Eileen R. Tabios is a poet working in multiple genres and in-between. She also loves books by writing, reading, publishing, critiquing, romancing and advocating for them. This blog will feature her bibliophilic activities with posts on current book engagements and links to her books and projects related to books.

Friday, January 25, 2019

SALAAM MATS, PAOLO MANALO


Mail del dia is the chap E IS FOR EPAL from Paolo Manalo of Jolography fame. I expected to laugh, and I did, at his fabulous wordplay... but when his brief collection must include a poem like “Annus Horribilis,” it just shows the direness of the current regime. The poet doesn’t turn eyes away, forcing humor to come harder and harder.












Thursday, January 17, 2019

ON INSURRECTO BY GINA APOSTOL

I've decided to review more fiction this year, part of the process of trying to finish my own novel. First for the year, my review of Gina Apostol's novel INSURRECTO is now up at The FilAm; here's an excerpt:
One of the most effective ways to enhance the effect of a joke or a witty remark is to underpin it with deep thoughtfulness; multiple layers of significance elongates resonance—it can make unforgettable a joke or other manifestation of humor. Apostol’s humor is so smart it seamlessly and often transitions to meta. For instance, “he laughs as if he has invented the act that will follow and that, soon enough, swallows him.” That’s a statement that can linger or come up unexpectedly as a recall, given its penetration as an observation. 
“Insurrecto’s” story is wide-ranging, thus, contains many dark elements because such is the 20th-21st century history of the Philippines. Apostol’s sense of humor helps us bear the darker aspects even as it highlights the darkness of such aspects ... 

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

CLAUDE NGUYEN DELIMITS MY SYNTAX

“The Limits of Syntax” is one of those poems I wrote and promptly forgot about because I’d written it off the cuff. Stride Magazine first published it in 2017 and then it was a Poem of the Day earlier this month at Central Coast Poetry Shows. You can see the text-poem HERE.  I’m glad it appeared at CCPS as it allowed stellar vispo poet Claude Nguyen to do something with it viz “rhythm and waving.” THANKS so much, Claude! Please go to his blog konkrete poesie to see, though I present image below:


 Curious, I asked Claude for a process note as regards his interpretation and he says (again, thank you!):

"It is a very spontaneous work, in general what touches me for the interpretation is the poetic lightness in front of the heaviness of the world, a force of the flight in some way. It is a very beautiful poem that I see as a clearing in the deep forest."

I’m so grateful that Claude has found a way into my poems. I believe we’ll be seeing more “translations” from him.




Sunday, January 6, 2019

COMING OUT DURING THE KOLKATA BOOKFAIR, 2019

I'm so pleased to be translated into Bengali in this way! From the co-editor's Facebook post:

ভাবনা-চিন্তার শুরু এক বছরের ও বেশি আগে। ২০১৮,ফেব্রুয়ারি,কলকাতা বইমেলার আকাশে তখন সন্ধ্যে ঘনাচ্ছে,কাফেতে আলাপরত আমরা তিন জন আর দুই মার্কিন কবি। প্রকল্পের বীজ রোপণ হল। তারপর গত একবছর ধরে নিরলস পরিশ্রমে নির্মিত হল এই  #অ_পর৩,কবিতার অতলান্তিক অনুসৃজন,প্রকাশিত হতে চলেছে ২০১৯-এর কলকাতা বইমেলায়। সমসাময়িক মার্কিন কাব্যজগতের ১২ জন প্রখ্যাত কবি এই অ্যান্থোলজিতে অংশগ্রহণ করলেন । হ্যাঁ,কারণ এটি সাধারণ আর পাঁচটি অনুবাদ বই এর মত নয় । কারণ কাজটি আমরা একা করিনি। কবিরা স্বতঃপ্রণোদিত হয়ে অংশগ্রহণ করেছেন এই প্রকল্পে। মুরাত নেমেত-নেজাত, চার্লস বার্ন্সটাইন, এইলিন আর তাবিওস, মেই-মেই বারসেনব্রাগি, মাইকেল বোওন, এলিজাবেথ উইল্‌স, জন ব্লুমবার্গ রিসম্যান, পিটার ভ্যালেন্টি, পিটার গিজ্জি, এইলিন মাইল্‌স, আদীনা কারাসিক, বব হোলম্যান এরা প্রত্যেকে নিজেরাও অংশগ্রহণ করেছেন। তাদের কাব্য ভাবনা,সমকালীন দুনিয়া ও শিল্প ও শিল্পীর সংযোগ,আরও বিবিধ জটিল ও সহজ প্রসঙ্গে তারা নিয়মিত মত বিনিময় করে গেছেন। এমনকি অনূদিত বাংলা ঠিক কি ও কতটা হলে কবিতার সঠিক ব্যঞ্জনা প্রকাশিত হবে,সে বিষয়েও তারা অংশগ্রহণ করেছেন। 
কারণ,আমরা আন্তর্জাতিক বাঙালী পাঠকের কাছে দায়বদ্ধ,ভাষার কাঁটাতার পেরিয়ে সঠিক কাজটি প্রকাশে। সমগ্র কাজটির সুচারু তত্ত্বাবধায়ক তুলনামূলক সাহিত্য নিয়ে নিরলস কাজ করে যাওয়া দুই অনুসন্ধিৎসু কবি রুণা বন্দ্যোপাধ্যায় এবং অরিত্র সান্যাল। সমস্ত প্রকল্পটির রূপায়ণে প্রধান ভূমিকায় ছিল মার্কিন কবিদের বাড়ানো আঙুলের স্পর্শ। বারোজন কবি ও দুই অনুসৃজকের হাত ধরে এবার প্রস্তুত এই অনুবাদ সাহিত্যের সীমাবদ্ধতা ভাঙার খেলা। 
কলকাতা বইমেলা,২০১৯এ  #ঐহিক প্রকাশ করছে অতলান্তিক কবিতাএ অনুসৃজন প্রকল্প 
#BRIDGABLE_LINES
#ব্রীজেবল_লাইনস
#অ_পর৩
মোড়ক ও পাঠ উন্মোচনে এবং সরাসরি পাঠকদের সাথে কথোপকথনে কলকাতা বইমেলায় উপস্থিত থাকবেন স্বয়ং মার্কিন কবিরা ও দুই বাংলার বিশিষ্ট কবিরা। 
প্রিয় কবিতাপ্রেমী পাঠক, সীমানাহীন কবিতার এই খেলাঘরে আপনাকে জানাই আমাদের সাদর আহ্বান।
প্রি অর্ডারের জন্য যোগাযোগ করুন ইনবক্সে।
in the Kolkata bookfair, 2018, we planned for a Transcreation project with 12 renowned contemporary American poetry most of whom are being translated in Bengali for the very first time. Bridgeable Lines: কবিতার অতলান্তিক অনুসৃজন is scheduled to be published this Kolkata International Bookfair, Feb, 2019. Two Bengali poets Runa Bandyopadhyay and Aritra Sanyal were editing and transcreating for this Anthology. We feel lucky to have interacted with some of the finest minds functioning in the genre of poetry. We personally thank Murat Nemet-Nejat, Charles Bernstein, Adeena Karasick, Peter Gizzi, Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge, Eileen R Tabios, Peter Valente, Elizabeth Willis, John Bloomberg Rissman, Michael Boughn, Eileen Myles, Bob Hollman for being with us throughout the transcreation project. Now Dear Readers, our heartiest welcome to you to take the roll of the main actor to complete the Poet-Poetry-Reader triangle.
প্রচ্ছদ নির্ঝর নৈঃশব্দ্য
coverঃ NiRJHOR NOISHOBDYO(BANGLADESH)



Translated are poems from my Menage a Trois With the 21st Century. I'm glad as I've long thought that book deserves all of its exposure.







Saturday, January 5, 2019

ON WRITING ABOUT A PARENT'S DEATH


Someone asked me about writing about/in response to a parent's death. I replied, then thought to share my thoughts:
For me, I wrote an entire book concurrent with my time at my Dad’s death bed. And yet I am speechless over my Mom’s death. So perhaps I would note two words: urgency and constraint. While I actually was 2nd-guessing whether I should be using my Dad’s death as “material,” I felt helpless against the urgency that made me write – like, I had to write the grief out of me (as if that was possible). Then, as it turned out, that book, THE LIGHT SANG AS IT LEFT YOUR EYES, became one of my more successful ones even as paradoxically it was my rawest writing to date. Some of the most meaningful responses to my work are in response to that book – specifically how it helped other readers with their parents’ passage. So feel out the urgency/necessity of writing as an ethic, if you will, on writing about something like your Dad’s passing.   
As for constraint, especially if you took notes, it may be helpful to create a constraint as an organizing element for those noted thoughts. My favorite poem by Barbara Jane Reyes is one she wrote re her father’s death … and its organization presents a 24-hour day unfolding and she uses time of day to begin writing (not saying Barbara consciously used constraint-based methodology but I see the poem as a successful example of what I suggest—to come up with a (more objective) organizing principle that would help harness what I’m sure must be very emotional thoughts that you’ve noted. You can see Barbara’s poem  at https://aaww.org/the-day-barbara-jane-reyes/ 
As for writing about my Mom, it’s been about 7 years. And I can’t. And that’s okay.


A parent's death is tough. I share in case these thoughts are useful to someone ...


Tuesday, January 1, 2019

THE NOVEL FITBIT

Writing, or perhaps any form of art-making, can seem to be such an opaque process until the art itself is made. That’s why I’ve enjoyed using the 2 mundane tasks of listing and counting to address my behavior as a poet last year. This year is for my long-form novel, The 1,146th Fairy Tale (first draft done and so editing/rewriting begins), and my daily Facebook posts will look like my first below (except mostly without illustration). The posts act as markers for myself, made public so as to increase pressure on myself to produce (this is just how I roll).

(While this novel is not finished, I did finish a book about writing it because I dig that meta; I’m forever grateful to Otoliths for publishing that manuscript as a special issue of the magazine.) So, here's my inaugural Fitbit for the novel:

1/1/2019: FOR THE NOVEL, TODAY

I filed away a lot of poetry.
I organized my print-outs of the novel’s first draft.
I organized my desk to give first priority to the novel over other literary projects (by stacking the manuscript on far left corner of the desk; the more urgent a project, the more it’s located on desk as leftist).







MY RELISHED READS OF 2018


What I know about my 2019 Reading is that poetry will drop drastically and fiction (and better-quality fiction) will rise to reflect my year-long goal to finish editing a novel-in-progress. Meanwhile, in 2018 I read 429 publications as follows:

Poetry or Other Genre by Poets: 347
Art: 15
Fiction: 40
Others: 27

The numbers reflect a decrease from 2017, though 2017’s numbers were inflated from reading manuscripts for two poetry contests. But even with said inflation, my poetry reading dropped, and I suspect it’s because I shifted a lot more attention to the visual arts (including setting up a new gallery). Here’s a comparison with 2017 reading

Poetry or Other Genre by Poets: 606 
Art: 7 
Fiction: 35 
Others: 12 

[Notes are not comprehensive; I've got some parenthetical thoughts but it doesn't mean anything if I'm silent on the book.]


POETRY & OTHER GENRES BY POETS
3 Poetry Manuscripts

99: THE NEW MEANING, poetry by Walter Abish

A THOUSAND EYES, poems by Jim Pascual Agustin

WINGS OF SMOKE, poems by Jim Pascual Agustin

LIFE LINES, poems by Julia Carter Aldrich

I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO SING, poems by Alexis Almeida

SELECTED POEMS by Merlie M. Alunan

2068, visual poetry by Sacha Archer (enchanting)

AUTOPSY REPORT, poems by Sacha Archer

DETOUR, poems by Sacha Archer

MEMORY by Sacha Archer (evocative)

NOTES ON THE SIGNS OF POETRY: ADDENDUM AND PRINTS by Sacha Archer (wonderful!)

PHILOSOPHY, visual poetry by Sacha Archer

TSK OOMPH, visual poetry by Sacha Archer (fabuloso!)

UPROUTE: THE LANGUAGE OF PLATES, poetry by Sacha Archer (immensely satisfying)

WRITING IN THE ETHER, poems by Catherine Arra

NATALITY, poems by E.G. Asher

SELECTED STARS, visual poetry by The Asterisk Machine, as selected by Joakim Norling

NAME AMEN, visual poetry by Aditya Bahl

LETTERS FROM THE UNDERWORLD, poems by Alan Baker (timely and eternal at the same time. Wonderful contemporary lyrics)

GASOLINE HEART, poems by Shannon Barber

OUT-OF-OFFICE, chap anthology of poems by Christina Barreiro, Lindsey Hoover, Fatima Lundy, Rupert McCranor, Kayla Park, Chrissy Ramkarran Asiya Wadud, and Rachael Wilson

BLUE PLANET MEMOIRS, poems by Joseph Barrett

AUTOBIOGRAPHY / ANTI-AUTOBIOGRAPHY, poems by Jennifer Bartlett (a powerful read. I much valued this reading)

GREEN MIDNIGHT, poems by Stuart Bartow

ALL SOUL PARTS RETURNED, poems by Bruce Beasley

OLAS CURSIS, poems by John M. Bennett

GENERALLY, SIR, A DISQUIETING SITUATION, a visual poetry collaboration between Bill Berkson and Michael Goldberg

TO THE BREAK OF DAWN, poems by Oscar Bermeo (moving and wonderful)

SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, poems by Anselm Berrigan

HOUSEWORK, poems by Susan Birchenough

A WOMAN WITHOUT A COUNTRY, poems by Eagan Boland

DEAR READER, poems by Bruce Bond

TALES RETOLD, poems by Paula Bonnell

THE MIRACULOUS COURAGEOUS, poems by Josh Booton

DETACHED PALACE GARDEN, poems by Harold Bowes

A HANDBOOK OF DISAPPOINTED FATE, essays and poetics by Anne Boyer

FIREWORKS, poems by Jules Boykoff

A WIFE IS A HOPE CHEST, poems by Christine Brandel

BORN IN THE YEAR OF THE BUTTERFLY KNIFE, poems by Derrick C. Brown

YOU ENVELOP ME, poems by Laynie Browne

COTERIES., poems by Prudence Bussey-Chamberlain (witty, funny and amusing)

DEFENSE OF THE IDOL, poems by Omar Caceres, Trans. by Monica De La Torre (awesome!)

LYCANTHROPY by Petrus Borel, Trans. by Joseph Carter, Olchar E. Lindsann, Raymond E. Andre III and W.J. Robertson

CLAP FOR ME THAT’S NOT ME, poems by Paola Capo-Garcia

THE PINK HOUSE OF PURPLE YAM PRESERVES & OTHER POEMS by Aileen I. Cassineto

THISTLES, poems and illustrations by Jack Cassinetto

AT YOUR FEET, poems by Ana Cristina Cesar, Trans. by Brenda Hillman and Helen Hillman with Sebastiao Edson Macedo, Edited by Katrina Dodson

HUMORS, poems by Joel Chace

ÉMIGRÉ, poems by Geneve Chao

TUNSIYA AMRIKIYA, poems by Leila Chatti

DISTANCE TRAVELED by Michael Chin

OF ANNUNCIATIONS, poems by Ewa Chrusciel

CRUDE ANGEL, poems by Suzanne Cleary

FLUNG THRONE, poems by Cody-Rose Clevidence

FATE NEWS, poems by Norma Cole

BORROWED DRESS, poems by Cathy Colman

TWO OR THREE THINGS ABOUT DESIRE, poems by Conchitina Cruz (excellent … and made me think of Sawako Nakayasu …)

CLOSE APART, poems by Robert Cowan

CAL EXIT, poems by Romeo Cruz

SCORCH MARKS, poems by Jon Curley

CHICKEN WHISPERER, poems by Steve Dalachinsky

WHERE NIGHT AND DAY BECOME ONE: THE FRENCH POEMS 1983-2017 by Steve Dalachinsky

WHITE DECIMAL, poems by Jean Daive, Trans. from the French by Norma Cole

BOOK OF CURSES (Asian American Literary Review) edited by Lawrence-Minh Bui Davis and Gerald Maa

PERMAFROST, poems by Michael Dec

PEMINOLOGY, poems by Melinda Luisa de Jesus (fun and fierce)

WOEMAN, poems by T. De Los Reyes (powerful)

INSIDE SONG, poems by Steve Dickison

SPOKES OF AN UNEVEN WHEEL, poems by Colin Dodds

REVELATION: THE VISPO BIBLE by Amanda Earl (brilliant. LPR #286)

THE VISPO BIBLE - ROMANS, visual poetry by Amanda Earl

THE BOOK OF RUTH, vispo by Amanda Earl (brilliant as well!)

QUARTET, poems by C. Violet Eaton

LIFE MOVES OUTSIDE, poems by Barbara Einzig

PRESENCE OF LIFE, poems by Empedocles/Brad Inwood and translated by Eric Hoffman

UNDERSCORE, poems by K.S. Ernst and Sheila E. Murphy

THE WEATHER IN NORMAL by Carrie Etter (poignant, intelligent and worthwhile reading)

FROM THE FILES OF THE IMMANENT FOUNDATION, poems by Norman Finkelstein

ON A TRAIN AT NIGHT, poems by Norman Fischer

THE STRUGGLERS, poems by Norman Fischer

UNTITLED SERIES: LIFE AS IT IS, poems by Norman Fischer

THIS WINDOW MAKES ME FEEL, poems by Robert Fitterman (evoked for me Jason Magabo Perez and Nicholson Baker)

THE HEARKENING EYE, poems by Hildegarde Flanner (poems that stand the test of time; a satisfying read)

ANCHOR WHAT, visual poetry by Vernon Frazer

DEFINITIONS OF OBSCURITY, poems by Vernon Frazer & Michelle Greenblatt

NORTH WAS HERE, poems with drawings and photographs by Ellie Ga (fabulous)

THIRTEEN WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE BUS, poems by Gizelle Gajelonia (witty and moving)

BE WITH, poems by Forrest Gander

BAPTISM, MARRIAGE…, introductions by Simon “The Mapah” Ganneau

ON SUMMER SOLSTICE ROAD, poems by Jerry Garcia

A DOG LOST IN THE BRICK CITY OF OUTLAWED TREES, poems by Geoffrey Gatza (an inventive premise!)

HOY / TODAY, poems by Juan Gelman, Trans. by Lisa Rose Bradford (splendid. LinkedInPoetryRecommendation (LPR) #281)

A MAP AND ONE YEAR, poems by Karen L. George

COMING EVENTS (COLLECTED WRITINGS) by Susan Gevirtz

TRAVELING CLUSTER: POEMS IN ITALY by David Giannini

MOTHER MOTHER YOU ARE WHO I LOVE, poems by Aracelis Girmay

THE SPIDERS, poems by Jody Gladding

ALPHABET FOR THE ENTRANTS, poems by Vasilisk Gnedov

NO BUDU PLEASE, poems by Wingston Gonzalez, Trans. Urayoan Noel

ALL THAT HELD US, poems by Henrietta Goodman

IS THAT THE SOUND OF A PIANO COMING FROM SEVERAL HOUSES DOWN?, poems by Noah Eli Gordon

AN ABSENCE SO GREAT AND SPONTANEOUS IT IS EVIDENCE OF LIGHT, poems by Anne Gorrick

MY BEAUTY IS AN OCCUPIABLE SPACE, poems by Anne Gorrick & John Bloomberg-Rissman

THE SOLUBLE HOUR, poems by Hillary Gravendyk

BRAIN : STORM, poems by Michelle Greenblatt

SUBTERRANEAN, poems by Richard Greenfield

FUCK CANCER POEMS by Michael Grover

ORIENT, poems by Nicholas Gulig

BARDS FROM THE FAR EAST: ANTHOLOGY OF HAIKU & KINDRED VERSES, organized by Carolyn Gutierrez-Abanggan et al

BRAIN FEVER, poems by Kimiko Hahn

GOD WAS RIGHT, poems by Diana Hamilton

NOTES ON WOLVES AND RUIN, poems by Christine Hamm

LIKE A FAT GOLD WATCH: MEDITATIONS ON SYLVIA PLATH AND LIVING edited by Christine Hamm

IN MAD LOVE AND WAR, poems by Joy Harjo

OF SOME SKY, poems by Joseph Harrington

THE TRYST OF THETICA ZORG, poems by Daniel Y. Harris

THE COORDINATES OF DOUBT, poems by Daniel Y. Harris and Rupert M. Loydell

BRIDGE OF THE WORLD, poetry by Roberto Harrison

AN INSTANT OF FLIGHT, poems by Anne Heide

THE POETRY PROJECT Newsletter, Feb./March 2018 edited by Marwa Helal

WHAT PAIN DOES, poems by Megan D. Henson with photographs by J. Michael Skaggs)

ORANGE, poems by Christine Herzer (accomplished and (paradoxically) charming)

OF DEATH. MINIMAL ODES, poems by Hilda Hilst, Trans. Laura Cesarce Eglin

THE BEAUTY, poems by Jane Hirshfield

AGE OF GLASS by Anna Maria Hong (brilliant and pleasurable to read-and-pronounce poems! LPR #278)

ALL THE SPECTRAL FRACTURES, poems by Mary A. Hood

SECRET OF BREATH, poems by Isabelle Baladine Howald, Trans. by Elena Rivera

PALOMA, poems by Jennifer E. Hudgens

THE BUDDHA WONDERS IF SHE IS HAVING A MID-LIFE CRISIS, poems by Luisa A. Igloria

IF GOD WERE GENTLE, poems by D.R. James

SOME OTHER KIND OF MISSION, poems by Lisa Jarnot

POEMS: NEW AND SELECTED by Jane Joritz-Nakagawa

WOMEN: POETRY: MIGRATION, poetry anthology edited by Jane Joritz-Nakagawa

BLUE BIRDS AND RED HORSES, poems by Inna Kabysh, Trans. by Katherine E. Young

A CLEFT IN THE ROCK, poems by Marc Kaminsky

FINDING ITHACA, poems by Phyllis Beck Katz (moving and worthwhile read)

NOS, poems by Aby Kaupang and Matthew Cooperman

SCREWBALL, poetry/art by Anne Kawala, Trans. by Kit Schluter

ULULATION, poems by Robert Keith

Y'OL by Birhan Keskin, Translated by Murat Nemet-Nejat (in manuscript; see above blurb)

GOSPEL OF REGICIDE, poems by Eunsong Kim

BODY & GLASS, poems by Rodney Koeneke

DECLIVITIES, poems by Irene Koronas

WAKE ME WHEN IT’S OVER: SELECTED POEMS OF BILL KUSHNER edited by Peter Bushyeager

NIGHT SEASON, poems by Mark Lamoreaux (ditto, i.e. luminous and moving)

HARTE, poems by Sade LaNay

THE BODY GHOST, poems by Joseph Lease (luminous and moving)

MITOCHONDRIAL NIGHT, poems by Ed Bok Lee

SOUND RITUALS, poems by Jim Leftwich & billy bob beamer

TRES TRESSS TRISSS TRIEESSS TRIL TRILSSSS: TRANSMUTATIONS OF CESAR VALLEJO, poems by Jim Leftwich

WORDS ON EDGE, poems by Michael Leong (fabulous! LPR #283)

FABLE OF THE PACK-SADDLE CHILD, poetry by Mia Leonin and illustrations by Nereida Garcia Ferraz

FOUR CUT-UPS or THE CASE OF THE RESTORED VOLUME, poems by David Lespiau, Trans. by Keith Waldrop

ALL OF THE REAL TEARS, poems by erica lewis

PHENOMENOLOGY OF THE FERAL by Julia Rose Lewis (outstanding and impressive. LPR #275)

ZOOM, poems by Susan Lewis

THIRSTY BONES, poems by Sarah Lilius

PROFANITY POEMS by Olchar E. Lindsann

DOUBLED RADIANCE: POETRY & PROSE OF LI QUINGZHAO, Trans. by Karen An-Hwei Lee

THESE DAYS OF CANDY, poems by Manuel Paul Lopez

HOUSES / STRIPPED, poems by Paola Loreto, Trans. by Lawrence Venuti

GODDESS OF DEMOCRACY, poems by Henry Wei Lung

SOME BEHEADINGS, poems by Aditi Machado

THE JAGUAR THAT PROWLS OUR DREAMS, poems by Mary Mackey

THE MIRRORED SPECTRUM: VERSIONS OF BIDEL, poems by Robin Magowan

STET, poems by Dora Malech

BRASILIA, poems by Monica Manolachi and Neil Leadbeater

SINING IN THE O OF NOT, poems by Djelloul Marbrook

THE LONELINESS OF SHAPE, poems by Djelloul Marbrook

THE SEAS ARE DOLPHINS’ TEARS, poems by Djelloul Marbrook

SWOLE, poems by Jerika Marchan

NIDORS, visual poetry by Colin Lee Marshall (intelligent and thought-provoking)

EROTOPLASTY 1, literary journal edited by Colin Marshall

SAFE HOUSE COMPROMISED, poems by Agnes Marton

LISTENING TO RED, visual poetry by Dona Mayoora (fabulous! LPR #285)

SIGNS OF OUR DISCONTENT, visual poetry by Arnold McBay and Gregory Betts

SNOW DAY, poems by Rob McLennan (wonderful!)

WILD HORSES, poems by rob mclennan

RED HOT SON ETTES, poems by jim mccrary

SARAJEVO BLUES, poetry-as-world by Semezdin Mehmedinovic, Trans. by Ammiel Alcalay (what poetry should be LPR #279)

THE DISPLACED VOICE, poetics by Iman Mersal

FAWNING, poems by Edric Mesmer

BABY, I DON’T CARE, poems by Chelsey Minnis

REASON’S DREAM, poems by Roger Mitchell

STEREO(TYPE), poems by Jonah Mixon-Webster

PLACE-DISCIPLINE, poems by Jose-Luis Moctezuma

BEAUTY REFRACTED, poems by Carol Moldaw

THE IDENTITY THIEF, poems by Derek Mong

LANGUAGE IS A REVOLVER FOR TWO, poems by Mario Montalbetti, Trans. Clare Sullivan

FANBOYS: POEMS ABOUT TEACHING AND LEARNING by Lani T. Montreal

SWEET HERBACEOUS MIRACLE, poems by Berwyn Moore

FEELING UPON ARRIVAL, poems by Saretta Morgan

SOMEONE IS BREATHING, poems by J. Morris

LEVON HELM, poems by Jason Morris

UNFINISHED SKETCHES OF A REVOLUTION, poems by Brane Mozetic (MAGNIFICENT. LPR #284)

TONOPAH & TIDEWATERRR, visual poetry by J. Mulcahy-King

DAY COUNTER, poems by Sara Mumolo

SYNONYM FOR HOME, poems by Michelle Murphy (wonderful)

LETTERS TO UNFINISHED J., poems by Sheila E. Murphy (replete with fabulous, gorgeous lines)

REPORTING LIVE FROM YOU KNOW WHERE, poems by Sheila E. Murphy (fabulous. Winner of The Hay(na)ku Poetry Book Prize)

DRAFTS, FRAGMENTS AND POEMS: THE COMPLETE POETRY OF JOAN MURRAY, edited by Farnoosh Fathi

ICON, poems by David Mutschlecner

TM, visual poetry by MWPAM (wonderful)

HURRY HOME HONEY, poems by Sawako Nakayasu

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

NOT THAT I KNOW WHERE I’M GOING, poems by Elinor Nauen

ARCHAEOLOGY, poems by Paul Naylor

EARLY EXITS, poems by KB Nemcosky (I love NYC memoirs and KB Nemcosky's is moving, steeped with music, wonderfully-detailed by someone who knows how to pay attention, and a searing indictment of our times by manifesting Colin Whitehead's posture: "You are a New Yorker when what was there before is more real and solid than what is here now.")

RISK : : NO BALANCE, poems by Laura Neuman

OCEANIC, poems by Aimee Nezhukumatathil

DIKTER PA SVENSKA, poems by Claude Nguyen

GHOST OF, poems by Diana Khoi Nguyen

THE PILIPINX RADICAL IMAGINATION READER, poetry, prose and art edited by Melissa-Ann Nievera-Lozano and Anthony Abulencia Santa Ana

EXPERIENCE IN GROUPS, poems by Geoffrey O’Brien

THE BLUE HILL, poems by Geoffrey O’Brien

THE OBU MANIFESTOS

SALVAGE, poems by Cynthia Dewi Oka

GESTURES, poems by Artis Ostups, Trans. by Jayde Will (evocative, intelligent, moving)

[REUNIFICATION IN PROGRESS], poetry card-broadside by lars palm

[LUKAO], poetry by Craig Santos Perez

THIS IS FOR THE MOSTLESS, poems by Jason Magabo Perez

MESSAGE, poems by Fernando Pessoa, Trans. by Christopher Foster

CONTINUOUS FRIEZE BORDERING RED, poems by Michelle Naka Pierce

FOR WANT OF WATER, poems by Sasha Pimentel (it’s only her 2nd collection yet I’m tempted to call it a “breakthrough” when comparing it to her first. Part of its marvelous effect is the poet reaching far beyond the personal self)

A FURNACE IN THE SHADOWS: SELECTED POEMS by Paul Pines (marvelous!)

LEAVING THE SHADOWS BEHIND US, poems by Elmer Omar Bascos Pizo (in manuscript)

MAN PRAYING, poems by Donald Platt (I rarely ascribe courage to another poet's work (even for wonderful work). But the matter of bravery came up in my read of Donald Platt's MAN PRAYING, and it was not just refreshing but bolstering. A feat. LPR #282)

DIARY, poems by Liliana Ponce

ORPHIC NOISE, poems by Patrick Pritchett

OBSCENITY FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF POETRY, poems by kathryn l. pringle

LIGHT WIND LIGHT LIGHT, poems by Bin Ramke

TROPICAL LANDSCAPE WITH TEN HUMMINGBIRDS, poems by Greg Rappleye

TIME PORTAL, poems by Jai Arun Ravine and Greg Wood

BILL, poems by Bill Rector

BIOGRAPHY OF A NAME, poems by Bill Rector

BRIEF CANDLES, poems by Bill Rector

DATA PRIMER, poems by Marthe Reed

THE SUPPOSIUM: THOUGHT EXPERIMENTS & POETHICAL PLAY IN DIFFICULT TIMES edited by Joan Retallack

FIRST AWAKENINGS: THE EARLY POEMS OF LAURA RIDING (a treat. Important for understanding the achievement of she who renounced poetry)

SHADOWBOXING, poems by Joseph Rios

THE DRUNKARDS by LM Rivera

STARLINGS, poems by Lisa Robertson

RUMOR by Elizabeth Robinson (perhaps my favorite among her poetry collections. Intimately piercing work. Adore its both rapture and ruptured self. LPR #280)

THREE NOVELS, poems by Elizabeth Robinson

GHOST OPERA, poems by Mercedes Roffe, Trans. by Judith Filc

FEED ME WEIRD THINGS, poems by Lisa Rogal

ROSWELL by Judith Roitman

NO RIGHT WORDS, poems by Rod Roland

FOR HUNGER, poems by Margaret Ronda

COUNTER-DESECRATION: A GLOSSARY FOR WRITING WITHIN THE ANTHROPOCENE edited by Linda Russo and Marthe Reed

THE BOOK OF WHAT REMAINS, poems by Benjamin Alire Saenz

THE YEAR WE TURNED DRAGON, poems by Metta Sama

FOREIGN NATIVE, poems by Lisa Samuels

LESSONS ON EXPULSION, poems by Erika L. Sanchez (the poet was onnnnn!)

TULA, poems by Chris Santiago

FREE  LETTERS, visual poetry by Petra Schulze-Wollgast

IVY, poems by Collin Schuster (in manuscript)

HEAVY SUBLIMATION, poems by Leonard Schwartz

LOVE POEMS FROM HELL by Zvi A. Sesling (funny. Lines like “I will send hot lava for you” or “At last you left / and gone you left / your teeth / which I will scatter / in the wind”)

WAR ZONES, poems by Zvi A. Sesling

CHILD WITH A SWAN’S WINGS, poems by Daniel Shapiro

CLOUDS RUNNING IN, poems by Kim Shuck

PAPER FILM: PROTECT THE REAL, poetry letter/broadside by Eleni Sikelianos

FARNESSITY, poems by Randee Silv

ORLANDO, poems by Sandra Simonds

FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH PLEASURE, poems by Sandra Simonds

AMERICAN LETTERS: WORKS ON PAPER, poetry and art by Giovanni Singleton (a really nifty project)

FLYOVER COUNTRY, poems by Austin Smith

CRUEL FUTURES, poems by Carmen Gimenez Smith

POCKET GUIDE TO ANOTHER EARTH, poems by Mike Smith

DAY IN, DAY OUT, poems by Simon Smith

WHEREAS, poems by Layli Long Soldier (powerful, moving, elegant and inspiring)

PRIMATES FROM AN ARCHIPELAGO, poems by Irene Suico Soriano

MOUTHS, poems by Claire Marie Stancek

OIL SPILL, poems by Claire Marie Stancek

A**A*A*A, poems by Heidi Lynn Staples

THEN & AGAIN, poems by Catherine Stearns

GENIZAH, poems by Jakob Stein

WHEN THEN, poems by Gerd Stern

UNFRAGMENTED, poems by Janet C. Mendoza Stickmon

ANNE WITH AN E & ME, poems by Wesley St. Jo

ALL WE HAVE IS OUR VOICE, poems by Carole Stone

THE RESERVOIR, poems by Donna Stonecipher (superb)

THE ROAD ITSELF, poems by Aralee Strange

THE WET MOTORCYCLE: Selected Writings by Gregory Vincent St. Thomasino

LEFT HAND DHARMA, poems by Belinda Subraman

HIRAETH: TERCETS FROM THE LAST ARCHIPELAGO, poems by Eileen R. Tabios

TANKA, VOL. 1, poems by Eileen R. Tabios

MURDER DEATH RESURRECTION: A POETRY GENERATOR by Eileen R. Tabios

ONE TWO THREE: SELECTED HAY(NA)KU poems by Eileen R. Tabios with Spanish translations by Rebeka Lembo

HAY(NA)KU 15 edited by Eileen R. Tabios

EVIDENCE OF FETUS DIVERSITY, poetry + 1 anthology edited by Eileen R. Tabios

HUMANITY, VOL. 1 edited by Eileen R. Tabios

YOU DA ONE (2nd Ed.), poems by Jennif(f)er Tamayo

ARBOREAL, poems by Barbara Tomash

EAST SLOPE, poems by Su Shi, Trans. by Jeffrey Yang

JUST LET ME HAVE THIS, poems by Heather Sweeney

SEA SUMMIT, poems by Yi Lu, Trans. by Fiona Sze-Lorrain

TAKE TWO: FILM STUDIES, poems by Susan Terris

OCEAN PLASTIC, poems by Orchid Tierney

THREADS OF EXECUTION, poems by Orchid Tierney

PRE-, poems by Barbara Tomash

XOETEOX, poems by Edwin Torres

CRUEL FICTION, poems by Wendy Trevino

HERESWAY, poems by Sam Truitt

STORM OF HOPE, poems by Leila Tualla

MODERN JAPANESE TANKA edited by Makoto Ueda (fabulous. LPR #277)

WIRE SCULPTURES, poems by Lawrence Upton

ESL, OR YOU WEREN’T HERE, poems by Aldrin Valdez (fabulous! LPR #287)

CORPOREAL, poems by Jean Vengua (fabulous)

LOST SONNETS, visual poetry by Catherine Vidler (wonderful)

A TIBETAN GRAMMAR, poems by Benedicte Vilgrain, Trans. by Keith Waldrop

DESKARIL: 5 STATIONS IN VERSE, poems by
Xenia-Chloe Henson Villanueva

BEAST MERIDIEN by Vanessa Angelica Villarreal (OUTSTANDING & SUCH LUSH BEAUTY. A most intelligent mourning. And a direct contradiction to that racist binary of "technical and intellectual"ly accomplished versus group-identified. LPR #276)

THE SYNDICATE OF WATER & LIGHT, poems by Marc Vincenz

THE REAL SUBJECT, poems/mixed by Keith Waldrop

SEMIRAMIS IF I REMEMBER, poems by Keith Waldrop

ONE SCORE MORE: THE SECOND 20 YEARS OF BURNING DECK 1982-2002 edited by Alison Bundy and Keith & Rosmarie Waldrop

THE AGGRESSIVE WAYS OF THE CASUAL STRANGER, poems by Rosmarie Waldrop (how fun to see early poems (1972) by this master poet!)

GAP GARDENING: SELECTED POEMS by Rosmarie Waldrop

THE ROAD IS EVERYWHERE OR STOP THIS BODY, poems by Rosmarie Waldrop

CRAWLSPACE, poems by Nikki Wallschlaeger (excellent, with the choice of the sonnet form a brilliant decision)

GLIMMERGLASS GIRL, poems by Holly Lyn Walrath

LANGUAGE DEATH NIGHT OUTSIDE, “poem/novel” by Peter Waterhouse, Translated by Rosmarie Waldrop

COMMODORE, poems by Jacqueline Waters

DUBIOUS MOON, poems by Lillo Way

ESSAY POEMS by Donald Wellman

VIGILANCE IS NO ORCHARD, poems by Hazel White

DEAR ANGEL OF DEATH, poems and prose by Simone White

LONG DIVISION, poems by M. Nicole R. Wildhood

AS IZ, poems by Tyrone Williams

“WEATHER AS FAR”, poem by Tyrone Williams (The Poetry Collection at SUNY-Buffalo Holiday Broadside 2018)

REHEARSAL, poems by Irene Willis

CLIMATE OF OPINION: SIGMUND FREUD IN POETRY, edited by Irene Willis

THE UNCERTAIN LOVER, poems by Martin Willitts, Jr.

TAKES, CUTS: A DAVID LYNCH RENGA by Colin Winborn and Rob Stanton

SUB-SISTERS: SELECTED POEMS by Uljana Wolf, Trans. from the German by Sophie Seita

GARLANDING GREEN, poems by Christine Aikens Wolfe

LONG RIVER: POEMS by Yang Jian, Trans. by Ye Chun, Paul B. Roth and Gillian Parrish

HEY, MARFA, poems by Jeffrey Yang with paintings & drawings by Rackstraw Downes

LES ECHIQUIERS EFFRONTES, visual poetry by Mark Young (fabulous)

OTOLITHS #49 (Part Two, Visual Poetry), journal edited by Mark Young

& IN OPEN, MARVEL, poems by Felicia Zamora

REVISING INTO THE RIGHT FORM…HOPEFULLY, poems by Javier Zamora


ART
WHO’S AFRAID OF CONTEMPORARY ART? By Kyung An and Jessica Cerasi
CELEBRATING MODERN ART: THE ANDERSON COLLECTION

MEL VERA CRUZ 2001-2007, art monograph by Mel Vera Cruz

AT HOME WITH PICTURES, interior decoration by Paige Gilchrist

ARTISTS LIVING WITH ART, interior decoration by Stacey Goergen and Amanda Benchley with photography by Oberto Gili

RECOLLECTION 1081: CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER: VISUAL DISSENT ON MARTIAL RULE, exhibition monograph 2012, with excerpts from the writings of Allice Guillermo

TRANSCENDENT TOPOLOGIES: STRUCTURALISM AND VISUAL WRITING by Tom Hibbard

ILL-ASSORTED TALES by Cecilia Sophia Ibardaloza

THE FIL-AM ARTIST DIRECTORY 2018 edited by Janna Anonuevo Langholz

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST, Hugo Huerta Marin's interviews of Marina Abramović, Tania Bruguera, Tracey Emin, Shirin Neshat, ORLAN, Yoko Ono, and Kiki Smith (an immensely satisfying read. Interesting (to me) to see how all answered one of the questions, "Where do you go to be alone." Yoko Ono and Kiki Smith were the ones to answer (as I would have), "I am always alone.")

FEAR OF A KITSCH EXPERIENCE (1989-2017), art monograph by Manuel Ocampo edited by Menene Gras Balaguer

HERIDAS DE LA LENGUA, art monograph by Manuel Ocampo

HOW TO SEE, art writings by David Salle

ANALOGIES & DICHOTOMIES, art monograph by Guillermo Munoz Vera

WILLIAM T. WILLIAMS, an art monograph for William T. Williams

DEATH SONGS, art monograph by Jenifer Wofford


FICTION
END GAME, novel by David Baldacci

THE DECEIVERS, novel by Alex Berenson

THE READERS OF BROKEN WHEEL RECOMMENDING, novel by Katarina Bivald

THE POSTMISTRESS, novel by Sarah Blake

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, novel by Chris Bohjalian

TAILSPIN, novel by Sandra Brown

THE DEFENSE, novel by Steve Cavanagh

THE PRESIDENT IS MISSING, novel by Bill Clinton and James Patterson

THE PARTY, novel by Elizabeth Day

RED SWAN, novel by P.T. Deutermann

LIE TO ME, novel by J.T. Ellison

RED WAR, novel by Vince Flynn

THE FOX, novel by Frederick Forsyth

ALPHABET OF A UNKNOWN CITY by Maryam Monalisa Gharavi

THE GIRL IN THE MOON, novel by Terry Goodkind

AGENT IN PLACE, novel by Mark Greaney

THE WIFE BETWEEN US, novel by Greer Hendricks and Sarah Pekkanen

HOW TO FIND LOVE IN A BOOKSHOP, novel by Veronica Henry

SPOOK STREET, novel by Mick Herron

SHATTERED MIRROR, novel by Iris Johannsen

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH by Baseera Khan

MY STRUGGLE, Book Two by Karl Ove Knausgaard

MY STRUGGLE, BOOK 3, autobiographical novel by Karl Ove Knaussgard

I THOUGHT THIS WOULD by Goksu Kunak

THE THIRD VICTIM, novel by Phillip Margolin

THE BOOKSTORE, novel by Deborah Meyler

BRING ME BACK, novel by B.A. Paris

THE PEOPLE VS. ALEX CROSS, novel by James Patterson

INVISIBLE, novel by James Patterson & David Ellis

HUNTER KILLER: THE WAR WITH CHINA, novel by David Poyer

THE ITALIAN TEACHER, novel by Tom Rachman

THE MOSCOW DECEPTION, novel by Karen Robards

SHELTER IN PLACE, novel by Nora Roberts

TWISTED PREY, novel by John Sandford

AFTER ANNA, novel by Lisa Scottoline

THE OTHER WOMAN, novel by Daniel Silva

BALIKBAYAN: A FILIPINO HOMECOMING, short stories by Michelle Cruz Skinner

BECH: A BOOK, novel by John Updike

THE LADIES, novel by Sara Veglahn

THE DRAMA TEACHER, novel by Koren Zailckas


NON-FICTION
SPINSTER: MAKING A LIFE OF ONE’S OWN, memoir by Kate Bolick

THE YELLOW-LIGHTED BOOKSHOP, memoir by Lewis Buzbee

THE DIARY OF A BOOKSELLER, memoir by Shaun Bythell

THE BOOKSHOP BOOK, journalism by Jen Campbell

THE NEW FILIPINO KITCHEN: STORIES AND RECIPES FROM AROUND THE GLOBE edited by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri

EIGHT MONTHS IN PROVENCE: A JUNIOR YEAR ABROAD 30 YEARS LATER, memoir by Diane Covington-Carter

LENAPE, history by Cecile Culp

WAY OUT THERE: LYRICAL ESSAYS by Michael Daley

THE PRIVATE PAPERS OF A BANKRUPT BOOKSELLER, faux memoir by Will Y. Darling

MOSS & SILVER by Jure Detela, Translated by Raymond Miller with Tatjana Jamnik (excellent and prescient as regards ecological concerns; Iztok Osojnik’s Introduction is useful)

THE DUCHESS OF BLOOMSBURY STREET, memoir by Helene Hanff

ILL-ASSORTED TALES, illustrated fairy tale by Cecilia Sophia Ibardaloza

OUTSIDE/INSIDE…JUST OUTSIDE THE ART WORLD’S INSIDE, memoir by Martha King

THE BEST OF US, memoir by Joyce Maynard

LESSER LIGHTS: MORE TALES FROM A HAMPTON’S APPRENTICESHIP, memoir by Sandy McIntosh

REMEMBERING EL CORNO EMPLUMADO / THE PLUMED HORN, history by Sergio Mondragon with a conversation between Margaret Randall and Edric Mesmer

AFTERGLOW (A DOG MEMOIR) by Eileen Myles

LIVING ON A DOLLAR A DAY: THE LIVES AND FACES OF THE WORLD’S POOR, advocacy by Thomas A. Nazario with photographs by Renee C. Byer

JANESVILLE: AN AMERICAN STORY, history/finance by Amy Goldstein
TURNINGS: WRITING ON WOMEN’S TRANSFORMATIONS, edited by Renee Olander and Luisa Igloria

SQUEEZED: WHY OUR FAMILIES CAN’T AFFORD AMERICA, journalism by Alissa Quart

SEARCHING FOR A MUSTARD SEED, memoir by Miriam Sagan

WE ARE NOT ALONE: STORIES OF MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS curated by Ann W. Shannon and Skye Noir

AMONG THE NEIGHBORS, history by Dale Smith

HOURGLASS: TIME, MEMORY, MARRIAGE, memoir by Dani Shapiro

99 NAMES, memoir by Abdellah Taia

WE DIDN’T HAVE MUCH, BUT WE SURE HAD PLENTY: STORIES OF RURAL WOMAN, history by Sherry Thomas

THE LITTLE BOOKSTORE OF BIG STONE GAP, memoir by Wendy Welch