Friday, March 20, 2015

your spring annogram


Designed by Angela Virsinger
Face Painting book launch

April is National Poetry Month and Global Astronomy Month.  In celebration of both, I’ll present “Furious Stardust: Poems of the Night Sky,” in the new state-of-the art planetarium at the Hudson River Museum on Sunday, April 26, at 3:30 p.m.  The reading will feature work from my poetry collection, Face Painting in the Dark (Dos Madres Press, 2014), accompanied by spectacular images by astrophotographer Doug Baum, the Hubble telescope and others.  Come help celebrate my first book!

Maxine Silverman
Sunday at the J with Ann, Maxine and George

Poet Maxine Silverman and I will read at the JCC on the Hudson as part of Sunday at the J with George and Friends on March 29 at 1:30 p.m.  Poet and translator Dr. George Kraus hosts this great series which features Hudson Valley poets.  And don’t miss Maxine’s book party this Sunday, March 22, 2 p.m., at Congregation Sons of Israel in Nyack for Palimpsest (Dos Madres Press, 2015), a work I highly recommend.  Hope to see you on one of these events!

Book review in LINES+STARS

Many thanks to editor Rachel Adams for her thoughtful review of Face Painting in the Dark in the newly redesigned LINES+STARS.  The review appears, serendipitously, in the DC-based journal’s “star-crossed” issue.  I’m also thrilled that Wicked Alice has four of my poems online, the San Pedro River Review features one, and Cahaba River Literary Journal and Ekphrasis will publish work this spring and summer.

Matters of the HeArt

An opening reception, Sunday, March 22, from 2-4 p.m. (1 p.m. admission time for people with disabilities) at the Greenburgh Town Hall will herald the 11th annual multimedia art show by 80 Westchester artists over age 55.  You can support Greenburgh arts by designating “Arts and Culture Committee” on the AmazonSmile portal; Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of eligible AmazonSmile purchases to charitable organizations selected by customers.

Art by Ed Young in Bird & Diz
Bird & Diz

Outstanding artist and Caldecott Medalist Ed Young dazzles once again in Bird & Diz by Gary Golio (Candlewick Press, 2015).  This young reader’s book, which follows the friendship of Charlie "Bird" Parker and John "Dizzy" Gillespie, can be read page-by-page or unfolded as a 12-foot scroll.  Bird & Diz is a work of art created by two friends that will leave readers hankering for a listen.  Thanks to Beth Gersh-Nesic of the New York Arts Exchange for alerting me to this new work!

Frida Kahlo: Masterpieces (and margaritas) at the NY Botanical Garden

Looks like a combination of margaritas and masterpieces might just push attendance to one million visitors to the New York Botanical Garden this year.  The Botanical Garden will stage an elaborate art-loan and garden exhibition May 16 – November 1 that focuses on the work of Frida Kahlo. Thanks to poet-artist Linda Simone for sharing this Observer article.

Poetry Caravan on the move

For National Poetry Month, the Poetry Caravan will visit local libraries.  The all-volunteer Caravan has been bringing poetry to Westchester for over eleven years.  If you have a poem to share, or enjoy hearing poetry read, join us on Thursday, April 9, at the Armonk Library, 7 p.m.; Monday, April 13, at the Dobbs Ferry Library, 7 p.m.; Wednesday, April 15, at the Greenburgh Library, 7 p.m.; Monday, April 20, at the Scarsdale Library, 7 p.m.; or Saturday, April 25, at the Hastings Library, 3 p.m.

New poetry books

Congratulations to these fine poets on their new books:  John Amen, strange theater (New York Quarterly Books, 2015), Pamela Laskin, Homer the Little Stray Cat (Little Balloon Press, 2015); Maxine Silverman, Palimpsest (Dos Madres Press, 2015), Hélène Sanguinetti on the reissue of Alparegho, pareil à rien (Editions de l’Amandier, 2015), Margo Taft Stever, The Lunatic Ball (Kattywompus Press, 2015), and Toadlily Press for A Good Wall (Toadlily Press, 2015).

John Amen
More poetry readings
John Amen reading up and down the East Coast

Sunday, March 22, 4:30 p.m. Hudson Valley Writers Center
Richard Parisio, Ed Sanders

Sunday, March 22, 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. at the Why Not Jazz Room

Monday, March 30, 6:30 p.m. at the English Speaking Union
Margo Stever

Friday, April 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Writers Center
Open mic for poets, prose writers, musicians, comedians, singers - $3, refreshments

Saturday, April 18, 7 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Writers Center

Wednesday, April 22, 7:30 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Writers Center

Friday, April 24, 7:30 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Writers Center

Sunday, April 26, 4:30 p.m. at the Hudson Valley Writers Center

Breakfast with Uncle Ike

Uncle Ike would awe us with his legendary popovers whenever we visited him in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  The only problem: the golden popovers went down like potato chips, and I could easily consume more than a few.  Oh, calories be damned and bring on the butter and jam!  Wishing you festive mornings that celebrate spring.

1 cup flour
1 cup milk
2 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon melted butter

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray cooking oil spray on muffin tins or ceramic custard cups.  Beat until blended.  Pour into cups ½ to 2/3 full.  Bake 45 – 50 minutes and avoid opening oven door.  Keep any leftovers—really?—in a closed brown paper bag.

ʼRound the Net

Thanks and/or congratulations to:

Duchamp, Untitled, 1945
Michael Cefola, blues-rock guitarist and composer, for this great article on the last bluesmen

Beth Gersh-Nesic, art historian, for calling out the importance of modern artist Suzanne Duchamp

Gary Glauber, poet, for work in Hinged, Inner Echo, The Legendary - Issue 49 - March 2015, and Think Journal Volume 5.1 

Eric Greinke, poet and translator, for his tribute to poet John Elsberg

Ruth Handel, poet, on teaching her ninth Enjoying Poetry class now at Scarsdale Adult School and publishing recent work online

Cindy Hochman, poet, for two poems, a book review, and her own book, Habeas Corpus (Glass Lyre, 2015) reviewed in Clockwise Cat

Amy King, poet, for taking on Kenneth Goldsmith and Vanessa Place

Laura Morelli, art historian, on her two new books on Florence artisans and crafts

Jay Shulman, music archivist, for this way to find out the top song on the day you were born

Jay, also, for recommending this Mary Bauermeister exhibit at Smith College

Linda Simone, poet and dog-lover, for these photos of dogs on the way to the vet

Linda, also, for this essay contest to win an inn in Maine, how some poets make big money, and a tribute to poet Philip Levine

Frank Vitale, filmmaker, for episodes 12 and 13 from The Metropolis Organism.

So much poetry going on this and next month!  And just as important, celebrations of faith.  In this time of seasonal rebirth, I wish you perfected moments of holy contemplation, beauty, and joy.

Until next time,

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