POETRY: Leslie McGrath, Allison Joseph, two great readings last week

Last week was a great week for poetry as far as I can see.

Thursday night and Sunday afternoon respectively there were readings - a reading by  Leslie McGrath at PI New Haven at the Institute Library, and a reading by Allison Joseph at Labyrinth Books (both spots are in New Haven). I came away with two books of poetry  that I really like, and a feeling of expansive celebration from having deeply enjoyed everything!

The first book, Opulent Hunger, Opulent Rage is by Leslie McGrath who now coedits Drunken Boat -  an online journal of the arts. (It's multi-media in many ways). Her poetry is sumptuous, rich in sensual detail and metaphoric nuance. Her in-person reading style is earthy and warm as well.  A line I loved is "I am the cake. I do not fear the knife."  from her poem Self-portrait on a Milkglass Cake Plate. And just as a coda -the cover painting on  Opulent Hunger, Opulent Rage is by artist Doug Aaberg, design by Kirkby Gann Tittle. Nice job on the rich warmth with embodies the work. 


The second book is Voice: Poems by Allison Josephs who edits Crab Orchard Review. Her poetry has the strength of caft, surprise, and unexpected images. Her reading style is quiet and personal, yet clear and  revealing of meter, and occasional rhyme, in the most natural sounding way.  A line l like from the book is "If there is a poem in you, get it out by any means necessary - use pliers if you must, grab it with your bare hands." from her poem Extraction.  I like the cover image and would love to know its method but no artist is listed just an online photo purveyor.

 Allison has for years and years run the Creative Writing Opportunities mailing list which shoots out all sorts of opportunities including submission and manuscript calls, Adjunct professorships, artist residencies and numerous contests. She told me this was a labor of love, and I have to say to has enabled so many to get their work published.  


Now that i have talked about the poets, I have to talk about the venues. PI New Haven's Third Thursday Open Mic (formerly Word of Mouth) is at the Young Men's Institute Library on the second floor (around 847 Chapel Street? next to the tattoo parlor). Visit http://thepoetryinstitute.com for more information on this series and directions. Labyrinth Books, which is filled floor to ceiling with all sorts of books you won't find at suburban chainstores, has some wonderful events coming up..http://www.labyrinthbooks.com/events_calendar.aspx  

-- Mar Walker

Reading with Merlot or with coffee? Also the boggle poem workshop!

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Usually I drink coffee like it's a food group all on its own.

At Wednesday Night Poetry, I usually have a tankard of the stuff, and when I get up to the open myk, I roar like mad man, well a mad woman or maybe a freight train.  But last Wednesday was full of errands and stress so when I got to the Blue Z Coffeehouse I had one - JUST ONE - glass of Merlot instead of coffee.  My my, what a different open myk experience that created! I felt relaxed, I had the impression that I was not overpowering or overdoing it, as I usually do. People did chuckle at me though, as they are not used to seeing me that way.  I want to emphasize I had just one. Two and I fall asleep. 


Then after the open myk,  Louise Sieviec lead a little workshop to create a "Five Minute" Boggle poem. That turned out to be great fun. It produced a very interesting collective poem put together by a dozen or so poets who participated.


Check this link to see the poem http://wedpoetry.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/2172010/

Interesting talk on the inner grammar of human moral decision making

Interesting thoughts on morality in religious vs nonreligious persons:

http://www.youtube.com/v/KiUqBKGHp8o&hl=en_US&fs=1&


http://www.youtube.com/v/zpqFTuD_5nU&hl=en_US&fs=1&


http://www.youtube.com/v/1qiaJ0myd2U&hl=en_US&fs=1&

Digital Paintings: Deep Rest

This is a new painting I did this week in Corel Painter, obviously not realistic, just a whimsical view, a sleeper, curled with her knees drawn up, the whole body cradled in the gardens of earth. Ironically I drank too much coffee in the morning and too much tea in the afternoon and evening yesterday, and had a hard time sleeping last night. So this looks very comfortable to me today....

Reality TV, a poem by John Jeffrey

Many of you know this from a refrigerator magnet on the fridge. Below the author reads it. I have more of this reading, which took place at the Buttonwood Tree in Middletown, CT as a part of the Riverwood Poetry Series to post when I can.

PAINTING: Cityline, a little mildew, but not on the photo

This is oil on a board, a painting of mine from years ago. Unfortunately I left it in the cellar which flooded, then in the cold/hot garage. It acquired mildew on the surface, and with the extremes of temperature is beginning to splinter. I took a photo to try to preserve the idea but the thing itself is not something you want in your home really. In fact I have thrown it out in self-defense, so the mildew doesn't spread.

What I like so much is the exaggerated, angular juxtaposition of the lines of each building with its shadow, and how they frame the clock tower in the moonlight. The colors of course had nothing to do with reality to begin with, and with a little digital enhancement, even less. I might have to do a new painting based on this idea.

Inspiration's lineage: the discipline of play

To many teachers, this picture might well represent the ideal student that they have never before seen. Eager, empty and knowing it, friendly, waiting to be filled with knowledge. HAHAHAHA. Dream on teacher friends!

The figure in the painting represents a muse and the conceptual problem with it is the same as the basic conceptual problem with many folks notion of education. The muse has appeared at a light source, removed the top of his head, and is indicating to the unknown source to "Fill 'er up!" Presumably, the muse will the travel to artists and musicians etc  in need of inspiration.  Then the muse will pour off a bit of inspiration into their heads....

But the world really doesn't work this way nor does education. Getting inspired, getting an idea, and getting educated are not passive activities.  They require preparation and effort, though the spark may come at a moment when the prep has paused.....   You have to have been entertaining various notions for a new one to pop into your head.  Reading or looking or thinking or writing or painting or playing generally happens first, usually on a regular basis. So this is another way of saying that inspiration is often the result of that boring old thing: discipline, even if it is a discipline of regular mental play.....  (hmm some irony there)

ABOUT THE PAINTING: This painting of mine is an oil on canvas which went to Cape Coral Florida with Sharon and Jim Houston many years ago,  I don't know where they are now, or if some hurricane has destroyed the canvas or if they sold it in some weekend garage sale.  Or if they are even still alive or have moved to god knows what state. I was known as Misti in those days, and that is how I signed this painting. This picture was scanned in from an old snap-shot.

-- M.M. (Mar) Walker