Many Things, Including Doveglion and Generosity

Finally, a new post at Doveglion. Oscar has interviewed Roger Bonair-Agard about his poem, “contradiction: A Ghazal for L’il Wayne.” I am still getting my thoughts together on this poem, which I should do soon, because it’s on my syllabus for next week. I am glad to read Roger’s thoughts on specific word choice, on poetic form, and tradition.

We are still figuring out what to do with the Doveglion space. I have approached one poet about submitting a full length book manuscript. There are a few poets we have lined up to post here. It’ll happen really slowly. I am good with this. There is only so much time and energy I have. Again, I have been thinking about literary activism, about practicing generosity. That’s generally how I am thinking of the Doveglion space.

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Yesterday Evening at Pegasus Books

Oscar has photos and video from yesterday evening’s political poetry reading at Pegasus in Berkeley. Videos include Michael Palmer reading from Mahmoud Darwish’s Unfortunately, It was Paradise, and Joseph Lease reading from a long-ish, Whitmanesque America piece infiltrated with infomercials, sound bytes and other things. Awesome readings by these two, and some great energy. Palmer also read (not on video) one of my favorites, “Madman with Broom,” though I enjoy the poem with much less explanation beforehand. I like not being introduced to the realist crows; I like them menacing and just being there.

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