Charles Bukowski | Poetry Hut Blog

(I had a family emergency (actually Darryl did) & also my front tooth cracked for no logical reason Wed.) Sheesh. I don’t think I’ll make it to the emergency dentist appt this morning because of some ice that is coming. We’ll see. It is not crazy pain but I would really not have a front tooth with a crack in it, though you can’t really tell because it is near the side. Dentists are expensive. And my teeth are an integral part of my face.

Tags: Cathal O'Searcaigh, Catherine Wagner, Charles Bukowski, Eduardo C Corral, Francisco Aragón, John Ashbery, Kevin González, Michael Harper, Poems, poet, Poetry, Poetry News, poets, Sheryl Luna

Poetry News For February 3, 2008

Poetry News:

— The second part of this post is about my impression of the role that some phantasmatic nightmare image of AWP plays in the imaginations of many participants in the various online poetry worlds —

— The poet laureate talks about how he’s not enamored of nature, his vote in the New Hampshire primary and the American preoccupation with happiness —

— Robert Pinsky’s work speaks to us in our common language and relates that language to our hopes as citizens —

— LOC Guide to Poetry & Literature Webcasts: Individual Poets, Novelists, and Writers —

— McGrath’s audacity has a genial, sociable quality, often with a flippancy that he directs back at himself, in the American tradition of kidding —

— Bukowski’s typewriter and night lair in daylight. Does this seem at all familiar to you? —

— Drunk poet climbs over cliff, seeking inspiration —

This song is being beamed to the “North Star” tomorrow. Hint: John Lennon wrote it. link. Happy 40th birthday, cool song.

Solving The Mystery Of The Metallic Sheen Of Fish

Tags: awp, books, Campbell McGrath, Charles Bukowski, Charles Simic, Elizabeth Bishop, Jai guru deva om, literature, poet, Poetry, Poetry Foundation, Poetry News, poets, Reginald Shepherd, Robert Pinsky

Poetry News For January 5, 2008

Poetry News:

— ‘Birmingham, 1963′ captures the heartbreak of Alabama church bombing [also see this] —

— The Index Kings —

— In the cycle of new and old, fresh and familiar, there’s something exciting, but also a little grotesque —

— Homeless, blind and dressed like a Viking, Moondog was one of New York’s most famous eccentrics - and renowned musicians —

— A trove of the best poems from a prolific poet —

— Oxford Poets 2007 showcases some excellent up-and-coming talent —

I’m starting tai chi today. I’m ~~kind of~~ a dork when it comes to following “body” commands. Do what with my arm? Left? Right? Huh? We’ll see how it works out hahaha. But one good thing is that my orthopedic Dr. figured out my shoulder problem (which has returned). My joints are hyperflexible. I just figured everyone could touch their thumb to their wrist, etc. LOL. So I need more physical therapy and also I have to get in shape and become muscular. Which I am totally not. My Dr. was pretty shocked that this hasn’t been an issue before. But I haven’t had any orthopedic problems until now.

BRING IT ON, 2008!!!! hahahahaha

Tags: Carol Boston Weatherford, Charles Bukowski, Dudley Randall, Edward Thomas, Moondog, Poetry, Poetry News, poets

Poetry News For November 30, 2007

Poetry News:

— Shackled Magazine Editors Harm Literature; Says Tom Masson, Who Deplores the Ownership of Magazines by Brokers and Soap-Makers Who Make “Hired Men” Editors - By Joyce Kilmer. —

— Nazi Claim May Thwart Bukowski Landmark —

— Argentine poet Juan Gelman wins Spain’s prestigious Cervantes Prize —

— Visual artist Ann Hamilton and poet Henri Cole, both from Columbus, Ohio, received the USA Fellowships —

— Poem Headstone Uncovered at Courthouse —

— Everson came of age as a poet with his friends Jack Spicer, Robin Blaser and Robert Duncan, the core members of the Berkeley Renaissance poets —

Tags: Charles Bukowski, Henri Cole, Juan Gelman, Landis Everson, literature, poet, Poetry, Poetry News, Tom Masson

Poetry News For November 27, 2007

Poetry News:

— How Does the New Poetry Differ from the Old?; Amy Lowell Laments the Lack of Authoritative Criticism in America — Says No One Should Make a Living by Writing — By Joyce Kilmer —

— it’s impossible not to ask some hard questions about his status and whether it is deserved —

— In a poem of this sort one is trying to record the precise instant when a thing outward and objective transforms itself, or darts into a thing inward and subjective —

— BJP seeks political refugee status for Taslima —

— Havana-born, Chicago-based writer Achy Obejas first won a NEA grant for her poetry in 1986 —

— As good as life gets —

— Love, Ted —

— Many thought that Ivor Gurney’s claim to be ‘England’s first war poet’ was a symptom of his insanity —

My mom is intensive care again, so I may stop blogging (without much notice).

Tags: Achy Obejas, Amy Lowell, books, Charles Bukowski, Gary Hyland, Ivor Gurney, Marilyn Bowering, poet, Poetry, Sylvia Plath, Taslima Nasreen, Ted Hughes

Poetry News For November 26, 2007

Poetry News:

— Our Rich Authors Make Cheap Literature; Ida M. Tarbell Laments Tendency of Some of Our Modern Writers to Sacrifice Their Independence and Self-Respect for the Sake of High Prices By Joyce Kilmer —

— Controversial Bangladeshi feminist writer Taslima Nasreen has been flown out of the Indian city of Calcutta after violent protests by Muslims —

— Nor was it a simple matter to find a poem that would serve as the essential illustration of Ashbery’s quality —

— It is not poetry that lasts but good poems, a critical difference. —

— The Chilean Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), one of the world’s most popular writers, found his gift early in his prolific career —

— NYT’s 100 Notable Books of the Year —

— Facebook is removing profiles of small Canadian publishers —

— Prize rewards younger poet’s technique, vision —

— Matthew Higgs … explores language as a visual-art medium that is also directly linked to poetry —

— Think Global, Read Local —

— Keats’s Secret: Exploring the Real Power of the Imagination —

— Paul Roche, Poet in Bloomsbury Group, Is Dead at 91 —

— Here are three of the five nominees for this year’s Governor General’s Award for poetry, each a many-layered reading experience —

Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. We went to our friend Erma’s and it was fun and delicious. After dinner, there was a many-hour jam session & I even played bass on one song — “Killer Joe” because it is really easy and I don’t really play anymore, LOL.

Public service announcement:

Seeking poets who might have an extra copy of their chapbook or book they’d be willing to donate to a lucky student. Each week, during my 8-week undergraduate poetry class, there will be a drawing to see who wins the book a poet has been generous enough to donate. The winner will be responsible for reading your book, reviewing it, and selecting a favorite poem to read to the class the following week. If you like, contact information and book price should be included so that others in the class can buy your book. Students will be STRONGLY encouraged to buy the books of poets who, after all, were kind enough to contribute a book to their education. If you’re willing, please send your book (autographed would be nice) and contact and price details to:

Jeff Winke
Upper Iowa University - Milwaukee Center
620 S 76th St.
Milwaukee, WI 53214

Tags: books, Brian Henderson, chapbooks, Charles Bukowski, Dennis Lee, Don Domanski, House of Anansi, Ida M Tarbell, John Ashbery, Margaret Atwood, Pablo Neruda, Paul Roche, Poetry, Poetry News, poets, Rob Winger, Taslima Nasreen

Poetry News for September 20, 2007

Poetry News:

— I think that is a hilarious ad campaign —

— Saving Bukowski’s Bungalow —

— Local artist’s Jarrell portrait finds famed venue —

— Books on tools, trains and ranching are among the most sought after titles in the US, a new report reveals —

— Tess Gallagher: living proof of the power of poetry —

— For me, what started as an over-earnest graduate thesis (”Transparent Spring: Problems Translating Osip Mandelshtam‘ Tristia into English”) quickly graduated from a pet project to an obsession —

— Poetcast: September 18th, 2007 A poem by James McMichael, winner of the 2007 Academy Fellowship [links to MP3] —

— All about the latest Best American Poetry Wow —

Tags: Charles Bukowski, James McMichael, Poetry, Poetry News, poets, Randall Jarrell, Tess Gallagher, Wyoming Libraries

Poetry News for September 6, 2007

Poetry News:

— “When women stop reading, the novel will be dead” —

— G. C. Waldrep Blood Ruminant [link found here thank you] —

— Woman visits her own heart at exhibition —

— Don’t blame Bukowski for bad poetry —

— A Fiddle Pulled from the Throat of a Sparrow by Noah Eli Gordon —

— John Walsh reports on an extraordinary literary discovery that reveals the troubled adolescence of a poetic genius —

— Gibbon could not have chosen a more appropriate opening for this collection which is, at times, painfully visceral —

So I think: what kind of bizarro world have we stepped into? And the next day I think what kind of bizarro world have we stepped into? Tomorrow I will think: what kind of bizarro world have we stepped into?

My dad’s mother, Theresa Korte, her dad’s ancestors came to the USA from SchÃ¶nholthausen, Prussia in the 1800s. So I looked in WikiPedia and got that translation. Very funny.

I was a Grand Prize winner in last year’s contest at Chronogram. They sent this email regarding this year’s contest:

Perhaps the true test of the enduring power of a great literary work is whether it can survive its incarnation”complete with pom-poms, falling chandeliers, and aggressively perky singers in spandex”as a Broadway musical. When last we looked, Big River had not dislodged The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from its pedestal; on the other hand, most of our friends and neighbors can more readily mangle a tune from Man of La Mancha than provide a cogent exegesis of the Cervantes novel on which it was based. As for Cats, well.

For this year‘ HUMOR CONTEST, we invite you to create titles for the Broadway musical versions of classic works of literature that Stephen Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Webber, et al have heretofore overlooked. Please provide a title and, for extra credit, a few representative songs,
e.g.:

Crack Your Cheeks!
King Lear, the musical
(”Oh Fool, Who‘ Fooling Who Now?” “Poor Tom‘ A”™Cool”)

The Ring and I
Lord of the Rings, the musical
(”These Are a Few of My Favorite Rings,” “They Call the Mines Moria”)

Bye-Bye Bertie
Jeeves and Wooster, the musical
(”Springtime for Butler,” “Gussie Fink-Nottle Keeps Newts in a Bottle”)

Contest judges are Mikhail Horowitz and Nina Shengold, and winning entries will appear in the Literary Supplement of the November issue. Winners receive a Chronogram tee-shirt, suitable for wearing or framing. Contest deadline is October 1. Please send entries (no more than three per person, please!) to fiction@chronogram.com or Humor Contest, Chronogram, 314 Wall Street, Kingston NY 12401.