It's Still April! Expect Showers

Rain: A Natural and Cultural History
by Cynthia Barnett
9780804137096

It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is snoring!
It's April and it's showering, thundering, lightening!
Nightwind splatters drops against the door frightening
The cats curled up close.
The gutters fail and the corners flood
Tulips and pansies awaiting May.





Is this a poem?  Who can say?  For something that was floating (in rainwater) in my head, it is the best poetry to come out in a long time.  As Susan Porter says, that's my perspective.

Never a Bad Time to Consume Poetry

Beattie's Book Blog - unofficial homepage of the New Zealand book community: National Poetry Month Poster Unveiled:  The Academy of American Poets has unveiled the official poster design for April is Poetry Month, by National Book Award nominee Roz Chast.  It includes the late Illinois poet (and Poet Laureate) Mark Strand's lines,

Ink runs from the corner of my mouth.

There is no happiness like mine. 

I have been eating poetry.

from Selected Poems which unfortunately is currently unavailable, although you can reserve his Complete Poems just published last September with a list price of $30 (a bargain since the last publication of Selected Poems listed at $21.

Mark your calendars, this year's Open Mic Poetry Night at Books on First is Friday, 17April2015. Hope to see you then.

Tuesday Poem: Lines excerpted from Bentleyisms: by Nelson Bentley

I discovered this poetry blog through Graham Beattie's blog which I follow: Tuesday Poem: Lines excerpted from Bentleyisms: by Nelson Bentley 


It is much too bad that titles of Nelson Bentley's published books are generally unavailable to Books on First. T.Clear paints him as a swell kind of guy who gives stand-up poet Billy Collins a run for your sense of poetic humor.

Looking Forward to a New Collection of Irish Writing

Alison Flood reports in The Guardian newspaper on a forthcoming collection of works by Irish writers inspired by works in Ireland's National Gallery, Lines of Vision: Irish Writers on Art.  Street date for this title in the United States is 14 October 2014.  The publication commemorates the 150th anniversary of the National Gallery of Ireland's opening.

Flood does a wonderful job of describing Seamus Heaney's contribution and how he responded to the call from Janet McLean, the gallery’s curator of European art 1850-1950, who edits the $35 volume.  It seems that the late Heaney's style was like mine, tending to let a poem "pickle" and making changes as necessary before it is "final."  (In no way should the gentle reader think yours truly believes I'm anywhere near the talent and skill of Seamus Heaney.

In addition to Heaney, Roddy Doyle, Colm Tóibín and Larry's favorite John Banville are also contributors.  What a beautiful gift this would make for any lover or art and literature.  Pre-order it from Books on First now.  

See Poetry in Everything III

In conjunction with its Week Without Violence, Sauk Valley's YWCA in Sterling, IL, is sponsoring a Poetry for Peace contest.  The rules are simple and the deadline is 10 October.  So, if you're a fast poetry writer, or you have one on the tip of your pen, or if you have a peace poetry on the shelf which you can take down, hurry and get it in for the commemoration. 

See Poetry in Everything II

NPR does its darndest to keep both radio and writing relevant.  Its "Crime in the City" series is a great marriage of radio and writing, full of sounds of cities which are as great a character in many fiction writing, especially mysteries. And, it has just concluded its "Poetry Games" in parallel with the Summer Olympics in London.

Put a Poem in Your Pocket - 26 April

A popular Chicago Tribune writer once called Billy Collins our very own stand-up poet.  Indeed, many of Collins's poems prod the reader or listener into reflection through humor.  It's not everyone's cup of tea, but I have to say, I'm a fan.

Celebrate April is Poetry Month by putting a poem in your pocket to share with others.  26 April 2012 has been declared Poem in Your Pocket Day.

The Fish

As soon as the elderly waiter
placed before me the fish I had ordered,
it began to stare up at me
with its one flat, iridescent eye.

I feel sorry for you, it seemed to say,
eating alone in this awful restaurant
bathed in such unkindly light
and surrounded by those dreadful murals of Sicily.

And I feel sorry for you, too--
yanked from the sea and now lying dead
next to some boiled potatoes in Pittsburgh--
I said back to the fish as I raised my fork.

And thus my dinner in an unfamiliar city
with its rivers and lighted bridges
was graced not only with chilled wine
and lemon slices but with compassion and sorrow

even after the waiter had removed my plate
with the head of the fish still staring
and the barrel vault of its delicate bones
terribly exposed, save for a shroud of parsley.

-Billy Collins from Ballistics

NPR and Speed Poetry

NPR's All Things Considered has been inviting a different poet each month to come in, observe its behind-the-scenes news gathering and then, come up with a poem.  That's actually pretty amazing that poets agree to do that, but in reflection, I admit it would be a challenge as well as being pretty good promotion.  Last month, guest poet Craig M Teicher come in.  He summed up the speed poetry composition as such, "Normally, I wouldn't have even shown this to my wife yet,"  which would have been my sentiments exactly (if I had a wife).  Impressively, he wrote a villanelle, which reveals his academic background, as that's one of those standard poetic styles which are taught in poetry writing seminars.  In March, it was Kevin Young's turn, who is also known for his editing of poetry anthologies and being bi-polar.  His sense of wordplay in the use of "cleave," a "self-antonym."  Needless to say, I am in awe of these graceful results under pressure, and look forward to this month April, which is Poetry Month.  

We will be celebrating with Open Mic Poetry Night on Friday, 6 April.  Continuing on a popular movement, we again have Poetry in Your Pocket Day, 26 April 2012.

We Real Cool 
     The Pool Players.
      Seven at the Golden Shovel.

We real cool.  We
Left school.  We

Lurk late.  We
Strike straight.  We

Sing sin.  We
Thin gin.  We

Jazz June.  We
Die soon.

-Gwendolyn Brooks from Jazz Poems, selected & edited by Kevin Young

"Women Are Poems"

But, so are trees, oceans, war, lovers, the breakfast table, God and other concepts.  However, some women can write poetry, so they are of even greater value.

We honor Adrienne Rich, who died on 29 March, at aged 82, just before Poetry Month.

Celebrate April is Poetry Month with Books on First, on 6 April (Good Friday) at 7pm, when we will gather to read, recite, perform and most of all, listen to poetry.

Second Sight
1

Tonight I could write many verses
beginning     Let this not happen
for a woman leaning over a thirtieth story railing
in hot July     worn webbed-plastic
chairs aglare on the nickel-colored balcony
foreseeing in tracked patterns
of a project landscape
the hammer brought
down by one child upon another's skull

Not moved yet     she     and hers
her child inside     gazing
at a screen
and she a reader once     now a woman foreseeing

elbows sore with the weight
she has placed them
a woman on a balcony with a child inside
gazing at a screen

2

A woman     neither  architect nor engineer     construes the
     dustmotes
of a space primed for neglect
Indoor, outdoor exhausted air

Paths that have failed as paths     trees
that have failed as trees

Practiced in urban literacy she
traverses and assesses streets and bridges
tilting the cumbrous ornamental sewer lids ajar
in search of reasons underground
          which there why this must be

-Adrienne Rich 1999-2000 from fox: Poems 1998-2000

Nobel Prize in Literature Announced and We Are Out-of-Stock

Scandinavian is all the rage right now, if I might irreverently proclaim.  Beginning with Stieg Larsson, the interest pedalled backwards to find Henning Mankell, around to find Astrid Lindgren (Pippi Longstocking) and front and center again to embrace every other Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Finnish crime and mystery writer who ever had the good fortune to be translated into English.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is currently the most borrowed e-book in the New York Public Library system.  (For those who don't want to wait, you can buy the paperback or the Google e-book online at www.booksonfirst.com.)

And now, this year's Nobel Prize Winner for Literature is from Scandinavia is Swedish poet Tomas Transtromer, whose fellow countrymen have been waiting for over 50 years for recognition of his literary prowess.  (We also might note that the Nobel Prizes are awarded by a Scandinavian committee, but that's only a Nota Bene, not implying any strange coincidence, except the fact that being Scandinavian is very cool right now.)

Before you click onto www.booksonfirst.com to reserve your copy of either The Sorrow Gondola/Sorgegondolen -- his first published collection of poetry after his stroke in 1990 or try to find 17 Poems, his first book published when he was just 23 years old, know that our wholesaler has been wiped out of stock, so surprising was this award.  Actually, 17 Poems is not in print here in the United States, but after this award and with the coolness factor hardly waning, stay tuned.  You may be able to put it on  your holiday wishlist.

CAA Class of 2011

Tonight, Jack Dunphy, Seth Kaplan and Caroline Kenworthy, among many noteworthy artists, graduated from Chicago Academy of the Arts, full of honors and accolades.

Readers of these humble blogposts would have already been introduced to Jack Dunphy, grandson of yours truly.  He is a regular teenager as well as an extraordinary filmmaker, having also dabbled in or made forays into writing, acting, graphic arts, sculpture and stand-up comedy.  The "regular teenager" is not a disparagement, but a wonderment, since he seems to have started life with the thoughts of a man aged 60 and has managed to grow younger in outlook as he has grown older in years.  I guess now he has to start growing up again.  Jack was given the Headmaster's Award, for greatest growth and potential as well as commitment to the Academy and to the arts.  This is not the last that the world has heard of Jack Dunphy.  And, I hope Jack knows I am not just saying that because I love him very much (I hope he knows that I as well as his grandfather love him very much), and will support him in all that he wants to achieve.  He will continue in Chicago at Columbia College.

I do not know Seth Kaplan, but have witnessed his work live at tonight's Commencement ceremony and in Jack's films.  He was honored with the Music Department's Award as well as the Academy's Community Service Award.  He also wrote, among concertos, operas and jazz pieces, a song about a squirrel that has become a great Academy insider anthem (not being an insider, I have to take everyone's word and screams for it).  He appears not only to be very talented, but personable and generous with his time.  He is another name to note.  I am not sure where he will be continuing, but wish two things: for me, to get a chance to hang with him and for Seth, all the best of good luck.

Let me also talk more about Caroline Kenworthy, to whose extraordinary voice I was first introduced during her Senior Presentation on 31 March 2011.  Remember the name, lovers of poetry and all literature.  I forgot it (in my early onset way) when I talked about her in April, during our Open Mic Poetry Night.  Crisp, insightful words precisely and intricately arranged together like pearls and precious stones sewn among silk and velvet in a headdress -- that is how I would describe Caroline Kenworthy's poetry.  One thing about a writing program, one learns the different poetic forms and she can write just as elegantly within the parameters of an elegy as in free form, or maybe I should say it the other way around.  Too many writers today -- third-rate hacks like myself, for instance, can only write free form or lyric and not even very gracefully.  She was saluatorian of her class (as well as the Media Arts Department Honor Awardee) and gave the most amazing speech tonight on words, beginning with the philosophical posit that words have no meaning, and going on to discuss how unsettling that is to someone who has heard, spoken, read and written so many of them.  She talked of how (Frindle-like, although she never mentioned this Clement book) words, like "Academy," "Artist" and "Student," have the meaning upon which we agree they have.  She choked us all up with her finish on how linguistically impossible it could be to express her gratitude to the school, its teachers and staff, and her fellow students, but since we have all agreed on a meaning, she could, "Thank You."  She continues at Sarah Lawrence College.  Wishing you the best of luck, Caroline.

I had asked for a copy of the poems and prose excerpts she read for her Senior Presentation that March night, but have not received it yet (it was to come through that oh, so reliable medium of teenagers "I'll give it to Jack to give to you.").  I have a feeling I will need to wait for the published, printed bound copy.  I also have a feeling that we won't be waiting long.

Calling All Poets and Lovers of Poetry

Our Annual Open Mic Poetry Night for Poetry Month (April) will be this Friday (15 April) at 7pm.

Come share your own or favorite poets’ works.

Books on First

Sauk Valley's Premier Bookstore/Coffeehouse

In the Heart of Downtown Dixon

202 W First Street

Dixon, IL  61021

815.285.BOOK (-2665)

815.285.2666 fax

chin@booksonfirst.com

April is Poetry Month -- Join Us for Annual Open Mic Night 15 April 2011

From Stan Wolzen,

Where In Dixon Did People Go, To Have A Cup of Morning "Joe",

Before There Was A Place Called "BOOKS ON FIRST?"
To A Restaurant I Suppose, Like Most Of The Populous Goes.
But That Does Not Thoroughly Quench Our Thirst.

Other Places Where People Meet, For A Cup of "Mud" And A Seat,
Miss That Special Coffee House Atmosphere.
The Thirst For Knowledge Every Day, Tends To Guide Us Over This Way.
It's Hard To Explain All That We Learn Here.

Some People Come Here Just To Chat, And There "Ain't Nothin' Wrong With That,
And Some Come Here Just For A Special Brew,
Some Come Here for The Latest News, And To Get Cross Sectional Views,
And Some Don't Have Anything Else To Do.

Whatever REason Taht You Came, Taste Bud Stimulus Or Your Brain,
I'm Sure You'll Find You Like The Atmosphere.
Java-Mud-Joe, Tea or Latte, A Choice Of Munchies Everyday,
Knowledge In All These Books, And "In The Air".

There's Something Else Making A Name, It's Books On First Musical Fame,
Saturday Night - Talent In The WEST ROOM.
A Flyer On Thh Post And Door, "Appearing Here - Name, Date And More,
Found Also On The Door Of The RESTROOM.

Thank You, Books On First*

*Larry, Carolyn, Brenda And All The Girls.

This was given to us from the self-described "poet of the Plains" (capital letters, underlined words and all).  Thanks, Stan.  You can hear Stan and others at our April is Poetry Month Annual Open Mic Poetry Night, Friday, 15 April.

Calling All (Non-Epic) Writers for Phidian Art Club Literary Competition

I just opened my personal invitation to submit to the Phidian Art Club's 23rd Annual Literary Competition for poetry, short fiction and non-fiction works.  However, it is open to everyone within a 35-mile radius of Dixon.  What is difficult to pinpoint is exactly where Dixon is.  There is the city of Dixon, Township of Dixon, Dixon Rural (as the firefighting unit is called)...  Dennis Considine is running for Committeeman of the City of Dixon, but eligible voters are only those who live within the city limits of Dixon, which are fairly limiting.  So, a small portion of BoF's constituency can actually elect Dennis (and re-elect Mayor Jim Burke).  However, those outside the city limits can vote for Margaret Tyne as Sauk Valley Community College Trustee.  Don't ask me where the geographical limits for eligibility to decide the future of SVCC are.  More writers can submit to Phidian's literary contest than can vote in the 5 April 2011 election.

Well, back to business:  Books on First will, as it has done for nearly our entire existence, sponsor the short fiction category.

In the past, when I still had a knack for writing poetry, I have submitted, winning second place twice -- always the bridesmaid, never the bride, eh?

One submission for each category allowed, winners will receive a critical commentary from the judge of that category, a small monetary prize with certificate and the winning piece reproduced in a bound volume available for viewing and borrowing in the Dixon Public Library.

The deadline is 15 March 2011 and you can get the requirements from the Dixon Public Library, The Next Picture Show, City of Dixon and Sauk Valley Newspapers.

Photography and Poetry

One could say, I suppose, that there is a divide between preference for colored photographs versus black and white, the same as there is for rhyming versus non-rhyming poetry. Some say it's not poetry unless it rhymes; a large majority of poets work in both realms and others -- poets and readers of poetry -- even scoff at rhyming poetry as childish, commonplace, and not true art.

Someone shared this with me and I am sharing it with all of you: Captured: America in Color from 1939-1943 – Plog Photo Blog . Quite frankly, I cannot define art, but this is within that definition. I had not previously realized that there was color photography at that time. I am quite ignorant about photography. While I prefer black and white, with the nuances and shades of grey, the tonal quality of these shared photos is exceptional and has those nuances usually associated with black and white photography.

Speaking of black and white photography, we will be visiting Cincinnati, Ohio, in little more than a week from now, primarily to see the Walker Evans exhibit at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

Open Mic Poetry Night (Friday, 30 April, 7pm)

May I listen to you speak
Your mind
Openly with no cause
But effect
My ears are your mic
My night yours
Tonight.

Announcing Books on First's Annual "April is Poetry Month" Open Mic 30 April

National Poetry Month starts off beautifully and with a bang, what with every media outlet and news feature program showing "Million's Poet," and Hissa Hillal (see our blogpost: April is Poetry Month), but Books on First will help end the month the same way, with our own Open Mic Poetry Night, on Friday, 30 April, at 7pm.  Come support local poets and performance artists as well as present your own or your favorite poets' works.

Meanwhile, enjoy this wonderful video reading & interview of Marie Ponsot and Edward Hirsch, courtesy of Wall Street Journal online.

April is Poetry Month

The biggest letdown I have reading New Zealander Graham Beattie's blog is not being able to get the books he discusses for our store!  We hear that frustration also when customers with friends in UK or elsewhere come in to find a book that their friends are raving about.  Sometimes, a book takes years, if ever, to migrate and be published across the pond (or from New Zealand, across several oceans).  When I first heard about Harry Potter taking UK by a storm, I was frustrated that we could not get it here.  Of course, nobody cared, because nobody had heard of the series.  Only after three titles in the series were published in Great Britain did it start here.  It created such an immediate excitement that the fourth book was released almost simultaneously in UK and here, and the rest, as they say, is history.

This "darn it!" moment comes often when I read about poetry books.  Fiona Kidman's new book Where Your Left Hand Rests, 2010 Costa Poetry Prize Winner Christopher Reid's  A Scattering, ... the list could go on.

Moreover, I guess I can be missing good stuff on television.  I just discovered an "American Idol" type program in Abu Dhabi in which performance is all about reciting one's own poetry.  It looks great!  And, some of the lines of Hissa Hillal, the featured poet in this NPR piece, as translated, are quite impressive.  Although it is difficult to judge poetry by brilliant lines, she does appear to be a top runner in "Million's Poet"  (I love when praise of a book of poetry include quotes like, "Some lines are so piercingly beautiful,..." or "In so-and-so's writing, a line might shine so brilliantly, it can blind you."  Heck, anyone can write a brilliant line.  It's the rest of the poem that makes writing poetry so difficult.)  Luckily, the fact that it is not playing on American broadcast television saves us from more comment from those who discuss "The Office," "Modern Family" and "Nurse Jackie" and say, "You see what you're missing without a TV."

However, we do have our fair share of poetry in Downtown Dixon.  Join us on Friday, 16 April, 7pm, for some Open Mic Poetry with Tom Irish presiding. And/Or on Friday, 30 April, 7pm, when I will strive to leave the weekday gig early and arrive at Books on First in time to have fun listening and watching, reciting, reading or performing.

Last Call to All Local Writers - Phidian's Contest Closes 15 March

Time is nearing for the close of accepting entries for The Phidian Art Club's 22nd Annual Literary Contest. 

The members work hard to find great judges and are always looking for new and exciting local writers to enter the contest.  Books on First has been tapped for a number of years to sponsor Short Fiction, and does so with enthusiasm.  Winners (first, second and third) receive a small monetary prize presented at a luncheon. The perk for the first prize winning entry has been (and I hope still is) an in-depth analysis/review by the judge on why the piece was clearly above the rest.  I have found that more invaluable than the $$.  In some years, it's so difficult to choose, there are honorable mentions. Let's keep that up!  Entry requirements are available at Books on First and online.

Goodness knows where the Awards Luncheon in May will be held now that Colonial Rose in Grand Detour has closed.  The Phidians might see if Mark Framke will be up and running at the Rock River Country Club by that time.  We just heard he has signed on executive chef position there, but only the 19th Hole will be immediately open.  We look forward to sampling some of Mark's great creative culinary ideas when the dining room opens.  Hey, Mark, a great piece of art for the Club'sdining room would be that wonderful piece of you in the kitchen by your lovely wife Lisa's daughter Sydni Reuben, a fantastic painter (whose website I cannot find, but click here for some work she had done while at Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design).  It would showcase both the chef and the artist. 

Christopher Reid on winning the Costa Award - Times Online

Bathroom of the Vanities by Christopher Reid

The model mask, the mannequin moue,

the face I loved to catch her pulling

after sundry perfecting dabs

and micro-adjustments in front of the mirror

will never be seen, by me or the mirror, again.

The bathroom scales, too,

stand abandoned. No one now will be consulting

the age-fogged dial for its little fibs

and trembles of error

with precisely that peering downward frown.

Odd bottles in an orderly queue —

Issey Miyake, Parfum Tea Rose, the eternally billing

doves of L’Air du Temps — keep their caps

on, conserve their last drops of essence and aura

and wait for no one.

From A Scattering, published by Areté © Christopher Reid 2009

Christopher Reid on winning the Costa Award - Times Online

This is the problem with reading Graham Beattie. He discusses books which have yet to be available in the United States of America and has us salivating and waiting and waiting, including for this one from Christopher Reid.