The Icehouse

First day of snow in East TN, and in honor of that, a selection from RUNOFF's (it's coming soon) winter poem:

In Thanks...

From RUNOFF:

Pager - RUNOFF

Runoff now has a page over at BlazeVOX. Go and check it out, and read the lovely blurbs written by my good friends Nate Pritts, Brandi Homan, and Matt Hart.

While you're there, order a book from the catalog! They make a great Xmas present, or anytime present. Support the cause.

Also, I'm looking to set up some readings in the near future, so if you're anywhere around East TN, or anywhere, really, give me a holler.

You've seen the front of the book, so here's the back:

Here Come the M_n

Citizens of the world!

H_NGM_N #9 is locked & loaded & ready to be dropped from a low flying plane on some unsuspecting country whose regime is in need of being toppled.

& if that country is CONTEMPORARY LITERATURE you can start to see how my metaphor is apt:

http://www.h-ngm-n.com/cur_ent-i_sue

Please note that we are currently open to submissions until November 30th & be sure to check out the updated info on H_NGM_N Books:

http://www.h-ngm-n.com/h_ngm_n-books/

Plug!

Got Matthew Thorburn's new chapbook, Disappears in the Rain, in the mail a couple days ago, and it's a beaut. The book itself is one long poem, kind of a meditation on meditations, with this subtle narrative chord that hums through it with this voice that balances between an American idiom and eastern quietness. I'm not sure if that made any sense to you, but if you read the book, wonderful things will happen to you, I promise. It's an intricate collage of the natural and modern and simulation. There's too much good stuff to pick from here for a sample (but I did, anyway, for you). And, like the conveyor belt in the passage below, this book just continually brings beautiful sustenance to its lucky readers. You can get a copy over at Matt's blog, which you should do as soon as possible.


peering into her compact
a geisha checks her make-up
on the subway

lobster sashimi gleams silver-white
plucked up in Lily's chopsticks

the kimono'd tea server pauses
mid-pour
to tell a secret

down one hill and up another
that's my life

the sushi chef loads
more red and yellow plates
onto his conveyor belt


--Matthew Thorburn, Disappears in the Rain

Coming Soon...

I'm happy to report that my second book, RUNOFF, will be published sometime in the Winter by BlazeVOX Books. The book itself is four long poems, one for each season, each collectively marking the passing of one year. In the meantime, to whet your appetite, here's the cover:

Yesterday in Brooklyn

I dug these poems by Phil Levine at Poetry Daily earlier this week, and thought you might want to check them out. As of fan of Levine's older stuff, I'm really excited to see him writing about life as it looks to him today (versus way back when in Detroit). Good stuff.

'Cept

Just got the new issue of Harpur Palate in the mail. It's got an awesome mix of long poems and short prose pieces. I challenge yr genre to a duel, etc. Serious good stuff.

You can get a copy, or, better yet, subscribe here.

Summer: That's all, folks.

Fall: I'm on my way.

Abner

There's a new issue of Diode out, and it's a barn burner. Tons of good poets and good poems. So what are you still doing here? Go check it out:

http://www.diodepoetry.com/v3n1/index.html

YES / NOÖ!

Just got word from Mike Young that NOÖ #10 is live and kicking online, and available for your immediate reading pleasure. Check it out--I've got a poem in there with some great company, including Ron Padgett, Amy King, and Jason Bredle. Pop some corn and sit down with this thing. Spread the word.

Karaoke Night

Hey,

In case you didn't know, H_NGM_N is now blogging. It's awesome, and it's every couple days, from the editors, like Nate Pritts, and from outside guests, like Matt Hart, Tony Hoagland, and others.

I'm up today, making some random and general points about karoaoke and poetry. Check it out, and check out the other posts, too. Come back to it. Make a friend.

Holla for the Man

From Nate:

Like, it's night time & there are these two guys & they're all like, I'm gonna break into this BANK, yo. To steal the MON-ey. And the other guy is like, yo, what about the H_NGM_N? Like for realz? And the first guy is like what - that tired old washed up old guy? Like no one has even SEEN him for like YEARS or something. Guys probably dead.

http://www.h-ngm-n.com

And the second guy is like yo. And so it was that there were guys straight up robbing banks all over the city & when I say bank I mean JOURNALS PUBLISHING BAD POETRY & then there's like this quick cut, right, where you see like SOMEthing on a balcony or some junk, like high up like looking down all bad@$$ & then these two guys are like about the break into the bank still? By which I mean BAD POETRY RUNNING RAMPANT all up in the grill of the fair city? And what?

http://www.h-ngm-n.com

So that's it man. It's like yo - H_NGM_N #8. SWOOP. And like everyone thought he was dead & yo & like that was it? But he's here & cleaning house & by house I mean THE LANDSCAPE OF CONTEMPORARY POETRY & by cleaning I mean like straight up cleaning.
So it's like not only for you but for the city & banks & POETRY & also for yourself that you must needs click yon link & spread the word that, like, if you were afraid to go out at night? Or read poetry? There is no more reason to fear ever now:

http://www.h-ngm-n.com

yrs ever & always -
n8 & crew

PS follow the 'M_N on Twitter for updates --> http://twitter.com/TW_TT_R

Bottle-Rocket

Been reading through and enjoying the new issues of Willow Springs and The American Poetry Review. They're fantastic, and I've got some poems in them. You should buy copies of both. They're perfect for the summer. Like getting a good deal on a gas grill.

Happy 4th. Eat some hot dogs, spill some ice cream. Blow up the sky with a thousand small and screaming fireworks.

Yr My Blue Skies

The Tusculum Review has a new issue coming out, a hot one. To celebrate it, they're having a reading this Thursday, April 30th. I'll be reading with Brent House, so if you're anywhere around, come out. Make small talk. Listen to some poetry. Buy an issue, and one for your friends, too. Here's the link with more details:

http://www2.tusculum.edu/tusculumreview/2009/03/30/poets-to-read-at-ttr-launch-party/

See you there.

Don't Forget...

This weekend:

The Slash Pine Poetry Festival.

If you live in or around Tuscaloosa, AL, or know how to get in or around Tuscaloosa, AL, you should come out for this thing, April 24th & 25th. Click on the link. Check it out. Spread the word.