Seven Contemporary Italian Poets (7/7) January 11, 2009: Alessandro Broggi, translated by Linh Dinh: Field of Action Giulio proposes a toast. Everyone drinks. Berta laughs and receives a slap from Carlo, who reacts immediately. The woman who owns the café doesn’t react, Berta laughs and Carlo gives her a kiss. Bernarda plants herself before Carlo, raises her underskirt with one hand and extends an [...] by Linh Dinh

Seven Contemporary Italian Poets (6/7) January 10, 2009: Michele Zaffarano, translated by Linh Dinh: a prince 1 don’t be wolves don’t be snakes don’t cry for onions let the fog cuddle you let many mountains let scorpions bathe in your own tears travel by ship take little walks sketch giraffes swim breaststrokes sprawl naked in the woods running naked over meadows play as they cuddle you get [...] by Linh Dinh

Seven Contemporary Italian Poets (5/7) January 9, 2009: Florinda Fusco, translated by Laura Modigliani: 0.1 I count the bones           now that you are almost close enough            behind the glass pane           the hand pushes but does not reach the body [...] by Linh Dinh

Mark Doty and the Seattle Ricin Scare January 8, 2009: The Seattle weekly The Stranger reported on its blog this week that eleven area gay bars have been sent the threatening letter posted above. The upshot: "I have in my possession approximately 67 grams of ricin, with which I will indiscriminately target at least five of your clients." The Seattle police have been notified (and, presumably, the [...] by Travis Nichols

Inger Christensen January 16 1935 – January 2 2009 January 8, 2009: I’m greatly saddened that Inger Christensen has passed away at the age of 73. If you’re not familiar with her poetry, she was the best known contemporary poet in Denmark. In the United States, she may have been read by few and far between but in Denmark, she was treasured by all: protesters used to chant lines from her poems during the [...] by Cathy Park Hong

Seven Contemporary Italian Poets (4/7) January 8, 2009: Vanni Santoni, translated by Linh Dinh: Precarious Characters Magdalene “Five thousand years of history, an entire planet, and the nastiest things of all time happened a few miles from here, not even seventy years ago. Now, tell me why shouldn’t I fear the future?” Elmo (July’s oldie goldie) "Can we make love like we did at [...] by Linh Dinh

“Player’s grandma is angry” January 7, 2009: is the current headline on Yahoo News, but it can easily be about Britney Spears' latest hairstyle or Brad Pitt defending Jennifer Aniston "over an uncool Jolie diss." While enjoying the perks of empire, with its preemptive strikes, regime changes, torture and billions of bombs sold and delivered, we traffic in trivia and bad jokes. A week ago, [...] by Linh Dinh

The things people write in books! January 7, 2009: I mean literally, the things people scrawl on the flyleaves and in the margins of books. My mother taught me not to deface books, not even to dog-ear them, but tell it to a poet! There's real treasure in literary marginalia: notes, scribbles, and assorted editorial comments added to books. Take Blake's famous comment on Francis Bacon - [...] by Don Share

Seven Contemporary Italian Poets (3/7) January 7, 2009: Marina Pizzi, translated by Laura Modigliani: Four Poems the hours excised, eroded one day I'll go from one thing to another or with handkerchief on wrist with vermilion forefinger to ask you again pardon for the mile just gone * awful rag the farewell in grape must that boils without intoxication the elevator of solitude that ascends to a deaf [...] by Linh Dinh

The Small Pressession January 6, 2009: On Sunday, the North Carolina based daily News & Observer took a look at the current state of small presses, specifically Carolina Wren Press. The feature comes amidst almost daily news of big publishing houses in trouble (or trouble of a sort), and the big outlets like Borders struggling to keep afloat. It's a logical leap to think small [...] by Travis Nichols