your grateful annogram

Boléro and the Fort Worth Symphony

I am grateful that a beloved poem, “Boléro,” has found a home in an anthology on classical music edited by poet Michael Baldwin to benefit the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. If you have a poem that touches on orchestral music, submit to symphonypoems@gmail.com by December 1.  That’s also the press date for The Hero, my translation of Hélène Sanguinetti’s fourth book, forthcoming from Chax. Woo-hoo!

Bolaño at the Warner Library

Roberto Bolaño (1953-2003)

The epic stage adaptation of Roberto Bolaño’s internationally acclaimed 2666 (trans. Natasha Wimmer; Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2008) is available for free, online streaming. The Warner Library will present part one on November 3 at 6:30pm, and the remainder November 6 at 12:30pm. Poet and translator George Kraus PhD will host both events.

Insta Novels on New York Public Library Instagram

"The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, available to read on the 
Library's Instagram account (@nypl), follows two other releases, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and "The Yellow Wallpaper." To read "The Raven," go to the Library's Instagram account and tap "The Raven" in the highlights section, right under the bio. Rest your thumb on the lower right part of the screen to hold the page, and lift your thumb to turn the page.

The River Will Save Us

Congratulations to Linda Simone on her new book The River Will Save Us (Kelsay Books). Inspired by urgency around immigration, River taps into Linda’s arrival in south Texas, her Italian immigrant ancestors and San Antonio’s turn-of-the-century Jingu dynasty. In three sections, the book deftly contrasts lyric narrative against jewel-like haiku. Hear more in John McMullen’s fascinating interview with the molto-talented Linda.

New Releases

Sally Blimius-Dunn, Echolocation (Plume Editions, 2018)

Rocio Carlos and Rachel McLeod Kaminer, Attendance (The Operating System)

Melissa Eleftherion Carr, Little Ditch (Above/Ground Press)

Kevin Crookes, Snoff the Sloth (CreateSpace)

Paul Pines, A Furnace in the Shadow (Dos Madres Press)

Jakob Stein, Genizah (Dos Madres Press)

Creative opportunities

Stealing From the Poet's Tool Box: A Workshop with Estha Weiner, Sarah Lawrence Writing Institute, November 3, 10am-3pm, $200

From Pages to Publication Conference, at the Fairfield Main Library, November 3, 9am–4:30pm, register here

AMP magazine call for original poetry (bilingual welcome), short prose, text hybrids, media hybrids (text+still images), video poems and literary video through December 1  

Belmont Story Review call for fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction, narrative journalism in the areas of music, publishing, creativity and collaboration, as well as faith and culture, through March 15, 2019

The Pedestal open for poetry submissions, up to five poems, November 5-December 2

Music anthology benefiting the Fort Worth Symphony; send up to three poems—no more than 50 lines each; your address, and brief bio through November 31 to symphonypoems@gmail.com

Greek Lentil Soup

As temperatures cool, it’s time for soup! Here’s a favorite from The New Laurel’s Kitchen (Ten Speed Press, 1986).

2 c. uncooked lentils

8 c. water or vegetable stock

1/2 onion, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 small potato, chopped

2 T. olive oil

2 bay leaves

1 1/2 to 2 tsp. salt

2 t. red wine vinegar

Pick over lentils and wash. Mix all ingredients except the vinegar in a soup pot and cook until the lentils are very soft, about one hour. Stir in the vinegar at the end and serve.

Poetry readings / literary events

Susana Case

Norwalk Library, November 1, 7pm, Poets in Conversation: Jean P. Moore and Katherine Flannery Dering hosted by Norwalk Poet Laureate Laurel Petersen

QED, November 4, 3pm, Susana Case, Eleanor Lehman, Sarah Riccio, Oscar Sanders

Cornelia Street Café, November 6, 6pm, Susana Case, Jennifer Franklin, Cal Freeman, Claudine Nash, Peter Neil Carroll, Thaddeus Rutkowski

Cornelia Street Café, November 7, 6pm, Reading and Conversation with Igor Webb and John Matthias

Williams Center for the Arts, November 7, 7pm, Susana Case

A Public Space, November 8, 6pm, Idra Novey

Pioneer Works, November 10, 11am, Well-Read Black Girl Festival featuring Jacqueline Woodson, Veronica Chambers, Renée Watson, and more

HVWC, November 11, 4:30pm, War and Peace reading featuring Susana Case and others

Katonah Library, November 11, 4pm, Carl Phillips

Godwin-Ternbach Museum, November 14, 6:30pm, Marilyn Chin

Bronx River Books, November 16, 7pm, Sally Blimius-Dunn

Brooklyn Public Library in Prospect Heights, November 16, 7:30pm, Jonathan Franzen

Butler Library in Morningside Heights, November 29, 6pm, Susan Orlean  

ʼRound the Net

Poet Michael Baldwin on the upcoming publication of his book, Quantum Uncertainty of Love, by Shanti Arts Press

Racoco Productions performing TILT

Memoirist Sarah Bracey White on her recent reading at Vassar College, seen here at 30:13 and Town of Greenburgh interview

Racoco Productions Director Rachel Cohen on her company’s new performance, TILT

Poet Gary Glauber for work in The Piker Press, The Weird Reader, The Literary Nest and Caliban Online

Poet Mary McCray for best advice from writing instructors

Patrick Modiano

Yorktown Heights Poet Laureate John McMullen for sharing Janet Kuyper’s free poetry chapbook, this list of paying online writing opportunities, and work in Down in the Dirt and Across the Wall

Editor Mary Ann Miller for the opportunity to purchase current and back issues of Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry, whose interviews have been featured in Poetry Daily

Art Historian and Novelist Laura Morelli for The Painter's Apprentice  winning an Historical Novel Society Editor’s Pick, 2018 Writers' Digest Honorable Mention, and Eric Hoffer Grand Prize

Poet Linda Simone for places that publish reprints and this essay on translating Patrick Modiano

As we head into Thanksgiving here in the US, I give thanks for you, annogram readers, a worldwide community of literary, visual, and performing artists, and those cherished people who provide venues for us to share our work and thrive as artists in our own skin. I rejoice in your good news, so keep me updated. Wishing you more creative adventures and increasing recognition!

Until next time,

Ann