your summer annogram

 

Dear annogrammers,Welcome to almost-summer, the days of ease we await in the next few weeks. Ihave exciting news to share, the regular creative round-up, and a sweetpotato saladfor lazy picnics with family or friends. Wishing you good books to read, napson the sand or in the hammock, and picture-perfect times with loved ones.

 

Great News from Beautiful DaysPress
I am thrilled that my translation of Hélène Sanguinetti’s Alparegho,Pareil-à-rien , will be one of the inaugural books published byBeautiful Days Press. Thanks to editors GeorgeFragopoulos and Joshua Wilkerson, for selecting this timely and timeless tale of aquest for identity. In France, Alpareghowill be reissued this fall by Lurlure. Look for my translation mid-2024, and bises to LindaSimone for suggesting thispress!

 

The Hero Video

Equally excited to announcethe debut of the seven-minute video from Hélène’s book The Hero (Chax Press, 2018) that combines gorgeousimagery and a haunting soundtrack behind the spoken narrative. Charles Alexander of Chax Press asked me to do a recording a few years ago, andI wanted something more visually intriguing. This is the result, and I hope youwill enjoy and share.

 

My YouTube Channel

The Hero video needed a home,so a friend and I collated a dozen readings on my new YouTube Channel. You canhear a fascinating sound bite from French poet Jean-Luc Pouliquen on the migration of Beat Poetry toFrance, listen to my humble beginnings as a poet in the Vin Dacquino interview,or discover US poets from Trainwreck Press. It’s all there in one place!

 

Dead Poets Rise

 

Howcan poetry be more accessible? Enter DeadPoets Rise—a board game unlike any other, where poetry doesn’t feel like schoolwork,but something fun and challenging for anyone, from the poetry-averse to die-hardscomposing haikus and sonnets. DPR is about rescuing poets from obscurity–andeverybody gets to take home their own poem at the end. Learn more here and help Kickstartthis important game!

 

Vinyl Obsession

My favorite guitarist,Michael, and I adore this TV show. Episodes host two rockstars who select five favorite vinyl albums from Grimey’sRecords in Nashville. Theyshare how they fell in love or worked with certain bands—an autobiographicaljourney as much as a musical one. We also love Power Hour,which lists the week’s top ten metal videos—guided by a panel that includes Wolfgang Van Halen. ʼNuf said!

 

Kids Short Story Connection

Looking for a place where your youngwriter (ages 9-15) can join peers to cultivate their literary talent in anon-competitive environment? Greenburgh's Arts and Culture Committee issponsoring a series of writing workshops (in person and over Zoom) on Saturday mornings in July. Contact sarahbracey.white@ gmail.com fordetails.

 

 

CreativeOpportunities

Chapbook contests: Lines+Stars,  Omnidawn,SlaperingHol, SwanScythe, deadlines soon

Fast Flesh Literary Journal , callfor flash fiction, nonfiction,poetry, book reviews, interviews, craft essays, and hybrid or cross-genre work

 

The Pedestal Magazine, call for poemsby June 4

Poetry Prizes: Frontier,LoisCranston Memorial, Rattle,deadlines soon

PureSlush and Truth Serum Press, poems on achievement, by June 30

 

 

New and Recent Releases

Cagibi

 

Barbara J. Dickinson and Margaret A. Herrick, The ABCs of Wishing (Independentlypublished)

 

AlexanderDickow, translator, TheCentral Laboratory by Max Jacob (Wakefield Press)

FirstLiterary Review-East

 

Jerry T. Johnson, A Coldness (Finishing Line Press)

 

George Kalamaras, To Sleep in the Horse’s Belly: My GreekPoets and the Aegean Inside Me (Dos Madres Press)

 

Dana Levin andAdele Elise Williams, eds., BertMeyers: On the Life and Work of an American Master  (PleiadesPress)

Heller Levinson, Query Caboodle (Black Widow Press)

 

Heller Levinson, Shift Gristle (Black WidowPress)

 

Presence

 

CreativeWorkshops

Ecopoetics with Mary Newell, four weekly classesstarting June 7, 1-3pm, Zoom, register and pay

 

Charles AlexanderFour Steps to the Modern Poem II with CharlesAlexander, four classes starting June 6, Live; and dates to come for a separateZoom course, registerand pay

 

Kevin PilkingtonKevin Pilkington, BestWords—Best Order Poetry Workshop, Maine Media Workshop, July 17-21

 

Kids Short Story Connection (ages 9-15), fourworkshops in July, contact sarahbracey.white@gmail.com fordetails

 

Living the Poet’s Life with Suzanne Cleary, a 2.5 hour Zoom poetry workshop,Tunbridge Wells Poetry Festival, June 15, 9am

All-GenreWriters Group, 6:30pm, Thursdays

 

JohnMcMullen Poetry Workshop, 6pm, fourth Wednesdays

 

Mahopac Poetry Workshop, 6pm, second Wednesdays

 

ModPo, University of Pennsylvania’s free poetry course andglobal community

 

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

 

The Peekskill Writing Table, serious critique for writers, secondand third Tuesdays via Zoom; emailtpwritingtable@gmail.com

 

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

 

Writersand Artists Lunch Conversation, second Fridays, noon

 

 

June+ Events –ET

Walt Whitman (1819-1892)Upstream Gallery (Hastings-on-Hudson), June 1-25, TB Ward: New Work, and Janine Menlove: Blue Journals; reception, June 2, 5-8pm

 

WaltWhitman Birthplace Association (Huntington), June 10, 4pm, StagedReading: American Poet: Whitman's Warnings

 

SketchbookBrewing Company (Evanston), June 11, 2-4pm, Rhino Release Party, Isha Camara,Reginald Gibbons, Marcy Rae Henry, Nazifa Islam, Maja Teref, Steven Teref

 

BACCAPoetry Chat with Christina Rau: Let’s Talk About Footnotes; June 12, 6:30pm; FBevent: https://www.facebook.com/events/203234615680341; register: info@babylonarts.org

BenningtonMuseum (VT), Forthe Love of Vermont: The Lyman Orton Collection, July 15-November 5; Southern Vermont Art Center,July 22-November 5

 

NYC Poetry Festival (Governor’s Island), July29-30

NYC Poetry Festival (Governor’s Island), July29, 11:30am, The White Horse; Broadstone Books withMeredith Trede

Gowanus Dredgers Canoe Club, July 30, 1:30pm, A Persistence of Cormorants: Broadstone Books with Meredith Trede  

 

 

Monthly Readings– ET

First Sunday, 4pm, Poetic License (Austin)

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

 

Sweetpotato Salad

 

This recipe called for up to sixpotatoes but two will do for two+ servings. The North Carolina SweetpotatoCommission, the recipe’s originator, has made the spud one word, so we willrespect that:

 

2 sweetpotatoes, peeled anddiced

2 teaspoons, plus 1 tablespoon,olive oil, divided

¾ teaspoon salt, divided

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 bunch curly kale, rinse andchopped

½ large lemon, juice only

1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans,rinsed and drained

1 large avocado, pitted anddiced

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped

¼ cup red onion, chopped

½ cup goat cheese

 

Dressing:

2 tablespoons maple syrup

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup balsamic vinegar

 

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place potatoesin large bowl. In small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt andpepper. Toss on potatoes and place them on sheet pan. Bake 35-40 minutes untiltender, flipping once during baking. Place chopped kale in large bowl. In smallbowl, whisk remaining olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Pour over kale andmassage with hands until mixed. For dressing, whisk syrup, olive oil, andvinegar in bowl. In kale bowl, add remaining ingredients. Toss with dressingand serve. Sweetpotatoes can be baked and refrigerated 1 day in advance.

 

ʼ Round the Net

 

Poets Susana Case and Margo Stever,editors of I Wanna Be Loved By You: Poems on Marilyn Monroe (Milkand Cake Press), which won HonorableMention for the Eric Hoffer Grand Prize in Poetry

 

Guitarist and songwriter MichaelCefola on discovering the great rock music programs on AXSTV

 

Poet Llyn Clague for his monthly emailedpoems—see his website to subscribe

 

Balletartist Elyse Faltz on sharing thismeditation on Les Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry

 

Sandra LimPoet Jennifer Franklin on her Poetry Society of America interview

 

Art historian and translator Beth Gersh-Nesic for this conversation with curator Elizabeth Cowling on Cubism and the Trompe L’Oeil
Poet CindyHochman on thisinsightful review of Telling You Everything (Unleash Press); latest FirstLiterary Review-East , and three poems in Poetry Pacific

 

Poet TrishHopkinson for this listof feminist literary journals

 

Poet SandraLim on winning the JacksonPrize for Poetry

 

Poet HellerLevinson on his two new books, work in Word for Word , and thisgreat review of Jus’ Sayin’(Black Widow Press)

 

Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen for his wonderful memoir, “TeddyBallgame and My Brother,” in The NewCroton Review; video of the first Midnight Special ; and the Audubon definition ofa songbird

 

Ralph Nazareth and friendsPoet RalphNazareth for founding GraceWorks,which directly funds projects for impoverished children in Africa and India

Poet Jean-LucPouliquen on cultivatingpeace, after meeting Nobel Prizewinner Adolfo PérezEsquivel

 

Poet ChristinaRau on having her poem “Semaphore”appear in Armstrong Literary

 

 Hélène Sanguinetti
at Victoria Hall (Geneva)Poet Hélène Sanguinetti on surprising longtimefriend, Jean-Pierre Greff, former director of Haute Écoled’Art et de Design(2007-2022), at the ceremony awarding him the prestigious GenevaFoundation Award

 

Bassist LarrySchwartzman for this video of Skip James singing “Hard Time Killin’ FloorBlues”

 

Poet and artist GiorgiaStavropoulou on reading at the Poet’s Agora (Athens), and sharing this video of Joan Miró at work

 

Joan Miró (1893-1983)
Painting, 1933Memoirist Cheryl Strayed on having her Rumpus “Dear Sugar” column turned into a Hulu series called “TinyBeautiful Things”

 

Tripadvisor for epic film locations you can actually visit

 

Grow Your Soul

 

Thanks to John McMullen for sharing Kurt Vonnegut’s (1922-2007) response to ahigh school English class that had written him in 2006. We close with a fewwords from his charming response: 

Practice any art, music, singing, dancing, acting, drawing,painting, sculpting, poetry, fiction, essays, reportage, no matter how well orbadly, not to get money and fame, but to experience 

becoming, to find outwhat’s 

inside you, to make your soul grow.

Seriously! I mean starting right now, do art and do it for therest of your lives.

 

Until September,

Ann