MIKOLAJ GRYNBERG ~

 

R E A D   &   L I S T EN

THE SUBVERSIVE SIMONE WEIL ~

 

University of Chicago Press

2021

BARRY LOPEZ ~

 

R E A D   M E

There is in Lopez's "Sliver of Sky" —

a tragic portrait of his early childhood years of

sexual predatory abuse by a family friend —

which may be his truest wildlife essay. 

Random House, 2022

BILL GAITHER ~

 

RENE MAGRITTE ~

 

MAGRITTE

a biography by Alex Danchev

Pantheon 2021

GOGOL BORDELLO ~

 

WARMEST TENT ON EARTH ~

 

CHASING HOMER ~

R E A D      M E 

New Directions, 2021

 

NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS ~

 

WE ARE NOT ALONE

ON THE MESA ~

 

It's a shame, the re-issue of this anthology is almost batting .1000 —

it has a lush cover photograph of the poet Bobbie Louise Hawkins

by Gerard Malanga, who not only captures the time element of the late 1960s, 

but Malanga has always had an affectionate eye for cats.

This anthology was first published by City Lights in 1971

and this expanded edition draws in an aura of American poetry

including Black Mountain poets, San Francisco Renaissance, Beat, 

and the NewYork School of poets, and for a change digs into

the ground and finds at least one half of Coyote's Journal poetry (Bill Brown) 

but badly misses James Koller — a close friend with many in this

anthology and a sure hand of the California poem. 

As they say in that funny world: it's the only reason why I

can't give this book 5 Stars.

A thorough biographical index of each poet would have

also been a treat and finished off a sterling package.

Nonetheless, the new anthology is beautifully edited —

you can sense certain poets touching certain poets —

for instance Joanne Kyger touching Tom Clark

touching Jim Carroll touching Bill Berkson.

The Song Cave makes terrific books, each title comes off the block

similar but unique, much as New Directions used to make them and

how we used to go hunting for them. Black spine, same square size, 

cool and fashionable, neat typeface, and an exciting range

of poets. You absolutely can't go wrong.

Just not perfect, yet.

[ BA ]

STEVE REICH ~

 

Quite an interesting book and format of "interviews" —

really sharp and informative conversations

and you can see the names here listed,

a great crew.

Reich is generous with his time and knowledge

 and quite kind and appealing between the lines.

Don't hesitate.

_______________

Hanover Square Books

2022

LIGHTNIN' HOPKINS ~

 

FOR BOB ~ MUSIC FEST!

happy birthday!  

love, sweetheart! 

August 5, 2022

WENDELL BERRY ~

 

Stay Home

I will wait here in the fields

to see how well the rain

brings on the grass. 

In the labor of the fields

longer than a man's life

I am home. Don't come with me.

You stay home too.

I will be standing in the woods

where the old trees

move only with the wind

and then with gravity.

In the stillness of the trees

I am at home. Don't come with me.

You stay home too.

_______________

Wendell Berry

New Collected Poems

Counterpoint Press, 1980

GRZEGORZ WROBLEWSKI ~

 

Isn't  It Strange

Acid rain . . . On the wall

a picture of your long-deceased

cat.

Isn't it strange that every day

I pray to her

to return you to me.

Twin

He resembled me.

I held him up to my lips,

then threw him into the salty

water. He sank to the bottom.

I heard a giggle.

An invitation to play

together.

You and Me

It couldn't have worked out better.

I am with you without you.

I draw figures on the sand.

I breathe.

I wait.

I decay.

Boeing 737

We watched as it disappeared inside a gray cloud.

(We all would like to do something similar.)

Osaka

an eye.

Keep it,

just in

case.

______________________

Grzegorz Wroblewski

Zero Visibility

Phoneme Media, 2017

translated from the Polish by Piotr Gwiazda

STACKED DECK ~

 

also ~

C O R A L      D A V E N P O R T

JIMMY NOLEN ~

 

Jimmy Nolen

THE APHORISMS OF FRANZ KAFKA ~

 

R E A D     M E