Suzanne Frischkorn's Blog, page 46

Wow

Our short list was pretty much split evenly along gender lines. But as we went through each category, a pattern emerged. Some books, it seemed, were "ambitious." Others were well-wrought, but somehow . . . "small." "Domestic." "Unam --" what's the word? "-- bititous."and laterBut, incredulous, again and again, I watched as we pushed aside works that everyone acknowledged were more finely wrought,

Happy Birthday Anne Sexton

The Ambition BirdSo it has come to thisinsomnia at 3:15 A.M.,the clock tolling its enginelike a frog followinga sundial yet having an electricseizure at the quarter hour.The business of words keeps me awake.I am drinking cocoa,that warm brown mama.I would like a simple lifeyet all night I am layingpoems away in a long box.It is my immortality box,my lay-away plan,my coffin.All night dark

Good Stuff

A tradition of the Small Press Spotlight series is to call attention to the chapbook. They don't take too much space on the shelf, their spines are easy to overlook, but these rare edition (and quite affordable) keepsakes are labors of love worth owning. Here are a few that have found a home in my ever-growing collection:

Pelosi Wins the Day

Nancy Pelosi clapped her hands as she left the House floor late Saturday night."That was easy," the speaker said with a smile.It wasn't. She had just delivered a promise decades of her predecessors failed to bring home, harnessing her uncommon focus, vote-counting acumen and consensus-building skills to bring tens of millions of Americans a giant leap closer to having health insurance coverage

Yes! House Passes Health Care Bill

Insurance industry practices such as denying coverage because of pre-existing medical conditions would be banned, and insurers would no longer be able to charge higher premiums on the basis of gender or medical history. In a further slap, the industry would lose its exemption from federal antitrust restrictions on price fixing and market allocation.

"Best Books of 2009"

A parting thought: my friend and colleague Gloria Feldt, who also happens to be one of the most inspiring and important thought-leaders on women and leadership in the country, likes to cite a pair of statistics that speak volumes: women make 85% of the consumer buying decisions in this country; women are 17% of Congress.Here's another one for you: 65% of books sold in the U.S. are purchased by

'How Romantic!'

1. Fold the poem in half. Put it in your underwear drawer. Not in your drawers; in a drawer. Close the drawer. Go for a walk. Choose someplace ugly, filled with sorrow. Extra points for a locale that includes profuse multi-sensory information (ripe, overflowing Dumpsters, putrid crab apples piled on a lawn). While on the walk, feel sorry for yourself until you become distracted by the above.

"The System"

Contests are at best a difficult lottery system and at worst a scam. And finding a press outside the contest route is extremely difficult too. Your thoughts on the system? What can be done? And what advice (beyond "persevere") can you give writers trying to find a home for a first manuscript?--Hat tip to Eduardo _______After reading Rigoberto's review, I added this book to my wish list.______ '

The empinador

--Ulises Bretana Hevia