HOODS, 8 MILLION WOULD HAVE SHOWN UP IN THE PHOTOGRAPHS by John Bloomberg-Rissman and Eileen R. Tabios

RESIST MUCH OBEY LITTLE edited by Michael Boughn Et Al.

FLOWERING MALL by Brandon Brown

NEAR: A LUMINESCENCE by Melissa Buzzeo

THE DIARY OF A BOOKSELLER by Shaun Bythell

BOOK OF CORD by Leona Chen

PROPOSED ADDITIONS by Donovan Kuhio Colleps

INTO ENGLISH: POEMS, TRANSLATIONS by Martha Collins

JEWELRY by Constance DeJong

AFTERLAND: POEMS by Mai Der Vang

DICTIONAR INTERCULTURAL AL REVISTEI / AN INTERCULTURAL DICTIONARY of Contemporary Literary Horizon, Edited by Daniel Dragomirescu

DISTANT ROAD: SELECTED POEMS OF NGUYEN DUY, Trans. by Kevin Bowen and Nguyen Ba Chung

ATOMS OF MUSES by Timothy Dyke

SUCCUBUS IN MY POCKET by kari edwards

FIELD GUIDE TO AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Melissa Eleftherion

CRUSHED by Trinidad Escobar

A.VASE by Alison Gibb

CLAIMING BREATH by Diane Glancy

CHARM FOR SURVIVORS, SELECTED PAINTED BOOKS & SEQUENCES by Jesse Glass

HOODLUM BIRDS by Eugene Gloria

TWENTY MOMENTS THAT CHANGED THE WORLD by John Goodman

ASHES AND SEEDS by Michelle Greenblatt

BRAIN: STORM by Michelle Greenblatt

ANYJAR by Jaimie Gusman

IN MAD LOVE AND WAR by Joy Harjo

GO WITH ME by Jared Hayes

UR-LYEH / AKLOPOLIOS by Paolo Javier, Listening Center (David Mason) & Fel Santos

A LUCENT FIRE: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS by Patricia Spears Jones

SISTA TONGUE by Lisa Linn Kanae

THE PROMETHEUS COLLAGE by Mary Kasimor

EKSTASIS by Kevin Killian and Peter Valente

THE GOSPEL OF REGICIDE by Eunsong Kim (Noemi Press Subscription)

BY DIAMOND HEAD by Hank Lazer

THE HATRED OF POETRY by Ben Lerner

EPHEMERA & ATMOSPHERES by Cheena Marie Lo

THE BEAUTIFUL by Dana Teen Lomax (Black Radish subscription)

THESE DAYS OF CANDY by Manuel Paul Lpez (Noemi Press Subscription)

PLAYING THE FORM by James Maughn

SUPERZEROIC by Nicole Mauro  (Black Radish subscription)

THE EXPERIMENTS [A LEGEND IN PICTURES & WORDS] by Rachel May

SAND OPERA by Philip Metres

A POETRY OF ELEPHANTS edited by Valerie Morton

From DAY by Fred Moten

ON LOST SHEEP by Shiro Murano, Trans. by Goro Takano

GHAZALS 1-59 AND OTHER POEMS by Sheila E. Murphy and Michelle Greenblatt

AFTERGLOW by Eileen Myles

From SOME GIRLS WALK INTO THE COUNTRY THEY ARE FROM Sawako Nakayasu

HOMMAGE A GUY by Bruno Neiva

APPLES & OTHER LANGUAGES by Camilla Nelson

YOU THEN A DANG by Hoa Nguyen

MUTED BLOOD by mónica teresa ortiz (Black Radish Subscription)

MANHATER by Danielle Pafunda

FOR WANT OF WATER AND OTHER POEMS by Sasha Pimentel

LITTLE ANODYNES by Jon Pineda

PENCIL LETTER by Irina Ratushinskaya

TIME PORTAL by Jai Arun Ravine and Greg Wood

FORGET IT by Anastacia Renee

INVOCATION TO DAUGHTERS by Barbara Jane Reyes

SCAFFOLDING by Elena Rivera

LEAVES OF CLASS by Kit Robinson

FINGERPRINTS OF A HUNGER STRIKE by Tony Robles

BROOKLYN ANTEDILUVIAN by Patrick Rosal

STATE OF EXILE, poems by Cristina Peri Rossi, trans. by Marilyn Buck

WOMAN HAND/PEN. by Zohra Saed

THE BOOK OF WHAT REMAINS by Benjamin Alire Saenz

SEARCHING FOR A MUSTARD SEED, memoir by Miriam Sagan

THE YEAR WE TURNED DRAGON by Metta Sama

FOREIGN NATIVE by Lisa Samuels (Black Radish Subscription)

OVER HEAR: SIX TYPES OF POETRY EXPERIMENT IN AOTEAROA/NEW ZEALAND by Lisa Samuels

TENDER GIRL by Lisa Samuels

LESSONS ON EXPULSION by Erika L. Sanchez

LIKE A SOLID TO A SHADOW by Janice Lobo Sapigao

DAWN by Jordan Scott

ENTANGLED BANK by James Sherry

THE ALPHABET by Ron Silliman

AUGURIES OF INNOCENCE by Patti Smith

PRIMATES FROM AN ARCHIPELAGO by Irene Suico Soriano

MOUTHS by Claire Marie Stancek (Noemi Press Subscription)

THE RESERVOIR by Donna Stonecipher

147 MILLION ORPHANS (MMXI-MML) by Eileen R. Tabios

AMNESIA: Somebody’s Memoir by Eileen R. Tabios

EVIDENCE OF FETUS DIVERSITY edited by Eileen R. Tabios

EXCAVATING THE FILIPINO IN ME by Eileen R. Tabios

IMMIGRANT: HAY(NA)KU & OTHER POEMS by Eileen R. Tabios

LOVE IN A TIME OF BELLIGERENCE by Eileen R. Tabios

MANHATTAN: An Archipelago by Eileen R. Tabios

MARAWI by Eileen Tabios & Albert E. Alejo

MENOPAUSAL HAY(NA)KU FOR P-GRUBBERS edited by Eileen R. Tabios

PUNETA: POLITICAL PILIPINX POETRY edited by Eileen R. Tabios

SILK EGG: COLLECTED NOVELS by Eileen R. Tabios

SUN STIGMATA (Sculpture Poems) by Eileen R. Tabios

TO BE AN EMPIRE IS TO BURN! by Eileen R. Tabios

WHAT SHIVERING MONKS COMPREHEND by The MDR Poetry Generator [ Eileen R. Tabios]

WINTER ON WALL STREET by Eileen R. Tabios

YOUR FATHER IS BALD: SELECTED HAY(NA)KU POEMS by Eileen R. Tabios

#EileenWritesNovel (Otoliths Issue 44, Part 3) by Eileen R. Tabios, editor Mark Young

YOU DA ONE by Jennifer Tamayo (Noemi Press Subscription)

PALM TO PINE by Sunnylyn Thibodeaux

PRE- by Barbara Tomash (Black Radish Subscription)

LIVING PIDGIN: CONTEMPLATIONS ON PIDGIN CULTURE by Lee A. Tonouchi

FRAMEWORK by Andrew Topel

VIRGINIA OR THE MUD-FLAP GIRL by Elizabeth Treadwell

CONSUMES ME by Cat Tyc

LANDSCAPE WITH YELLOW BIRDS by Jose Angel Valente, Trans. by Thomas Christensen

BEAST MERIDIAN by Vanessa Angelica Vallarreal (Noemi Press Subscription)

THE LADIES by Sara Veglahn (Noemi Press Subscription)

CORPOREAL by Jean Vengua

GAP GARDENING: SELECTED POEMS by Rosmarie Waldrop

CRAWLSPACE by Nikki Wallschlaeger

METRO BOOMIN WANT SOME MORE NIGGA by Simone White

SEA FEVER by Steve Willey

ELSA by Veronica Wong

THE WILD CHILDREN OF WILLIAM BLAKE, essays by John Yau

BLACKACRE by Monica Youn

WHERE’S MY RITSPIK by Lynn Young

SOME MORE STRANGE METEORITES by Mark Young

THE LAST LYRIC by Yu Xinqiao, Trans. by Yunte Huang

IF A FILIPINO WRITER READS DON QUIJOTE: THREE LECTURES by Alfred Yuson, Vicente G. Groyon and F. Sionil Jose

[] by Mina Zohal