The new issue of Otoliths, number 47, was released this morning. Another amazing issue filled with visual and textual poetry of all types. It also includes a set of materials from me: a textual poem “The Queen’s Needle” plus a new video using a section of that piece, and seven stills from the video. You can view it all here .
Online poetry journal Black Poppy Review published my poem “Shattered Maps” yesterday. This one is an offshoot of my Civilization’s Lost series examining the fragility of cultures and nations. You can read it here.
The Summer 2017 issue of Chiron Review is finally out (#108), with a load of tough, straight-talking poetry from writers like Gerald Locklin, Lyn Lifshin, and Marge Piercy among a huge assortment of other folks. I’m pleased to say that three of my poems made it into this issue: “First Day On,” “Hit the Shoes,” and “Tonight’s Window.”
This is a print-only issue, so interested parties will need to purchase one from the Chiron Review website.
“Hit the Shoes” is particularly notable for me, as it loosely transcribes one of my Dad’s rants in a New Jersey hotel room after helping my sister and her now ex-husband move out of their apartment. Naturally, I didn’t attempt to record this blast until later, but I think I captured the essence.
An online magazine for “innovative, experimental, and visual writing,” Streetcake just released it’s latest installment. Issue 54 is a quick read with many interesting pieces. It also includes my poem “Temples of Tulum.” This is another piece in my Civilization’s Lost series, inspired by lost civilizations around the world and examining the fragility of languages, cultures and nations. You can read it here.
I found this “beautiful certificate” in a folder filled with miscellaneous literary correspondence. World of Poetry ran many contests, and anyone who entered would get one of these mass printed forms. I’m not sure it inspired me to “new poetical heights,” but I did write a subversively sentimental poem for one of their contests.
Back in the 90’s, it seemed rather amusing to send stuff to them. Once I got an Honorary Mention Award, but haven’t found that yet. The company made money by compiling huge books filled with sentimental poetry and selling them to the Golden Poets who “contributed.” I could have ordered the “brass and walnut Golden Poet Plaque” mentioned below, but I never did that either. So I have nothing to “celebrate my greatness.”
Judging by a quick Internet search, World of Poetry no longer exists. That would seem to leave a huge vacancy for an organization to boost poetic egos while fleecing them of their money. I wonder what happened to Edde-Lou Cole and her poetry mission?
One more poem published in venerable underground poetry blog In Between Hangovers, alongside prolific poetry outlaws Paul Tristram, Alan Catlin and James Babbs. This time, “Belly Revolution” hits the web. You can read it here.
One more poem in venerable underground poetry blog In Between Hangovers, part of their daily dose of outsider scribbling. This time “Dance with the Last Angel” makes its first appearance in print. You can read it here. While you’re there, check out the work of Tristram, Catlin and Babbs, also appearing today.
Today, poetry forum Mad Swirl published my poem “Like Hitler’s Diary.” You can read it here.
Online literary journal Danse Macabre features “noir coloratura letters by authors from around the world and beyond the grave.” The magazine’s new issue #109 is just out today. It includes four of my poems: “Two Pages in the Book of Death,” “The Subway,” “The Great Thief,” and “Djinnie in the Rain.” You can read them here.
Underground poetry blog In Between Hangovers publishes a selection of poems each day. They recently accepted a batch of stuff from me, which they seem to be rushing into electronic print. Today, my poem “Lift Cap to Hand” joined the chorus of underground voices. This is from the “surreal rant” style pieces in my stash, which sort of rely in strings of outrageous similes to create a blur of images. This one always makes me laugh when I get to the line “lurching like a bee stung circus convoy in Mexican heat.” You can read the whole thing here.
jeff bagato 