Favorite Titles

Hello everyone! Now that we've had the first official flurry-sighting of the season, it's time to break out those down coats, drink warm things like soup (soup! Does anyone else miss soup like I miss soup in warm weather?) and hug your friends. Just go hug them.But onwards to the point of this post: I wanted to open up the stage for anyone to share their favorite TITLES of books. This way, if anything strikes your eye you can check it out and possibly request it or give it as a gift this holiday season. Writing a novel or collection of poetry--PAH! (That was the sound of air quickly exiting my mouth in a smug sort of way). Easy.We all know that the hard part of writing really comes down to creating The Title. The Epic Thing that Will Catch Your Audience's Eye and Not Let Them Leave The Book's Presence.Here are a few of my all-time favorites....Of Poetry:Pity the Bathtub Its Forced Embrace of the Human Form - Matthea Harvey. Also the title of one of her poems.Lunch Poems - Frank O'Hara. Just read the inscription on the back of book: "Often this poet, strolling through the noisy splintered glare of a Manhattan noon, has paused at a sample Olivetti to type up thirty or forty lines of ruminations, or pondering more deeply has withdrawn to a dark ware- or firehouse to limn his computed misunderstandings of the eternal questions of life, co-existence and depth, while never forgetting to eat Lunch his favorite meal..." GLORIOUS.Veinte poemas de amor y una canción desesperada - Pablo Neruda. Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair.Of, erm, Everything Else:A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers.Another Bullshit Night in Suck City - Nick Flynn. (Also a poet!)The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - Anne Fadiman....What about you?

Blog Contest Winner

Congratulations to Jessica Kagansky, the winner of our latest blog contest!In a Corner of a Chinese LaundromatJessica Kagansky the slant of the sparkles in the snow kept changingi looked up to find you sharply therestanding next to me with eyelids rosy from the cold.i wrapped my warm towel around your head like a garland of daisiesyour black curls were matted and I watched the red pigment leave your eyes and creepdown to crisscross your cheekbones and unfurl quietly across your lips where it belonged.you told me over the hum of the washing machines that my eyebrows were overgrownand i tried not to raise the corner of my upper lip in a sneer as you said itwe looked out the streaked window at a car stuck in the snow,blackened as a swordfish.

False translation

BACK TO WORK! You can do this. Power through!Prompt: find a poem in another language (preferably one you do not know). Look at the words, look at the length of the lines. Translate the poem based solely on this information.

Poetry Anthologies: Where to Start

Hello everyone! Happy Almost Thanksgiving! As the long weekend rolls around, I'd like to offer some suggestions on how to structure your time. While the turkey is the in oven and you are slowly becoming more impatient as you become more ravenous (and you keep meekly calling "I'm HUNgry!" into the kitchen and your relatives yell back "You could come in and chop some string beans!" and you fold yourself back onto the couch to watch the Godfather with the rest of the non-helping folk), instead of reaching for the remote and saying the lines as Marlon Brando speaks them, cozy up with an anthology.I find there are two types of people in this world: Those Who Like Anthologies and Those Who Do Not Care For Them.Perhaps that's a wild generalization. But there is a mixed camp. And that might be because when you think of anthologies, you think of huge tomes that are impossible to carry around even though you must haul them over to Brit Lit I and II.I will admit that I secretly like getting those tomes for big survey classes, just because it gives me the excuse to buy such a ridiculous thing (ridiculously FANTASTIC!) and put it on a shelf to remind myself I am a Scholar. A Scholar! But it's still pretty impractical to enjoy reading something that huge. (With the exception of HP. HP. You know, right? OK. I had to reference it once. July can't come fast enough.)And yet: that's not the only kind of anthology out there!Here are a few to get you started:Poetry 180: A Turning Back to Poetry and 180 More: Extraordinary Poems for Every Day . Billy Collins, former Poet Laureate and all around poetry-everyman, put out these to great basic anthologies. If you are just getting started reading poetry, this is the place for you. I read these in high school and it got me excited about poetry more than I had been. Looking back in them now, it's amazing the range of poets he covers. Although these poems probably won't change your view of the world, they are all fun and some quite beautiful. AND the best thing about these books is that if you find a poet you enjoy, go off and search for the rest of his or her work--and then get blown away by the full force of their writing.Staying Alive: Real Poems for Unreal Times. Questionable title aside, this anthology contains a lot of lesser-known and foreign poets. It's divided into sections such as Life, Nature, Death, etc but DO NOT LET THAT DETER YOU! There are some awesome, odd poems in here.The Best American Poetry Series. A slim volume that comes out every year, this anthology is always a breath of fresh air. And what's so special about it is that along with the editor, David Lehman, each collection features a guest editor who is well-respected (kick ass) poet. I, for one, love seeing what poems my favorite poet chooses to be in the collection. There is also a Best American Short Story Series, as well as others.Now let me pause this unfinished list. I'll keep adding to it, and don't hesitate to recommend your own suggestions for cool anthologies worth checking out!Go forth and relax!

A Sidewalk Slam

Being the procrastinator that I am, this post probably wont make it online until friday. Do forgive me devoted readers, but I have a good excuse, the best excuse possible in fact.  I have spent the last few hours engrossed in slam poetry at The Sidewalk Cafe, for The Intangible Collective's first Semi-Final of the year.  Joanna Hoffman carried the night and won a spot on the Intangible's Grand Slam finalists.  I even got to participate as one of the judges (in slam, it's simply audience volunteers who give scores to the poets.)  Though picked because I didn't know any of the poets personally, I'd like to think it was because I exuded an aura of "informed poetry critic," so I'm just going to run with that version of events.The Intangibles have just started using The Sidewalk Cafe as a semi-permanent home and the contrast from the nearby Nuyorican couldn't be greater.  Although that's bound to change if the spot catches on, it's quite different to experience a slam in a quieter, darker, overall (and i cringe to use it but) chill environment where the candle-lit tables paint us in mysterious, pensive tones and the PBR flows as strong as the Hudson River.  Plus, many of the poets remained after the slam available to chat.  While this might seem minor to most, I can't stress enough how starstruck I was.  I had died and gone to Poetry-Nerd Heaven (turns out heaven is a small venue in Alphabet City.  Who knew?)The only drawback I've run into after two visits is the cafe's insistence on a two-drink minimum (both alcoholic and non) which provoked a few members of the waitstaff to commit Fauxpas Numero Uno and loudly inquire about drinks during the poet's performances.  But apart from this complaint (which I just made in three languages...top that Starbucks) I thoroughly enjoyed myself and would highly recommend the experience.The Intangible Collective returns to the Sidewalk Cafe Thursday, December 2nd.  Go feast on some well crafted poetry.

Prompt

Try this:Read some poems with questions in them. Answer those questions in your own poem (edit as needed).

Poetry at the White House

Hey all. TGIAT! (Thank God It's Almost Tuesday) Hope Monday was fierce but you were fiercer. Windswept hair, etc.So if you didn't know about the Tony-award winning Broadway show "In The Heights", please go see it. It's closing this January and creator, lyricist, and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda, will be back to star in the final three weeks of its run. The show is amazing. But Miranda is even more amazing. I just caught a show last weekend of his freestyle improve group, Freestyle Love Supreme (I KNOW!), and it was hilarious. Funny without needing to insult anybody. Anyway, seeing that performance revived my deep affection for Mr. Miranda (he of the bottomless brown eyes and rapier wit...and yes, he is recently married).ANYWAY after much youtubing, I came across a video released by the White House youtube channel of Mr. Miranda performing a rap about Alexander Hamilton at the White House Evening of Poetry, Music, and the Spoken Word way back in May 2009. Check it out here.First of all, if Alexander Hamilton isn't in your top three favorite founding fathers (yes, George Washington cannot be bumped for any man) I don't know what to say. He had fiery red hair, he was the born in the Caribbean and moved to New York, he wrote the Federalist Papers. Died in a duel because he fired into the air but his opponent didn't.Second of all, this night of poetry at the White House looked pretty cool. Wish we had been there. To, you know, read more.(Also note: JAMES EARL JONES RECITING SHAKESPEARE. Gather!)

Contest Winner

Congratulations to Cynthia Blank, the winner of our most recent blog contest, "villanelle." We loved her poem "In a Summer Day;" give it a read and notice especially the way she both adheres to the villanelle style while also choosing moments to break out of the strict guidelines of the form.

In A Summer Day

Cynthia BlankThe things you know and refuse to say;(filling out the subconscious lists constructed in your head)I should tell you now, summer mayflies die todaywhen the sun has fled and the sky turns grayyou let me believe they’d remain forever in my bedalong with you and the things you knew but refused to saylike the stories of late spring kisses that went by waytoo fast; your hands began to slip out of mine and ledthe mayflies to sink their wings for all of yesterdayit wasn’t just those fading blue stars you chose to betrayI didn’t hate you when needles pricked me through a threadbut there were other things - you didn’t know enough to sayor to touch my wrist, the bare skin where now my fingers laypressed against my pulse; I know I’m alive not deadit was only the mayflies who were lost in a single summer dayonly not; the cold air also chased the two of us away(I should have loved some luminescent firefly instead)there were far too many things you knew you could not saysummer mayflies always die in a summer day

Thursday Night's (Also) Alright for Fighting (And Events)

Hello there Blog-osphere! My name is Seamus and I'm delighted to contribute to this little venture.  Please check back often and do spread the word.  Love it or hate it, its going to be an obsession.  (Yes that was a Lady Soverign reference) so before I embarrass myself further...Unfortunately, Anne Carson's appearance at the writer's house tonight was canceled.  Although Carson will most likely be back (she does teach a class here after all) it is truly unfortunate, especially since her performance piece last year worked so well.  Carson and her collaborators turned the Writer's House into a "haunted room."  The surreal piece was a highlight of the reading series that re-established the possibilities of the space.  Did I understand all of it? Definitely not.  Could I appreciate the creativity? Hell yes.But instead, tonight you will find me at The Sidewalk Cafe in Alphabet City rocking out (listening appreciatively?) to some slam poetry starting at  8:00.Speaking of slam, friday nights at the Nuyorican Poets Cafe (also Alphabet City) are mandatory for anybody interested in the art.  Arrive early, fight for a seat, and mentally prepare yourself for the onslaught of good poetry about to come your way.  Another worthy poetry/music venue on the east side is the Bowery Poetry Club which features a pretty generous variety of performances (tonight is a burleque show, tomorrow is a Brooklyn punk band.)Some notable + free events in fiction tonight: NYU faculty member Chuck Wachtel reads from his novel 3/03 at the NYU Bookstore and Adam Levin reads from his debut The Instructions at BookCourt in Brooklyn.  Levin's novel has been receiving numerous comparisons to David Foster Wallace for similarities in both style and literal size.  I, for one, will be very interested to see if those comparisons hold (as soon as I can devote time to fully consuming a thousand pages.  Just some light reading, I know)Until next time, have a wonderful week West Tenthers.  I know I will--Junot Diaz comes to Cantor on the 11th!

Wish List for the Holiday Season

Now that it's November, stop buying things. Suppress the urge. Instead, make lists of what you want. Give those lists to people (people with money, i.e. relatives) and kiss them. It's especially good to take note of what books you want because I can guarantee that some grandparent will jump at the chance to give that book to you.This year, instead of the usual fiction and poetry request, may I suggest exploring the world of letters. Great writers (and artists!) write great letters. Browse a few collections at the nearest bookstore and note them down for those wish-lists.A few of my favorite collections include: selected letters of Emily Dickinson, of Virginia Woolf, of John Keats, of Vincent van Gogh. Dickinson's letters will literally blow your mind. But you'll have the whole of winter vacation to gather yourself up again. I'm serious: if you find it hard to get into Dickinson's poetry, reading her letters is like reading her poetry but there's even more room to move around in. And she can be hilarious. (She's so weird. And I by weird I mean how-did-you-exist-you're-so-fantastic.) Plus, she sent most of her poems in letters to her friends and family. So they're in there too.ALSO: with these letters in your possession, you can have a grand old time writing erasures. Erasures are poems formed by taking a text and using its words to create a new poem. For example, if I wrote "The sun was behind the clouds but I could still see your face", you could take this and write "The sun was still your face" or  simply "behind your face" or even "the face". Use as many of the words or as few as you want. Using letters as your main source helps your creation flow because you can use "I" a lot more. And "I" always makes a poem seem more human.(Don't be scared, don't let your honor get in the way. This is not stealing. The English language is FREE! And anyway, wasn't it T.S. Eliot who said "Mediocre writers borrow. Great writers steal." So there's that.)

Hello!

Greetings, citizens of the world. Cate here. I’ll be practicing greetings for a long while.I hope you’re having one of those meeting-people-unexpectedly-and-receiving-them-warmly kind of days that can be hard to come by. But when you’re on, you’re on.Possibly you’re wind-stung and flushed because it is so cold out. You look good red, don’t worry.Here’s a writing exercise to try. Write a statement so bold your reader can’t help but accept it based on the authority of your voice. We could all use some more declarative sentences in our lives. Let me elaborate. Take, for example, how Matthew Rohrer opens a poem called “Beautiful Things” with the line: “When we say something is beautiful/we mean we can laterally bisect it.” I want to read the rest of this poem because 1) a part of me unconsciously desires to affirm what the poet says, 2) it’s a unique, curious statement but it’s not outlandish and 3) this promises an explanation will follow. And 4), let’s not kid ourselves, it’s Matthew Rohrer. (He teaches in the Creative Writing department and I suggest applying for one of his poetry classes before worrying about where your next meal is coming from.)Now then. Take this statement and disavow it by the end of the poem. Either blatantly or let it slowly unravel as the line count grows. (or Don’t. Just affirm, affirm, affirm.) Make it at least 20 lines.Then pack up your notebook and TAKE TO THE STREETS! Find a friend roaming around and read it to him or her. If he or she is aroused by your intelligence and prowess, send it in. That turns us on too.

Cave Canem & AAWW Reading

This Friday, October 1, at 7:00pm, Cave Canem and The Asian American Writers' Workshop will be hosting their fifth annual collaboration. Readers include Ken Chen, Eric Gamalinda, Tyehimba Jess and Patricia Smith. The event will be held at 112 West 27th Street, floor 6 (buzzer 600). Suggested donation $5. More information here.

"Howl" Movie and Discussion

Have you been missing the sight of James Franco's face lurking in the local Starbucks window? If so, you should make your way down to the Angelika Film Center tonight at 7:40. The center will be showing Franco's latest movie "Howl," where the ex-nyu heartthrob plays famous poet Allen Ginsberg. Franco won't be in attendance, but some other exciting people will be! Poets Mark Doty, Eileen Myles, and Anne Waldman will be there discussing the movie as well as the poem that is its namesake. More information here.