Mark Strand Poetry Reading | Sewanee Writers' Conference

From The Kenyon Review, New Series, Summer 1991, Vol. XIII, No.3: Tomas Transtromer

Poem of the week: April and Silence by Tomas Tranströmer Translated from Swedish by Robin Fulton Spring lies desolate. The velvet-dark ditch crawls by my side without reflections. The only thing that shines is yellow flowers. I am carried in my shadow like a violin in its black box. The only thing I want to say glitters out of reach like the silver in a pawnbroker's. http://www.kenyonreview.org/kr-online-issue/weekend-reads/

China bans wordplay in attempt at pun control

 China’s print and broadcast watchdog says puns may mislead the public – especially children. Photograph: Chen Li/ Chen Li/Xinhua Press/Corbis

From online discussions to adverts, Chinese culture is full of puns. But the country’s print and broadcast watchdog has ruled that there is nothing funny about them.It has banned wordplay on the grounds that it breaches the law on standard spoken and written Chinese, makes promoting cultural heritage harder and may mislead the public – especially children.The casual alteration of idioms risks nothing less than “cultural and linguistic chaos”, it warns.

Chinese is perfectly suited to puns because it has so many homophones. Popular sayings and even customs, as well as jokes, rely on wordplay.But the order from the State Administration for Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television says: “Radio and television authorities at all levels must tighten up their regulations and crack down on the irregular and inaccurate use of the Chinese language, especially the misuse of idioms.”

Programmes and adverts should strictly comply with the standard spelling and use of characters, words, phrases and idioms – and avoid changing the characters, phrasing and meanings, the order said.

“Idioms are one of the great features of the Chinese language and contain profound cultural heritage and historical resources and great aesthetic, ideological and moral values,” it added.

“That’s the most ridiculous part of this: [wordplay] is so much part and parcel of Chinese heritage,” said David Moser, academic director for CET Chinese studies at Beijing Capital Normal University.

When couples marry, people will give them dates and peanuts – a reference to the wish Zaosheng guizi or “May you soon give birth to a son”. The word for dates is also zao and peanuts are huasheng.

Shock of the new bourgeois reality - Eureka Street

Shock of the new bourgeois reality - Eureka Street

San Francisco bourgeois

Australian batsman Phillip Hughes dies aged 25

Phillip Hughes has died as a result of the injuries he sustained when struck by a bouncer on Tuesday, Cricket Australia has confirmed. He was 25.

Team doctor Peter Brukner confirmed the news in a statement released on Thursday afternoon.

"It is my sad duty to inform you that a short time ago Phillip Hughes passed away," Brukner said. "He never regained consciousness following his injury on Tuesday. He was not in pain before he passed and was surrounded by his family and close friends.

"As a cricket community we mourn his loss and extend our deepest sympathies to Phillip's family and friends at this incredibly sad time. Cricket Australia kindly asks that the privacy of the Hughes family, players and staff be respected."

Read more at http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia/content/story/803649.html?CMP=chrome

Hello, Palazzolo! Book Launch

Haiku and Tanka Courses - enrol now

Spaces available on the early bird rate for haiku and tanka poetry international online courses

x

There are still places on the haiku and tanka courses starting January 2015, available at the early bird rate (a £10 or US$16 dollar discount) until the end of this week.  

Please email karen@withwords.org.uk for more details.

Sharon Olds on transforming life into art

Sharon Olds on transforming life into art

Sharon Olds on transforming life into art

Sharon Olds on transforming life into art

James Castle, “Untitled,” n.d., found paper, soot

Unique artist - full story HERE 

Check out the Stars at Balla Rat Cat ...

Haiku Submission Notes from Tash Adams' Blog

Attention Haiku Poets

 Submitted by Natasha Adams on Sun, 11/16/2014 - 13:02

Attention Haiku Poets

Below are four publishing opportunities for your calendar:

The Heron’s Nest: Submissions due December 15 (for the March issue)

Please submit 5 - 15 poems at a time.

Haiku may be sent at any time for consideration for the next available issue.

http://www.theheronsnest.com/submit.html

A Hundred Gourds: Submissions may be sent at any time.

March Issue - submissions close on December 15th, the prior year

The AHG editors will consider submissions of up to 10 haiku

Lorin Ford, Haiku Editor: haikugourds@gmail.com

Creatrix: Submissions of up to 10 haiku per person accepted for each issue.

Email your submission to creatrixjournal@gmail.com with ‘haiku submission’ and your surname in the subject line, with all haiku in the body of the email only (i.e. no attachments).

CLOSING DATE:

10th February for the March issue

paper wasp

If you wish to submit haiku or other Japanese forms to paper wasp, they should be sent by email to:ksamuelowicz@optusnet.com.au

Don't forget to include your name and return address!

or, if you have no access to email, by mail (including a stamped self-addressed envelope) to:
paper wasp, 14 Fig Tree Pocket Road, Chapel Hill, Qld 4069, Australia.

We cannot pay for contributions; however, the first time your work is published we will send you a free copy of the issue in which it appears.

For subsequent contributions, we will send you a pull-sheet of the page with your work. Of course, the best thing to do is to subscribe!

Above are (edited) exerts from the publications' websites. I am not affiliated with the publications in any way. Further information can be obtained from the websites by googling their submission requirements.

Accessed from http://www.tashadams.com/attention-haiku-poets

2014 Queensland Literary Awards

QUEENSLAND LITERARY AWARDS

2014 shortlists

The Queensland Literary Awards would like to congratulate the authors and publishers of all shortlisted nominations for the 2014 Awards.

The winners of each category will be announced at the Award Ceremony on 8 December 2014.

University of Queensland Fiction Book Award

Fiona Capp

Gotland

Harper Collins Publishers

Richard Flanagan

The Narrow Road to the Deep North

Random House Australia

Alex Miller

Coal Creek

Allen and Unwin

Tim Winton

Eyrie

Penguin Australia

Evie Wyld

All the Birds, Singing

Random House Australia

University of Queensland Non-fiction Book Award

Steve Bisley

Stillways

Harper Collins

Paul Ham

1914: The Year the World Ended

Random House Australia

Iain McCalman

The Reef: A Passionate History

Penguin Australia

Penny Olsen

An Eye for Nature: The Life and Art of William T. Cooper

National Library of Australia

Janis Sheldrick

Nature's Line: George Goyder, surveyor, environmentalist, visionary

Wakefield Press

Griffith University Young Adult Book Award

A.J Betts

Zac and Mia

Text Publishing

Felicity Castagna

The Incredible Here and Now

Giramondo Publishing

Kate Hendrick

The Accident

Text Publishing

David Metzenthen

Tigerfish

Penguin Australia

Jaclyn Moriarty

The Cracks in the Kingdom

Pan Macmillan Australia

Griffith University Children's Book Award

Jackie French

Refuge

Harper Collins Publishers

Pamela Rushby

The Ratcatchers Daughter

Harper Collins Publishers

Claire Saxby and Graham Byrne

Nature Storybooks: The Big Red Kangaroo

Walker Books Australia

Shaun Tan

Rules of Summer

Hachette Australia

Samantha Wheeler

Smooch and Rose

UQP

University of Southern Queensland History Book Award

Joan Beaumont

Broken Nation

Allen and Unwin

Nicholas Clements

The Black War : Fear, Sex and Resistance in Tasmania

UQP

Iain McCalman

The Reef: A Passionate History

Penguin Australia

Bruce Pascoe

Dark Emu

Magabala Books

Henry Reynolds

The Forgotten War

New South Publishing

Clare Wright

The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka

Text Publishing

University of Southern Queensland Australian Short Story Collection - Steele Rudd Award

Debra Adelaide

Letter to George Clooney

Pan Macmillan Australia

Tony Birch

The Promise

UQP

Luke Carman

An Elegant Young Man

Giramondo Publishing

Ceridwen Dovey

Only the Animals

Penguin Australia

Laura Jean McKay

Holiday in Cambodia

Black Inc. Books

State Library of Queensland Poetry Collection – Judith Wright Calanthe Award

Judith Beveridge

Devadatta’s Poems

Giramondo Publishing

Rachael Briggs

Free Logic

UQP

Liam Ferney

Boom

Grand Parade Poets

Anthony Lawrence

Signal Flare

Puncher & Wattman

David Malouf

Earth Hour

UQP

Unpublished Indigenous Writer - David Unaipon Award

There is no shortlist for this category; the winner of the award will be announced at the Awards Ceremony on Monday 8 December.

Emerging Queensland Writer – Manuscript Award

Julie Kearney

3 for a Wedding, 4 for Death

Cathy McLennan

We Come From Saltwater People

Leanne Nolan

Open Cut

The Courier-Mail 2014 People's Choice Queensland Book of the Year

Vote now - voting closes 5pm Friday 21 November 2014.

Sally Breen

Atomic City

T.M. Clark

My Brother, But One

Matthew Condon

Jacks and Jokers

Deb Drummond and Janice Teunis

Lingering Doubts: Going Inside Brisbane's Arcade Murder

Keelen Mailman

The Power of Bones

Kellee Slater

How to do a liver transplant: Stories from my surgical life

Catherine Titasey

My Island Homicide

Frances Whiting

Walking on Trampolines

Poem written in circular form by Paul Éluard, 1950 

Title: Bonne Justice (Good Justice)

Bonne justice

C’est la chaude loi des hommes
Du raisin ils font du vin
Du charbon ils font du feu
Des baisers ils font des hommes

C’est la dure loi des hommes
Se garder intact malgré
Les guerres et la misère
Malgré les dangers de mort

C’est la douce loi des hommes
De changer l’eau en lumière
Le rêve en réalité
Et les ennemis en frères

Une loi vieille et nouvelle
Qui va se perfectionnant
Du fond du cœur de l’enfant
Jusqu’à la raison suprême.

Good Justice

The warm law of humans:
From grapes they make wine,
From charcoal they make fire,
From kisses they make humans

The hard law of humans:
To keep themselves safe despite
War and misery,
Despite the danger of death.

The sweet law of humans:
To change water into light,
Dream into reality,
And enemies into brothers.

A law old and new
That continues to perfect itself:
From the bottom of a child’s heart
To supreme reason.

Paul Éluard

ROY HAYNES QUARTET ON DAVID LETTERMAN SHOW

Speaking of OLD MASTERS ...

Inspiring stories of OLD (LIVING) MASTERS

Roy Haynes, jazz drummer and bandleader, 89, in his basement practice space on Long Island. Haynes’s latest album was ‘‘Roy-Alty,’’ released in 2011.

Great article about OLD MASTERS at the New York Times magazine

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/10/23/magazine/old-masters-at-top-of-their-game.html?ref=magazine&_r=1

  

• SUBSCRIBE NOW 
• andrewb51
 
• 
  

'to go without blinking' Aimee Herman

· Paperback: 156 pages


· Binding: Perfect-Bound


· Publisher: BlazeVOX [books] 


· ISBN: 978-1-60964-080-4

$16

Aimee Herman, a queer performance poet, has been featured at various New York venues such as ... She currently works as an erotica editor for Oysters & Chocolate and curates/hosts monthly NYC erotica and GLBT lit readings. She can be found writing poems on her body in Brooklyn. 

Find her at: www.aimeeherman.wordpress.com

Ed: Why the free plug? Simply because I love the cover - and the write-up at http://www.blazevox.org/index.php/Shop/Poetry/to-go-without-blinking-by-aimee-herman-284/ is amazing.

Long-lost Dylan Thomas manuscript found

London (CNN) -- A notebook full of work-in-progress versions of some of Dylan Thomas's key poems has been rediscovered more than 70 years after the poet's mother-in-law ordered it to be burnt.

The book, in Thomas's cramped, neat handwriting, includes 19 poems in varying states of completion, some with large sections scratched out and revised, and offers a valuable insight into his creative process.

Read on HERE

from 'Vagabondage' by Beth Spencer

Post by Terri-ann White.

How to Be a Better Writer: 6 Tips From Harvard’s Steven Pinker

Here are six of Steven’s tips for good writing:

1. Be visual and conversational. Be concrete, make your reader see and stop trying to impress.
2. Beware “the curse of knowledge.” Have someone read your work and tell you if it makes sense. Your own brain cannot be trusted.
3. Don’t bury the lead. Clarity beats suspense. If they don’t know what it’s about they can’t follow along.
4. You don’t have to play by the rules, but try. If you play it straight 99% of the time, that 1% will really shine.
5. Read Read Read. The English language is too complex to learn from one book. Never stop learning.
6. Good writing means revising. Never hit “send” or “print” without reviewing your work — preferably multiple times.

Rules, rules, rules. There is a science behind these words but as Steven makes clear, language is ever-evolving. It’s organic and alive.

Read the expanded article at http://time.com/3584611/write-better-tips-from-harvard/

Larf

The New Yorker

Liked · 14 November · 

 

A cartoon by Jason Adam Katzenstein from this week’s issue. For more: http://nyr.kr/1yD8Nay

Mitchell Johnson claims top ICC awards

Australia fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has won the top ICC awards for 2013-14, being named the Cricketer of the Year, as well as Test Cricketer of the Year.

South Africa's AB de Villiers was named ODI Cricketer of the Year, while Australia's Aaron Finch won the T20 performance award for his 156 off 63 against England at the Rose Bowl in August.

England's Gary Ballance was named Emerging Cricketer of the Year, while Sarah Taylor was named the Women's ODI Cricketer of the Year and Meg Lanning, the Women's T20I Cricketer of the Year.

Scotland's Preston Mommsen got the Associate and Affiliate Cricketer of the Year award, and umpireRichard Kettleborough was named Umpire of the Year.

Read more HERE

Creative Adult

Beth Spencer, Beth Yahp and Jessica Kirkness - the challenges and pleasures of writing memoirs

Memoir Club Lunchtime Panel at the Randwick Literary Institute's Annual Arts Festival 2014

When: Sunday, 16 November 2014, 1.00 - 3.00 PM

The Randwick Literary Institute,
60 Clovelly Road, Randwick 2031
RSVP: MemoirClubSydney@gmail.com 

The Memoir Club is honoured to be part of the Randwick Literary Institute's Annual Arts Festival in 2014 with this special event. 

Do come and join in the conversation as these three writers discuss the challenges and pleasures of writing their "work of memory", read from their memoirs and present practical advice for other writers who are engaged in the same process to get started or keep going, including a writing exercise or two.  There will also be an "open reading" section for members and guests who may like to share their work on the day (if you'd like to participate, do contact memoirclubsydney@gmail.com, as there are limited spots).

Beth Spencer’s verse memoir,Vagabondage, has just been released by the University of Western Australia Press; Beth Yahp’s travel-memoir, Eat First, Talk Lateris due to be published by Random House in 2015; and Jessica Kirkness has just completed her Masters of Research, which included a creative nonfiction work of memoir, titled A Symphony.