your spring annogram

Maxine Silverman, Ann, George
Kraus and Ruth Handel

Dos Madres Reading

What a great time Sunday, reading at the JCC on the Hudson from Dos Madres’ Realms of the Mothers.  As always, Dr. George Kraus was a wonderful host. Maxine Silverman’s new book is Shiva Moon (Ben Yehuda Press), a lyrical elegy to her father; and Ruth Handel’s is Momentary Stays (Dos Madres), poems about leading writing workshops inside a psych ward.  

National Poetry Month San Antonio

So happy to take part in National Poetry Month San Antonio!  My dear friend, poet Linda Simone, and I will be guest readers on April 4 at 7pm at Señor Veggie.  And then Free Ferry will debut later in April.  Be sure to “like” my Free Ferry page on Facebook, and take a look at the amazing cover designed by Dave Provolo with gorgeous art by Linda Gall.

Emily at the Morgan

Emily Dickinson

Bringing together nearly one hundred rarely seen items, I’m Nobody! Who are you?, an ambitious exhibition on Emily Dickinson (1830–1886), examines twenty-four poems in draft, supplemented with hand-cut silhouettes, photographs and daguerreotypes. Hear a selection of her poems read by Lee Ann Brown or watch the NPR review.  Through May 28 at the Morgan Library.

DJ Jeanette Briggs

Congratulations to Jeanette Briggs on having five fabulous songs selected by Kenny O’Boyle for The Friday Drive on WFDU (89.1 FM). Jeanette did a bang-up job, featuring “Up Around the Bend” by Creedence, “Going Up the Country” by Canned Heat, “Long Train Running” by Doobies, “California Dreaming” by the Mamas and the Papas, and “Chelsea Morning” by Joni Mitchell.

Translated works at Centre Pompidou

Hélène Sanguinetti

Hélène Sanguinetti read with poets from Germany and her native France at the Centre Pompidou this month.  Twice over two years, Hélène, Claude Andy, Gérard Cartier, and Valérie Rouzeau, met with German poets Caroline Callies, Marion Poschmann, Silke Scheuermann, and Jan Wagner to translate one another’s work.  Congrats to all on an inspired project and impressive performance venue!

Kisses on Both Cheeks

Last weekend, the Jewish Women’s Theater of Los Angeles debuted “Exile: Kisses on Both Cheeks,” a play based on a New York Times piece by Herb Hadad, with material from seven other writers. The show, billed a “Jewish immigration story like you’ve never seen,” will have 10 performances in and around Los Angeles. Congrats to our beloved Herb!  Purchase tickets here.

Creative opportunities

Announcing country dark, a platform for genre fiction—sf, fantasy, horror, and everything in-between. country dark, a Codhill Press imprint, is accepting novel, novella, and short-story-length manuscripts. Writers from underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to submit.

New releases

Laura Moriatry, Verne and Lemurian Objects (Mindmade Books, 2017)

Jo Pitkin, Rendering (Salmon Poetry, 2017)

Readings

Mark Doty

Katonah Library, March 26, 4pm, Kimiko Hahn, $10

Bowery Poetry Club, March 27, 6pm, Stephen Massimilla, Myra Kornfeld on Cooking with the Muse (live music, bar, organic treats), $30

Word of Mouth/MOTR Pub, March 28, 7pm, Ralph LaCharity, Robert Murphy, Bea Opengart, Nathan Swartzendruber

Señor Veggie, April 4, 7pm, Ann Cefola, Linda Simone

Kamilah Aisha Moon

The Masters School - Estherwood, April 8, 12:30-5pm, Mark Doty (keynote), Joshua Bennett, Kamilah Aisha Moon, Emilia Phillips, Max Ritvo (via Ariella Ritvo-Slifka), Terese Svoboda

Mount Saint Mary College, April 11, 4pm, Jo Pitkin

Chai Smoothie

Banishing the chill of early spring is this smoothie with its warm spices and thirst-quenching almond milk.

 6 pitted dates

1 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place dates and almond milk in a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup and chill for 2 hours to soften dates. Put dates, almond milk, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and vanilla in a high speed blender and blend until smooth. Serve immediately.

ʼRound the Net

James Baldwin

Admirers of James Baldwin who are trying to save his home in Provence

Poet Joel Allegretti for NYQ’s donation to City Harvest in honor of Rabbit Ears contributors

Filmmaker Jennifer Crandall for asking unsuspecting strangers to read from Whitman's "Song of Myself”—see this awesome clip that evokes James Agee and Walker Evans at their best

Poet-performance artist Cornelius Eady on the debut of his trio’s new CD

Author Herb Hadad for this special op-ed on Arab courtesy that appeared in LoHud

Katonah Poetry Series on its IndieaGoGo campaign to fund a book of conversations with 21 poets

The Kiev Metro System for allowing people to ride free if they could recite a poem by Taras Shevchenko, the national poet

Marcel Proust

Actor Celia Pilkington on casting the May production of Bigger Than You, Bigger Than Me 

Music archivist Jay Shulman for duly noting the passing of Chuck Berry

Poet Linda Simone on how her new hometown loves poetry and can prove it too; and how one debut novelist got the job done

Canadian Professor Jean-Pierre Sirois-Trahan who has found the only film clip of Proust

Filmmaker Frank Vitale for sharing episodes 36-40 of the Metropolis Organism

Activist Claire Wasserman on launching Ladies Get Paid, a nationwide effort to raise women’s wages

I gave several people near-heart failure when I finally joined Facebook two weeks ago.  Yes, it's me.  Late to the party.  So c'mon on by and friend me, like my Free Ferry page, and let me know how you use Facebook to expand your world as an artist.

Until next time,
Ann