your autumn annogram
Dear annogrammers, We unofficially enter falltoday and this annogram will help youease back into your autumn schedule. Among other delights, we have a gorgeousfall train ride, an unorthodox anthology course, a tour inside an artisticluminary’s home, and fresh zucchini pie to dazzle your palate. What more couldyou want? Dig in!
HappyNews
Circumference, which published my first Hélène Sanguinetti translation, has accepted another from her latest book; BeautifulDays Press announced its 2024 lineup, includingmy translation, Alparegho, like nothingelse; the All Shall Be Well: Poems for Julian ofNorwich book launch takes place September 20; and John McMullen and theMahopac Poetry Workshop welcomed me as guest poet this summer.
Training the Adirondacks
What to do if you’re fabulouslyrich in the late 1800s and cannot easily get to your Adirondack summer home? Ifyou're Dr. William Seward Webb, you build your own railroad! Now youcan experience the Adirondack Railroad's fascinating history up close thanks tothis new documentary by motorcar enthusiasts. Thisbreathtaking fall journey is complemented by extraordinary vintage photos andinsights into 19th-century life along the tracks. Enjoy moremotorcar phenomena and other New England trips through the eyes of railroadenthusiasts here or book a ride on the Adirondack ScenicRailroad.
Intro to Anthro with Two Humans
Discover anthropology like you’venever heard it before, in the podcast series by comedian John Lehr and scriptwriter John McCray. Neitherhave degrees in the subject, but Lehr, as the former Geico Caveman,feels he can address human evolution, and McCray has a scholar’s naturalcuriosity. The two longtime buddies take us down hilarious roads that skewer contemporaryculture and language.
John Ashbery’s Nest
Yale University has created a website thatoffers a virtual tour of John Ashbery’s home in Hudson, NY. Ashbery(1927-2017) was a poet, translator, art critic, collector, and collagist whosehome reflects all his interests. The site includes both his and his husband’s voicedescribing objects in the house Ashbery had owned since 1978 and spent 15 yearsrestoring—amazing insights into a man many consider a genius. Thanks to poet Mary McCray for sharing this find!
Do You Know Françoise Gilot?
Françoise Gilot (1921-2023)Art historian Beth S. Gersh-Nesic,PhD, director/owner of the New York Arts Exchange, will lecture on the life and legacy ofFrançoise Gilot (1921-2023), Picasso's partner (1943-1953), mother of Claude Picasso(1947-2023), and Paloma Picasso (b. 1949), and wife of Dr. Jonas Salk(1970-1995). Hosted by Learning in Retirement on Tuesday, September 18, 10:30am at TempleBeth El (Stamford);$10. To register, contact LIR.
Where MostCreatives Live
Thanks to San Antonio's Linda Simone for tipping us off to thisarticle outlining the states where the most writers and artists live. Tiedis New York and Washington, DC for writers—and Vermont tops all for both visualartists and writers. You can always visit: TripAdvisor offers these roadtrips through Vermont.
Creative Opportunities
BK Fischer Current Poet Laureate
of Westchester County GROUND , poems on objects found, kept, or cherished, by September 15
The Pedestal Magazine, call for poemsSeptember 4-8
Pure Slush and Truth Serum Press, stories on Boléro at Breakfast by September 30
RhinoFounders Poetry Prize, bySeptember 30
Presence call for poems, by October1
Westchester (NY) Poet Laureate, $30K stipend for three-year role, applyby October 2
New and Recent Releases
LuigiBonaffini, ed. and trans.
Soundtrack ofa Life: New and Selected Poems by Gil Fagiani
(Legas Books)
Susana Case, If This Isn’t Love (BroadstoneBooks)
Donald P. Delaney, Major Crimes Investigations and JusticeServed (Independently published)
KatherineDuckworth,
Slow Violence
(Beautiful Days Press)
Julia Fiedorczuk, Mary Newell, et al, eds. The Routledge Companion to Ecopoetics (pre-order)
Sarah Law, ed.
All Shall BeWell: Poems for Julian of Norwich
(Amethyst Press)Katie Lehman, EmilyDickinson’s Lexicon (Dos Madres Press)
An Li, The Face of Time (ChaxPress)
Polly Alice McCann and SamanthaMalay, eds.
The Path ofBirds
(FlyingKetchup Press)
Mary Wasacz, The Frailtyof a Butterfly (Independently published)
Neil and Elaine WhitmanNealWhitman, From This Moment On , How Pleasant It Is , and My Profession (Cyberwit)
NealWhitman and Elaine Whitman, eds. It's About Time and Susurrus (Yuki Teikei Haiku Society)
Creative Workshops
Marion WinikThe Writer’sRetreat (MD), September 16, MarionWinik Workshop ($200) and Craft Talk ($20);includes meals
Poetry Retreatwith Marjorie Maddox, September 22-24, Bethany (PA) Retreat Center, $275
All-Genre Writers Group, 6:30pm, Thursdays
John McMullen Poetry Workshop,6pm, fourth Wednesdays
MahopacPoetry Workshop, 6pm, secondWednesdays
ModPo, University ofPennsylvania’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 WritingTable, serious critique forwriters, second and third Tuesdays via Zoom; email tpwritingtable@gmail.com
The Poets Salon, led byEd Ahern and Alison McBain of Fairfield Scribes Press,10am, every second Saturday
Writers and Artists LunchConversation, second Fridays,noon
September/October Events – ET
Jerry JohnsonShades of Green Pub (NYC), September 4, 6:30pm, Jerry Johnson with Susana Case, Stephanie Laterza, andDavid Lawton
Calandra Italian American Institute, Sept. 7, 6pm; booklaunch of Soundtrack ofa Life: New and Selected Poems by Gil Fagiani (Legas Books);rsvp by calling 212-642-2094
Hudson Valley MoCA, September 14,6pm, Studio Theater in Exile, communitytalk and poetry reading with Nigerian poet, artist, and academic OziomaOnuzulike
Ed AhernPrivate home in Stamford (CT),September 16, 3pm, How to Get Your Poems Published with Ed Ahern; to register, email salmonier@aol.com
Norwalk (CT) Mill Hill Historic Park, September 17, 4pm, Ralph Nazareth andopen mic; bring lawn chairs; event is on rain or shine; for more info, contactBill Hayden at poet_laureate@norwalkpl.org
Learning in Retirement (Stamford), September 18, 10:30am, Beth S. Gersh-Nesic, PhD, on artistand Picasso partner Françoise Gilot; $10 to attend; to register, contact LIR
All Shall Be Well: Poems for Julian ofNorwich book launch, September20, 2pm, see EventBritepage for details; donation requested
Broken Lens Journal , September 24, 5:30pm, interview with Heller Levinson via thisZoom link (meeting ID: 853 5312 2542;passcode: 9h1KWZ); questions, emailbrokenlensjournal@gmail.com
Max Jacob (1876-1944)
Hopscotch Translation,October 15, 2:30pm, MaxJacob (1876-1944) translators AlexDickow and Ian Seed read from theirrespective books; visit EventBrite toregister for this free Zoom reading
Laurel PetersonOceansideLibrary (NY), October 21,3pm, Christina Rau’s How We Make Amends book release (LIVE)
NorwalkPublic Library, October26, 6:30pm, Poets in Conversation: Laurel Peterson hosts Jerry Johnson and EdAhern
BenningtonMuseum (VT), For the Love of Vermont: The Lyman OrtonCollection, thru November 5; Southern Vermont Art Center
Monthly Readings – ET
FirstSunday, 4pm, Poetic License (Austin)
EveryTuesday, 2pm, Spoken Word World (Paris)
EveryTuesday, 7pm, Curley’s Diner
ThirdFridays, 7pm, Hudson Valley Writers Center Open Mic – click third Friday for details
FrequentSaturdays (check Facebook), 5pm, LitBalm
Zucchini Pie
This was delicious, and it’s the time of year for zukes—so run toyour local farm stand!
1 cup organic all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking power
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 tablespoon organic unsalted butter
1 large zucchini, unpeeled yet diced
1 large onion, chopped
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup canola oil
4 free-range or pasture-raised eggs, beaten
½ to 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 10-inch pie pan. In large bowl,mix flour, baking powder and salt with a fork. Work in butter, then stir inremaining ingredients until combined. Pour into pie pan. Bake for 40 minutes oruntil lightly golden brown. Cool 20 minutes before serving.
ʼ Round the Net
George Harrison (1943-2001)Guitaristand songwriter Michael Cefola on his insightful article on George Harrison in ApeCulture’s “The Beatle Personality Test”
Poet and novelist Regi Claire on “BeingGenre Fluid”, inspired by workby our friend Jo Ann Beard
Translators Chen Du and Xisheng Chenfor work in IHRAFLiterary, ModernPoetry in Translation, The OxfordAnthology of Translation, Rhino, TheSouthern Review, andWestBranch; and on being Anne Frydman Translation Prize finalists
Beth Gersh-Nesic, PhD.Arthistorian and translator Beth Gersh-Nesic for this NYT article on thecraft of translation
Vocalist Astrud Gilberto (1940-2023), reluctanthousewife who became aglobal sensation on “The Girl From Ipanema”,and who opens my book Free Ferry (Upper Hand Press)
Poet Cindy Hochman on having work selected by TerenceWinch for an upcoming Best American Poetry “Pick of the Week”; being the recent
greatweather for MEDIA
feature; and glowing reviews of
Telling You Everything
(Unleash Press) in
Clockwise Cat
and from
Ploughshares
founder DeWittHenry
Poet Jim Lavilla-Havelin for thiswonderful interview on the podcast StudioAescapulius
Poet Heller Levinson on work in BrokenLens, Clockwise Cat, and First Literary Review-East; Amazon reviews of his two books, ShiftGristle and Query Caboodle (Black WidowPress), on beinga Big Other Poetry Award finalist, and upcoming Broken Lens podcast interview (see September events)
Yorktown PoetLaureate John McMullen for three ofhis poems read by DavidLeo Sirois this week
Poet and novelist Laurel S. Peterson on her new Substack column
Poet Jean-Luc Pouliquen for this fascinating article on famous American writers who loved his hometown, “Hyères– A Cradle For British And American Literature”
Poet ChristinaRau for work on Destinies: The Voice ofScience Fictionradio show, being the voiceof Vita in Anne Manx Beginnings, and being featured on SoundCloud
Hélène Sanguinetti Poet Hélène Sanguinetti on her latest book,selected by Flammarionfor publication in 2025
Memoirist Stuart Schear for his moving remarks at the annual memorial for murdered Jewsof Nowy Zmigrod, Poland, his great grandfather's hometown (see his July 16 Facebook post)
Bassist Larry Schwartzman for Screamin’ JayHawkins making his 1966 TV debut with “I Put a Spellon You”
Poet and artist LindaSimone on having poems in The Path ofBirds (FlyingKetchup Press) and The TexasPoetry Assignment
Novelist Ann Starrfor this wrenching essay by the daughter of a Manhattan Project scientist
Arthur Rimbaud (1854-1891)Poet and artist GiorgiaStavropoulou on sharing this great photo of Arthur Rimbaud(1854-1891)
Memoirist Mary Wasacz on her debut book (see RecentReleases)
annogram ’s 20thAnniversary
We’re celebrating two decades! annogram was born out of a desire topromote your work and mine. Most artists hate marketing—our expertise is ourcraft. To help us all is annogram’sgoal. Along the way, a faithful community has formed of more than 300subscribers worldwide—Pulitzer Prize winners, NEA recipients, fledgling writersand artists, seasoned choreographers, historians, you name it. Thank you for yourreadership. You inspire me with your commitment to your calling, and what youcontinue to achieve.
Until November,
