Pushcart

I have been nominated for the fourth time in four years for a Pushcart, this time for my poem, "Repairing in the World," which appeared in tinfoil dresses.

The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of

Catalonian Review took a three-part prose poem, "Notes of a Doctor of Moral Diseases." It should be in the next issue. elimae is publishing my six-part poem on Delmore Schwartz in November; I'm anxious to see how readers react (or if they do). It's weird that I've published so much over the past six months -- three chapbooks and a full-length collection -- and I'm still in the same pathetic situation as ever. I keep expecting something I write to make a difference in my life and work. But nothing changes. Nothing.

My Heart Draws a Rough Map

Cut and paste -- and read. Mia Christopher's illustrations are it. Justin Runge's design, too. I'm glad my poems inspired two such talented people to such good work.

http://www.bluehourpress.com/2009/10/my-heart-draws-rough-map.html

Short Ride in a Fast Machine (poem)

http://www.metazen.ca/?p=933

Publications

Got the proofs of Ghosts of Breath. The best designed of all my books. Michael, the editor-publisher at Bedouin Books, is simply an artist. I haven't seen the cover yet, but I expect it'll look at least as terrific as the text, which has a kind of swirly, psychedelic, retro sixties style, which suits the surrealism of many of the poems.

Meanwhile, the great, wise and wonderful Dale at Right Hand Pointing wants to do my poems based on death-bed sayings as an e-book. Called Dying Words, it'll be released in summer 2010. He is going to do the accompanying digital art. His artwork for my Still Life With Firearms was eye-popping and extremely funny.

Leah at Propaganda Press gave me the go-ahead to send a chap manuscript to them in winter 2010. I'm thinking of calling it Short Ride in a Fast Machine, after one of the poems. If accepted, this would be a print chap.

Ramblings

Acceptances at Heavy Bear, Poetry Now and Paper Darts, for which I am very grateful, though I worry anyway about the quality of the work that's been accepted. . . I used to take an acceptance as a kind of certification of the genuine quality of a poem and, in fact, would think I was slipping if my latest poem was having a hard time finding a home. . . Now I'm not sure what an acceptance certifies. . . I say this while still serving as guest poetry editor for issue #29 of Right Hand Pointing (an interesting experience, by the way). . . I've resolved to give as many deserving poets as I can a slot in the issue. . . This effectively means accepting only one poem per poet. . . I haven't turned down any poem I wouldn't have turned down anyway because of this, but it does indicate that other factors beside quality can and do play into an acceptance. . . What a world, what a world.