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

Attended reading marathon

I attended the poetry reading marathon at St. Mark's Church on New Year's day. It was the third year in a row I went. I enjoyed listened to an eclectic group of poets recite their words. As I listened the thought came to me that they are sharing a bit of their lives to strangers.

Someone told me once that everybody has a story to tell. Our own stories are unique in that there's no one else who has the same exact story. It is truly their own. With that I have decided to read at this event next year. I'm doing research as to how to go about it.

I have written three poems in the past ten days. Essays and short stories are my main disciplines but I'm branching out into poetry and prose. I'm excited and look forward to concentrating on this part of my writing.

~Genevieve

Don't Forget!

Don't get the Reading Marathon being held on January 1st at St. Mark's Church at @2pm.
I will be attending and hope to see you.

St. Mark's Church
231 E. 10St.
New York, NY

Refreshments will be served. Books for sale.

General admission $20/Students & Seniors $15/Members $10.

Words of Wisdom

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

~Buddha

Writing IS Art

Writing is an art form which stimulates, educates, entertains, encourage, and prods.
Words have a way of prodding our thinking. Going outside the paradigm is a good
thing because it hlps us to grow and to expand our thinking.

I come from a family of readers. My mom read novels from such authors as Frank Yerby.
My father read non fiction books about world events. He taught me much about Cuba before
Fidel Castro took control. My sister reads an eclectic group of books. I do the same. During
my teen and young adult years, I read every ragsheet that was printed. It ranged from very
radical to very conservative and everything in between. Much of the material was off the
wall but there were some points expressed that altered my perspective about a particular
issue.

Over the years my writing has changed. It's more to educate and encourage because both are greatly needed . During the Middle Ages, art was used to educate the masses of which only 3 or 4 percent could read. In Africa, history is expressed through oral story telling. Native-Americans did the same. Writing puts in words our thought, dreams, ideas, and perspectives. I don't believe that something written doesn't affect others because it does. Look at the ways the country is trying to limit access as to what we can read. When cities have to make budget cuts, it's always the arts that are first to go.

Writng has been a passion of mine since I was sixteen. I have written much this year; so much so that I will be putting out a chapbook or book sometime in 2011. Writers, poets, and playwrights are just as important in affecting change in our society as politicians and business. Perhaps more so because we can reach more people than business or political circles can. It doesn't matter which genre you write, we do influence people, hopefully for the better.

~Genevieve

Reading Marathon

On January 1st, the 37th New Year's Day Reading Marathon will be held at St. Mark's
Church at 2PM. I have attended the past two marathon readings and enjoyed them
immensely. There are many readers and the church is packed. Books will be on sales and
refreshments served.


37th Annual Marathon Reading
St. Mark's Church
231 E. 10th Street @2PM


~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

Writing is a question of finding a certain rhythm. I compare it to the rhythms of jazz. Much of the time life is a sort of rhythmic progression of three characters. If one tells oneself that life is like that, one feels it less arbitrary.

~Francoise Sagan

Thanksgiving Wish

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

If you have knowledge, let others light their candles at it.

~Margaret Fuller, journalist & critic, (1810-1850)

Kairo's Poetry Cafe

Sunday November 14th @ 3PM

Kairos Poetry Cafe (note venue change!)
Featured Poets & Musicians + open
Hosted by Alan Baxter

Space on White

81 White Street
$3
Robinzgrl2@aol.com abfilm@yahoo.com
refreshments served

Words of Wisdom

Most people have no idea of the giant capacity we can immediately command when we focus all of our resources on mastering a single area of our lives.


Tony Robbins

Write About Where You Are

One does not have to travel to exotic places to find ideas for stories. They are
right before your eyes. You may be in your dorm room, at work, or living in a
shelter. Your situation may or may not be ideal but story ideas are limitless.
The idea is broaden our horizons.

How many stories and books have been written about with haunted houses as
a backdrop? The battlefield has been a endless source of ideas. A party, a concert,
a restaurant, or a park are some other examples. Keeping our eyes and ears open
for for ideas takes intuition and focus. See how many ideas you come up with
from where you presently are.

Genevieve

Launch Party

WhenFri, November 5, 7pm – 8pm
WhereSolas Bar 232 E 9th St (between Stuyvesant St & 2nd Ave) New York, NY 10003 (map)
DescriptionNYC Launch Party for GHOSTED Tuesday, November 2nd at 7pm Solas Bar 232 E 9th St (between Stuyvesant St & 2nd Ave) New York, NY 10003 917-402-5217 http://www.yelp.com/biz/solas-new-york The official NYC launch of Shaughnessy Bishop-Stall's latest novel, GHOSTED. The book has been described as "an urban fairy tale as gritty and fantastic as anything by Chuck Palahniuk, but with a tender heart all its own," and The Canadian press has embraced Bishop-Stall's work as “nothing less than a masterpiece” (The National Post), “a rocky cruise along the edge of hell . . . remarkable” (The Globe and Mail), and “addictive” (The Toronto Star). Ghosted is a gritty literary thriller, a black comedy, a high-stakes poker caper, an urban cowboy adventure, and a love story. Bishop-Stall plunges fearlessly into the perilous terrain of drugs, love, and death in this ambitious debut. At 30, Mason Dubisee, aspiring novelist and social drifter, decides its finally time to settle down and so he takes a job as “The Dogfather,” a downtown hot dog vendor. When one day a mysterious customer offers him a job ghostwriting suicide notes for the despondent, Mason's life is complicated once more. A totaled hotdog cart, a sprung convict, a faked funeral, a scalped head, and a stolen horse later, Mason’s professional and personal lives have become irrevocably entangled and the line between suicide and murder hopelessly blurred. For more information on the location of the event, go to http://www.yelp.com/biz/solas-new-york, or

Fort Greene Residents

To the residents of the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, there is a wonderful bookstore located in the area.

~Genevieve

www.greenlightbookstore.com

Words of Wisdom

I have never started a poem yet whose end I knew. Writing a poem is discovering.

~Robert Frost

Jack Of All Trades

There's an interesting article in Writers Magazine called "Be a Jack Of All Trades".
Short story writing and essay writing are my main genres but I have written some
prose and a couple of horror stories. I tried my hand at playwriting and I enjoy it.
It's good to try something else because it stretches the mind.

What helps me in in mywriting is that I'm not married to reading one particular genre
or author. It's keeps my options open to areas that I know little about. I'm a curious
person. That's what drew me to writing a mystery story. Hey, maybe a novel is in the
future.

~Genevieve

www.writersmag.com Click on 'articles', then more articles.

Words of Wisdom

Growth itself contains the germ of happiness.


~Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973)

Books in Bed-Stuy

Here is the website to a bookstore in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn.

www.brownstonebooks.com

Poets on First Avenue

The Inspired Word

Featured poets & limited open mic (signup at 6:30!)
Hosted by Michael GeffnerOne and One Bar & Restaurant (downstairs Nexus Lounge)
76 East 1st Street @ First Avenue$10

www.oneandoneny.com/212.598.9126 21+ only -- bring ID!

Segue Reading Series

Saturday, October 9

Segue Reading Series: Joan Retallack and Astrid Lorange - $6

4:00 PM

Joan Retallack's most recent volume of poetry is Procedural Elegies/Western Civ Cont'd/ (Roof Books, 2010). She is also the author of The Poethical Wager (2004) and editor of Gertrude Stein: Selections (2008), both from University of California Press. Retallack is John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Professor of Humanities at Bard College. Astrid Lorange is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. She is writing on Gertrude Stein, Alfred North Whitehead, John Cage, and Joan Retallack. For the last year she has been based in Philadelphia, and is enjoying archival jaunts around North America. She is working on a chapbook. Watch Live on the Web!
http://www.bowerypoetrylive.com/

Words of Wisdom

Education is all a matter of building bridges.

~Genevieve

Great Stories in Not So Great Circumstances

Some of the best stories have been written under not so great circumstances. The apostle Paul wrote half of his epistles while in jail. Many wonderful songs have been written during much heartache and loss. I never ever minimize any situation because I believe there is a story to be
told.

At present I'm living in temporary housing. I see the many lives that I have crossed. I'm developing characters and scenarios for later stories. Take advantage of every situation that comes your way. Write down characteristics, mannerisms, and above all the redeeming qualities
the characters you developing possess.

~Genevieve

NuyoricanPoetsCafe

The Nuyorican Friday Night Poetry Slam
Every Friday Night>@10pm> $10 admissionCurrent Schedule:

Sep 24> Spotlight: Anwar>$10
Oct 1> Spotlight: Oosagyefo/Kevin Sandbloom>$10
Oct 8> Spotlight: Simply Rob>$10
Oct 15> Spotlight: Lauren Whitehead>$10

The Nuyorican Friday Night Poetry Slam is pretty popular and fills up fast, so please get in line early. (suggested arrival latest 9:15pm). Hosted by Mahogany Browne.

Note: Semi-Final Slams>$12 Admission (5 times a year, see schedule)Grand Slam Finale>$15 Admission (yearly event, usually April, see schedule)

If you are interested in becoming a Friday Night Slam Spotlight, please send samples of your work both written & recorded (MP3 or provide video links, etc.) to slamspot@nuyorican.org

located at 236b East 3rd St. bet. Avenues A & B.

Words of Wisdom

It is very near impossible to become an educated person
in a country so distrustful of the independent mind.

~James Baldwin

Book Review

Nine Lives

By Dan Baum

Rating: 4

Nine Lives by Dan Baum is a book that interviews nine residents of New Orleans before, during and after Hurricane Betsy and Katrina. The backgrounds of the people were diverse and different as night and day.

I liked Wilbert Rawlins, Jr., a no-nonsense black man who was a father figure to boys who were fatherless or parentless. Billy Grace was an interesting man who cracked into high society from a working class background. He never digressed from his roots, seeing the snobby and bigoted side of the who’s who of New Orleans. I most identified with Joann Guidos, a male to female transsexual. I am a gender variant person who started out as a cross dress to where I am now a transsexual. Joann kept me interested in reading this book.

What interested me in this book is the city. I wanted to travel to New Orleans before Katrina. Now I want to go there more than ever. From what I read in Nine Lives, there’s still much work to be done especially in the Ninth Ward.

I felt as if I was in New Orleans when Katrina near wiped out the city. I could feel Wil Rawlins' intensity and as he tried to keep a ragtag bunch of kids together. I felt as if I was there with him. I felt the same way about Billy Grace and especially Joann Guidos.

What I enjoyed reading Nine Lives is that the people interviewed spoke in their own narrative. Each character was so different and having someone else speak for them who have done a grave injustice to them, I believe.I rate this book a four because I love being involved with the characters. They were people we all can identity with in some way.

~ Genevieve

Alternative Reading

As a fan of the alternative and the unusual, the website below has some goo listings and information.


www.newpages.com

Words of Wisdom

He listens well who takes notes.

~Dante Alighieri

Cheryl B.

Check out the website of writer, poet, and performer Cheryl Burke. There's much happening in September with her and I will check out one her gigs.


www.cherylb.com

Horror Writers

I would like to know who are your favorite horror writers?

~Genevieve

Widening Our Horizons

I try and read at least one book per month. My interests vary widely from religion to economics to biographies to history. As a writer I need to read different genres if I am going to convey knowledge of these subjects to my audience. In turn, it opens our minds to new ideas and different perspectives.

I tend to gravitate to books and articles by people who may not fit conventional mores. I have Herman Melville's books. He is a writer whose work was criticised by the critics of his day. I find his books exciting and something different from what I have experienced. His knowledge of sailing and the sea is uncanny. Melville is one of those authors who 'flies under the radar' when famous authors are discussed. Recently, his work has experienced a revival.

Though a particular genre may not be your thing, give it a try. It can open our eyes to a world that we may not have known existed. It can also be a vehicle for future endeavors where you have a reservoir to draw from.

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard.

~Herman Melville

Words of Wisdom

If something touches the deepest recesses of your soul, write it down and share it with others.



~Genevieve

Eclectic

I read a wide variety of books. They range from history to poetry to science to religion. I guess you could say my taste is eclectic. I tend to gravitate to controversial and eccentric folks. I read many authors who tend to fly under the radar of popularity. Herman Melville, who worte Moby Dick is one of my favorite authors. I like stories about the sea and far away lands.

The words of wisdom posted earlier is so true because there are so many ideas for stories everywhere. Maybe because I read so many different books some of my ideas may be different but that's just my experience. I have gotten ideas from the simplest of activities. It can be children playing or a cold wind blowing through leafless treelimbs. Every once in a while an idea will hit me in the face. For the most part most ideas come in ordinary circumstances .

~Genevieve

Words of Wisdom

Everybody walks past a thousand story ideas every day. The good writers
are the ones who see five or six of them. Most people don't see any.

~Orson Scott Card

Words of Wisdom

Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either.

~Meg Cabot

Words of Wisdom

It's been a great place to get in touch with what people are really thinking. And to make contact with readers and other writers. Egalitarian, wide open, like the Wild West!

~Greg Bear

Words of Wisdom

A stumble is not a fall.

~ Haitian saying

Calling All Writers

For those of you would would like to write about happenings in your local area, here is a website that will explain whatyou need to do to get started.

Gennee

www.examiner.com

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

Words of Wisdom

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

~Confucius, Chinese philosopher (551BC-479BC)

Words of Wisdom

A man of knowledge chooses a path with a heart and follows it and then he looks and rejoices and laughs and then he sees and knows.

~Carlos Castenada

Mid-Week Inspiration

Rob a people of their sense of history and you take away hope.

~Wyatt T. Walker

THE LITERARY LOUNGE: Words of Wisdom

THE LITERARY LOUNGE: Words of Wisdom
Poetry Project

Words of Wisdom

Black literature is taught as sociology, as tolerance, not as a serious, rigorous art form.

~Toni Morrison

Words Can Spark Positive Change

Yesterday's word of wisdom can be applied to writing. We write because we desire to reach as many people as we can. Literature can inspire, encourage, and challenge. It's wonderful when a song, poem, or story changes a person's life for the better.

Words of Wisdom

That action is best which procures the greatest happiness for the greatest numbers.

~Francis Hutcheson (1694-1746)