So happy today, October 7, is Random Acts of Poetry Day. According to Jennifer at Highland Park Poetry, we should be pinning poems on grocery bulletin boards and scrawling verse in chalk in the street. Sounds good! My random acts have included three poems recently accepted by Zoomorphic, and one by Main Street Rag Publishing for its ghosts anthology.
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| Photo by Jeff Pang |
Women Poets of the Hudson River
Ruth Handel, Natalie Safir, Meredith Trede, and I will read at the Warner Library in Tarrytown on October 24 at 2 pm. Ruth’s most recent book is No Border is Perennial (Dos Madres, 2015), Natalie’s Love Like Snow(2011), Meredith’s Field Theory (SFA Press, 2011) and mine,Face Painting in the Dark(Dos Madres, 2014). Hope to see you there!
Writing & War
Bellevue Literary Review presents “Embattled,” a performance of poetry and prose on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at 6 pm. Two actors will read select poems by BLRpoets, featuring work by my dear friend Terry Dugan. Free and open to the public at NYU Langone Medical Center, 550 First Avenue (30th-33rd Streets), Schwartz Hall E.
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| Dietrich Bonhoeffer |
Commemorating Bonhoeffer
“For Conduct and Innocents,” amultimedia drama in verse written by J. Chester Johnson, will take place Sunday, October 18 at 2 pm at Trinity Church (Wall Street). Directed by Alan Baxter, the performance portrays significant moments leading to Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s death, with choreography by the Trinity Movement Choir, and Paul Knopf’s original score for an upcoming film on Bonhoeffer (1906-1945).
Collaborations in Dance
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| Racoco |
This Brooklyn festival, on Sunday, October 18, at 8 pm, celebrates movement-based performance developed in collaboration with artists in film, sound, costuming, visual art, and more.Racoco, featuring Rachel Cohen, Remi Harris, Masumi Kishimoto, and Meghan Schardt, with live music by Lynn Wright and guests, rejoins visual artist Stephanie Beck on a shared program. At TRISKELION ARTS, tickets $16.
October Poetry Readings
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| Ai |
Tuesday, October 13, 7 pm: Robyn Creswell, Dunya Mikhail, Nat’l Sept. 11 Museum; register911memorial.org
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| Edwin Torres |
Saturday, October 24, 4:30 pm: Rodney Koeneke, Edwin Torres, Zinc Bar
Chocolate Walnut Scones
Thanks to my dear friend and translator, Ligia Yamazaki, I learned about eating “Clean” and later discovered this delicious recipe.
1/2 cup coconut oil + 1 teaspoon for greasing baking sheet
1/4 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cup pitted and mashed-up dates (soak until soft)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mills) +1 tablespoon gluten free flour
1/4 cup water
1/4 to 1/2 cup pitted and mashed-up dates (soak until soft)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup gluten free all-purpose flour (Bob’s Red Mills) +1 tablespoon gluten free flour
Pinch sea salt
2 oz organic dark chocolate (preferably sugar/dairy free, like Gnosis or Green & Black), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raw, organic walnuts, coarsely chopped
2 oz organic dark chocolate (preferably sugar/dairy free, like Gnosis or Green & Black), coarsely chopped
1/2 cup raw, organic walnuts, coarsely chopped
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all dry ingredients in large bowl. In separate bowl, mash dates until you have a thick paste and set aside. Warm coconut oil until it's liquid and add to date paste with vanilla and water. Add wet to dry. Then add chocolate and walnut pieces and mix until just combined. Dough should hold together; adjust water and flour if too dry or sticky. Form dough into a round and place on lightly floured (leftover gluten-free flour) surface and cut in half. Roll each half into another round. Cut one round in half and then cut each half into thirds and repeat so you have 12 wedges. Lightly grease baking or cookie sheet with coconut oil and place wedges in oven for 16 minutes (rotating pan after 8 minutes).
’Round the Net
Thanks and/or congratulations to the following people:
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| J. Chester Johnson |
Publisher Guy Bennett on debut of Piotr Macierzyński’s If father dies first (Mindmade Books, 2015) translated from Polish by Aleksandra Małecka and Piotr Marecki
Poet Terry Dugan on having her poetry selected for Writing & War (see above)
Poet Ruth Handel on her upcoming book No Border is Perennial (Dos Madres, 2015) and 10th year teaching Enjoying Poetry at Scarsdale Adult School
Poet J. Chester Johnson on his upcoming drama in verse on Bonhoeffer (see above)
Novelist Petra E. Lewis on appearing in the Daily News, speaking at the National Action Network, and hosting an anti-violence panel at the New School
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| Robert Murphy |
Translator James Manteith for pointing out the new Iris DeMent album is based on Babette Deutsch and Lyn Coffin translations of Akhmatova
Poet Don McIver and the 2015 ABQ Slam Team for appearing in a TED talk
Art expert Laura Morelli on her latest book on vacation treasure-shopping, Naples & the Almafi Coast
Poet Robert Murphy on his recent NYC reading at the Swift Hibernian Lounge
PBS for Jim Henson documentarysharing his early coffee ads (PS: If asked if you want Wilkins Coffee, the answer is yes)
Sports broadcaster Steve Overmyer for highlighting the New York Sharks—a women’s professional football team
Poet Kevin Pilkington on his master poetry class, starting October 20, at the Sarah Lawrence Writing Institute
Music archivist Jay Shulman for this book reviewof Chrissie Hynde’s memoir
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| Sarah Bracey White and winning plant |
Poet Linda Simone on having “Rara Avis” accepted in Grabbing the Apple: An Anthology of New York Women Poets
Memoirist Sarah Bracey White on winning the First and Growers' Choice Awards at the Parkway Gardens/Parkway Homes Fall Flower Show
Poet Neal Whitman on having “When Dusk Falls” appear in this Italian journal and for recommending this video of poet Alice Oswald
Before we leave off, I want to remember Ann McGovern, author of the children’s classic, Stone Soup. When I was little, that story often inspired me to pretend my lunchtime soup was the savory one described in her tale. Later, when pursuing my dream of being a writer, I heard her speak at a writers’ conference. She was warm-hearted and approachable, and led an amazing life. Here’s to making delicious soup out of stones!
Until next time,