ELENA FERRANTE ~

 

R E A D     M E

Europa Editions

2022

SOMETHING CLOSE TO MUSIC `

 

No Longer Very Clear

It is true that I can no longer remember very well

the  time when we first began to know each other.

However, I do remember very well

the first time we met. You walked in sunlight,

holding a daisy. You said, "Children made unreliable witnesses."

Now, so long after that time,

I keep the spirit of it throbbing still.

The ideas are still the same, and they expand

to fill vast, antique cubes.

My daughter was reading one just the other day.

She said, " How like pellucid statues, Daddy. Or like a. . .

an engine."

In this house of blues the cold creeps stealthily upon us.

I do not dare to do what I fantasize doing.

With time the blue congeals into roomlike purple

that takes the shape of alcoves, landings. . .

Everything is like something else.

I should have waited before I learned this.

_________________________

Something Close to Music

John Ashbery

David Zwirner Books

2022

___________________________________________

If you can't stand Ashbery's work 

this is just the book for you —

impeccable poems (meaning: inventive,

crisp, word-saturated) diced with

square smart art criticism,

(there isn't a tired page)

and the price of this

handsome size book

is also ideal.

Take a bow

Jeffrey Lependorf.

(editor)

ALBERT AYLER ~

 

ALBERT AYLER, HOLY FAMILY (1970) ~

 

South of France, July 27, 1970

(in three months he'd be gone)

MISSING JIM HARRISON ~

 

R E A D     M E

( then act )

EVERYTHING AND NOTHING ~

 

R E A D      M O R E

Yet one more edition of this tiny gem

(fiction and short essays)

from New Directions, this time as a

"New Directions Pearl" —

do ignore the typo on the

author's birth date on the back cover

1890, which it isn't, 1899 is more accurate —

Groucho Marx, Jean Rhys and H P Lovecraft were born in 1890.

JANA PRIKRYL ~

 

First Voice

Went fetal as an ear on the bed and tried to feel

the dusty blue rhomboid of window being

in the vanguard of twilight every second,

hurtling, the word impressing itself

as no hurtling would on my mind

through space on the back of this

whale turning, turning, punctual

the other cheek to that star

_________________

Midwood

Norton, 2022

LHASA DE SELA ~

 

! Happy Anniversary !

Susan & Bob

WATERLOO SUNSET ~

 

PHIL KLAY (UNCERTAIN GROUND) ~

 

R E A D      M E

Penguin Books

2022

DODIE BELLAMY ~

 

D O D I E       B E L L A M Y

Semiotext(e)

2021

TIM PAGE, PHOTOGRAPHER ~

 

T I M   P A G E

PENOBSCOT TRANSFORMER TALES ~

 

Newell Lyon learned the oral tradition from his elders in the Penobscot Nation in Maine and was widely considered to be a “raconteur among the Indians." The thirteen stories in this new volume were among those that Lyon recounted to anthropologist Frank Speck, who published them in 1918 as Penobscot Transformer Tales. Transcribed for the first time into current Penobscot orthography and with a new English translation, this instructive and entertaining story cycle focuses on the childhood and coming-of-age of Gluskabe, the tribe's culture hero. Learning from his grandmother Woodchuck, Gluskabe applies lessons that help shape the Wabanaki landscape and bring into balance all the forces affecting human life. These tales offer a window into the language and culture of the Penobscot people in the early twentieth century. 

In “Still They Remember Me," stories are presented in the Penobscot language and English side-by-side, coupled with illustrations from members of the tribal community. For the first time, these stories are accessible to a young generation of Penobscot language learners and scholars of Native American literatures at all levels, from grade school to graduate school.

FURRY LEWIS TALKS & PLAYS ~

 

ALEX KATZ ~

 

A L E X    K A T Z

ALL THE JOHNNY CASH YOU NEED ~

 

HOWLIN' WOLF, MEMPHIS SESSIONS ~

 

BREECE D'J PANCAKE ~

 

JAYNE   ANNE   PHILLIPS

R E A D     M E

PHOTO OF BREECE D’J PANCAKE, ALBERT AND SHIRLEY SMALL SPECIAL COLLECTIONS LIBRARY, UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.

JIMMY NOLEN ~

 

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