What a pleasure to kick off National Poetry Month in Texas! First I had the pleasure of reading to my cousin Katherine's Independent Living Community—next stop, San Antonio to visit dear friends Linda (at right) and Joe Simone. And this week my long-awaited second book, Free Ferry, comes out! That means you'll get your copy soon if preordered. Buckaroos, it's a good month indeed.
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| A fun reading in Fort Worth |
Reading in Fort Worth
While visiting my 93-year-old cousin Katherine, I noticed an
announcement in the elevator that there would be a "special guest"
giving a reading the next day! My clever cousin determined a practice run
would benefit me—and everyone at her residence. I could not have had a more
intelligent, attentive audience. Who would know that Michael Baldwin, president of the historic Fort Worth Poetry Society, was in attendance? Afterwards, he invited me to return to
read in his group's poetry series.
National Poetry Month San Antonio
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| Jim, Natalia, Linda, me, and Bryce |
Thanks to Linda Simone, I read with Jim
LaVilla-Havelin, Bryce Milligan, Natalia Treviño and Linda as part of National Poetry Month
San Antonio. We enjoyed an intimate audience
at Señor Veggie, a superb vegetarian restaurant reminiscent of places in the
Village long ago. Dear writer pals Terry Dugan and Sarah Bracey
White, also on hand, took these great shots. I love San
Antonio—from its River Walk to its stately
homes and lush parks. It invests in poetry, and always has creative events involving
poets.
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| Barney reciting Kipling |
Barney Smith's Toilet Seat Art Museum
You have not seen San Antonio unless you've visited Barney Smith's Toilet
Seat Art Museum. The 95-year-old has
collected hundreds of seats decorated with tributes to sororities/fraternities,
universities, police/fire departments, military, and every state in the nation.
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| Terry Dugan, me, Linda Simone with the NYS "overflow" seat |
Among the more astonishing, one with a piece from the Challenger found floating
off Florida, and another, part of the toilet used by Saddam Hussein in hiding.
So many New Yorkers have visited we had to sign an "overflow" seat.
Barney tops every tour with a magnificent recital of Kipling's "When Earth's Last
Picture is Painted," and you can't help
feeling...er, uh...moved.
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| The Letter by Mary Cassatt |
French Moderns at
Wouldn't you know, I had to travel to Texas to see Monet to Matisse: A
Century of French Moderns from the Brooklyn Museum? The exhibit features
work by Bonnard, Caillebotte, Cézanne, Chagall,
Degas, Léger, Matisse, Monet, Redon, Renoir, Rodin, Tanguy, and Vuillard. More traditional artists, such as Corot, Courbet,
Manet, and Millet, contrast the modernist flow. A beautiful
series of Japanese-inspired prints by Mary
Cassatt takes up one wall, and there
is additional work by Berthe
Morisot. A fantastic immersion into French
Modernism in one room!
Yay! for poets we know and love
Kevin Pilkington has won an IPPY
Award for his book, Where
You Want To Be: New and Selected Poems (Black Lawrence Press, 2015), had "Pomegranate"
featured on Poem-a-Day (Academy
of American Poets), "Long
as a Quart of Milk" critiqued on Sarah Morin's Being Critical blog, and this review of his
Poetry Out Loud reading. Garrison Keillor read Natalie Safir's poem, "Road Trip West", on the
April 21st The
Writer's Almanac. And NEA
recipient Pamela Hart has won the inaugural Brian Turner Literary Arts Prize for
Poetry. Congratulations to Kevin, Natalie, and Pamela for well-deserved
recognition! |
| Exposure by Wa Liu |
Art Above the Sofa
Thanks
to the New York Arts Exchange Director Beth Gersh-Nesic for giving art students
a chance to shine in an art competition! On display in Art Above the Sofa: The Exhibition and Conversations, opening
April 27, 6-8 pm, and running through April 30, the winning Exposure by Wa Liu, Blossom by Vicci Weixi
Zhang, and Complexity II by Priscila
Schott. See jurors’ and others' work, and join in important conversations. Beth
also recommends the rare Sisley
retrospective at the Bruce Museum, through May
21.
New releases
Creative opportunities
Donna Zucker Family History 101, HVWC, Sunday, June
11, 12:30-4:30pm
Poetry / literary events
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| Jean-Christophe Rufin |
Cincinnati Public Main Library, April 29, 3pm, Robert Murphy, Richard Hague, Pauletta Hansel, Karen George
Harvey
School Walker Center for the Arts, May 13, 4pm; Billy Collins, Mark Doty, Marie Howe, Vijay Seshadri, $40
Creamy Tortilla Soup
This recipe celebrates extraordinary Tex-Mex cuisine enjoyed
earlier this month. Sighing just thinking of it....
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp each salt, chili powder, oregano
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp each salt, chili powder, oregano
dash of cayenne
1/2 cup organic strained tomatoes
1/2 cup organic strained tomatoes
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup water
4 corn tortillas torn into small pieces
1/2 cup goat or whatever milk you like
2 avocados, diced
shredded cheese, to taste
1/2 cup water
4 corn tortillas torn into small pieces
1/2 cup goat or whatever milk you like
2 avocados, diced
shredded cheese, to taste
In a large pot over medium heat, warm olive oil. Add diced onion
and red pepper, and cook until soft, about five minutes. Add garlic cloves and
spices (cumin, salt, chili powder, oregano, cayenne) and sauté another few
minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and
add tortilla pieces. Let soup cook and reduce for an hour, stirring
occasionally. Add milk if desired and adjust seasonings. Ladle into bowls and
top with half an avocado and shredded cheese.
ʼRound the Net
Poet and filmmaker Terry Dugan for alerting us that we can rent the bedroom where Emily Dickinson wrote her oeuvre
Artist Kathe Gregory on
participating in the May 6-7 Somerville
Open Studios, and on her new website featuring her
work
Playwright Herb Hadad for rave
reviews on "Exile: Kisses on Both Cheeks" in the Jewish
Journal and J
News
Poet Ruth Handel on the book
launch of Momentary Stays (Dos Madres Press) this month at
Scarsdale Public Library
Producer/Actor Celia Pilkington for making tickets available to Bigger Than You,
Bigger Than Mee May 10-13
Publisher Chad Post for
the 2017
Best Translated Books
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| Jacqueline Kimmelstiel whose story will be told in Witness Theater |
The UJA Federation NY for teaming
Holocaust survivors and students to tell their stories
in Witness
Theater this month
Entrepreneurs Claire Wasserman and Eric
Holstein on being featured in the Minimums
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| Sarah Bracey White, Linda Simone, Terry Dugan, and yours truly |
My trip to Texas reminded me there’s nothing like spending
time with friends and family in person—over a leisurely cup of tea or exploring
a new adventure like San Antonio. I am
grateful to connect with you, dear friends in the annogram community, amidst our busy and contented lives. Be well, be
adventuresome, and above all, create!
Until next time,
