your groundhog annogram

Dear annogrammers, Welcome to the first newsletter of the year! We are crawling out of our holes like the groundhog—and what a joy to hear the prediction for more winter, or not. That folklore tradition tells us to look ahead to spring no matter what. All the same, as artists, we rejoice in our roots nourished and rested below the bare landscape.

 

New Year News

I am thrilled to be in the upcoming Linen Press (UK) anthology on women’s poetry—alongside poets such as Ellen Bass and Barbara Crooker; to have work in Hawaii Pacific Review, First Literary Review East, and to have been the guest poet at John McMullen’s Yorktown Poetry Workshop last week. Woo-hoo!

 

‘Dazzling’ Sanguinetti

 

Poetry critic Georges Guillaine, in Les Découvreurs, on the reissue of Et Voici La Chanson (Éditions Lurlure), calls Hélène Sanguinetti's poetry “a multiple, kaleidoscopic language, both stirring and magical, entirely inclined towards the unheard-of, [and] the dazzled.” In addition, Exacting Clam published my translation of Hélène’s poem, “I took 3 cows,” and Beautiful Days Press will debut Hélène’s Alparegho, like nothing else this year.

Installation Artist Robert Irwin

 

Thanks to Linda Simone for sharing Lawrence Weschler’s

Robert Irwin (1928-2023)

tribute to artist Robert Irwin (1928-2023), and for Laurel Peterson’s Substack response to the artist. Irwin was “focused on eliminating the literary narrative from the experience of art,” Laurel writes. “That is, when we look at art, we want to make a story out of it. Irwin wanted the viewer just to be there.” He created large mysterious if spare architectural spaces to allow this to happen. Read the tribute and Laurel’s essay to discover more.

Poetry Blogs and Newsletters

 

Is annogram the only newsletter out there? No! I highly recommend Christina Rau’s Monthly Newsletter for Creatives, a fun mix of literary reviews, musings, and opportunities; and Mary McCray’s Big Bang Poetry which follows Mary’s studies, interviews, and readings as a poet. Jerry T. Johnson has also started a good one, and there’s always The Kwitny Report. Read, enjoy, and learn!

 

“Unwanted” Video Moves to No. 1

 

Trevor Lukather

Last issue, after we wrote about the band The Effect, Trevor Lukather responded, “Thank you so much for the love and support! Means a lot!” Even happier that the band’s breakout video “Unwanted” jumped to No. 1 on the Power Hour countdown. Can’t wait for the first album from Steve Lukather’s son Trevor, Phil Collins’s son Nic, Toto's own Steve Maggiora, and vocalist Emmett Stang.

 

Original Gift Ideas

 

Dead Poets Rise™ board game

Scratching your head for a distinctive gift? How about a literary event in a box with the new board game Dead Poets Rise™ at NYC Hex&Co cafes or Dead Poets Rise (ships free)? Or share uplifting messages in the Your Life, Your Path Oracle Card Deck, gorgeous cards in a velvet bag, from the Wish Mavens. Better yet, donate to Holding Up the Sky, a documentary project supporting the integration of formerly incarcerated people into society.

 

Creative Opportunities

 

The Cardinal Prize for Poets Aged 40 and Above, by February 29

 

Green Linden Press Poetry Chapbook Series, by March 20

 

The New Croton Review, call for poetry, fiction, nonfiction, photographs, or visual art by March 16

 

Pure Slush and Truth Serum Press, call for work on retirement by February 29

 

Rattle, poems by professional musicians, by April 15

 

Writing the Walls 2024, creative responses to art on war, by February 20

 

 

New and Recent Releases

 

Charles Alexander, Time Being (Chax Press)

 

Ron Butlin, So Many Lives and All of Them Are Yours (Polygon Books)

 

Cagibi

 

First Literary Review-East

 

Rosanna McGlone, ed. The Process of Poetry (Fly on the Wall Press)

 

John McMullen, Autobiographical Poems and Memories of Guinan’s (Independently published)

 

Ann Taylor, Looking After: Poems (Dos Madres Press)

 

Pedestal 93

 

Christina Rau, How We Make Amends (MOONLOVE Press)

 

Michael Martin Shea, To Hell with Good Intentions (Beautiful Days Press)

 

Works and Days 3

 

 

Creative Workshops

 

Kevin Pilkington

Generative Poetry Workshop, February 17, 1pm, Suzanne Cleary, via zoom; register here; $20

Maine Media Workshops, July 22-26, The Teacher on the Bookshelf: A Poetry Workshop with Kevin Pilkington; register here (limited spots—register SOON)

 

Racoco Productions, Tuesdays (Zoom) and Thursdays (Live), improvisation classes; email info@racoco.org

 

Mahopac Poetry Workshop, 6pm, second Wednesdays

 

Mahopac Writers Group, 6:30pm, Thursdays

 

ModPo, University of Pennsylvania’s free poetry course and global community

 

Norwalk Poetry Workshop, first and third Mondays, 6:30pm; email poet_laureate@norwalkpl.org to register

 

The Peekskill Writing Table, second and third Tuesdays 

via Zoom; email tpwritingtable@gmail.com

 

The Poets Salon, led by Ed Ahern and Alison McBain of Fairfield Scribes Press, 10am, every second Saturday

 

Writers and Artists Lunch Conversation, second Fridays, noon

 

Yorktown Poetry Workshop, 6pm, fourth Wednesdays

 

 

February-March Events – ET

 

CallingAll Poets, February 2, 7pm; Cindy Hochman, Christopher George, and Tim Tomlinson plus open mic online; register here

 

To Hell with Good Intentions (Beautiful Days Press) book launch, February 4, 6:30pm; Michael Martin Shea, with Katherine Duckworth, Evan Gray, and AM Ringwalt; via Zoom, meeting ID: 845 8371 2916; passcode: v7R8Av

Daniel Mendelsohn on James Baldwin, February 7, 14, 21 online; auditor $125 or student $225; register by January 31

 

JCC Mid-Island Y Poetry Series, February 11, 2pm, Christina Rau and open mic, live and FB event; $3 donation

The Poetry Center (Paterson), February 17, 2:30pm, Suzanne Cleary; via Zoom

 

Holding Up the Sky Screening and Fundraiser, Episcopal Church of Our Saviour (Brookline), February 23, 6pm, register here (free)

 

Sculpture Tucson, February 24, 7pm, Dao Strom and Bojan Louis

POG Arts Tucson, March 16, 7pm, Brooke Sahni and Joan Retallack, online; register here

 

Norwalk Public Library

Christina Rau

, February 15, 6:30pm, Writers in Conversation: Laurel Peterson hosts thriller writers Deborah Royce and Greg Wands; March 7, 6:30pm, essayists/memoirists Sheila Squillante and Sonya Huber

Kew & Willow Books (Kew Gardens), March 22, 7pm, Christina Rau and open mic

 

Monthly Readings – ET

 

First Sunday, 4pm, Poetic License (Austin)

 

Second Mondays, 6:30pm, BACCA Poetry Chats with host Christina Rau

 

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

 

Every Tuesday, 7pm, Curley’s Diner

 

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

 

Frequent Saturdays (check Facebook), 5pm, LitBalm

 

Tuscan Bean Soup

Thanks again to our field researcher Linda Simone for road-testing and recommending this recipe. We still need hearty soups to warm us in the late winter chill. Enjoy!

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, peeled and diced into small pieces

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 15-oz. cans clear cannellini beans, rinsed and drained

5 cups vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

fresh thyme sprigs

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound kale, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons milk or almond milk

 

Parmesan toast

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into thick slices

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

 

In large soup pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté, stirring 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir garlic into veggie mixture and cook 1 minutes until fragrant. In food processor or blender, combine 1 cup beans and 1/2 cup stock and puree until smooth. Add pureed beans to veggie mixture. Stir remaining beans and stock into veggie mixture. Season with oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover, lower heat, and cook 20 minutes. Add kale and cook, covered, 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. While soup cooks, brush sliced bread with remaining olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Place bread on sheet pan and bake 10 minutes until toasted. For thicker soup, use potato masher to mash some beans. Discard thyme sprigs and stir in milk. Serve with the toasted bread.

 

ʼRound the Net

 

Ron Butlin

Classical musicians Eleanor Armstrong and Dan Armstrong for sharing the glass art of Ed Kachurik

 

Poet Therese Crain Bertsch for sharing the response of Helen Keller (1880-1968) on “hearing” Beethoven’s Ninth

 

Novelist and poet Ron Butlin for his interview on his new book in The Scots Whay Hae podcast

 

Poet Susana Case on the English-Ukrainian edition of The Scottish Café (Slapering Hol Press), whose proceeds will benefit the Writers Center in Lviv

 

Poet Suzanne Cleary on participating in The Poetry Center’s Distinguished Poet Series (see Events)

Guitarist and songwriter Michael Cefola for this Otamatone version of “Never Gonna Give You Up”

 

Novelist and poet Regi Claire for work in The Process of Poetry (Fly on the Wall Press) and Interpret Magazine

 

Charles Bernstein

Translators Chen Du and Xisheng Chen on their Readers’ Favorite Translation Award from Yan River for their translation of Charles Bernstein’s “The Body of the Poem”; and for this Yan An poem and another in Packingtown Review

 

Art historian and translator Beth Gersh-Nesic for sharing her recent online conversation with Carol Ockman on Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923)

 

Cindy Hochman

Poet Gary Glauber on having poems in The Ekphrastic Review, Rattle, and Verse-Virtual

 

Poet Cindy Hochman on her “Ask the Poet” interview in the Unleash Press blog and work in The Poetry Distillery

 

Poet and anthology editor Sarah Law for the international launch video of All Shall Be Well: Poems for Julian of Norwich (Amethyst Press)

 

Poet Heller Levinson for his Broken Lens Journal podcast interview and Raven Chronicles review of his two latest books

 

Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen for this article on how Hollywood lost its nerve

 

The New York Public Library for its list of top 2023 checked-out books

 

Poets and Writers for resurrecting its Daily News

 

Poet Jean-Luc Pouliquen for the first book, Boulevard Frédéric Mistral (Independently published), in his series about his hometown of Hyères in Provence

 

The Bangles

Poet Christina Rau, author of How We Make Amends (MOONLOVE Press), for what deep space sounds like; and her poem (at 1:59) on Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction radio show

 

Bassist Larry Schwartzman for this 1986 Bangles Concert video

 

Memoirist Mary Wasacz on the debut of her book The Frailty of a Butterfly (Independently published)

 

Discovery at Five Below

 

Van Gogh's influence in
Oberösterreichisches Bauernhaus (1911)

Thumbing through books at this discount store, I “splurged” on a gorgeous art book on Gustave Klimt (1862-1918). What struck me is how his landscapes could reflect painters he admired—Van Gogh or Cezanne—but the work remained distinctly his own. I love that we as literary, visual, or performing artists can absorb other’s styles yet generate something wholly original. Here’s to that frisson from another artist that compels us toward new territory.

 

Until next time,

Ann