Recently Received and Noteworthy

 
It’s the Obama era now, time to put away that talking points memo and get up off the couch. Here are just a few of the extremely worthwhile new things to read and think about this year:

Ecopoetics no. 6/7 (2006-2009)
An ENORMOUS group of new writings edited by Jonathan Skinner, the journal editor who I believe invented the term. Includes essays and poems by over 74 writers including mIEKAL aND, Mei-Mei Berssenbrugge, Rachel Blau Du Plessis, Robert Grenier, Forrest Gander, Michael Kelleher, Joan Retallack, Stephen Vincent, Juliana Spahr, and many many more including a feature on Australian ecopoetics guest-edited by Michael Farrell. A major contribution to poetics.

CRAYON #5: On Beauty (2008) Edited by Andrew Levy and Roberto Harrison
One of the best journals in contemporary poetry today explores a subject with unspoken "forbidden" status among the contemporary avant-garde: Beauty. Features diverse, rigorous, and inspiring essays on the topic by Beverly Dahlen, Julie Patton, Robert Kocik, Carolee Schneemann, Sawako Nakayasu, Kristin Prevallet, Brenda Iijima, Andrew Klobucar, and many others, all framed with Andrew Levy's brilliant overview/intro which is a substantial poetics statement in itself. Great poetry, great book reviews. This is an exemplary instance of what a journal with vision can accomplish, and I'm still learning from it as an editor myself.

Aufgabe #8 (2009) Edited by E. Tracy Grinnell, Paul Foster Johnson, Julian T. Brolaski, Jen Hofer, Nathalie Stephens, and Rachel Bers.
One of the other best journals in contemporary poetry today continues with consistently stimulating/challenging/dense work by over 50 writers including Diane Ward, Kimberly Lyons, Karen Weiser, Ari Banias, Akilah Oliver, Tyrone Williams, Miles Champion, and many more including a feature on Russian poetry and poetics guest-edited by Matvei Yankelevich. Of special note: the surprising “Essays, notes, reviews” section edited by Julian T. Brolaski which features a mix of eclectic critical objects by Dana Ward, Paolo Javier, and Trish Salah among others.

Antennae #10 (2009), Edited by Jesse Seldess.
Seldess keeps pushing the envelope in finding new relationships between poetry and experimental music, especially the musical score. Contains extensive contributions from just a few authors including Frances Richard, Uljana Wolf, Nathaniel Otting, Janice Lee, Eric Lindle, Christian Hawkey, Corina Copp, and others.

Open Letter, number 9. Beyond Stasis: Poetics and Feminism Today, Summer 2009. Guest-edited by Kate Eichhorn and Barbara Godard.
Substantial essays on next ideas for feminism and poetics from this Canadian journal. Contributions from Rita Wong, Rachel Zolf, Sina Queyras, and many others.

Tammy, Issue 1 (spring 2009) edited by Thomas Cook, Tyler Flynn Dorholt and JoAnna Novak

Prismatic Publics: Innovative Canadian Women’s Poetry and Poetics. Edited by Kate Eichhorn and Heather Milne (Coach House Books, 2009).
A major new anthology featuring Nicole Brossard, Susan Holbrook, Nathalie Stephens, Gail Scott, Margaret Christakos, M. Nourbese Philip, Karen Mac Cormack, Rachel Zolf, Erin Moure, Daphne Marlatt, Catriona Strang, Dorothy Trujillo Lusk, Sina Queyras, Ria Wong, and Lisa Robertson.

Judge, by Vincent Katz and Wayne Gonzales (artist book collaboration), (Libellum / Charta, 2007)

Rapid Departures / Partidas Rapidas (poems by Vincent Katz, art by Mario Cafiero, translation into Portuguese by Regina Alfarano), (Atelie Editorial, 2005)

Blind Witness: Three American Operas (libretti by Charles Bernstein, Music by Ben Yarmolinsky). Factory School, 2008.

The Origin and Ideals of the Modern School, by Francisco Ferrer (translated by Joseph McCabe), (Factory School / Southpaw Culture, 2009)

A Tribute to Emma Bee Bernstein, by Emma Bee Bernstein, Susan Bee, and Marjorie Perloff. (Belladonna Books, 2009)

Pain Plus Thyme, by Joe Amato (Factory School, 2008)
New Jersey, by Betsy Andrews (University of Wisconsin Press, 2007)
Alyson Singes, by Caroline Bergvall (Belladonna Books, 2008)
Presocratic Blues, by Joel Bettridge (Chax Press, 2009)
The Stars on the 7:18 to Penn, by Ana Božičević (Dusie & Ellectrique Press, 2009)
Ta(l)king eyes, by Jacque Vaught Brogan (Chax Press, 2009)
Light & Shade: New and Selected Poems, by Tom Clark (Coffee House Press, 2006)
The Book of Frank, by CAConrad (Chax Press, 2008)
Our Insalvageable, by Thom Donovan (Vigilance Society, 2009)
OBEY The Drifter, by Buck Downs (no publisher listed)
Selected Tasty Shavers, by Buck Downs (no publisher listed)
Small Pieecs Loosely Joined, by Buck Downs (no publisher listed)
Soft Launch, by James Dunn (Bootstrap / Pressed Wafer, 2008)
Yinglish Strophes 1-19, by Thomas Fink (Truck Press, 2009)
Generic Whistle Stop, by Thomas Fink (Portable Press at Yo-Yo Labs, 2008)
A History of the Common Scale, by Edward Foster (Texture Press, 2008)
Heart Stoner Bingo, by Stephanie Gray (Straw Gate Books, 2007)
The Last 4 Things, by Kate Greenstreet (Ahsahta Press, 2009)
Twirling, The Spirit Flies off Like a Falcon, by Barbara Henning (Long News, 2009)
An Arc Falling into the Bougainvillea, by Barbara Henning (Long News, 2008)
Rabbit Lesson, by Brenda Iijima (Fewer and Further Press, 2009)
LMFAO, by Paolo Javier (OMG, 2008)
refrains/unworkings, by Paul Foster Johnson (Apostrophe Books, 2008)
Thine Instead Thank, by Jeffrey Jullich (Harry Tankoos Books, 2007)
Censory impulse, by erica kaufman (Factory School / Heretical Texts, 2009)
In the Field Where Daffodils Grow: Learning to Draw / A History, by Basil King (Libellum, 2008)
Astronomy Organon, by Mark Lamoureux (Blazevox Books, 2008)
Heavenly Tree, Northern Earth, by Gerrit Lansing (North Atlantic Books, 2009)
That Gorgeous Feeling, by Sueyeun Juliette Lee (Coconut Books, 2008)
I Went Looking for You, by Ruth Lepson (Blazevox Books, 2009)
Your Body Figured, by Douglas A. Martin (Nightboat Books, 2008)
Mexican High, by Liza Monroy (Spiegel & Grau, 2009)
A Toast in the House of Friends, by Akilah Oliver (Coffee House Press, 2009)
Right New Biology, by kathryn l. pringle (Factory School / Heretical Texts, 2009)
The Comeback's Exoskeleton, by Matthew Rotando (UpSet Press, 2008)
Theogony, by Douglas Rothschild (Subpress, 2009)
The Pink, by Kyle Schlesinger (Kenning Editions, 2008)
The Next in Line, by Christopher Schmidt (Slope Editions, 2008)
A Message Back and Other Furors, by Leonard Schwartz (Chax Press, 2008)
Over Here, by Frank Sherlock (Factory School / Heretical Texts, 2009)
With Naked Foot, by Jonathan Skinner (little scratch pad editions, 2008)
Tony, by Nathaniel Siegel (Portable Press at Yo-Yo Labs, 2009)
Zone: Zero, by Stephanie Strickland (Ahsahta Press, 2008)