fascicle volume 1 - Brilliant!

Here's the site of a brilliant new publication on the Net - http://www.fascicle.com

I'll be lost in there for days.

Spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it ...

"One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time. Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now. The impulse to save something good for a better place later is the signal to spend it now. Something more will arise for later, something better. These things fill from behind, from beneath, like well water. Similarly, the impulse to keep to yourself what you have learned is not only shameful, it is destructive. Anything you do not give freely and abundantly becomes lost to you. You open your safe and find ashes."

- Annie Dillard

from E-Verse Radio

"About 30 years ago, Jimmy Launce, formerly a disc jockey at WJR radio in Detroit, collected more than 300 of 'I could have been ...' puns from listeners. Some of them follow."


I could have been a big wheel, but I never spoke up.
I could have been a cardiologist, but my heart just wasn't in it.
I could have been a brewer, but I didn't have the head for it.
I could have been a Buddy, but I couldn't Hacket.
I could have been a candle maker, but I didn't know wick end was up.
I could have been a geometry teacher, but I hung around in the wrong circles.
I could have been a bridge builder, but I had fallen arches.
I could have been an elevator operator, but I kept getting the shaft.
I could have been a fairy tale author, but I was too Grimm.
I could have been a Director of the Hallelujah Chorus, but I couldn't Handel it.
I could have been a psychiatrist, but I was a freud.
I could have been a thief, but I couldn't take it.

The audience at the Philosopher's Cafe Poetry Reading, Saturday 13 August 2005. Spot the poet! 

The Philospher's Cafe Poetry Reading

The first part of September's Poetry Month in Perth happened in August - of course. It was a Poetry Reading held at the Alexander Library's cafe, renamed for the event The Philospher's Cafe. It included Andrew Taylor, Glen Phillips, Kate Smith, Zan Ross, Lucy Dougan, Anne Morgan, Liana Christensen , Danny Gunzburg and myself. Photos are available at http://www.francesmacaulayforde.com/PhilosophersCafeAug.html

Next reading there on Saturday 10th September 2005. The first one was so enjoyable, I would urge you to attend the next.

Andrew Burke and Jeanette Nelson, Floreat Beach, walking at sunset, 20 August 2005 (Photo by Tania) 

Footsteps on Floreat Beach. Tania takes the baby for a walk, 20 August 2005 

Sunset off the coast of Floreat Beach, Western Australia, 5.50 pm Saturday 20 August 2005. Photo by Jeanette Nelson. 

My son Charlie took this photo up in Indonesia recently when he was coaching their cricket team. Yes, Indonesia plays cricket! Well, some of them do ... What a thoughtful creature. He has Jimmy Edwards whiskers ... 

she waits for me

she waits for me
as I do my washing
porridge on the stove

while she waits
she edits my furniture
for her tidy house

when we get together
we will have more
grandchildren

this time is so different
from the first marriage
the second the third

it is our 'last true love'
we say, gazing at each other
like herons at a river

I bring my porridge
to the table
and think in its steam

too much cinnamon
and not enough
metaphor

Philip Whalen .... see below 

Whalen project

People who have read this blog in the past would know that I'm a fan of Philip Whalen's poetry (and his attitude to life). Well, now Michael Rothenberg is working on a Collected Poems and is looking for those far-flung pearls from Whalen's pen ... Maybe you can help. Here's his note:

Dear Everyone,

I am working on the Complete Collected Poems of Philip Whalen and nearly done with the job. I would appreciate it if any of you, or your friends have poems by Philip Whalen from small magazines, mimeos, letters, that you think have never been published, please let me know by e-mail, and send me a photo copy at: Michael Rothenberg, 1914 Pierce St., Hollywood, FL 33020. I would appreciate any help you can give.

Best regards,

Michael

Michael Rothenberg
walterblue@bigbridge.org
Big Bridge
www.bigbridge.org

Interesting magazine and series of images at http://www.barcelonareview.com/index.html 

New Advanced Writing Class

I am offering an Advanced Creative Writing class, partly as an extension for my TAFE students who have been through the basic course, and for anyone else who should like to tune-up their writing skills. It will be held on a Wednesday evening, from 7 to 9pm for
eight weeks - $120 a term. It starts on 17 August 2005.

I'll create a Unit Outline for it tomorrow and post it here then. It will cover contemporary prose techniques and will address some aspects of poetry. Please be aware it is not a business writing course or a journalism course.

It will be held in Mount Lawley, either at my home address if numbers are small, or a local hall otherwise. Details will be confirmed when numbers are known.

Close off date is 11 August 2005.

Please reply to aburke@iinet.net.au