Underground poetry blog In Between Hangovers keeps dropping that outlaw poetry, several posts a day, day after day. Today, another of my poems got the treatment; this one’s called “A Short History of Time.” You can read it here.
Poetry
“128 Words for Lies” in Clockwise Cat
The “Klox and Katz Ink” issue of Clockwise Cat, number 38, was released sometime last week. I just learned it was available on Yumpu. A freewheeling literary magazine featuring leftist rants, pictures of street art murals, and a big poetry selection, Clockwise Cat #38 also includes my poem “128 Words for Lies” spread across pages 65-66. You can read the issue here.
Flashback: One poem in Shattered Wig Review
That time I (finally) got a poem published in Baltimore’s Shattered Wig Review, a journal based out of Normal’s Bookstore (at the time), landing in Issue #17. “Folie a Deux” was one of my best pieces, IMHO. The whole issue is over the top with collages, pieces by Blaster Al Ackerman (fiction and art, plus photos of the man himself!), Batworth, Mok Hosfeld, John Bennett, and editor Rupert Wondolowski, as well as “Pretty Beaver” cartoons by my friends Mary Knott and Beppi, among lots of other wild stuff. No date on the rag, but this was definitely circa 1996.
“The Queen’s Needle” published in Otoliths: text, vispo, and video
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 .
“Shattered Maps” published in Black Poppy Review
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.
“First Day On” and two other poems published in Chiron Review
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.
“Temples of Tulum” published in Streetcake
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.
Flashback: Golden Poet Award 1991
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?
“Belly Revolution” published by In Between Hangovers
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.
“Dance with the Last Angel” published by In Between Hangovers
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.
jeff bagato 