your new year's annogram

Welcome Back!

Dear annogrammers, I have missed you! I was all set to write a July annogram when filial duty demanded I put my focus elsewhere—more below. In the meantime, you have been writing and painting, and giving readings, exhibits, and performances. Nothing, not even a global pandemic, can stop the lively creativity of annogrammers.

Full Steam Ahead

Helene Sanguinetti

You can also find my work in the journals DoveTales, First Literary Review East, The Poet, and s/tick; in anthologies Mother Mary Comes to Me (Madville Publishing) and Verdant (Truth Serum Press); and in the podcast Poetry Spoken Here Episode 133. Excited for my Sanguinetti translation in the upcoming Hunger Mountain, and my nod to mentor Thomas Lux (1946-2017) in the anthology Poet Echoes and Tributes. 

Your Path to a Fulfilling Life

Barbara Dickinson’s and Margaret Herrick’s gorgeous  book, Your Path to A Fulfilling Life, asks readers to identify specific life wishes—and watch what happens! Or tap into Barbara’s free webinar, “Have I Accomplished Anything This [Last] Year?” and be prepared to be astonished. Choose one of two dates: January 21, 11am-1pm, register here; or January 23, 7-9pm, register here.

Signs and Wonders

Comet Neowise by Rick Bria

A peak moment last year was spying the dual tail of Comet Neowise, diving into a triangle of three stars, through binoculars. As for Jupiter and Saturn, Michael and I saw them inch closer each night but got rained out for the conjunction. Astronomy is a great way to get outside and safely enjoy community—try the Westchester Amateur Astronomers, “the best astronomy club this side of the Oort Cloud,” for star nights and monthly talks.

Journey into Punk

For an intimate look into the 1980s punk scene, read To Hell and Back (Backbeat Press, 2020) by Walter Lure of Johnny Thunders and the Heartbreakers. Walter had recently reunited with the Fordham University band that started his career when he passed away last year. He dedicates his book to band members which includes my favorite guitarist, Michael Cefola. Fascinating story. Rock on forever, Walter! Wacka Lacka Boom Bop A Loom Bam Boo!

New and Recent Releases

Rae Armantrout, Conjure (Wesleyan University Press)

Patricia Carragon, Angel Fire (Alien Buddha Press)

Circumference Issue 8,welcome relaunch of a fantastic translation journal

Joellen Craft, The Quarry (L+S Press)

Barbara J. Dickinson and Margaret A. Herrick, Your Path to A Fulfilling Life (Independently Published)

Diane Goettel, ed., Far Villages (Black Lawrence Press, 2020)

Nicole Gregory, God's Messenger: The Astounding Achievements of Mother Frances X. Cabrini: A Novel Based on the Life of Mother Cabrini (Barbera Foundation, 2018)

Pauletta Hansel, Friend (Dos Madres Press)

Heller Levinson, Seep (Black Widow Press)

Walter Lure, To Hell and Back: My Life in Johnny Thunders' Heartbreakers, in the Words of the Last Man Standing (Backbeat Press, 2020)

Pedestal Magazine’s 20th anniversary issue

Kevin Pilkington, Playing Poker with Tennessee Williams (Black Lawrence Press)

Neal Whitman, From This Moment On (Cyberwit, 2020)

Creative Opportunities

The Poet call for work on theme of faith

Pure Slush Press call for poetry and prose on theme of growing up

The Westchester Review open for submissions

January Readings and Events

Heller Levinson

January 21, 11am, “Have I Accomplished Anything Last Year?”, free webinar, register here

January 23, 3pm, Rae Armantrout and Heller Levinson; respective launches of Conjure and Seep, register here

January 23, 7pm, “Have I Accomplished Anything This [Last] Year?”, free webinar, register here.

January 31, 4pm, Gregory Djanikian, intro by Billy Collins; register here  

Monthly Readings – ET

Special thanks to Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen for compiling this list:

Ralph Nazareth

First Sunday, 4pm, Poetic License (Austin)

First and Third Mondays, 6:30pm, Norwalk Poetry

Every Tuesday, 2pm, Spoken Word World (Paris)

Every Tuesday, 7pm, Curley’s Diner led by the impressive Ralph Nazareth

Second Wednesdays, 6:30pm, Mahopac Poetry Workshop

Every Thursday, 6:30pm, Mahopac Writers Group

Second Fridays, Noon, Writers, Artists, Actors, etc. Luncheon

Third Fridays, 7pm, Hudson Valley Writers Center Open Mic – click on third Friday for details

Linda’s Wholesome Mac and Cheese

Thanks to dear friend, poet, and watercolorist Linda Simone, we often enjoy this easy and delicious meal:

1 organic cauliflower cleaned and broken into florets

1 box of Annie’s Mac and Cheese

3 Tablespoons milk

2 Tablespoons butter

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (optional)

1 cup panko crumbs (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread cauliflower on cookie sheet and sprinkle with olive oil and salt. Roast for 20 minutes. Make the Annie’s Mac and Cheese per instructions. Combine with cauliflower. You can serve at this point, or put in a low casserole, cover with shredded cheese and panko crumbs, and oven-broil briefly until slightly browned. Try it with steamed broccoli, and crushed potato chips or cheese crackers as topping alternatives.

ʼRound the Net

Blues Band Larkin Poe

Memoirist Sarah Bracey White for her monologue, “Camp Cook,” read at the National Arts Club

Poet Patricia Carragon on her debut novel Angel Fire (Alien Buddha Press)

Guitarist Michael Cefola for pointing out the band Larkin Poe, here with Keith Urban playing “Where the Blacktop Ends,” shares the creative drive of their famous great-great uncle Edgar Allen Poe

Poet Regi Claire on reading her powerful poem, “(Un)certainties,” short-listed for the 2020 Forward Prize for Best Single Poem, at the British Library

Poet and filmmaker Terry Dugan for this article on William Carlos Williams, “Poetry is a rival government”

Henri Matisse (1869-1954)

Art Historian Beth Gersh-Nesic for this fabulous article on Matisse and video on artist Ruby Silvious

Poet Louise Glück on winning the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature

Translator Johannes Göransson for his Poetry Daily essay on translation

Poet Cindy Hochman for her poem, “Inner Life (with Sabotage),” in LIVE Mag! that also features work by Andrei Codrescu and a collage by Bob Heman

Author J. Chester Johnson on having his book, Damaged Heritage (Pegasus Books), recommended by The Harvard Magazine

Translator Jacqueline Lapidus for her personal remembrances of Ruth Bader Ginsberg in Persimmon Tree (scroll down for her contribution)

Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen on his reading at the Paris Spoken Word World last fall

Blues bassist Larry Schwartzman for Snooky Pryor’s “Someone to Love Me”

Poet Linda Simon for the Far Villages (Black Lawrence Press) panel where contributors talk about their work

Novelist Ron Tanner on winning the Elixir Press 2020 Book of Fiction Award for Far West to be published this year

Neal Whitman

Poet Estha Weiner for this Indoor Voices Podcast with J Journal editors Jeffrey Herman and Adam Berlin

Poet Neal Whitman for great reviews of his new book From This Moment On (Cyberwit, 2020) in Gusts (Canada) and Kokako (New Zealand)

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

In July, I discovered a request to demolish a home by architect Julius Gregory (1875-1955) required the applicants to prove his work was unworthy of preservation. A leader in historic revival architecture, he designed homes for notables such as publisher Alfred Knopf and Proctor & Gamble heir Sidney Gamble. Architect of the Grand Central School of Art, he also contributed to some of the first planned communities, Fieldston and Khakum Woods, both landscaped by the Olmsted Brothers. I never met Julius but, as his granddaughter, I had to respond. Several annogrammers—thank you again—edited a 47-page defense I wrote which helped block the demolition. While the applicants will appeal next month, we savored this victory in honoring architectural heritage.

Wishing you a fresh start this year, and love for and devotion to your family, your friends, and your craft. 

Until next time,

Ann