Words of Wisdom

Fortunately analysis is not the only way to resolve inner conflicts. Life itself still remains a very effective therapist.


~Karen Horney


HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Seasons Greetings

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!

New Year Poems

38th Annual New Year’s Day Marathon Benefit Reading
Sunday, January 1, 2012
3:00 pm

There are three things to consider when the New Year’s Day Poetry Marathon sweeps you into its gracefully uncouth embrace — what it is, what it was, and who you will be when it’s over. An untamed gathering of the heart’s secret, wild nobility — over 140 poets together revealing not just that a better life could exist, but that it already does, sexy and wise, rancorous and sweet, big hearted and mad as hell. An avenging engine of resistance and eager vehicle of the nascent year. The Marathon measures its success through insurrectionist reframings of the universe, an in-it-together courage that crafts a community out of the riot of lineages and traditions we all emerge from. This collective effort also helps fund as many as 85 additional events every year — not to mention The Poetry Project Newsletter, The Recluse and legendary workshops. It’s our largest fundraiser of the year, and arguably the most inspired ongoing literary event in the city. Read more about “the Marathon” here.

The 38th Annual New Year’s Day Marathon Benefit will feature over 140 Poets & Performers:
Ace Mcnamara, Alan Licht, Alex Dimitrov, Amy King, Ana Božičević, Anne Tardos, Anne Waldman & Ambrose Bye, Anselm Berrigan, Ariana Reines, Arthur’s Landing, Barry Denny, Basil King, Betsy Fagin, Bill Kushner, Billy Lamont, Bob Hershon, Bob Rosenthal, Brenda Coultas, Brendan Lorber, Brett Price, Bruce Andrews & Sally Silvers, Bryn Kelly, CA Conrad, Charles Bernstein, Christine Elmo, Christopher Stackhouse, Church of Betty, Corina Copp, Corrine Fitzpatrick, Daniel Kent, David Freeman, David Henderson, David Shapiro, David St. Lascaux, Denize Lauture, Dgls. Rothschild, Don Yorty, Donna Brook, Dottie Lasky, Douglas Dunn, Douglas Piccinnini, Drew Gardner, Dustin Williamson, Edgar Oliver, Ed Friedman, Eddie Berrigan, Eileen Myles, Elinor Nauen, Elizabeth Devlin, Elliott Sharp, Emily XYZ, Erica Kaufman, Erica Hunt & Marty Erlich, Erin Morrill, Evan Kennedy, Evelyn Reilly, Filip Marinovich, Foamola, Frank Sherlock, Franklin Bruno, Genya Turovskaya, Gillian McCain, Greg Fuchs, James Marshall, Janet Hamill, Jess Fiorni, Jim Behrle, Joe Elliot, Joe Ranono, John Coletti, John Giorno, John S. Hall, Jonas Mekas, Josef Kaplan, Judah Rubin, Judith Malina, Karen Weiser, Kathleen Miller, Katie Degentesh, Ken Chen, Ken Walker, Kenny Goldsmith, Kimberly Lyons, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Lee Ranaldo, Lenny Kaye, Leopoldine Core, Lonely Christopher, Macgregor Card, Maggie Dubris, Marcella Durand, Mariana Ruiz Firmat, Mark Nowak, Martha King, Matthew Abuelo, Miguel Gutierrez, Mitch Highfill, Monica de la Torre, Nada Gordon, Nathaniel Siegel, Nick Hallett, Nicole Peyrafitte, Pamela Sneed, Patricia Spears Jones, Patti Smith, Paul Mills (Poez), Paul Legault, Penny Arcade, Peter Gizzi, Pierre Joris, Reuben Butchart, Rickey Laurentiis, Robert Ashley Secret Orchestra, Shafer Hall, Simone White, Sinan Antoon, Stephanie Gray, Steve Dalachinsky, Steve Earle, Steven Taylor, Susan Landers, Susie Timmons, Suzanne Vega, Taylor Mead, Ted Dodson, Ted Greenwald, Thurston Moore, Todd Colby, Tom Carey, Tom Savage, Tony Towle, Tracey McTague, Tyler Burba, Wayne Koestenbaum, Will Edmiston, Will Yackulic, Yoshiko Chuma, Youmna Chlala, Yuko Otomo, Yvonne Meier, Nicole Wallace, Arlo Quint and Stacy Szymaszek.

Admission: $20, $15 for students and seniors, and $10 for Poetry Project members.

Words Of Wisdom

Artistic temperament sometimes seems a battleground, a dark angel of
destruction and a bright angel of creativity wrestling.

~Madeleine L'Engle (1918-2007)

Sonnet

A sonnet is a poem of fourteen lines, properly expressing two successive of a single thought or idea. Many writers such as William Shakespeare and Edgar Allan Poe wrote sonnets.
When I started writing poetry this past January I wrote a sonnet called ‘I Never Traveled This Road Before’:

I never traveled this road before,
Lined with thick brush and boulders,
It looks strange and foreboding
There’s nothing to guide me.

Each step forward is a step closer
To an unknown destination.
What awaits me, I know not.
But I trek on.

I’m nudged forward
By an unseen hand
I turn around and
All the footprints of my life are gone.

Overhead, the sky hawk cries;
‘Follow me! Follow me!

Sunday, January 1, 2012
3:00 pm

Featuring 140 Poets & Performers including:

Ace Mcnamara, Alan Licht, Alex Dimitrov, Amy King, Ana Božičević, Anne Tardos, Anne Waldman, Anselm Berrigan, Arthur’s Landing, Barry Denny, Basil King, Betsy Fagin, Billy Lamont, Bob Hershon, Bob Rosenthal, Brenda Coultas, Brendan Lorber, Brett Price, Bruce Andrews & Sally Silvers, Bryn Kelly, CA Conrad, Charles Bernstein, Christine Elmo, Christopher Stackhouse, Church of Betty, Corina Copp, Corrine Fitzpatrick, Daniel Kent (music), David Freeman, David Henderson, David Shapiro, Denize Lauture, Dgls. Rothschild, Don Yorty, Donna Brook, Dottie Lasky, Douglas Dunn, Douglas Piccinnini, Drew Gardner, Dustin Williamson, Ed Friedman, Eddie Berrigan, Edwin Torres, Eileen Myles, Elinor Nauen, Elizabeth Devlin (music), Elliott Sharp, Erica Kaufman, Evelyn Reilly, Filip Marinovich, Foamola, Frank Sherlock, Franklin Bruno, Genya Turovskaya, Gillian McCain, Greg Fuchs, James Marshall, Janet Hamill, Jess Fiorni, Jim Behrle, Joe Elliot, Joe Ranono, John Coletti, John Giorno, John S. Hall, Jonas Mekas, Josef Kaplan, Judah Rubin, Judith Malina, Karen Weiser, Kathleen Miller, Katie Degentesh, Ken Walker, Kenny Goldsmith, Kimberly Lyons, LaTasha N. Nevada Diggs, Lenny Kaye, Leopoldine Core, Lonely Christopher, Macgregor Card, Maggie Dubris, Marcella Durand, Mariana Ruiz Firmat, Mark Nowak, Martha King, Matthew Abuelo, Miguel Gutierrez, Mitch Highfill, Monica de la Torre, Nada Gordon, Nathaniel Siegel, Nick Hallet, Nicole Peyrafitte, Pamela Sneed, Patricia Spears Jones, Paul Mills (Poez), Paul Legault, Penny Arcade, Peter Gizzi, Pierre Joris, Reuben Butchart, Rickey Laurentiis, Secret Orchestra (Clif Jackson), Sinan Antoon, Stephanie Gray, Steve Dalachinsky, Steve Earle, Steven Taylor, Susan Landers, Susie Timmons, Suzanne Vega, Taylor Mead, Ted Dodson, Ted Greenwald, Thurston Moore, Todd Colby, Tom Carey, Tom Savage, Tony Towle, Tracey McTague, Tyler Burba, Wayne Koestenbaum, Will Edmiston, Will Yackulic, Yoshiko Chuma, Yuko Otomo, Bill Kushner, Robert Ashley, Evan Kennedy, David St. Lascaux, Lee Ranaldo, Erin Morrill, Erica Hunt & Marty Erlich, Emily XYZ, Ken Chen, Youmna Chalala, Alice Whitwham, Ariana Reines, Nicole Wallace, Arlo Quint, Stacy Szymaszek and more T.B.A

Admission: $20, $15 for students and seniors, and $10 for Poetry Project members.

Words of Wisdom

There is no austerity equal to a balanced mind, and there is no happiness equal to contentment; there is no disease like covetousness, and no virtue like mercy.

~Chanakya

Free Reading on Lower East Side

Friday, December 9th @ 7PM

– FreeReading: Castiglia & Reed “If Memory Serves” Without memory there can be no future. “If Memory Serves: Gay Men, AIDS, and the Promise of the Queer Past” challenges the way authorities in government and academe instructed gay men to forget the sexual cultures of the 1970s during the decades following the advent of AIDS. Challenging assumptions behind first-wave queer theory, authors Christopher Castiglia and Christopher Reed turn to a rich textual and visual archive to explore more positive takes on gay memory.

Bluestockings
172 Allen Street
New York, NY
Subway:F to 2nd Avenue; 6 to Bleeker Street

Open Mic

Friday, December 9 2011 6:30pm
Stark! Wide Open Mike
Open mike for music, poetry, spoken word & featured performers
Hosted by VivianaNola Studios/
Studio C
250 West 54th Street, 11th Floor (7th/8th Avenues)
FREE Spunkypoetress@aol.com 917-292-2683
Subway: R to 57th Street or C/E/1/9 to 50th Street

Words of Wisdom

Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.

~Henry Van Dyke


HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Greek Poets

Saturday, November 19 2011 6:00pm
Greek-American Writers Association
Featured Poets Hosted by Dean Kostos
The Cornelia Street Cafe
29 Cornelia Street (West 4th/Bleecker)
$7 includes 1 free drink www.corneliastreetcafe.com
212-989-9319
Subway: A/C/E/B/D/F/V to West 4th
or1/9 to Christopher Street/Sheridan Square

TODAY'S WORD

COROLLA n.


The petals of a flower.

WORDS OF WISDOM

Genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood.


~T.S. Eliot

Monday, November 14th @ 7PM –
FreeOpening: Bluestockings “OCCUPIED: Occupy Wall Street Art Show”

Come to Bluestockings to celebrate the kick-off of our latest art show! The opening of “OCCUPIED” shows artwork inspired by, and from artists working with, the Occupy Wall Street movement. Tonight’s program also includes performance, music, and discussion about Occupy Wall Street. The art show will be up through Thursday, December 8th.


Bluestockings
172 Allen Street
New York, NY

TODAY'S WORD

CATATONIC adj.

Of, related to, or marked by schizophrenia characterized by esp. by stupor. negativism, rigidity, purposeless excitement, and bizarre posturing.

TODAY'S WORD

SOLIPSISM n.

1. The theory that the self is the only thing really existent.

2. Egotistic self-absorption.

If you've lost focus, just sit down and be still. Take the idea and rock it to and fro. Keep some of it and throw some away, and it will renew itself. You need do no more.

~Clarissa Pinkola Estes

Poetry In Brooklyn

Saturday, November 5 201 12:30pm
Brownstone Poets Deborah Hauser, Vicki Iorio, and Brant Lyon + open
Hosted by Patricia Carragon
Park Plaza Restaurant
220 Cadman Plaza West @Clark/Pineapple
pcarragon@gmail.com 718.596.5900
brownstonepoets.blogspot.com/www.parkplazarestaurant.com/contact.html
$3 + food/drink purchase
Subway: A/C to High Street
2/3 to Clark Street
4/M/R to Court Street/Borough Hall

Changes Coming

I am in the process of adding more variety to my posts. I have added poetry, vocabulary, and announcements thus far. I have plans for a biography page, possibly adding youtube of poetry reading and story telling, and more places to go to if you can't get enough of the arts.

I will add more events such as movies, festivals, documentaries, plays, etc. It's an interesting time for me but I want to make it interesting for all.

Words Of Wisdom

All successful people men and women are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.


~Brian Tracy

POEM

Words


A kind word can bring joy
Cruel word can destroy
A tender can warm the heart
Bitter words can make the spirit tart

Words are like morning dew
It takes only two words to say ‘thank you’
Words that tear down
Causes one’s spirit to drown
In sorrow and defeat
Our words must be soft and discreet
Words can cause others to fall
If I don’t have a kind word to say
Better not say anything at all.

TODAY'S WORD

NOIR

adj. 1. Black, dark. Also fig. : bleak, desolate.

2. That is in the style of a film noir; gloomy and fatalistic in character; (also) using cinematic devices such as wide angles and partial lighting; urban, morally ambiguous, anti-heroic.
Film noir, n.

n. 1. A person with black hair.

TODAY'S WORD

TRI-

1
: three : having three elements or parts
2
: into three
3
a : thrice b : every third

TODAY'S WORD

DILUVIAL

Of or related to floods; especially of the biblical flood.

Read Poetry At Open Mic

Last night my wife and I read stories and poems at the Word Up Bookstore in Washington Heights. We listened to others folks telling stories, sharing poems, and reciting works of their own. One common thread is that many who read are doing so for the first time.

There are many poets, story tellers, and performing artists here in my neighborhood. It's common in every neighborhood I've lived in. There's really not that many venues for these talented individuals, unless you're with a major publisher. Chapbooks are a good outlet. I wished that there were more independent bookstores, coffeehouses, churches, and social halls who will encourage these artists. I don't have any ideas for opening such a place but maybe someone who read this post does.

I have been following the events at Occupy Wall Street and it's heartening to hear young people telling theirs stories. THEIR stories need to be heard. It's the same with the poets, authors, and performing artists. They need to be heard.

Open Mic

Word Up Books
4157 Broadway
New York, NY

Open mic 6pm-7pm.

TODAY'S WORD

MULTIFARIOUS- adj.

Having great variety; diverse

TODAY'S WORD

SEDULOUS

Sincerely, diligently

Diligent, painstaking

TODAY'S WORD

SEIGNEURIAL

Feudal lord

TODAY'S WORD

LUGUBRIOUS

Mournful often to an exaggerated degree.

TODAY'S WORD

CENOBITE n.

A member of a religious group living together in a monastic community.

TODAY'S WORD

IMPORTUNATE

1. Troublesomely urgent:overly persistent in request or demand.

2. Troublesome

Article

Here's a nice article about this bookstore here my home.


http://articles.nydailynews.com/2011-09-29/local/30244614_1_bookstore-thousand-books-community-space

Lower East Side

Saturday, October 8th @ 7PM –
FreeReading: Ala Alryees “A Muslim American Slave”Born to a wealthy family in West Africa around 1770, Omar Ibn Said was abducted and sold into slavery in the United States. In 1831 he was approached to write his life story, producing the only American slave narrative written in Arabic.

Tonight, editor and translator Ala Alryyes shines a spotlight on Omar’s remarkable life and provides a timely reminder that “Islam” and “America” are not mutually exclusive terms.

Bluestockings
172 Allen Street
New York, NY

TODAY'S WORD

POLY- n.

1: many : several : much : multi-

2
a : containing an indefinite number more than one of a (specified) substance

Today's Word

ENERVATE

1. Weaken in body or will.

2. Reduce the mental or moral vigor.

Today's Word

OPPROBRIUM

1. The state of being scornfully reproached.

2. Reproach mingled with disdain.

3. A cause for disgrace or reproach.

Words Of Wisdom

An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose.


~Langston Hughes (1902-1967)

Today's Word

DOWAGER, n.

a. A woman whose husband is dead and who is in the enjoyment of some title or some property that has come to her from him. Often added to the title so enjoyed, as princess-dowager, queen-dowager, dowager-duchess, dowager-queen, dowager-lady, etc.

Today's Word

ADAGIO

A slow tempo; as in music.

Hearing Sylvia Plath's Voice

Poignant and original is how I would describe the poetry of Sylvia Plath (1932-1963). The emotion is raw and her imagery intersects a wide range of moods. Listening to her on a CD convinced me that she could shift her emotions on a dime with little effort.

I read Plath's biography The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath earlier this year. Previously I had never read any of her work unitl I began writing poetry this past January. Her was poetry was different to me because of the raw and honest emotion in them. Plath's anger in the poem Daddy was like a volcano ready to erupt.

Plath is classified as a confessional writer along with other writers such as Robert Lowell and Anne Sexton. After listening to her own voice on the cd, I can still feel her raw emotions in ther taut and tense voice. I am doing more research on heer life and work.

TODAY'S WORD

ECDYSIAST

1. Stripteaser

Today's Word

PALIMPSEST-n.

A parchment, manuscript etc. written upon two or three times,
the earlier writing having been wholly or partially erased.

Words Of Wisdom

A notebook is to a writer as a sketch pad is to an artist.

TODAY'S WORD

NEO- prefix

New, recent Ex.-neoconservative, Neo-Nazi

Reading

Saturday September 24th @ 7PM

– Free Reading: Paula Caplan “When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home”

Traumatized veterans returning from war in Iraq and Afghanistan are often diagnosed as suffering from a psychological disorder and prescribed a regimen of psychotherapy and psychiatric drugs. Paula Caplan argues that this standard treatment is often actually harmful. Sending anguished veterans off to talk to therapists conveys the message that the rest of us don’t want to listen. The truth about war is kept under wraps, most of us remain ignorant about what war is really like– and we continue to allow our governments to go to war without much protest. Join Caplan, author of “When Johnny and Jane Come Marching Home,” for a discussion about alternative healing processes for veterans.

Bluestockings
172 Allen Street
New York, NY

TODAY'S WORD

ADDLE

1. To throw into confusion: muddle

2. To become rotten

Bookstore in Harlem

Here is a website to a bookstore that I visited last evening.

www.sistersuptown.ning.com

TODAY'S WORD

FASTIDIOUS

1. That creates disgusts; disagreeable, distasteful, unpleasant, wearisome

Words of Wisdom

A picture is a poem without words.

~Horace, Roman Poet (65BC-8BC)

TODAY'S WORD

SOLILOQUY

n. 1. speech in a play which a character speaks as if alone.

2. the act of talking to oneself.

Old Notebooks

I have a ton of old notebooks in which I wrote stories and articles over the years. Looking back over them some are timeless while others can be revamped. Some stories can be modernized and improved. I always wonder if it will be better?

One reason I ask this is because I was in a particular moment at a particular time in my life. I can never recreate the moment but I can take liberties and be creative. Isn't that what writing is all about? William Shakespeare's plays are timeless because they can be used in a modern setting. The 1962 movie West Side Story is a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. I enjoyed watching both.

Reading some of the stories I can see where and how much I changes. I had written poems very sparingly, but this past January decided to tackle thet genre full time. Words just folwed as I put my pen to paper. I look at a few of my stories and saw where I could put them in prose. It's amazing that I possessed this when I didn't think I could.

It's good to try another form of writing. I took up poetry because I felt that my stories were getting stale. Herman Melville, the author of Moby Dick and Typee, carved out a second career as a poet. Shakespeare was a playwright but he also wrote prose and sonnets. Many writers have done it and so can you. I will stimulate the creative juices and open up new avenues of creativity.

TODAY'S WORD

RIPOST n.
1. In fencing, a return thrust after a parry.

2. A quick and sharp refort; a repartee.

TODAY'S WORD

ABLATE

BEAR, TOLERATE

To carry away: remove by cutting or by erosion, melting, or evaporation.

TODAY'S WORD

Garderobe n.

1. A toilet in a medieval building.

2. A wardrobe or storeroom in a medieval building.

ALLEGORY

Description of a subject under the guise of some other subject of aptly suggestive resemblance.

WORDS OF WISDOM

He who labors diligently need never despair; for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor.

~Menander, Greek Poet (342BC-292BC)

TODAY'S WORD

BROBDINGNAGIAN

giant; marked by tremendous size; colossal; grand

Ex. A brobdingnagian billboard stood at the entrance to the theme park.

TODAY'S WORD

SURCREASE
n.

1.Cessation

2. Relief or consolation

Today's Word

nepenthes(ne·pen·thes)

noun

1 (also nepenthe)
Pronunciation:/-THē/literary a drug described in Homer’s Odyssey as banishing grief or trouble from a person’s mind.

any drug or potion bringing welcome forgetfulness. [via Latin from Greek nēpenthēs 'dispelling pain', from nē- 'not' + penthos 'grief']

2 a plant of a genus that comprises the Old World pitcher plants.

Today's Word

verdure(ver·dure)
noun
lush green vegetation.
the fresh green color of vegetation.
literary a condition of freshness.

Words of Wisdom

A friend is one who knows you and loves you just the same.

~Elbert Hubbard

Today's Word

KNELL

1. tolling of a bell esp. one announcing a death.

2. any sad or doleful sound.

Today's Word

AFFECTATION


a : the act of taking on or displaying an attitude or mode of behavior not natural to oneself or not genuinely felt b : speech or conduct not natural to oneself : artificiality.

2. obsolete : a striving after

TODAY'S WORD

QUAFF

to drink deeply

Today's Word

MIEN

n. mannner; expression

Words Of Wisdom

Common sense in an uncommon degree is what the world calls wisdom.


~Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Today's Word

PAEAN

n. a song of joy or exultation; hymn

Lower East Side

Wednesday, August 24th @ 7PM –
FreeReading: CALYX poets Elana Bell, Claudia Cortese & Janlori

GoldmanCALYX, journal of fine literature and art by women, invites you to an

evening of poetry by New York writers featured in their summer issue. Join

Elana Bell, Claudia Cortese, and Janlori Goldman for wordsmithing across the

poetic spectrum, and pick up an issue of the new CALYX to enjoy in these late

summer days.

Bluestockings
172 Allen Street
New York, NY

POEM

I never traveled this road before
Lined with thick brush and boulders,
It looks strange and foreboding
There's nothing to guide me

Each step forward is a step closer
To an unknown destination,
What awaits me, I know not.
But I trek on.

I'm nudged forward
By an unseen hand
I turn around and
All the footprints of my life are gone.

Overhead the sky hawk cries
Follow me, follow me!

MORE WORDS

1. there; their

2. pear, pair, pare

3. wine; whine

4. ware; wear; where

Same Sound; Spelled Differently

1. mussel; muscle

2. stationary; stationery

3. sweet; suite

Words of Wisdom

Peace is not an absence of war, it is a virtue, a state of mind, a disposition for benevolence, confidence, justice.


Baruch Spinoza, Philosopher (1632-1677)

Today's Word

ETHEREAL

1. celestial; heavenly.

2. exceptionally delicate: airy, dainty

Today's Word

PORTENT

1. Something that fore shadows a coming event: omen

2. marvel; prodigy

Words of Wisdom

Let us never know what old age is. Let us know the happiness time brings, not count the years.

~Ausonius, Roman Poet (310-395AD)

Last night I read three poems at a open mic event at a bookstore. My wife read four poems. It was the first time that I read my poems to a audience. I look forward to doing it again.

~Genevieve

To do the same thing over and over again is not only boredom: it is to be controlled by rather than to control what you do.

~Heraclitus, Greek Philosopher, (544BC-483BC)

Poem

Life’s Many Roads

I have traveled along many roads.
Some were smooth and straight;
Others were crooked and rocky.
Some roads were winding and wooded;
Still others were barren and empty.
Each road brought me somewhere.

Words of Wisdom

Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be.

~Joy Page

Reading Series

Saturday, July 23 2011 4:00pm
Segue Reading Series
Featured poets TBA
Hosted by Nada Gordon & Steven Zultanski
Bowery Poetry Club,
308 Bowery@Bleecker/Houston
www.seguefoundation.com 212.614.0505
$6 admission goes to readers

Words Of Wisdom

A friend is someone who gives you total freedom to be yourself.

~Jim Morrison

No Writing Yet

Right now I'm getting used to my new digs here in Washington Heights. I've settled in to the neighborhood and am exploring the cultural and artistic scene here. I haven't done much writing of late because of the move but I will do so very soon.


~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

When all is said and done, more is said than done.

~Aesop (620BC-560Bc)

Bookstore In Washington Heights

A bookstop recently opened up in the Washington Heights section in Manhattan. I have been there several times. It's the first bookstore I've seen in the neighborhood since moving here two weeks ago. Their website is posted below.

~Genevieve

www.wordupbooks.com

Words of Wisdom

A sympathetic friend can be quite as dear as a brother.


~Homer

Am Moving Soon

Sorry, I haven't posted much in the past few weeks. I have been busy getting ready for a move. I'm just waiting for the final touches then I will move. As soon as I have something relevant and the time I will post again on a regular basis.

~Genevieve

words of wisdom

Even during dry periods, ideas for poems and stories never dry up.

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

A poem might be defined as thinking about feelings - about human feelings and frailties.

~Anne Stevenson

Poem

Poets are prophets,
Poets are dreamers,
They keep the world sane
From the scroundrels and schemers.

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

Breathe-in experience, breathe-out poetry.


~Muriel Rukeyser

Book Review

Title: The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath

Author: Ronald Hayman

Review: This was a very informative book about a troubled young poet who fought depression, suicidal thoughts, and never feeling satisfied with her accomplishments. The book began with the events which led up to her 1963 suicide at age thirty. Hayman did a fine job in describing her childhood, her love-hate relationship with her mother, and the guilt feeling she had in the death of her father.

I felt some frustration in that Sylvia never was told that depression ran on her father's side of the family. The pacing by Hayman was good in that I felt nothing was rushed. Sylvia was an poignant and skilled poet who used many metaphors in her poetry. She had a knowledge of Greek history, African folklore, and English architecture.

I found Ted Hughes, Plath's husband, a reprehensible philanderer who only cared about himself. I probably should leave this out but it's only my opinion. Plath is not blameless in the failure of their marriage with her depression, dissatisfaction with herself, and the need to be lead by someone else. I recommend this book for anyone who really wants to know Sylvia Plath.

Rating: 7.5

~Genevieve

Sylvia Plath

I am currently reading The Death and Life of Sylvia Plath by Ronald Huffman. Has anyone read it?


~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

A person isn't who they are during the last conversation you had with them - they're who they've been throughout your whole relationship.


~Rainer Maria Rilke

East Village

Friday, April 29 2011 10:00pm
The Nuyorican Poets Cafe
The Friday Night Poetry Slam
Hosted by Mahogany Browne
current spotlight slammers here:
www.nuyorican.org/poetryslam.php
The Nuyorican Poets Cafe
236 East 3rd Street (Avenues B/C)
$10
www.nuyorican.org 212-505-8183
Subway: F to 2nd Avenue,
R to 8th Street,
4/5 to 14 Street,
6 to Astor Place

Words in Williamsburg

Friday, April 29 2011 7:00pm
Pete's Candy Store
Deborah Landau & Dara Wier
Hosted by Dorothea Lasky
Pete's Candy Store
709 Lorimer Street @Manahattan/Union Aves
Williamsburg (Brooklyn)
free dottielasky@gmail.com
Subway: L to Lorimer Street

Words of Wisdom

A great age of literature is perhaps always a great age of translations.

~Ezra Pound (1885-1972)

Stormy and Poignant

I'm listening to Sylvia Plath's poems. I've listened to them several times. They are stormy and poignant and has so much depth and pain in them. I'm still trying to undrstand the depth of Plath's poems. I read somewhere that her work was speaking of her own demise but I'm going to investigate that claim. What I do see is the clash of two persons; Sylvia Plath, the poet; and Sylvia Plath, the person. When two persons clash in side of the heart, one's spirit can be torn asunder. ~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

A writer should get as much education as possible, but just going to school is not enough; if it were, all owners of doctorates would be inspired writers. ~Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000)

Sylvia Plath Audio Book

I requested an audio book of poems read by Sylvia Plath from the public library. She has caught my interest because of the metaphors and descriptions of landscapes that she used in her writings. Her life ended tragically in 1963 at the age of thirty. Having read some of her poems, I sense that there was much more to Sylvia. Perhaps when I listen to the audio book, I may be able to understand what she is feeling. ~Genevieve

Monday, April 11 2011 7:30pm Greenlight Bookstore Poetry of Loss, Memory, and Optimism: Judith Baumel & Jacqueline Jones LaMon Greenlight Bookstore 686 Fulton Street @South Portland, Brooklyn free www.greenlightbookstore.com 718.246.0200

For Activists

Sunday, April 10 2011 12:00pm Activist Poets’ Roundtable Valentino’s Market—balcony in the rear 74 Fifth Avenue @13th/14th Streets free A space for activist poets and friends to gather and share poetry with each other. Time will be allocated equally for all participants to read original work, or poems that you admire written by another. There is no limitation on style or content — though poetry based on themes of peace, social justice, and human solidarity is a focus.

Book Release Party

April 8th, 2011 @7pm Jon Sands Book Release Party Jon Sands & friends Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery @ Bleecker $8 www.bowerypoetry.com

Words of Wisdom

A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard. ~Herman Melville (1819-1891)

Love All The Arts

One of my favorites newspapers is the Brooklyn Rail. Though I'm interested in poetry, essays, and nonfiction, I enjoy many forms of the arts. I love plays, classical music from time to time, art, and theater. It does expand my horizons. The Brooklyn Rail has some intelligent and thoughful articles. ~Genevieve www.brooklyn.org

Words of Wisdom

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus (1913-1960) I referenced this quote a few months ago for another forum. I view change as a second spring because another phase in our lives is beginning. I view poetry in much the same manner because it speaks of life in a metaphorical setting. Poetry can express many emotions in just one sonnet or stanza. I have seen poems embrace everything from love to despair to hope. From depression to anger to triumph. When I decided to concentrate on writing poems two months ago, it was my second spring. It seemed that my short story and essay writing lacked passion and creativity and not a lack of ideas. I had written poems sporadically in the past. I read over some that I had written several years ago during a dark period in my life. The poems were despairing, dark, and longed for escape. I wrote simply but very clear and descriptively about my feelings at those exact moments. I wrote twenty-three poems in all which surprised me because I didn't think that I was capable of writing one. I am reading the works of many poets. Some are famous; others not so well known. Each poet shares his or her own story. Now I am sharing mine. ~Genevieve

Poet's House

Thursday, March 31, 7:00pm Poetic Process & Inspiration: Jean Valentine & Brian Teare National Book Award–winning poet Jean Valentine shares the stage with former student and acclaimed poet Brian Teare for a reading and conversation about the process of writing poems and inspiration. $10, $7 for students and seniors, free to Poets House Members Poet's House 10 River Terrace New York, NY A,C to Chambers Street

Saturday Night @Nuyorican

Jacqueline Santiago Presents "Damaged" @ Nuyorican Poets Cafe April 2, 2011 8:00 pm $15. 236 E. 3 Street (bet. A & B) F train to 2nd Avenue 6 train to Bleeker

Herman Melville

I have been reading the work of Herman Melville. He was an interesting author, well acquainted with the sufferings of war. He wrote much about the Civil War. He wasn't a combatant but he did go to the front lines during one battle in Virginia. He witness the bravery and the suffering.

I was surprised at how his novel, Moby Dick, was so poorly received. I enjoyed the book personally. Melville traveled the seas extensively and could really describe what went on. I always thought that Meliville was a great writer who flys under the radar when great writers of the 19th century are mentioned.

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

A poem begins in delight and ends in wisdom.

Robert Frost (1874-1963)

Poems Every Day

I have been writing at least two poems per day. I read some to my wife last night. I wrote a poem last night while riding the train.

Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have
the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The
worst enemy of creativity is self-doubt.

~Sylvia Plath (1932-1963)

Different Authors

Poetry has been in my veins the past several weeks. I have been reading much poetry. I have read Edgar Allan Poe, Claude McKay, Sylvia Plath, and Robert Frost to mention a few. I am amazed by the wide range of style and soliloquy. Plath is intriguing because of the metaphors she uses. Much of it is foreign to me since it is about English landscapes. Frost has wide range of styles and knowledge about many subjects. I'm really loving reading all of the these poems.

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words.

~Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849)

Poetry and More Poetry

I have been reading and writing a lot of poetry. I'm reading the poetry of Sylvia Plath, Robert Frost, and James Wright. Three different styles but all share of themselves and their life experiences.

I have material for a couple of chapbooks. It will probably take a few weeks to put one together. I see chapbooks in independent bookstores but none at the major chains. It's a niche I beleive is very good to new writers.


~Genevieve

Literary Resource

Today was the first time I visited Poet's House (www.poetshouse.org). It was a trip worth taking. Located in Battery City Park near the World Trade Center site, it is a newly constrtucted building nestled by high rises, condominiums, and a riverside park along the Hudson River.

It is a 50,000 volume library that features poetry books, chapbooks, literary reviews, a catalogue, and a helpful staff. Workshops, classes, and reading are held on a regular basis. As a blossoming poet, I will make frequent use of this fine source of information. The library is located on the second floor where there is a lovely view of the Hudson River. I watched children play in the playground. I thought of some ideas for future pieces of poetry. One could wax nostalgic by admiring the view but I managed to concentrate on my work.

~Genevieve

Chapbook Festival

Last night I attended a chapbook festival in New York City. There were about twenty different small presses presenting chapbooks from many authors. It was a wonderful experience because I discovered that there's a market for these chapbooks.

I attended a workshop later on. Five young editors shared their experiences. I was amazed at how easy it is to make a chapbook. I am writing poems for a chapbook. I will contact one of these presses when I finish. I liked best was that authors aren't constricted by format but are allowed to share their work as it is.

I have been challenged to read even more now than ever. I am writing much these days and will continue to do so.

~Genevieve

Words

Thursday, March 3 2011 7:00pm

The Inspired Word
Featured poets & limited open mic (signup at 6:30!)
Hosted by Michael Geffner
One and One Bar & Restaurant (downstairs Nexus Lounge)
76 East 1st Street @ First Avenue
$10 www.oneandoneny.com/212.598.9126 21+ only -- bring ID!

Word of Wisdom

Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.

~Plutarch, Greek Phlosopher (46-120)

Not An Exact Science

I have always been a nature lover. As a youngster, I would always walked through the woods, exploring and discovering. Writing is the same way in that you have to explore what you want to convey to the audience. Along the way one may discover some things about the craft of writing.

I never thought that writing is an exact science but a continual work in progress. How many of us have thought, after having written and published something, that it could have been better. This is what I love about writing-the critiquing, the self-examination, the reflection of what we said. This somewhat crazy life is exciting to say the least.

~Genevieve

He listens well who takes notes.

~Dante Alighieri 1265-1321

Something New @ Nuyorican Poet's Cafe

Songwriter Slam
NEW MONTHLY PROGRAMMING at the Nuyorican! The Nuyorican Poets Cafe presents The Songwriter Slam Every fourth Tuesday of the month, beginning Tuesday, February 22, 2011 and continuing March 22, April 26 etc...

Feb 22, 2011 host: Nisha Asnani feature: Mighty Kate 8.30pm Sign up at door 9.00pm Doors open $7 1. Original pieces are encouraged; reinvented covers are allowed. 2. 1 song or 4 minutes per artist on stage. 3. Artists may use the Cafe's upright piano, or may bring their own handheld instruments (including acoustic/electric guitars, bass, handheld percussion or vocal pedals. Please note that we do not have amplifiers; instruments can be plugged into our DI boxes. 4. A cappella is allowed, but no recorded tracks are allowed. 5. Maximum three people and three instruments per performance. 6. We cannot supply wireless microphones or storage, and there will be no time for sound checks (though artists can warm up quietly backstage).

7. Sign ups are first-come, first-served. Slam Structure: 8.30 pm: doors open for artists--> sign up! 9.00 pm: doors open for everybody 9.10 pm: feature artist performance 9.20 pm: First Round (12 people) 10.20 pm: Second Round (4 people) 11.00 pm: Announcement of Winner Winner will be awarded $20 cash prize, and will be invited to be the feature artist at the following slam

Nuyorican Pet's Cafe
236 East 3rd St (bet. A & B)
New York, NY

Being Prepared

I can write virtually anywhere. On the subway, the bus, in a restaurant, in a park. All around there are thousands of ideas for a novel, poem, or short story. The difficult part is remembering it all. That's why I carry a note book and pen where ever I go. I kick myself when I cannot write a morsel of a scene because I don't have a pen and paper.

I have literally written pages of ideas, descriptions of a restaurant's acoustics, or the physical features of a man or woman. I may not use them right away but it's great to have them for future reference. The point is to keep our senses open for all things. It's amazing how some ideas just pop up right in front of us.

Words of Wisdom

Poetry is expressing what the heart feels.

Poem

It is 3 am.
The streets are quiet.
A rat scurries in front of me,
disappearing in the alley.

At 3am, the returnes of passion and pleasure diminishes.
3am; I should be in bed, but I'm in my element.
I love my 3am walks
It's very quiet and solitary.

Poetry Slam

Fri, February 11, 2011
10:00 pm
Friday Night Poetry Slam
Hosted by Mahogany Brown

Nuyorican Poets cafe
236 East 3rd Street (bet. A & B)
New York, NY
Subway: F to 2nd Avenue; 6 to Bleeker St.

Words of Wisdom

He who has never failed somewhere, that man can not be great.


~Herman Melville

Film Forum

I like movies especially independent movies and documentaries. I saw my first movie about transgenderism at the Film Forum (www.filmforum.com). Formerly the Waverly Theater, I have watched this theater blossom into a multimedia event. I'm so pleased that the event is showing documents and old movies. If you are visiting New York or are a resident, come here and take in a movie while enjoying your popcorn.

~Genevieve

Writing As Transportation

Writing does transport me to some other place. It can be on the ocean, in a castle, or in a night club. Regardless of the genre, it's good to take these trips to expand and clear the mind of our daily routine.

My spouse and I used to imagine that we were in a particular city. We would imagine that we were doing activities that we don't find here at home. I would read up on the city or country and pretend that we were part of the culture and citizenry. This also whet my appetite to learn about other cultures and languages. This is another part of my education.

I am current debating between learning Spanish or Portuguese. The languages are similar but there are some differences. Some day maybe I can write something within those settings.

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

To read a poem is to hear it with our eyes; to hear it is to see it with our ears.

~Octavio Paz

OPEN MIC

OPEN MIC @ TILLIES
EVERY THURSDAY
SIGN-UP @ 7:15PM
PERFORMANCE @ 7:30PM
NO COVER CHARGE
HOST: MIKE HARRIS

TILLIES
248 DEKALB AVENUE
BROOKLYN, NY

Tomorrow @ Bluestockings

Saturday, January 29th @ 7PM - $5 Suggested

Performance: Ruckus Artist ShowcaseYou’re invited to an evening of ruckus as provided by Queer and Trans People of Color writers, musicians and performers, so support some butt kickin’ to our fair city’s downtown literary and performance scene by coming out for the likes of Frankie and the MoMos, Ignacio Rivera, J. Mase III, kay ulanday barrett, and Shomi Noise. Hosted by Victor Tobar, The Ruckus Showcase promises an amazing show by seasoned QTPOC artists.

Tonight @KGB Bar

Paragraph reading
KGB Bar,
85 East 4th StreetNew York City, NY
January 28, 2011
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Meena Alexander was born in India and raised both there and in Sudan. At eighteen she went to England to study. She has published six volumes of poetry, most recently Quickly Changing River (Triquarterly Books/ Northwestern University Press, 2008). Her book Poetics of Dislocation appears in the University of Michigan, Poets on Poetry series, 2009. She has received awards from the Guggenheim and Fulbright foundations, and from the Rockefeller foundation for a residency at Bellagio. She is Distinguished Professor of English at Hunter College and the Graduate Center, CUNY.

Christian Barter’s first book of poems, The Singers I Prefer, was a finalist for the Lenore Marshall Prize. His poetry has appeared in Ploughshares, Georgia Review, North American Review, The American Scholar and other magazines, and has been featured on Poetry Daily, Verse Daily and The Writer’s Almanac. He has received residency fellowships from Yaddo and The MacDowell Colony and in 2008-2009 he was a Hodder Fellow in Creative Writing at Princeton University. He is the supervisor of the trail crew at Acadia National Park.

Words of Wisdom

Change your thoughts and you change your world.

~Norman Vincent Peale

Poem

Poetry is everywhere.
Snow, sleet, hail, or gloom of night
cannot stem the words flowing in my head.
As I walk along snow covered streets,
thoughts of spring capture my imagination.

Summer can be in the heart year round.
Autumn's changing winds may try to blow the seeds away.
Winter is dormant, as a hibernating bear.

Poetry frees the spirit; the poison of distress flow away.
One word, one sentence can change the day's vision.
Oh, may the words never stop!


~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on - have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear - what remains? Nature remains.

~Walt Whitman

Fundraiser @ Greenlight Bookstore

Haiti Fundraiser Weekend
Start: Jan 15 2011
End: Jan 16 2011

On January 12, 2010, the country of Haiti was struck by a devastating earthquake, with aftershocks lasting for weeks and massive amounts of damage and casualties. Brooklyn is home to many people with ties to Haiti, and both the grief and the urge to help were strong.
In response, Greenlight Bookstore announced that it would donate 10% of all sales on January 23 and 24, 2010, to the Red Cross for Haiti relief, and issued a matching challenge for those interested in giving a bit more. The response from customers was wonderful, and Greenlight was able to donate around $4,000 to Haiti relief.

One year later, Haiti has begun to rebuild; but hit yet again with a hurricane and a cholera outbreak, the country is still in great need of help. Greenlight Bookstore hopes to help once again in a small way with a new version of last year's fundraiser.
On January 15 and 16, 2011, Greenlight Bookstore will donate 10% of all sales to Haiti relief. This will include both purchases made in the store and purchases made through the store’s website, greenlightbookstore.com, at any time on Saturday or Sunday. Funds this year will go to Partners in Health, another organization with a great reputation for doing good work to help the people of Haiti.

The fundraiser weekend will kick off with a Story Time event at 11:00 AM on Saturday, January 15, with Alix Delinois, the Haitian-born illustrator of Eight Days: A Story of Haiti. Written by acclaimed Haitian-American author Edwidge Danticat, this picture book tells the story of Junior, a seven-year-old boy trapped beneath his house after the Port-au-Prince earthquake in January 2010, whose sparkling imagination and resilience help him find the strength to survive until he is rescued.

Books by Haitian authors will be prominently featured this weekend, including the anthology Haiti Noir (edited by Edwidge Danticat; signed copies available), the classic Haitian trilogy Love, Anger, Madness by Marie Vieux-Chauvet, the new picture book Hope for Haiti by Jesse Joshua Watson, Hope Is an Open Heart by local author Lauren Thompson, and others.


Greenlight Bookstore
686 Fulton Street (@ South Portland)
Brooklyn, New York 11217
718-246-0200
Open 10am-10pm everyday

Click here to RSVP for this event on Facebook!

Poetry with CherylB.

January 16, 7pm
Queers for Economic Justice Benefit
Ginger’s Bar
363 5th Avenue, Park Slope, Brooklyn

Words of Wisdom

A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.


~E.M. Forster

Writing Poetry

My wife has written poetry for many years. She has read them at many events and has received praise for her work. Lately I have been writing poetry off and on for years. I have written some poems in the past two weeks and have decided to expand my work in this genre. Essays and short stories are my areas of expertise but I like the challenge of doing new activities.

I mentioned that attended the poetry reading marathon on New Year's Day. Right then I decided that I want to read in next year's reading. I emailed the people who run the event. They informed me that I can send them a chapbook or book of my work in which they will select those who will read. Right now I'm scouring through old notebooks looking for the poetry I've written over the years.

I'm really excited by this and look forward to producing a book. I have decided to do the things that mean much to me. Writing has been a passion of mine since my teen years. Below is the poem that I read to my spouse. I hope that you enjoy it.

~Genevieve

Love of Your Streets

Back in ’68 I loved to walk your streets
I was like a kid in a candy store,
Except it wasn’t candy

People wore their hair long
Clothing were a kaleidoscope of colors,
Against the backdrop of crowded streets.

Men, women, and a group of people
I couldn’t figure out what they were.
I was pulled along,
Anticipating that something was going to happen.

Then I went away.
Life split us apart.
I went across the country,
While you stayed behind,
Waiting for the day that I would return

I didn’t return right away.
Too many responsibilities
Family, work, and church.
I thought about you many times
But my return would be delayed

Two score and two years have passed
I returned to reminisce our youth
You changed and so did I
Your love never waned
For you knew that I would someday return.


@Genevieve, Summer 2010

Open Mic in Brooklyn

OPEN MIC
Starts for the new season Thursday 1/13/11
Every Thursday thereafter Host: Mike Harris, a local artist and musician.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia he graduated from School of Visual Arts in 2008 and has been living in Fort Greene ever since.
His artwork can be seen at www.hikemarris.com
Sign-up: 7:15 p.m.
Performance: 7:30 p.m.
No cover. All acts welcome!

Tillies
248 Dekalb Ave.
Brooklyn, NY
Train: A/C to Lafayette Ave.
G to Clinton-Washington Ave.

Words of Wisdom

A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve,
not by the desire to beat others.

~Ayn Rand, Russian Writer (1905-1982)

Share Your Thoughts

I would like to hear from poets and share what writing them means to you. Personally,
I feel a sense of connection with my spirit and inner self when I write them. Are there others who feel the same way? Please share your thoughts.

~Genevieve