BUSILY BLURBING

I was busy with blurbs since I last posted this list of recent books and wine drunk, to wit:

LEAVING THE SHADOWS BEHIND US by ELMER OMAR BASCOS PIZO

Elmer Omar Bascos Pizo’s “Identity” posits to be one “wiggling in the beak of a maya bird, / … the desperate earthworm / struggling to be free.” It’s an apt metaphor for the Philippines beset by corruption, poverty, hunger, and a “common people / pining for a genuine people-serving government.” Yet the beauty of these poems make them like “the gardenias, ylang-ylang, waling-waling, / sampaguitas, and camellias [with] coveted nectars.” With their unforgettable imagery that can elicit empathy from a wide variety of readers, these powerful poems become like bagoong “smelling like a mouse / rotting in a pool of brackish water” and yet that remains a “favorite dipping sauce.” Dip into these poems for an important read. I’ve been aware of Pizo’s poetry for years, and LEAVING THE SHADOWS BEHIND US is a long-overdue debut: “where blood / drains in its purest state.”

SYNONYM FOR HOME by Michelle Murphy

Quite often, rain camouflages. Rain can blow objects across your vision that may (partially) mask what’s before you, or make you tilt your head to the detriment of direct sight. Then there are the raindrops themselves: to see through them is to look as if through a gauze, a shimmer, a veil…. But there are those who can, to paraphrase the lucid artist Agnes Martin, look between raindrops.  That’s why Michelle Murphy’s poems grieve, because they see beneath desire to  understand the world is not fixed: “you say what you mean to say, still the stories crack then leak.”  It’s perhaps a miracle then that this book also contains so many “flashes of grace when least expected”—so that Home remains ever a possibility, despite and against all odds.

OCEAN PLASTIC by Orchid Tierney

Each iteration ends with a last word: respectively, petromonster stomachs stomachs flesh filters gyres stomachs sympathy sympathy gyres gyres gyres gyres gyres nylon-riots. Which is to say, begin with the petromonster and the inevitable interconnection of all things will give even Buddha a stomach ache. One hopes we will riot against feeding the monster like nylon metaphorically protests against itself strangling the planet. For this poem, while powerful (and moving when chanted out loud), isn’t worth its root source.

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

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

SYNONYM FOR HOME, poems by Michelle Murphy (in manuscript; see above blurb)

OCEAN PLASTIC, poems by Orchid Tierney (in manuscript; see above blurb)

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

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

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

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

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

* NOS, poems by Aby Kaupang and Matthew Cooperman

*  QUARTET, poems by C. Violet Eaton

*  XOETEOX, poems by Edwin Torres

* SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY, poems by Anselm Berrigan

*  FOR HUNGER, poems by Margaret Ronda

*  THE IDENTITY THIEF, poems by Derek Mong

* ALPHABET FOR THE ENTRANTS, poems by Vasilisk Gnedov

* CRUEL FICTION, poems by Wendy Trevino

* GLIMMERGLASS GIRL, poems by Holly Lyn Walrath

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

* FLYOVER COUNTRY, poems by Austin Smith

* ON A TRAIN AT NIGHT, poems by Norman Fischer

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

* THE SEAS ARE DOLPHINS’ TEARS, poems by Djelloul Marbrook

* TALES RETOLD, poems by Paula Bonnell

* STET, poems by Dora Malech

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

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

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

DECLIVITIES, poems by Irene Koronas

* FLUNG THRONE, poems by Code-Rose Clevidence

* THE SPIDERS, poems by Jody Gladding

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

* SWOLE, poems by Jerika Marchan

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

* PERMAFROST, poems by Michael Dec

* SOUND RITUALS, poems by Jim Leftwich & billy bob beamer

BEAUTY REFRACTED, poems by Carol Moldaw

FAWNING, poems by Edric Mesmer

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

WAR ZONES, poems by Zvi A. Sesling

UNFRAGMENTED, poems by Janet C. Mendoza Stickmon

SELECTED POEMS by Merlie M. Alunan

*  ALL WE HAVE IS OUR VOICE, poems by Carole Stone

*  THE SYNDICATE OF WATER & LIGHT, poems by Marc Vincenz

* DISTANCE TRAVELED by Michael Chin (review copy a pdf)

* REASON’S DREAM, poems by Roger Mitchell

* LEFT HAND DHARMA, poems by Belinda Subraman

* FEED ME WEIRD THINGS, poems by Lisa Rogal

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

* PROFANITY POEMS by Olchar E. Lindsann

* DEFINITIONS OF OBSCURITY, poems by Vernon Frazer & Michelle Greenblatt

* ANCHOR WHAT, visual poetry by Vernon Frazer

NAME AMEN, visual poetry by Aditya Bahl

DIKTER PA SVENSKA, poems by Claude Nguyen

REHEARSAL, poems by Irene Willis

OLAS CURSIS, poems by John M. Bennett

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

THISTLES, poems and illustrations by Jack Cassinetto

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

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

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

THE YELLOW WELL-LKIGHTED BOOKSHOP, memoir by Lewis Buzbee

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

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

HOW TO SEE, art writings by David Salle

HERIDAS DE LA LENGUA, art monograph by Manuel Ocampo

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

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

WHO’S AFRAID OF CONTEMPORARY ART? By Kyung An and Jessica Cerasi

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

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

AT HOME WITH PICTURES, interior decoration by Paige Gilchrist

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

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

THE ITALIAN TEACHER, novel by Tom Rachman

THE GIRL IN THE MOON, novel by Terry Goodkind

INVISIBLE, novel by James Patterson & David Ellis

THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT, novel by Chris Bohjalian

THE DEFENSE, novel by Steve Cavanagh

LIE TO ME, novel by J.T. Ellison

SHATTERED MIRROR, novel by Iris Johannsen

BRING ME BACK, novel by B.A. Paris

AFTER ANNA, novel by Lisa Scottoline

WINES

2015 Domain Druhin Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Oregon

2015 Patz & Hall Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast

2010 Roulot Meursault Luchets

1961 Chateau Ducru Beaucaillou

1990 Chateau Rayas

1989 Chateau d'Yquem

2006 Domaine Jean Francois Ganevat Cotes du Jura Les Vignes de Mon Pere

1997 Dalla Valle Maya

1990 Haut Brion

2010 Morlet La Proportion Doree

2015 Sina Qua Non Entre chien et loup white wine

2015 Oremus Furmit Mandolas

2007 Scarecrow

1996 G. Conterno Monfortino

2003 Peter Jacob Kuhn Oestrich Lenchen Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese

Michel Gonet Champagne Brut

2000 Bruno Giacosa Asili Reserva (Red Label) Barbaresco

2012 Chimney Rock Galaxy

2005 Molly Dooker The Boxer

Tra Vigne house Cabernet

Mumm Napa Valley sparkling wine

Jacqueson et Fils Cuvee Perfection Special Edition Indepandance des Philippines

2010 Altamura Negroamaro

2010 Kenefick Ranch petite sirah Calistoga NV

2014 Seavey Merlot NV

2009 Seavey Caravina cabernet NV

2014 Seavey Caravina NV

2013 Seavey cabernet NV

1994 Dow

2007 Rombauer merlot Carneros

2009 Archaval Ferrer Finca Bella Vista (Argentinian malbec)

Graham’s Special River Quintas Edition “Six Grapes”

2014 Sierra Cantabria Tempranillo Crianza Rioja

2014 Argiolas “Perdera” Sardinia

2000 Krug

1990 Krug

1966 Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs

1994 Bonneau du Martray Corton Charlemagne

2002 Chateau d’Yquem “Y”

2001 Domaine Ramonet Batard-Montrachet

2014 Jaboulet La Chapelle Blanc

1994 Chapoutier Ermitage de L’Oree Blanc

2002 Comte Lafon Meursault-Perrieres (oxidized)

1985 Georges Lignier Clos de la Roche

2012 William Fevre Les Clos Chablis

2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne

2004 Harlan

1986 Chateau Margaux

1986 Chateau d’Yquem

2015 Walter Hansel “Cuvee Alyce” Chardonnay

1999 Judd’s Hill Cabernet Sauvignon (Double Magnum)

1999 Behrens & Hitchcock Cuvee Lola (Double Magnum)

2005 Donnhoff Niederhauser Hermannshohle Riesling Auslese

BECAUSE POETRY'S NOT ALIEN TO ME...

'Twas a busy recent period for writing blurbs. Here's 3 of the 4 I wrote in past month or so:

ROSWELL by Judith Roitman

Judith Roitman’s Roswell makes me wonder whether it’s possible for humans to engage aliens without the former humanizing the latter. The poems, after all, claim “surviving alien remembers its descendants,” ”surviving alien remembers nourishment,” and so on as if the human Roitman can inhabit non-earthling point of views. Such may be considered empathy. But for these poems relating to 1947 events to come out in 2018 is also to emphasize how little empathy is displayed today by the U.S. administration for "aliens" of a different sort but within the same species. How far humanity has fallen. These poems accomplish what good poems do: go beyond themselves into other matters as they make the reader think.  

Y'OL by Birhan Keskin, Translated by Murat Nemet-Nejat
"the other calls the one who isn’t there / that’s how magic becomes magic" — there’s no getting around it. To live is to desire, thus, ultimately to anguish. In Y’ol, the world is unstable, even untrustworthy. But this only makes love more important: “the sky i return, return return / return to is you”. Love—defined in these poems through an endless yearning—could have been denied but instead is upheld, even as these poems of fortitude must scorch their pages. The title “Y’ol” means “the road of/towards becoming.” This Y’ol presents the jagged music of metamorphosis and to read these poems is to discern songs made possible only with silence set on fire. 

RIVERRUN by Alan Baker

"on the surface a uniform grey / but in the depths an inner life”—such scaffolds how Alan Baker’s poems run deep, spill wide, and linger to become everlasting song. Here, the river is history and (despite history) hope so that the poems, too, bespeak desire. How can we not be moved, even if the poet cautions about the river: “it isn’t human, it doesn’t care about us”?

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

ROSWELL by Judith Roitman (in manuscript; see above blurb)

RIVERRUN by Alan Baker (in manuscript; see above blurb)

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

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

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

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

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.")

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

MESSAGE, poems by Fernando Pessoa

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

THE JAGUAR THAT PROWLS OUR DREAMS, poems by Mary Mackey

CHICKEN WHISPERER, poems by Steve Dalachinsky

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

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

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

SPOKES OF AN UNEVEN WHEEL, poems by Colin Dodds

* JUST LET ME HAVE THIS, poems by Heather Sweeney

* STEREO(TYPE), poems by Jonah Mixon-Webster

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

* SOMEONE IS BREATHING, poems by J. Morris

* GHOST OF, poems by Diana Khoi Nguyen

* VIGILANCE IS NO ORCHARD, poems by Hazel White

* CLOSE APART, poems by Robert Cowan

* OIL SPILL, poems by Claire Marie Stancek

*  FEELING UPON ARRIVAL, poems by Saretta Morgan

* SCORCH MARKS, poems by Jon Curley

*THE BLUE HILL, poems by Geoffrey O’Brien

* LEVON HELM, poems by Jason Morris

* ARCHAEOLOGY, poems by Paul Naylor

* HEAVY SUBLIMATION, poems by Leonard Schwartz

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

* DUBIOUS MOON, poems by Lillo Way

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

* WHEN THEN, poems by Gerd Stern

*  POCKET GUIDE TO ANOTHER EARTH, poems by Mike Smith

* LIGHT WIND LIGHT LIGHT, poems by Bin Ramke

* THE DRUNKARDS by LM Rivera

*  OF SOME SKY, poems by Joseph Harrington

* THIRSTY BONES, poems by Sarah Lilius

* PALOMA, poems by Jennifer E. Hudgens

* FUCK CANCER POEMS by Michael Grover

* SUBTERRANEAN, poems by Richard Greenfield

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

* GREEN MIDNIGHT, poems by Stuart Bartow

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

*  THEN & AGAIN, poems by Catherine Stearns

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

* GARLANDING GREEN, poems by Christine Aikens Wolfe

FIREWORKS, poems by Jules Boykoff

TIME PORTAL, poems by Jai Arun Ravine and Greg Wood

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

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

TRAVELING CLUSTER: POEMS IN ITALY by David Giannini

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

SOUND RITUALS, poems by Jim Leftwich & Billy Bob Beamer

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

BORROWED DRESS, poems by Cathy Colman

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

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

THE DISPLACED VOICE, poetics by Iman Mersal

TRANSCENDENT TOPOLOGIES: STRUCTURALISM AND VISUAL WRITING by Tom Hibbard

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

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

AMONG THE NEIGHBORS, history by Dale Smith

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

ALPHABET OF A UNKNOWN CITY by Maryam Monalisa Gharavi

BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH by Baseera Khan

I THOUIGHT THIS WOULD by Goksu Kunak

99 NAMES, memoir by Abdellah Taia

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

MY STRUGGLE, Book Two by Karl Ove Knausgaard

SPOOK STREET, novel by Mick Herron

AGENT IN PLACE, novel by Mark Greaney

THE DECEIVERS, novel by Alex Berenson

END GAME, novel by David Baldacci

THE THIRD VICTIM, novel by Phillip Margolin

THE PEOPLE VS. ALEX CROSS, novel by James Patterson

THE MOSCOW DECEPTION, novel by Karen Robards

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

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

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

WINES

Vega Reserva Especial (85, 90 and 91)

Vega Reserva Especial (03, 04 and 06)

Vega Reserva Especial (05, 06 and 07)

2000 Quinta do Noval Colheita Tawny

NOVAL 10-Year Tawny

2015 Quinta do Noval Vintage Port

2017 Quinta do Noval Unfiltered Late Bottled Port

1994 Croft Vintage

2007 Croft Vintage Port

2012 Quinta da Roeda

2012 Calera de Villiers Pinot Noir Mt. Harlan

NV Krug (release from 1980s)

1973 Krug

2010 Domaine Roulot Meursault Luchets

1999 Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles

2004 Domaine Ramonet Montrachet

1993 Jacques Frederic Mugnier Musigny

2002 Domaine A.-F. Gros Richebourg

2001 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedrich Grafenberg Riesling Beerenauslese Rheingau

2014 Fisher Vineyards Mountain Estate Chardonnay

2001 Pierre Usseglio Reserve des Deux Freres

1994 Taylor’s Fladgate Port

1995 Dow’s Quinta do Bomfim

2002 Hutton Vale Grenache Mataro Eden Valley

Schramsberg Blanc de Noir

2010 Saxum Heart Stone Vineyard

1994 Warre’s port

2014 Storybook Mountain zinfandel NV

2012 Manni Nossing Kerner

2001 Jones Family cabernet NV

2015 Kistler Vine Hill Vineyard Russian River Valley

2010 Clos Mogador Priorat

2014 Davis Estates Viognier

2015 Davis Estates Sauvignon Blanc

2016 Davis Estates Pinot Noir

2015 Davis Estates Cabernet Franc

2012 Davis Estates Zephyr

Michel Gonet champagne

1991 Graham’s vintage port

2016 Spotswoode sauvignon blanc

1989 Calon Segur

1979 Pichon Lalande

1978 Pichon Lalande

1978 Ch. Palmer

1996 Charton et Trebuchet Batard Montrachet

2002 Vincent Girardin Puligny Montrachet Les Folatieres

1992 Jadot Le Montrachet