your groundhog annogram

Dear annogrammers,Welcome to the first newsletter of the year! We are crawling out of our holeslike the groundhog—and what a joy to hear the prediction for more winter, ornot. That folklore tradition tells us to look ahead to spring no matter what. All the same, as artists, we rejoice in our roots nourished and rested below the bare landscape.

 

New Year News

Iam thrilled to be in the upcoming Linen Press (UK) anthology on women’s poetry—alongside poets such as Ellen Bassand Barbara Crooker; to have work in Hawaii Pacific Review , FirstLiterary Review East , and to have been theguest poet at John McMullen’s Yorktown Poetry Workshop last week. Woo-hoo!

 

‘Dazzling’ Sanguinetti

 

Poetry critic GeorgesGuillaine, in Les Découvreurs , on the reissue of EtVoici La Chanson (Éditions Lurlure), calls Hélène Sanguinetti's poetry“a multiple, kaleidoscopic language, both stirring and magical, entirelyinclined towards the unheard-of, [and] the dazzled.” In addition, ExactingClam published my translation of Hélène’s poem, “I took 3 cows,”and Beautiful Days Press will debut Hélène’s Alparegho,like nothing else this year.

Installation Artist RobertIrwin

 

Thanks to Linda Simone for sharing Lawrence Weschler’s

Robert Irwin (1928-2023)tribute to artist Robert Irwin (1928-2023), and for Laurel Peterson’s Substack response to the artist. Irwin was “focused on eliminating the literary narrative from theexperience of art,” Laurel writes. “That is, when we look at art, we want tomake a story out of it. Irwin wanted the viewer just to be there.” He created largemysterious if spare architectural spaces to allow this to happen. Read the tribute and Laurel’s essay to discover more.

Poetry Blogs andNewsletters

 

Is annogram theonly newsletter out there? No! I highly recommend Christina Rau’s Monthly Newsletter for Creatives, a fun mix of literary reviews, musings,and opportunities; and Mary McCray’s Big BangPoetry which followsMary’s studies, interviews, and readings as a poet. Jerry T. Johnson has also started a good one, andthere’s always The KwitnyReport . Read,enjoy, and learn!

 

“Unwanted” Video Moves to No. 1

 

Trevor LukatherLast issue, after wewrote about the band The Effect, Trevor Lukather responded, “Thank you so much for the love and support! Means a lot!” Even happier that the band’s breakout video “Unwanted” jumped to No. 1 on the Power Hourcountdown. Can’t wait for the first album from Steve Lukather’sson Trevor,Phil Collins’s son Nic, Toto's own SteveMaggiora, andvocalist .

 

Original GiftIdeas

 

Dead Poets Rise™ board gameScratching your head for a distinctive gift? Howabout a literary event in a box with the new board game DeadPoets Rise™ at NYC Hex&Co cafes or DeadPoets Rise (ships free)? Or share uplifting messages in the Your Life, Your PathOracle Card Deck, gorgeous cards in a velvetbag, from the WishMavens. Better yet, donate to Holding Up the Sky , a documentary projectsupporting the integration of formerly incarcerated people into society.

 

CreativeOpportunities

 

The Cardinal Prize for Poets Aged 40 and Above, by February 29

 

GreenLinden Press Poetry Chapbook Series, by March 20

 

The NewCroton Review, call for poetry, fiction, nonfiction,photographs, or visual art by March 16

 

Pure Slush and Truth Serum Press, call for work on retirement by February29

 

Rattle, poems by professional musicians, byApril 15

 

Writing the Walls 2024, creative responses to art on war, byFebruary 20

 

 

New and RecentReleases

 

Charles Alexander, Time Being (Chax Press)

 

Ron Butlin, So Many Lives and All of Them Are Yours (Polygon Books)

 

Cagibi

 

FirstLiterary Review-East

 

Rosanna McGlone, ed. The Process of Poetry (Fly on theWall Press)

 

John McMullen, Autobiographical Poems and Memories of Guinan’s (Independentlypublished)

 

Ann Taylor, Looking After: Poems (Dos Madres Press)

 

Pedestal 93

 

Christina Rau, How We MakeAmends (MOONLOVE Press)

 

Michael Martin Shea, To Hell withGood Intentions(Beautiful Days Press)

 

Works andDays 3

 

 

CreativeWorkshops

 

Kevin PilkingtonGenerative Poetry Workshop, February 17, 1pm, Suzanne Cleary, via zoom; register here; $20

Maine Media Workshops, July 22-26, TheTeacher on the Bookshelf: A Poetry Workshop with Kevin Pilkington; registerhere(limited spots—register SOON)

 

RacocoProductions, Tuesdays (Zoom) and Thursdays (Live), improvisation classes;email info@racoco.org

 

Mahopac Poetry Workshop, 6pm,second Wednesdays

 

MahopacWriters Group, 6:30pm, Thursdays

 

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, secondand 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 Lunch Conversation, second Fridays, noon

 

Yorktown Poetry Workshop, 6pm,fourth Wednesdays

 

 

February-March Events– ET

 

CallingAll Poets, February 2, 7pm; Cindy Hochman, Christopher George, and Tim Tomlinson plus open mic online; register here

 

To Hell withGood Intentions(Beautiful Days Press) book launch, February 4, 6:30pm; Michael Martin Shea, with Katherine Duckworth, Evan Gray, and AM Ringwalt; via Zoom, meeting ID: 845 8371 2916; passcode:v7R8Av

Daniel Mendelsohn on James Baldwin, February 7, 14, 21 online; auditor $125or student $225; register by January 31

 

JCC Mid-Island Y Poetry Series, February 11, 2pm, Christina Rau andopen mic, live and FB event; $3 donation

The Poetry Center (Paterson), February 17, 2:30pm, Suzanne Cleary; via Zoom

 

Holding Up the Sky Screening andFundraiser, Episcopal Church ofOur Saviour (Brookline), February 23, 6pm, register here(free)

 

SculptureTucson, February 24, 7pm, Dao Strom and Bojan Louis

POG Arts Tucson, March 16, 7pm, BrookeSahni and Joan Retallack, online; register here

 

Norwalk PublicLibrary Christina Rau, February 15,6:30pm, Writers in Conversation: Laurel Peterson hosts thriller writers DeborahRoyce and Greg Wands; March 7, 6:30pm, essayists/memoirists Sheila Squillanteand Sonya Huber

Kew & Willow Books (Kew Gardens), March 22, 7pm, ChristinaRau and open mic

 

Monthly Readings– ET

 

First Sunday, 4pm, Poetic License (Austin)

 

Second Mondays, 6:30pm, BACCA Poetry Chats with host Christina Rau

 

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

 

TuscanBean Soup

Thanks again to our field researcherLinda Simone for road-testing and recommending this recipe. We still needhearty soups to warm us in the late winter chill. Enjoy!

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, peeled and diced into smallpieces

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

3 15-oz. cans clear cannellini beans,rinsed and drained

5 cups vegetable stock

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

fresh thyme sprigs

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound kale, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons milk or almond milk

 

Parmesan toast

1 loaf Italian bread, cut into thickslices

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

 

In large souppot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, andcelery, and sauté, stirring 3-5 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir garlicinto veggie mixture and cook 1 minutes until fragrant. In food processor orblender, combine 1 cup beans and 1/2 cup stock and puree until smooth. Addpureed beans to veggie mixture. Stir remaining beans and stock into veggiemixture. Season with oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cover, lower heat, andcook 20 minutes. Add kale and cook, covered, 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F. While soup cooks, brush sliced bread withremaining olive oil and sprinkle with cheese. Place bread on sheet pan and bake10 minutes until toasted. For thicker soup, use potato masher to mash some beans.Discard thyme sprigs and stir in milk. Serve with the toasted bread.

 

ʼ Round the Net

 

Ron ButlinClassical musicians Eleanor Armstrong and Dan Armstrong for sharing the glass artof Ed Kachurik

 

Poet Therese Crain Bertsch for sharing theresponse of Helen Keller (1880-1968) on “hearing”Beethoven’s Ninth

 

Novelist and poet Ron Butlin for his interview on his new book in The Scots Whay Hae podcast

 

Poet Susana Case on the English-Ukrainian edition of The Scottish Café (Slapering Hol Press), whose proceeds will benefit theWriters Center in Lviv

 

Poet Suzanne Cleary on participating in The Poetry Center’s Distinguished PoetSeries (see Events)

Guitarist and songwriter MichaelCefola for this Otamatoneversion of “Never Gonna Give You Up”

 

Novelist and poet Regi Claire for work in The Process of Poetry (Fly on theWall Press) and Interpret Magazine

 

Charles BernsteinTranslators Chen Du and Xisheng Chenon their Readers’ Favorite Translation Award from Yan River for their translation of Charles Bernstein’s “The Body of the Poem”; and for this Yan Anpoem and another in PackingtownReview

 

Art historian and translator BethGersh-Nesic for sharing her recent online conversation withCarol Ockman on Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923)

 

Cindy Hochman
Poet Gary Glauberon having poems in TheEkphrastic Review , Rattle , and Verse-Virtual

 

Poet Cindy Hochman on her “Ask the Poet”interview in the Unleash Press blog and work in ThePoetry Distillery

 

Poet and anthologyeditor Sarah Law for the international launch video of All ShallBe Well: Poems for Julian of Norwich (Amethyst Press)

 

Poet HellerLevinson for his BrokenLens Journal podcast interview and Raven Chronicles review of his two latest books

 

Yorktown Poet Laureate John McMullen for thisarticle on how Hollywood lost its nerve

 

The New York Public Library for its list of top2023 checked-out books

 

Poets andWriters for resurrecting its DailyNews

 

Poet Jean-LucPouliquen for the first book, Boulevard Frédéric Mistral (Independentlypublished), in his series about his hometown of Hyères inProvence

 

The BanglesPoet Christina Rau, author of How We MakeAmends (MOONLOVE Press), for what deep space sounds like; and her poem (at 1:59) on Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction radio show

 

Bassist LarrySchwartzman for this 1986Bangles Concert video

 

Memoirist MaryWasacz on the debut of her book The Frailty of a Butterfly(Independently published)

 

Discovery at Five Below

 

Van Gogh's influence in
Oberösterreichisches Bauernhaus (1911)

Thumbing through books at thisdiscount store, I “splurged” on a gorgeous art book on Gustave Klimt (1862-1918). What struck me is how hislandscapes could reflect painters he admired—Van Gogh or Cezanne—but the workremained distinctly his own. I love that we as literary, visual, or performingartists can absorb other’s styles yet generate something wholly original. Here’sto that frisson from another artist thatcompels us toward new territory.

 

Until next time,

Ann