some of my favorite poetry books
It seems to be the season for list-making. Folks are listing the top books of the past year, top words used in their Facebook statuses, and of course the top gifts they hope to receive for the holidays. Inspired by listmania, I decided to put together a list of some of my favorite poetry books. This isn’t limited by year and it’s certainly not comprehensive; it’s just some books I really like and think many of my friends and students would like too. I’m sure as soon as I post this, I’ll have many moments of “how could I forget_________.” But for whatever reason, these are at the forefront of my mind right now. So here goes:
Nin Andrews, Why They Grow Wings
Daisy Fried, She Didn’t Mean to Do It
Barbara Hamby, The Alphabet of Desire
Terrance Hayes, Muscular Music
Michael Hettich, Like Happiness
Bob Hicok, Animal Soul
Tony Hoagland, Donkey Gospel
Laura Kasischke, Fire & Flower
Stephen Kuusisto, Only Bread, Only Light
Jeffrey McDaniel, The Endarkenment
Oliver de la Paz, Names Above Houses
Barbara Ras, Bite Every Sorrow
Shane Seely, The Snowbound House
Maggie Smith, Lamp of the Body
Alison Townsend, Persephone in America
Katharine Whitcomb, Lamp of Letters (chapbook)
interesting low-res MFA focusing on social justice
I came across this ad, and it looked interesting. Some of my students have talked about the relationship between creative writing and social justice.
“The only low-residency MFA program specifically devoted to literature, community service and the pursuit of social justice.
Poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, with the flexibility of cross-genre and dual-genre exploration. Post-MFA certificate in the teaching of creative writing.”
Antioch University
Los Angeles
end-of-the-semester readings
Tuesday, November 30th–Open Mic Night at Bangkok Jazz, organized by USF MFA students. Signup starts at 6:30pm. Open to all. Please limit your reading to 5-7 minutes. 7pm, Bangkok Jazz, 6840 E. Fowler Ave.
Wednesday, December 8–Katie’s book launch party, to celebrate the publication of my first book of poems, Castaway. Readers will include Katherine Riegel, Kirsten Holt, Sulynn Hago, Ryan Bollenbach, Riley Passmore, and Matt Epperson. Bangkok Jazz restaurant, 6840 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa (Temple Terrace), 7-9pm.
November & December readings in the Tampa area
Monday, November 15–Writer’s Harvest, a benefit to raise canned goods and funds for food for the needy. Readers will include Rita Ciresi, Ira Sukrungruang, Jeffery Thomson, and Katherine Riegel. Ella’s Folk Art Cafe, 5119 N. Nebraska Ave., Tampa, 7pm. Donation is $3 or 3 canned goods, and you get raffle tickets at the door. Prizes include books and gift certificates! We’ll have the whole place to ourselves, so it’ll be a great time.
Thursday, November 18–Fever, An evening of poetry & jazz, featuring Belinda Womack and Amanda Buck. Admission is free with food or cash donation; all proceeds and donations go to Metropolitan Ministries Thanksgiving Food Drive. 6-9pm, The Centre Club, 123 S. Westshore Blvd., 8th Floor, Tampa.
Wednesday, December 8–Katie’s book launch party, to celebrate the publication of my first book of poems, Castaway. Readers will include Katherine Riegel, Kirsten Holt, Sulynn Hago, and Ryan Bollenbach. Bangkok Jazz restaurant, 6840 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa (Temple Terrace), 7-9pm.
Some links to great poems you should all read
Tim Seibles at Eleven Eleven journal
Michael Hettich at Escape Into Life
More to come in future posts…
interesting quotes on writing
”If you don’t feel that you are possibly on the edge of humiliating yourself, of losing control of the whole thing, then probably what you are doing isn’t very vital. If you don’t feel like you are writing somewhat over your head, why do it? If you don’t have some doubt of your authority to tell this story, then you are not trying to tell enough.”
~ John Irving
“Memoir is the intersection of narration and reflection, of storytelling and essay writing. It can present its story and consider the meaning of the story. The first commandment of fiction—Show, Don’t Tell—is not part of the memoirist’s faith. Memoirists must show _and_ tell.”
~ Patricia Hampl
Shane Seely
For those of you who missed last night’s poetry reading, you really missed out. Shane Seely was awesome–genuine, humble, and his poems were knockout. You could have heard the proverbial pin drop when he was reading; we all held our breaths, waiting to see how the poems would end. And if you haven’t read any of his work yet, check it out.
submit work to thread, the undergrad literary magazine at USF
thread, USF’s undergraduate literary journal, is now accepting submissions for the new edition.
All submissions must be in by December 3.
Send all submissions to: submissions.thread@gmail.com. Please include your name, e-mail, phone number, year and each work’s category. You may submit to multiple categories. No hard copies will be accepted.
Categories and Limits:
* Literary Criticism – max. 15 pages
* Short Fiction – max. 15 pages
* Poetry – max. 5 pages each, 6 poems total
* Creative Non-fiction – max.15 pages
* Screenplay – max. 15 pages or 1 act
* Microfiction – max. 500 words
You can find this information and more at our new website. We’ve also uploaded videos from the showcase event. http://english.usf.edu/thread/
Also, look out for updates with information regarding an event in November.
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Thread Editors
literary events in the Tampa area
Friday, October 22–Dead Poets Slam–7-9pm, Mitchell’s Coffeehous (129 S. Kentucky Ave., Lakeland, FL)–We would love to have you come out and listen to awesome poets performing awesome poetry by awesome dead poets OR read your favorite poems by dead poets. For more info on performing at the slam FB message us or email: reAwakenWordsmith@gmail.com
Saturday, October 23–St. Pete Festival of Reading, 10am-4pm, Free Admission (includes author Ira Sukrungruang, 11:30-12:15)
Monday, October 25–USF’s English Graduate Student Association Colloquium, which will include readings and paper discussions. 12-5pm, Grace Allen Room, USF.
Misfits, Margins, and Monsters (please note all panels include creative and critical work)
Panel 1: The Gothic, the Evil, and the Dead, 12-1 pm
Panel 2: Societal Misfits, 1:15-2:15pm
Break: 2:15 to 2:45 pm
Panel 3: Poetry and Suicide on the Margins, 2:45-3:45pm
Panel 4: Gendered Monsters, 4-5pm
Readings in the Tampa area in the next 7 days
Tuesday, October 12–Alan Shaw, Claire Stephens, Kimberly Karalius, and Zachary Lundgren, USF MFA students, at Bangkok Jazz Restaurant (6840 East Fowler Ave), 7-9pm.
Tuesday, October 12–Read-a-Bull Open Mike Night, presented by USF’s Sigma Tau Delta English Honors Society, at Cafe Kili, 8-10pm. Bring your best poetry, short fiction, or short nonfiction, or just come to listen and have fun.
Wednesday, October 13–Latin American Writers in the US–Diego Trelles Paz, Naief Yehya, Pablo Brescia–Panel discussion at 4pm in the Grace Allen Room (USF Library 4th Floor); Reception at 6pm, fiction readings at 6:30pm at the USF Graphic Studio.
Thursday, October 14–Poetry Slam, Spoken Word performance poetry, MSC 4013, 9pm. Winner gets cash prize!
Monday, October 18–Ira Sukrungruang, author of the memoir Talk Thai: The Adventures of Buddhist Boy, at the University of Tampa, 7pm, Reeves Theatre in the Vaughn Center, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33606
Thursday, October 21–thread, the undergraduate literary magazine of USF, sponsors Reading is Sexy, featuring graduate and undergraduate student writers, discussion of submitting your work, and more. MSC 27008, 6:30pm.