As we count down to 2013, it’s with
less joy and exuberance. We in the
Northeast have been decimated first by Sandy and then by the tragedy in
Newtown. It’s a time of reflection that
instinctively asks us all to consider who we are as individuals and a
nation. I find myself with too many
words rushing in or a paucity of effective ones—so we will turn to Adrienne
Rich to close this annogram.
Gratitude
Life on Mars
Congratulations to Mary Ladd McCray on the debut
of Why Photographers Commit Suicide
(Trementina Books, 2012). This startling
poetry collection explores intricacies of space voyage with a mid-western voice
that breaks my heart. The appealing
Mars-red cover art is followed by whimsical illustrations inside. If you love sci-fi, add to your collection by
ordering
this engaging work and make sure you visit Mary’s Big Bang Poetry website too. And, to prep you, enjoy this NASA Gangnam Style parody
shared by Douglas Baum of Night
Vision Astronomy.
Neutral Hero a Top Ten
Congratulations also to Philip
Moore, my talented coworker who stars in Richard Maxwell’s play, “Neutral
Hero.” Maxwell took this play around
the globe before debuting it here in New York in early November to rave
reviews. And now Ben Brantley of The New York Times has listed it as #4
in the Top
Ten Plays of 2012. Fingers crossed
that Maxwell launches another production of the play in 2013!
Untranslatable words
Ollie Brock, Translator-in-Residence
at FreeWord
in London, asks us to email him (freeword@olliebrock.co.uk) what you consider to be
untranslatable words and their definitions by January 20. If he selects yours, he may mention them at a poetry
reading featuring Ghanaian Nii Parkes, Polish-born Maria Jastrzebska and
Peruvian Sofia Buchuck on January 23 at 6:30 p.m. at FreeWord in London.
Summer with Jack
Jack
Gilbert, a poet’s poet, who evaded the lime light yet generated
extraordinary poetry for five decades, died in November. I spent the summer reading Gilbert,
mesmerized by the compression of his poems and the far distances they traveled
in limited space. He also got away with
words like “love,” “moon” and “heart”—over and over. Here’s the poem,
“Searching for Pittsburgh,” that got me hooked.
‘Round the Net
A bumper crop of intriguing
links. Thanks to:
·
American
Literary Translators Association (ALTA) for 75
notable translations today and this provocative article on Ricky
Ricardo in the classroom
·
Translators
Bernard Cohen and Carolyn Wright respectively for this French
literary/translation website and creative literary
translation website
·
Dance
innovator Rachel Cohen for this clip from her new I would performance
·
Poet
Terry Dugan for news of golden
retrievers sent to Newtown to comfort mourners
·
Poet
Julie Enszer for her new book Homesteading and Sinister Wisdom’s tribute to Adrienne Rich
·
Art
curator Beth Gersh-Nesic for this interview with
artist Ellen K. Levy and
video on Rhode Island artist Tayo Heuser
·
Poet
Cindy Hochman for her
review of John Amen’s The New Arcana
·
Novelist
Petra Lewis for the press
release on her debut novel The Sons
and Daughters of Ham (right)
·
Poet
Mary Ladd McCray for this YouTube
video about musical instruments made from landfill
·
Writer
Elaine Nole for this timely website offering a new American dream.
·
High
School teacher Neil Ginsberg for this article identifying domestic
violence in Jovan Belcher deaths
And here is Adrienne Rich:
My heart is moved by all I cannot
save:so much has been destroyed
I have to cast my lot with those
who age after age, perversely,
with no extraordinary power,
reconstitute the world.
Until next time,
Ann