lost civilizations

“Tomb of a New Religion” and “Swimming to Shangri-La” published in BlazeVox

An “online journal of voice,” BlazeVox just published its Fall 2021 issue (being #21 in a series), featuring contemporary poetry, vispo, fiction and nonfiction. The issue includes two of my poems from the Civilization’s Lost series: “Tomb of a New Religion” and “Swimming to Shangri-La.” These are the last pieces from that series to be published. You can read them here.

“Tomb of a New Religion” is loosely based on a legend of the native people of Pohnpei, in Micronesia, which goes back to the time of the sunken city of Nan Madol. This island culture is known for megalithic constructions build from massive volcanic basalt columns.

“Hold This Moment in Stone” published in Future’s Trading

The final issue of online experimental journal Futures Trading went live today; this one is issue 8.2. As usual, the journal is full of fine text work and a few vispo, most seem to have an elegiac tone with civilizations and histories viewed through the mists of time. That’s the case with my piece included here, “Hold This Moment in Stone,” part of my Civilization’s Lost series. You can enjoy the whole issue here.

“Silver Tree in the Black Castle” and three other poems published in Ygdrasil

silver tree ygdrasil

The August 2019 issue of online literary journal Ygdrasil was released on July 10. It includes four of my poems from the Civilization’s Lost series: “The Silver Tree in the Black Castle,” “Capital Ruins,” “Early Observatory,” and “Erasing the Temple.” This series examines lost civilizations from around the world to highlight the fragility of languages, cultures and nations in the wake of the current American regime. You can read the whole issue here.

ygdrasil Aug 2019

Two poems published in Futures Trading

Futures-trading 7.1

The latest issue of online literary journal Futures Trading, this one numbered 7.1, came out yesterday. It includes works from across the international avant garde, pieces from Mike Jurkovic, John N. Miller, DS Maolalai, Genelle Chaconas, Sanjeev Sethi, Christopher Barnes, Grant Jenkins, Jim Meirose, Richard Kostelanetz, Mark Halpern, Mark Blickley, Monty Jones, Natan Last, Ewa Mazierska, Liz Glodek, Jeff Bagato, Sacha Archer, and Mark Young. Check it out here.

I’m pleased to be represented by two poems: “By the Wind, By the Sea, By the Storm” and “Coming Home to Lemuria.” These are from a new-ish series based on lost civilizations from around the world, an effort to account for the fragility of languages, cultures and nations in these grim times. You can scroll down through the issue to read my work, but here’s a brief excerpt, below.

by the wind-futures trading 7.1

“We May Cry Atlantis” and two other poems published in BlazeVOX

blaze vox 19 front

Blaze VOX #19, the Spring 2019 issue, was recently released online, filled with experimental work from a wide range of contributors. This issue includes three of my poems: “We May Cry Atlantis,” “Reporting from Oz,” and “First Dispatch.” You can read them here.

atlantis

New video “No Eyes Remain” on YouTube

My new music video “No Eyes Remain” on YouTube depicts a far future where humans explore outer space as pure energy forms. The video text reads “no eyes remain to record the facts,” taken from my unpublished poem “Early Observatory,” part of my “Civilization’s Lost” series examining the fragility of human language, culture and civilization. The electronic soundtrack is Tone Ghosting’s “TGV.” Best played loud through speakers or headphones with a wide dynamic range. Click the link above to play the video.

 

“Deer Stone Magic” published in Futures Trading

futures trading 6.1

The latest issue of online experimental literary journal Futures Trading #6.2 went live yesterday (Jan 6). Another one of those “who’s who” anthologies of the international avant lit underground, this number includes work from Mercedes Lawry, Sanjeev Sethi, Annie Blake, Kyle Hemmings, James Fowler, Stephen Middleton, Mark Young, Christopher Barnes, Joe Balaz, James Kincaid, Glenn Ingersoll, John Marvin, Patrick Theron Erickson, Joel Streicker, Simon Perchik, Donald E. Gasperson, and John Dorroh.

I’m pleased to say one of my poems from the Civilization’s Lost series also made the cut; it’s called “Deer Stone Magic,” revolving around the deer stone pillars of the Mongolian plains. You can read the piece (and the whole issue) here. Be sure to scroll all the way down for the Mad Hatter’s teacup!

fut-trading deer stone

“Frozen in Babylon” and four other poems published in BlazeVOX

blazevox-fall18.png

Online poetry journal BlazeVOX is known for publishing a wide variety of contemporary experimental work. Their Fall 2018 issue brings together a huge number of writers around the loose theme of “the idea of ‘public space’ and more specifically on spaces where anyone can do anything at any given moment.”

The issue includes five poems from my “Civilization’s Lost” series: “Frozen in Babylon,” “Upon the High Castle,” “No Guiding Light,” “The White Grave,” and “Schools of Drift.” The pieces in the series were inspired by lost civilizations from around the world. Under the current American regime, it seems important to examine the fragility of languages, cultures and nations. “Upon the High Castle,” for instance, is based on the cliff side city of Mesa Verde in Arizona. You can read my contributions here.

frozen-bablylon-blaze vox 18

“A Binary Run” and two other poems published in Futures Trading

futures-trading-6-1

An online journal of experimental poetics, Futures Trading released its new issue today. Volume 6.1, this is a larger issue than usual because the journal has gone from a quarterly to biannual publishing schedule. Lots of writers from the international “scene” represented, as you can see in the masthead image above.

I’m pleased that three of my poems appear in this issue as well: “A Binary Run,” “Some Other Aztalan,” and “Ancient Americas.” All three come from my “Civilization’s Lost” series using lost cities and civilizations to examine the fragility of languages, cultures and nations in the wake of the current US regime. You can read those pieces and the whole issue here.

binary run

“Joys of Doggerland and 5 other poems in Word for/Word

civ-lost-word for:word

Online literary journal  focuses on experimental visual and text works. The new issue #31 is out. I’m pleased to be part of this one with six poems: “Joys of Doggerland,” “Dimming of the Haruspex,” “Standing Stone,” “Electromagnetic Pulse,” “Efface the New Caesar,” and “Cold Fortress.” You can read them here.

All these pieces are based on various lost cities or civilizations around the world. This series was inspired by current US affairs, which really made me think about the fragility of languages, cultures and nations.