GO PHILLIES!!!! October 16, 2008: The crowd at the ball game is moved uniformly by a spirit of uselessness which delights them-- W.C. Williams, from "At the Ball Game" Fanaticism? No. Writing is exciting and baseball is like writing. Marianne Moore, from "Baseball and Writing" by Daisy Fried

Patricia Smith, Blood Dazzler October 15, 2008: The 2008 National Book Award finalists were just announced by Scott Turow via live web video (watch), and Harriet emeritus Patricia Smith was on the list, for Blood Dazzler (Coffee House). A big congratulations from Harriet. Read Patricia's poems Patricia's Harriet posts by Poetry Foundation

Poets in New York, 6 of 6 October 14, 2008: Inseparable by Lewis Warsh, Granary Books, 2008 Despite that Lewis Warsh is most closely associated with the community of writers who met at St. Marks Church on the Bowery from the late 70’s through the 90’s, his influence has been felt nationally and internationally. (more...) by Forrest Gander

Poets in New York, 5 of 6 October 14, 2008: Because Sharon Olds has been publishing for forty years and because her work has drawn so much attention, both disparaging and laudatory, most people I know already have decided attitudes towards her work. (more...) by Forrest Gander

Silent disco October 13, 2008: Have we entered a version of silent disco in which the primary experience of the poem is as received signals rather than noise? For a poem to operate as a poem must it now be concentrated on the idea of itself, must it appear to be either the square root of poem or hardly a poem at all? What's a disco? asked my American penpal in 1974. She also [...] by Lavinia Greenlaw

Poets in New York, 4 of 6 October 13, 2008: No Eyes: Lester Young by David Meltzer, Black Sparrow Books David Meltzer’s No Eyes: Lester Young
 is one of the most masterful, joyous, life-affirming books of poems on music (and IN music) published in the United States. (more...) by Forrest Gander

Indigenous Peoples Day. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow October 12, 2008: (more...) by Javier Huerta

LEAN DOWN YOUR HEART TO HEAR or AL QUE QUIERE (upside down exclamation mark) October 12, 2008: (i'm back and, momentarily, no longer mad nor sad at anyone. thanks, some of you, for the non-posted/able comments. as i already wrote one non-public-commenter, my posterior actually isn't that great, but, my negative capability really IS stunning.) so, having posted ass, i now reassess the correct/necessary use of this forum. in some ways, [...] by Olena Kalytiak Davis

Poets in New York, 3 of 6 October 12, 2008: The Heaven-Sent Leaf by Katy Lederer, BOA Editions, 2008 Her new book, The Heaven-Sent Leaf
, shows Lederer in her most independent mode. (more...) by Forrest Gander

Poets in New York, 2 of 6 October 11, 2008: City of Corners, Wave Books, 2008 Working as a Registered Nurse in an infectious disease clinic in Brooklyn, John Godfrey has steadily published books of poems (and sometimes, as in the case of Push the Mule, prose) characterized by an exuberant attention to language and to the emotional surges & ebbs of urban relationships. (more...) by Forrest Gander