News, Reading, a Quiz, and Some Poems

One of the folks it was a great honor meeting this summer in Seattle during the Haiku North America conference was Jerry Ball.  Here's a neat little article on him I thought folks might enjoy.

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I'll be doing a reading this Sunday at Nico's Recovery Room to help promote a brand new book of poetry by Robert Isenberg.  The book is Wander and is published by Six Gallery Press.  Other folks reading and performing are Jason Baldinger, Jerome Crooks, Gab Bonesso, and Vince Eirene on Sunday night at 9:30 pm.

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I ran across this poem in a volume of original poems and translations by Thanasis Makaleris.  This is a one of the translations:

Poetry
   In vain the poets endeavor
   To fill the empty space
   With their verses and images.

   Empty space returns
   Larger than before
   Seeking
   To be filled again

   Nanos Valaoritis

I've a real soft spot for poems about poetry.  I know, either you love it or you hate it.

I love it.

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I've been reading a lot of Charles Wright lately, a first for me and quite a fine experience.  One of his recent volumes, Sestets, I'll be having something to say about in the near future.  For now, I'll just say fab.  What follows is a poem from another fine book of his I've been reading, China Trace, a much earlier work.  I highly recommend both books for anyone one who enjoys insightful short nature-tuned poems.


Reunion
   Already one day has detached itself from all the rest up ahead.
   It has my photograph in its soft pocket.
   It wants to carry my breath into the past in its bag of wind.

   I write poems to untie myself, to do penance and disapppeaar
   Through the upper right-hand corner of things, to say grace.


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Finally, since identifying the poem pictured in artwork a couple of weeks back was a bust (offer is still open and here's a big hint: it's by Ferlinghetti), how about identifying the following photo?   Free 6 issue subscription to the first right guess posted in the comments section as to this gentleman's identity.
 

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This week's poem from the archive comes from issue #179, May 2011, and is one of the fine translations of Santoka by Scott Watson.  Enjoy.

until my clothes dry

this grassy breeze

Taneda Santoka
translation by Scott Watson

the autumn wind
blows as if it knows
I'm an orphan

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

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Low Ghost / Six Gallery Joint Reading, Modern Formations, 7-8-11

Photos by small press poet, novelist, essayist, photographer, librarian and impresario Karen Lillis, from the combined Low Ghost / Six Gallery reading on Friday July 3rd. For the curious and those unable to attend ...

Don Wentworth

Kris Collins - Low Ghost Press

Lucy Goubert

Jason Baldringer

Margaret Bashaar

Bob Pajich

Mark Spitzer

Thanks to all, especially featured reader Mark Spitzer (with guest appearance by Bigfoot), Low Ghost Press, Nathan of Six Gallery Press, Jen of ModernFormations (celebrating their 10th anniversary with a fab retrospective), and a enthusiastic attentive crowd.

Morning glory opens
to anything,
even you

                                                                     ~ dw








old pond--
please, you go first
frog jumping

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

PS Get 2 free issues Get 2 more free issues Lillie poem archive

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Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 109 songs

Subscribe to Lilliput Review

An Evening with Mark Spitzer featuring Six Gallery Press & Low Ghost Poets

An Evening with Mark Spitzer featuring 

Six Gallery Press & Low Ghost Poets

Time: Friday, July 8 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm

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Location:

ModernFormations

4919 Penn Ave.

Pittsburgh, PA

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A Six Gallery Press & Low Ghost Press Presentation!

When: Friday, July 8th
Time: 8pm
Where: ModernFormations Gallery 4919 Penn Ave.
...Cover: $5

Join us for an exclusive local engagement with novelist, poet, and translator Mark Spitzer. Mark Spitzer, novelist, poet, essayist and literary translator, grew up in Minneapolis where he earned his Bachelor's degree at the University of Minnesota in 1990. He then moved to the Rockies, where he earned his Master's in Creative Writing from the University of Colorado. After living on the road for some time, he found himself in Paris, as Writer in Residence for three years at the bohemian bookstore Shakespeare and Company, where he translated French criminals and misanthropes. In 1997 he moved to Louisiana, became Assistant Editor of Andrei Codrescu's legendary lit journal Exquisite Corpse, and earned an MFA from Louisiana State University. After teaching Creative Writing and Lit for five years at Truman State University, he’s now a professor of Writing at the University of Central Arkansas, where he is the Editor of Toad Suck Review (toadsuckreview.org). Mark's novel "Chode" and collection of essays "Riding the Unit: Selected Nonfiction, 1994-2004" were published by Six Gallery Press. More info at http://www.sptzr.net/

Also featuring readings from local luminaries:

Don Wentworth - publisher of Lilliput Review; author of the poetry collection Past All Traps.

Jason Baldinger - co-author of the poetry collection The Whiskey Rebellion.

Margaret Bashaar - author of the poetry collection Barefoot and Listening, published by Tilt Press in 2009. Her second chapbook, Letters from Room 27 of the Grand Midway Hotel, is forthcoming from Blood Pudding Press. She does performance art and acting with the cabaret troupe The TypewriterGirls.

Bob Pajich - has a chapbook of poems called Everyone, Exquisite published and is currently the managing editor and lead news writer for the world's largest magazine dedicated to the game of poker: Card Player. A new collection of poems is forthcoming from Low Ghost Press.

Chris Ammons - Burgh Bon Vivant.

Kristofer Collins - editor and publisher of Low Ghost Press. His most recent collection of poems, Last Call was published by Speed & Briscoe.

The sweet magnolia

bows to all creation —

& you were saying?

to the old woman
doing laundry, the evening
willow bows

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,

Don

PS  Get 2 free issues    Get 2 more free issues     Lillie poem archive

Send a single haiku for the Wednesday Haiku feature.  Here's how.

Go to the LitRock web site for a list of all 108 songs

Subscribe to Lilliput Review

"A Night at the Bar" - Speed & Briscoe reading 11/11/10

To hear last Thursday nights Speed & Briscoe reading on CMU's WRCT radio station, click here, click regular download, then click the text "Speed and Briscoe Nov 11 2010.mp3."  

The theme of the reading was "A Night at the Bar" and featured the work of Carrie Shaley, Kris Collins, Jason Baldinger, Nikki Allen, Jerome Crooks, Lucy Goubert, Renee Alberts, and Don Wentworth.

Initially, we came up a little short on time, so hang in till the very end, past what seems to be the sign off, for a couple of final poems.

The reading was lots of fun, two standing mikes, a circle of poets, with revolving containers of libations, some strong original voices, all ably orchestrated by Red Bob, engineered by Tina Milo, and generously coordinated by poet and publisher, Jerome Crooks of Speed & Briscoe fame.

best,
Don

Speed and Briscoe on WRCT's A Live Show: 11/11/10

Tomorrow night, we're on the air with our ink sisters and brothers of the Speed and Briscoe persuasion. Tune in on the very air, or, for those out of range, stream it live at http://www.wrct.org/.

Thursday November 11th 2010
(11/11/10--that's BINARY!)
One night only!
Speed and Briscoe takes over CMU radio!
88.3 fm   WRCT
9pm-10pm

featuring:

Don Wentworth
Carrie Shaley
Kris Collins
Jason Baldinger
Nikki Allen
Jerome Crooks
Lucy Goubert
Renee Alberts

conducted by: Red Bob
produced by: Tina Milo



best,
Don (via Renée)