Yield to The Willow Book Release Party: Friday Sept. 26th at ModernFormations Gallery

On Friday, September 26th, at 7:30 pm, we'll be having a party for the official release of Yield to the Willow, my second book for Six Gallery Press at ModernFormations Gallery. Reading for the event will be Jason Baldinger, Kris Collins, Angele Ellis, Kevin Finn, Gwen, Karen Lillis, Bob Ziller, and Scott Silsbe. 

It's $5 at the door OR a covered dish (cookies and snacks welcome).

For those at long distances who can't make it Yield is available directly through me at the Paypal button at the top of the right hand sidebar (over there ⇢) or by check directly to me or via Caliban Bookshop in Pittsburgh (info@calibanbooks.com), or from amazon here, if you will.


                 sparrow's little singing lesson: be, leave

                                                        ~ DW

hey sparrows
no pissing on my old
winter quilt!

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don

PS  Click to learn how to contribute to Wednesday Haiku. 

Poet's Hall - Erie, PA: One Night Only!

Reading up in Erie this Friday, July 11th, at Poets' Hall, for those in the area. I'll be bringing my brand new book, Yield to the Willow (Six Gallery Press, 2014), and will be the featured poet of the evening.

hidden in everything plain sight 

And now back to your regularly scheduled internet. 

 

here and there
a plain and to-the-point
willow

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don

PS  Click to learn how to contribute to Wednesday Haiku.
 

Kabir: The Inner Lover (Sunday Serenade)

18

I talk to my inner lover, and I say, why such rush?
We sense that there is some sort of spirit that loves
   birds and animals and the ants--
perhaps the same one who gave a radiance to you in
   your mother’s womb.
Is it logical you would be walking around entirely
   orphaned now?
The truth is you turned away yourself,
and decided to go into the dark alone.
Now you are tangled up in others, and have forgotten
   what you once knew,
and that’s why everything you do has some weird
   failure in it. 

    Kabir
    Version by Robert Bly

I've spent the last couple of months reading mystic poets - Hafiz, Kabir, Mirabai, and Rumi, among others - and have been overtaken by the form known as the ghazal, specifically a variant of Robert Bly's conjuring, 6 stanzas of 3 lines each.

Yes, I know that a lot that is being translated or written in English isn't the ghazal of Middle Eastern origin, but a modern English variant whose roots, one hopes, are sunk deep in the tradition of another culture.

Many would disagree.

But, there you are. This is some of what I've been up to. In fact, there will most probably be a collection forthcoming, after Yield to the Willow finally sees the light of day later this month. Never knew I had it in me.

It would seem, however, that Kabir knew.

Photo by Ted Kropiewnicki

just coming out
the earthworm dragged off
by ants

Issa
translated by David G. Lanoue

best,
Don

PS  Click to learn how to contribute to Wednesday Haiku.