An Interview & Hemingway's Reading: 7-31-12

Asuka Buddha: Photo by PHG

   

(alternate link for reading, if above is not working)

(a second alternative for those having trouble)

I've been meaning to find the time to post this recent reading I participated in for this year's grand finale of the Hemingway's Summer Reading Series here in Pittsburgh. The 8-minute reading above includes 95% new material, so there is that. I had a bit of the willies since it was mostly untried material, but the audience was gracious (or napping) so all went well. Posting it here gives me a similar feeling (willies, not napping) but, well, there you go.  (alternate link for reading, if above is not working)
                                                                                                                                       
Hope something grabs you here.

                                                                                                           

What finally prompted this posting is an interview I did for Josh Medsker over at twenty-four hours that just went up yesterday. Some different questions, so check it out. And check out what else he is doing on the blog. He seems to get to poetry through the zine and small press scene; like life, the blog seems to be about so much more than poetry.

As it should be.

on the tip
of Buddha's nose...
a fart bug

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don 

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Dylan 1965 Press Conference

* I'm not really sure why IE is placing blank duplicate screens on the page, but all 6 parts of the interview are posted here. It views just fine in Firefox.*

An amazing artifact that catches Dylan the person in an extended 1965 press conference in San Francisco. I found part 1 via Dennis Cooper's excellent D.C.'s blog posting, part of a collection of pieces and observations on Dylan.

Part 1

Part 2






Part 3






Part 4





Part 5






Part 6








This interview perfectly captures Dylan in all his mercurial modes: funny, serious, ironic, stoned, insightful, combative, silly: you name it. Often when interviewed, he would only project one of these (i.e. hostile) because, as can be seen here, he reacts to each question and person specifically. If it requires a silly response, you got, a serious one, ditto.

An amazing document that somehow provides boatloads of insight 40 plus years later.

Enjoy.


best,
Don

Issa, Brautigan, and an Interview

A couple of quick notes before tomorrow's weekly posting. I found this wonderful Issa poem, translated by Stryk and Takashi Ikemoto, here:

http://www.poetry-chaikhana.com/blog/2008/08/25/
kobayashi-issa-where-there-are-humans/

For those inclined to spiritual poetry, Poetry Chaikhana seems to be a delightful blog, well worth exploring.

Also found this morning a great list, though I'm not sure great for the intended reason, entitled Ten Poems to Read When You Get Stuffed in Your Locker (I actually saw a fellow student stuffed into his locker by the principal, at a Catholic high school, no less). This is a list of really wonderful poems and, though I'd like to think students would be into John Clare and Michael Ryan's take on things "Larkinesque", I'm thinking, um, maybe not. In any case, this is a wonderful selection of fine poems (ok, the J. V. Cunningham poem addressed to a 30 year old may not be for the locker-stuffed crowd) for nearly everyone. I was particularly delighted to find Richard Brautigan, who seems to continue to grab the younger crowd as he did "in the day" so many years ago:



I Feel Horrible. She Doesn't

I feel horrible. She doesn't
love me and I wander around
the house like a sewing machine
that's just finished sewing
a turd to a garbage lid.

Richard Brautigan

Maybe not the type of picaresque image one evokes first thing in the morning, but the locker-stuffed crowd can definitely relate. Berryman's "Dream Song 14" is also a humdinger. Check out the list; you won't be disappointed.

Finally, the Poet Hound blog has interviewed me and posted the results. I'll have to leave it to you as to how it all came out; my eyes are still covered. It's hard for me to believe folks would be interested but PH was very gracious and accommodating of my predilections and peccadilloes. I'd like to thank them for spreading the good word(s). A website designed for poets themselves, PH connects folks up with resources and interviews various poets, writers and publishers who go about "the business" of poetry, as well as providing sample poems from around the net and notices of the many poetry markets out there.

Ok, I'm peeking through my fingers now ...



best,
Don

PS 140 Near Perfect Books of Poetry and counting ...