At a Park Slope New Year's Day Party I had the Good Fortune to Meet

Itzik Gottesman, formerly a Professor of Yiddish Literature, now associate editor at the Yiddish Forward, whose blog is called Yiddish Song of the Week


"Oy, fishelekh in vaser, zey iz fil beser.
Bay zey iz nit keyn untersheyd, fin klener biz tsu greser.
Oy, fishelekh in vaser, zey iz fil beser.
Bay zey iz nit keyn untersheyd, fun klener biz tsu greser".

"O the fish in water, they have it much better.
They don‘t make a difference
between the smaller ones and bigger ones".

* * * *

Builder Levy

Builder Levy, who I met tonight, has been photographing in Appalachia for 40 years

* * * *

Contradicta



Usually your feelings know things long before your mind does. So, mostly what your thoughts need to do is to tell you to be patient.



* * *


For some, even an attempt to leave themselves alone might constitute an unprecedented approach to a previously unknown internal territory.

Happy 2011 New Year Poem from

NIcole Peyrefitte and Pierre Joris

Eric Ewazen, American composer

I went to a concert this afternoon at the Brooklyn Public Library. Eric Ewazen's String Quintet
(Sinfonia for Strings) was performed by Harumi Rhodes, Adela Pena, Ah LIng Neu and Roberta Cooper. I found a work online by Ewazen whose music is certainly worth learning more about.

Eric Ewazen Down a River of Time and other mp3's


A duet for our time, of
anguish

* * * * *

A Radical Cut in the Texture of Reality

Keepaway Kickstarter

This just in!

Keepaway raised over $10, 000 for their new album, just in time!


* * * * *

Contradicta


Even as you live, to live is to remember to live.




* * *



Everything in contemporary culture tends to become a popularity contest. Nothing wrong with this, except that the truth is rarely popular.



* * * * *

Moonshine

This just in from Kimberly Lyons


"Come in and enjoy!
take a break from toil & trial,
all the wear & tear of holiday prep:
LUNAR CHANDELIER PRESS announces
         a book signing/reading
                  BY VYT BAKAITIS
                     LYNN BEHRENDT
                   AND JOE ELLIOT
          to take place from 2:00 p.m.
      this Saturday 18 December 2010
at Unnameable Books: 600 Vanderbilt Ave
(between Dean St & St Marks Ave), in Brooklyn NY

yours, Kimberly Lyons"
646-438-5559



* * * * *

Lunar Chandelier Press

had its debut reading tonight at the Poetry Project. Of the three books presented I am most familiar with Joe Elliot's Homework. When I edited OCHO 21 I had the immense good fortune to choose from a large portion of the as yet unedited manuscript of this book. I can say that my most immediate feeling was sadness at not having chosen to edit a magazine much sooner and I could now see why so many of my poet friends had done exactly that with a good portion of their time over the years. When I was asked to write a blurb for the book I was delighted and honored but soon realized what a daunting task it would be, having already experienced so many waves of emotion about Elliot's powerful work. When I brought the book home tonight and began rereading it I got a glimmer of just how strongly his work had affected me, not only by way of enjoyment and admiration, but viscerally and very personally. The thoughts and feelings I am driving at here are somewhat summarized in the blurb I wrote for Joe's book, available on the Lunar Chandelier website (above), and, in a shortened version, on the back of the book. More of that some other time, hopefully soon.

I have had a couple of days to begin reading Lynn Behrendt's new book and I am impressed and excited about that book as well. My first thought was that my reaction to q quick read of parts of this book reminded me of my reaction to hearing and reading Ted Berrigan's Sonnets, over 40 years ago. This response might have had to do with these lines:

"I am a language vole too.
I got glue
in my vagina"

(from the poem The Ulna Slash Uvula Laid Bare Lingual Age)

I had the same sudden feeling reading this poem two nights ago of a manifesto of an impending poetic movement as when I read Berrigan's sonnets for the first time. And I think, in particular of these lines:

"baffling combustions are everywhere/graying the faces of virgins/ aching to be fucked/we fondle their snatches/and O, I am afraid!/The poem on the page/ will not kneel/for everything comes to it/gratuitously"

Now, I've thought in recent and not so recent years how sexist these lines must sound now, since the "we" obviously refers to men, and therefore hints of a predatory male conspiracy. But reading it then, I don't believe that is how it struck me. Berrigan's Sonnets deftly wove such sexual and sensual longing within a lyrical, complexly rhythmic, linguistic thread of philosophical and literary intellectuality, wit, self-effacement as well as countless other emotions and observations blended with numerous fragments of conscious and unconscious, fantasy experience. I feel the same in Lynn's poem- the poem continues with variations on the original words much the way Berrigan's Sonnets turn lines again and again around and within themselves.

Behrendt's poem continues:

"It's me and thee and analog glee-
lingo vogue
in isotope tetrameters"

and later:

"You're one alluvial egg
you lover of lingo slag
a lovely oval lung"

and later:

"how long , lonely little Anglo?
I'm venial Eve hitting a gog
in a dollar store lounge"


The final reader tonight was Vyt Bakaitis, whose book I have not yet seen, but whose reading evoked countless memories of New York School charisma. His wit, charm and lyricism pulled in the whole room, and by extension, the world outside the room.

The whole evening left my mind virtually swinging from, and with, the Lunar Chandelier.

* * * * *

Debussy plays Debussy- You Tube

Keepaway's Latest:

Kompetitor (EP) Free Download!
(To just listen without downloading click on the arrow at the top)

Keepaway: Kompetitor

Two Aphorisms by Nietzsche

Thoughts: -- Thoughts are the shadows of our sentiments--always however obscurer, emptier, and simpler.

* *

My Dog--I have just given a name to my pain, and call it "a dog,"--it is just as faithful, just as importunate and shameless, just as entertaining , just as wise, as any other dog-- and I can domineer over it, and vent my bad humour on it, as others do with their dogs, servants and wives.

(Joyful Wisdom, 1882)

* * * * *

New Poem by Nico Vassilakis

Diminished Use Value/Disturbed Surface

* * * * *

I'm Reading (with Lisa Robertson) at the Poetry Project

On January 19, 2011

* * * * *

Robert Archambeau Interview on The Argotist Online

* * * *

Ray DiPalma on PennSound

* * * *

David Antin Rethinks Freud

* * * *

Laynie Browne on PennSound

* * * *

Rosemarie Waldrop

reading at KGB Bar, November 22, 7:30 pm

Celebrating her new book DRIVEN TO ABSTRACTION

Keith back on the air this week. 300,000 people signed the petition!"

* * * *

Anchor's Away

Guessing what might happen to Keith: Forbes

* * * *

Bring Back Keith Olbermann Now!

Sign The Petition!

* * * *
Colin Harrison and James Ellroy, two important mystery novelists were interviewed in June of 2009 by Sarah Weinman on her blog Confessions of an Idiosyncratic Mind. If you enjoy contemporary crime fiction, this is an interview well worth watching.

* * * *
Outrage Misguided by Noam Chomsky

* * * *

The new (free) Ebook from Argotist Online is Tracking Systems by Alan May

2cd Avenue: The Occult Issue, guest edited by Alan Ramon Clinton

2cd Avenue: Volume 3 Contributors

Toni Simon: Anubis Bastet Sebek Thoth

Toni Simon: Earth After Earth

* * * *

October 31

Otloths issue 19 Southern Spring 2010
* * * *

October 31

The new Ebook from Argotist Online is IMPRESSIVE (BIG) INSTANT (BANG)! by Ivan Arguelles

* * * *

October 31

Poets and Artists December 2010-Edited by Didi Menendez

* * * *

The New E-book from Argotist Online is: Vernon Frazier's Margin- L

* * * *

The new Ebook from Argotist Online is: Jerome Rothenberg's The Jigoku Zoshi Hells, A Book of Variations

* * * *

Argotist Online E books


* * * *

Must Not Sleep- a complete novel online by Michael Brownstein

* * * *
Home Alone

In Real Life

* * * *
10/22

Today is David Bromige's birthday
Scroll down for Wood s lot feature

Toni Simon reading a selection from her poem Earth After Earth with projected illustrations at the 2cd Avenue vol. 3 Occult issue launch at The Creek and The Cave in Long Island City on Saturday 9/25. Full text with illustrations on the 2cd Avenue Website coming soon! A glimpse of overall editor and event organizer Paulo Javier may be seen at the end of the clip. Paulo Javier announced that Earth after Earth was one of guest editor Alan Clinton's favorites.

* * * * *

Contradicta

A couple in love are like two trapeze artists: jump, flip, free fall, reach out two hands are there. And for life, if you're lucky, like me.

[for Toni Simon]

* * * *


There are ideas whose purpose is to entice the seeker to go in circles; a fruitless search might end by revealing a cruel face behind a mask


* * * * *

found contradicta

[tattoos on the arm of a cashier at MOMA- 10/2/10- quotes from Charles Bukowski]

CREATE DANGEROUSLY

* *

Some people never go crazy- what horrible lives they must lead


* * * * *

Publishing as an Art Form

Poets and Artists November 2010-Dulce Menendez, editor

On the cover is a painting by Denis Peterson and reading his contributing poem for the painting USA Today is Geof Huth (when the site opens you will hear Geof Huth reading his poem)

* * * * *

Sheila Murphy interviews Mark Young

* * * * *

Ned Rorem 5 CD Set- Serebrier Conducts Rorem

Tuesday, October 19 Lincoln Center Barnes and Noble Ned Rorem

* * * * *

Mark Lamoureux Dance Poems (pdf)

* * * * *

Steven Fama on Lamoureux' Dance Poems The Glade

* * * * *

Quixote radio

* * * * *

you are invited to the launch of

2nd Ave Poetry , vol 3: The Occult

guest edited by alan ramon CLINTON

Saturday, September 25
5-7 pm
FREE
The Creek and The Cave
10-93 Jackson Ave, Long Island City
(on the E, G, & 7 train, B61 bus)

featuring readings & multimedia performances by

mitch HIGHFILL * toni SIMON * hector CANONGE
charles BORKHUIS * priscilla STADLER
brenda COULTAS * jill MAGI * kelly SPIVEY
douglas a. MARTIN * mark LAMOUREAUX
downstairs after-PARTY with live set by dj DESPO


volume 3 also includes work by

kevin KILLIAN * leslie SCALAPINO * dodie BELLAMY
jeremy THOMPSON * rit PREMNATH * caitlin PARKER
tsering wangmo DHOMPA * thom DONOVAN
r. zamora LINMARK * thomas FINK * denise DUHAMEL
filip MARINOVICH * ca CONRAD * frank SHERLOCK
lyn GOERINGER * matt JONES * clayton ESHLEMAN
charles BERNSTEIN * stephanie GRAY * gerrit LANSING
vincent KATZ * rusty MORRISON * laynie BROWN
tim PETERSON * john HARKEY * r.m. ENGELHARDT
emmy CATEDRAL * yago CURA * ernest CONCEPCION
jonny FARROW * alan ramon CLINTON

The Unbearable Lightness of Blogging

Around the time Toni and I moved to Park Slope, I wrote a piece about Hazlitt on this blog. That was 4/25-5/2 2004. Someone must have linked to it, and I noticed the link on my site meter. I reread it and thought to repost it.

* * * *

new issue: k a m a t e k a o r a (New Zealand)

* * * *

Anne Tardos, Nine, 40 A flow movie

* * * *

Alan Davies featured in Craig Dworkin's

UBU WEB Anthology of Conceptual Writing

* * * * *

Works Received:

Ray Di Palma: House of Keys (foldout chapbook, art and poetry): Longhouse, Longhouse Poetry

"But at least for the moment unable to think further, though/
with a sense of being a privileged insider whose querulous/
nature was never far from the surface and was always ready/
with a challenging response meant to be heard never more/
than in partial jest..."


* * * * *

Geof Huth: untitled 10 page privately distributed chapbook dated 9 September 2010

"dendritic /excercises towards (no, toward (no, to))
the thought thinking"

Geof Huth's email: geofhuth@gmail.com

Geof Huth's 365 ltrs

New Nico Vassilakis book from Xexoxial: Starings


* * * * *

Peacock Online Review #1 includes Anselm Berrigan, Joel Lewis, Alice Notley, others

* * * * *

OMG-TMI! NY Times


* * * * *

The New Book from Argotist Online is The Collected Essays of Adam Fieled

* * * * *

esque/oetry/ifesto

Issue 1- (flash- takes a minute to load)

via wood s lot


* * * *

Delirious Hem: A Tribute to Leslie Scalapino: Day 1 of 4

* * * * * *


Robert Reich Op-Ed NY Time September 2, 2010
How to End the Great Recession

* * * * *

Poets and Artists October 2010 Edited by Didi Menendez

* * * *

Text Festival

* * * *

Nico Vassilakis Staring Toward Vispoetics

* * * *

David Arner & George Quasha perform Tuesday (9/7) at White Box, 7:30 PM


David Arner/George Quasha perform Axial Sound Composition at White Box


which involves percussion, piano, proto-language, and urmusic.


Pasha Radetzki will perform at 7:30
Arner & Quasha at 8:30
Location on Broome between Bowery and Christie
329 Broome Street. New York, NY. 10002
Phone: 212-714-2347

Contradicta


Happiness is an attitude, not an outcome. When things go wrong, straighten out the dent in your attitude, then proceed.

* * * * *

Every minute of every day the gap between love and fame grows wider.


*****************************************************************



"Oh, well." Already you've taken a first step towards forgiveness and philosophy.


* * * * *


You went the right way, you went the wrong way, now you can rest.

George Quasha and friends perform Axial Compositions at White Box, 8/26

* * * * *

The new e book on Argotist Online is Paradigm of the Tinctures by Alan Halsey and Steve McCaffery

* * * * *

Contradicta Book Titles

A Tragic Honesty- (The Life and Work of Richard Yates) -Blake Bailey

The Truth of Poetry- Michael Hamburger

Jack Gilbert: Poet Without a Career
Jim Finnegan

via Word Pond

* * * *

The Brooklyn Book Festival

* * * *

Argotist Online Interview with Sheila M. Murphy

Thanks to James Geary for featuring Contradicta: Aphorisms on

All Aphorisms All The Time

and to Jim Finnegan for the recommendation Uraprache

* * * *

Ten New poems from Ray DiPalma on Jacket 40

* * * *

The new book from Argotist Online is Ric Carfegna Symphony Number 2


* * * *

My Whole Street is a Mosque Mira Schor: A Year of Positive Thinking


* * * *

The latest Mipoesias

The new Argotist Online E-Book is Doom Cusp by David Meltzer

Jerome Sala (Expresso Bongo) on The Critic as Artist and Vice-Versa:Thoughts on Oscar Wilde, Wallace Stevens, and Nick Piombino (July 30)

* * * *
Mark Young writes about his father The Victorian Age


* * * *

Les Black "The Listeners" Eurozine
Via wood s lot

* * * *


Otoliths Number Eighteen

* * * *

The latest issue of Poets and Artists edited by Didi Menendez

* * * *

"Wikipedia refers to Sven Birkerts' 1994 study The Gutenberg Elegies: The Fate of Reading in the Electronic Age, and the work of developmental psychologist Maryanne Wolf, who pointed out the loss of "deep reading" capacity. Internet-savvy users, she states, seem to lose the ability to read and enjoy thick novels and comprehensive monographs".

The colonization of real-time and other trends in Web 2.0"

viaWood s lot
* * * *


Looking for Love: Douglas Messerli on Nathanael West's Miss Lonelyhearts Green Integer Blog

* * * *



the new books on The Argotist Online:

The Blast Area by John Tranter

Pesticide Drift by F.A.Nettlebeck

Noise Difficulty Flower by J. D. Nelson

Solzhenitzen Jukebox by Ann Bogle
* * * *

Fragments of a Broken Poetics by Jennifer Moxley

* * * * *

Blogging is Dead: :Long Live the Blog by Joshua Corey

* * * * *

The new book on Argotist Online is A Year of Ordinary Moments by Rich Curtis


* * * * *

New from Otoliths Expanding The Radius by Mary Ellen Derwis, Joe Balaz

* * * * *

New Books from Argotist Online by Chris Stroffolino and Evelyn Posamentier


* * * * *

Norman Fischer interviewed by Hank Lazer on the Argotist Online

* * * * *

Fiber Optic Tapestry by Ligorano Reese- Kickstarter


* * * *

The new book from Argotist Online is


King Amour by Jack Foley

* * * * *

A Celebration in Poetry and Art for Didi Menendez

50/50 Words and Images for Didi Menendez

High Resolution PDF

Low Resolution PDF


* * * * *

The Project for Innovative Poetry

Today, Douglas Messerli posted a listing for me on his PIP blog:

THe Project for Innovative Poetry

* * * * *

--Nico Vassilakis-asemic poetry--"In this episode, the alphabet refuses to be belittled by word logic and takes its revenge by dismantling it".
--from: The Bleed A journal of vital, progressive visual, concrete and experimental poetries

* * * * *

Cpntradicta



While all lives end with death, most novels begin with one.



* * * * *



Everything in the world exists in order to end up looking for a book.