your nor'easter annogram

The Operating System to publish Alparegho

The Operating System has selected Alparegho, like nothing else, my translation of Hélène Sanguinetti’s third book, for its Unsilenced Texts series. The OS, named among the Best of 2017 Presses by Entropy Magazine, will publish a dual-language version in 2019. Many thanks to publisher Lynne DeSilva-Johnson for making this timely and heart-wrenching quest for identity available to English readers!

Free Ferry in Transatlantic Conversation

In Transatlantic Conversation About Art and Poetry, art historian Beth Gersh-Nešić and French poet Jean-Luc Pouliquen engage in fascinating dialogue on poet and art critic Andre Salmon (1881-1969). As part of their conversation, they also discuss Free Ferry, which Pouliquen calls "A very original concept." The two talk about my workshop at Gersh-Nešić's Purchase College class last fall and the importance of getting poetry out into the world. Highly recommended if you love poetry and art!

Free Ferry Half Price for Women’s History Month

Thanks to Upper Hand Press Publisher Ann Starr, Free Ferry is half-price until April 20. So take advantage! I am also honored to have the book recommended by one of its reviewers, James Lee Lord Parker, on Facebook. Please continue to build those five-star reviews on Amazon!

Translation in Transference

Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585)

Delightful to find Ann Lauinger’s translation of Pierre de Ronsard (1524-1585) in the latest Transference!  Her four translated Sonnets à Hélène are both contemporary and smart, as only a poet-scholar like Ann could achieve. Transference features another Hélène, my translation of Hélène Sanguinetti’s “Yoke 1” from her book, Et voici la chanson (Éditions de l’Amandier, 2012). Thanks to Editor Molly Lynde-Recchia, who welcomes submissions for the next issue – see Creative opportunities below.

Bowie at the Brooklyn Museum

David Bowie (1947-2016)

David Bowie is, an exhibit at the Brooklyn Museum, runs March 12-July 15. Straight from the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the exhibit features more than 400 objects including album artwork, handwritten lyrics and original correspondence from Bowie's teen years through his death in 2016. Whaddya say?  Put on your red shoes and let’s dance!

Norwalk LitCrawl Honors National Poetry Month

The fifth annual Norwalk LitCrawl will meet on April 3^rd at the Wall Street Theater at 5:30pm and move from 6:30 to 8:00pm to the restaurants Peaches, the Banc House, Fat Cat Pie Company, and Aji 10. They will provide free appetizers and cash bar. Buy a ticket online by donating $10 to Norwalk Reads. Want to participate? See Creative opportunities below.

Astrovisualization at WAA in April

Carter Emmart

Carter Emmart, Director of Astrovisualization at the Hayden Planetarium, will speak at the Westchester Amateur Astronomer (WAA) meeting, April 6 at 7:30pm. Emmart, a leading computer software expert, creates detailed video imagery from digital astronomical data. He was recently featured in the NY Times and here you can see some of his spectacular video imagery.  The lecture will take place in Lienhard Hall, Pace University in Pleasantville, NY.

New releases

Patricia Carragon, The Cupcake Chronicles (Poets Wear Prada, 2017)  

Patricia Carragon, Innocence (Finishing Line Press, 2017)  

Jim Daniels, The Middle Ages (Red Mountain Press, 2018)

Beth Gersh-Nešić and Jean-Luc Pouliquen, Transatlantic Conversation About Art and Poetry (CreateSpace, 2018)

Transference, the translation journal of Western Michigan University, Vol. 5, Fall 2017

Leafy Greens on Baguette with Gruyère

Scrounging around the kitchen one evening, I created what could only be considered a healthy pizza. So delicious I have to share it:

1 pound organic spinach, swiss chard or kale, rinsed with stems removed

1 organic garlic clove, crushed and peeled

1 organic baguette (look for three to four ingredients – yeast, water, salt, flour)

6 ounces Gruyère cheese, shredded

extra virgin olive oil

Cut baguette in half, and then slice lengthwise into thirds or halves. Arrange slices on toaster oven tray, drizzle with olive oil, broil until golden, and repeat until all are toasted. In large frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic clove. Pile in the greens, turning them until wilted; remove from heat. Arrange greens over toast, drizzle with olive oil and top with Gruyère. Return slices to broiler until cheese melts, a minute or two. Great with sautéed organic mushrooms too.

Creative opportunities

Belmont Story Review – submit fiction, poetry, creative nonfiction, and narrative journalism on music, publishing, creativity, collaboration, faith and culture, by April 1 to BSRsubmissions@gmail.com

Norwalk LitCrawl on April 3 – to participate in the restaurant-to-restaurant reading, identify the 3-minute work you will read, include 1-2 line bio,  and email to Christine Bradley at cbradley@norwalkpubliclibrary.org by March 23

Poetry Networking and Critique Group – Fairfield Public Library, second Saturday mornings of the month, 10-12pm; discussion of poetry events and publication possibilities followed by constructive critique of work by the first eight or so persons who sign up.

Transference – submit up to four poems in translation by May 31 for 2018 issue

One-Day Graphic Novel Writing Conference – Purchase, NY on March 24; adult workshops with Paul Levitz, past president, DC Comics;  youth (10+) workshops, Barbara Slate, author, You Can Do a Graphic Novel; and free talk by Colleen Doran, illustrator of Neil Gaiman's Troll Bridge; workshops $75.

Maine Media Workshops + College – August 12-18, Make Your Poems Stand Out from the Crowd of Submissions, weeklong workshop taught by award-winning poet Kevin Pilkington; info here

Poetry / literary events

Gemma Mathewson

Barnes and Noble, March 12, 7:15pm, Janet Krauss – second Monday of each month, Barnes and Noble at Stamford Town Center, featured reader/open mic; free

Scarsdale Public Library, March 14, 7pm, the Poetry Caravan Celebrates Women’s History Month; Loretta Cornell, Lisa Fleck, Ruth D. Handel, Linda Levitz, Marjorie Mir, Ann van Buren; free

The Poetry Institute Series, March 15, 7pm, Gemma Mathewson and open mic – third Thursdays each month in New Haven, CT, featured reader/open mic. Doors open 6:30pm, reading at 7pm; free

Sylvia Plath (1932-1963)

HVWC, March 16, 7:30pm, feature Bob Zaslow and open mic, $5

JCC on the Hudson, March 18, 1:30-3:30pm, Maxine Silverman, Rachel Barenblat and Jay Michaelson

CUNY Graduate Center, March 19, 4pm, Rms 9204-9205, P(l)athography: Sylvia Plath's Biographers; Heather Clark

CUNY Graduate Center, Martin E. Segal Theatre, March 20, 6:30pm, Lost and Found VII Launch: work by Audre Lorde, June Jordan, Toni Cade Bambara, Julio Cortázar, Paul Blackburn, and Jack Forbes

Charles Alexander

University of Houston-Victoria (Texas) Center for the Arts, Book Arts Expo, March 23-24, poets Kevin Auer, Charles Alexander, Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., C.J. Martin; letterpress printing, binding and artists' book workshops; readings 7pm. Reception 5 p.m. March 23 and closing exhibit 7 p.m. March 24

HVWC, March 25, 4:30pm, Martha Rhodes, Molly McCully Brown, Carol Moldaw, $10

Kelly Writers House, March 26, 6:30pm, Bernadette Mayer; RSVP whfellow@writing.upenn.edu

Katonah Public Library, April 8, 3:30pm, Mónica de la Torre, $10

ʼRound the Net

Beth Gersh-Nešić 

Poet and “trouble maker” Terry Dugan on her excellent interview on the JohnMac Radio Show

Art historian and author Beth Gersh-Nešić for her Bonjour Paris article on Purim in Paris and this commentary on last month's Michelangelo exhibit at the Met

Poets Cindy Hochman and Bob Heman on their collaborative poems in Otoliths and Geocities

J Journal on its new website

Engineer Matt King, a great person I worked with at IBM, for making Facebook more accessible

Poet Mary McCray for her survey of online courses on the history of American poetry, and her poet-centric and mind-nourishing blog

Frances Mayes and Laura Morelli

Poet John McMullen on his TV interview and this article on a founding father who wrote poetry

Art historian and author Laura Morelli on her evening with best-selling novelist Frances Mayes

Poet Ralph Nazareth for sharing Amanda Gorman’s poem, “Old Jim Crow Got to clear”

The New York Public Library Staff Picks for February and March, and its book-for-every-state tour

Outdoor retailer Orvis for promoting dogs in the office in this charming video

Poet Kevin Pilkington, whose poetry collection Where You Want to Be: New and Selected Poems (Black Lawrence Press, 2015) has just gone into second printing

ScienceDaily’s article on the creative brain being wired differently

Poet and artist Linda Simone on life-changing books cited by 23 TedTalks women

Words without Borders for this list of women translators and writers pressing for progress

Memoirist Donna Zucker on her new cooking blog, full of delicious smoothie recipes

I want to express my gratitude to all the faithful annogram readers! You’re a vibrant global community of literary and visual artists, dancers, musicians, actors, and performers. Do you realize this is the 103^rd annogram to be published? I wish we could throw some virtual party. Instead, please continue to send me your news, your book releases, readings, and achievements—and that will help us all celebrate our true path in this world, our creativity with its enormous power and mystery.

Until next time,

Ann