Say What?

My friend recently received this rejection (?) from magazine-I-shall-not-name. Your opinion?

Dear (name withheld),

Thank you for submitting your work to the (name withheld)

While your submission made it into the later stages of my consideration.  After having a chance to reread your submission, at least once aloud, I must tell you that I will not be able to use any of your poems in this upcoming issue.

I know that a rejection almost always seems to be a personal thing–but seriously, I am only rejecting the poems you sent in this submission. If you’re poems made it this far into the process then I think you possess the talent and I would recommend/encourage you submit during the next reading period.

Best,

Behind the Scenes / 73 Comments
June 14th, 2010 / 4:33 pm
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Nox, an accordion-fold book, by Anne Carson, “Maybe her best.”

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It’s Monday Morning, Go Right Ahead (And Learn About Joseph Beuys!)

Web Hype / Comments Off on It’s Monday Morning, Go Right Ahead (And Learn About Joseph Beuys!)
June 14th, 2010 / 1:31 pm

YouTubers for Clean Waters: There Will Be Bell

[via Ryan MacDonald]

Web Hype / 8 Comments
June 14th, 2010 / 1:04 pm

Nerds In A Van

East of the Mississippi? You won’t want to miss the Glaser/Lyalin/Young tour that’s ravaging the right side of the map.

6/16 – Philly
6/17 – DC
6/18 – Richmond
6/21 – Atlanta
6/22 – Durham
6/24 – Baltimore

Get all the dates and links and stuff from Mike’s blog.

That DC reading is an exciting one – it will be the first in the new series from Barrelhouse. The concept is to feature presses/journals, not just individual writers. That is a sensible way to create a good reading; if the publisher has a good aesthetic, the reading will showcase their authors and the event will make good flow. Future presses with Barrelhouse readings coming up include Dzanc, Rose Metal, and Artifice. This one on June 17 (this Thursday) features Publishing Genius and, now in their 7th year, Narrow House (click for a SICK 7th year special offer — 7 things for the price of 1).

Events / 16 Comments
June 14th, 2010 / 11:58 am
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Joseph Young’s new project, “Abundance,” — a few words, an image — is lovely.

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What book do you most often re-read?

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“I FEEL THAT THE BEAUTY OF FORMS OBSCURES THE NULLITY THEY CHOREOGRAPH OR ENCHANT.  I FEEL THAT THE NULLITY IS NOT THE SPACE AGAINST WHICH THE BEAUTY OF FORMS IS A FACT BUT THAT THE BEAUTY OF FORMS IS THE NULLITY ITSELF, TRANSMOGRIFIED, AND I FEAR THIS.”

Ariana Reines has a blog.

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Reviews

“A photo of whales on your phone will not protect you”

Sampson Starkweather’s latest chapbook, The Heart Is Green From So Much Waiting (Immaculate Disciples Press), is a chapbook of “transcontemporations,” which, Starkweather explains, are to poems what Robocop is to normal police officers. Obviously, if we’re playing along at home, this is both a joke and not a joke. Like maybe it’s a battle cry and a cat call, maybe it’s a desire to be unremoved from the original feeling of seeing through the eyes of Robocop himself. If we’re playing along at home, The Heart Is Green From So Much Waiting feels some kind of gameshow hosted by a monk. READ MORE >

44 Comments
June 13th, 2010 / 10:55 am

Blunts

Emily Kendal Frey’s THE NEW PLANET is now available from Mindmade Books. Some of these poems recently leapt into Real Poetik

PITY

I feel sorry for people who fall in love with other people.
We wait on the boat’s deck to see a whale.
What we see are waves.
Dead-hearted tomatoes bobbing up and down.
Ocean of hearts.

READ MORE >

Author Spotlight / 20 Comments
June 13th, 2010 / 9:10 am