the Prairie Schooner blog

Ekphrasis

It's one of those words you get to use to freak out first year poetry students. Their eyes get big, and they begin to sense that poetry might be slightly more technically challenging than the Beats would have them believe. There's a nice summary--both historical and technical--here (though there's a better image of the art at the top of the page over here or at Wikipedia).

But why bring this up? For one thing, our guest editor for the Fall issue, Grace Bauer, has taken advantage of the practice (Field Guide to the Ineffable and Beholding Eye, to name two books). For another, one of our local profs has managed to reverse the field, if you will. An artist in Portland, OR--Lorna Nakell--has taken some of Ted Kooser's poems as inspiration for a series of paintings now up at the Beppu Wiarda Gallery. You can see some of the paintings taking shape here, here, and here (and relive the opening reception). And if you're there, you might stop by for a little reading and gazing.

Friday the Third

Our recent guest-blogger and Schooner contributor Jehanne Dubrow has scored a coup: a poem on Poetry Daily for the Fourth. "Sea-Change" is in the Summer issue, so subscribers already know the piece. But if you don't subscribe--though it's shockingly easy to do--then you'll get a chance to read a fabulous piece of work. The poem (in a subtle formal approach) reveals part of the anxiety of being a military wife, especially in wartime.

And if you'd like a bit of context for the Poetry Daily piece, you can read this piece from our own website.

Summer Days Make Me Feel Fine

Especially now that the Summer 2009 issue is up on the web.

We've got Lori Ostlund's "Idyllic Little Bali" for you. Some poems by Alicia Ostriker, Jehanne Dubrow, Richard Jackson, Chanda Feldman, Moira Linehan, Cathy Carlisi, and Chris Forhan. And we've even got a review up.

That should keep you busy.

We're talking about sending out a ten question questionnaire to some of our contributors and editors. What would you like to have us ask? Post your questions on the comments, or email them to me: jengelhardt2 at unl dot edu.

Would You Welcome, Please

Jehanne Dubrow! She'll be our guest blogger for the next week. I have a ton of stuff to say about Jehanne--I inherited her position as Prairie Schooner Book Prize coordinator, we were senior poetry readers at Prairie Schooner together, we had a couple of workshops together--but the bio on her own blog, Notes from the Gefilte Review, do a better job:

I was born in Italy and grew up in Poland, Yugoslavia, Zaire, Belgium, Austria, and the United States. I earned my PhD in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and my MFA in poetry from the University of Maryland. My work has appeared in Poetry, The Hudson Review, New England Review, Barrow Street, Gulf Coast, Poetry Northwest, and others. I am the author of a poetry collection, The Hardship Post (Three Candles Press 2009) and a chapbook, The Promised Bride (Finishing Line Press 2007). A second poetry collection, From the Fever-World, won the Washington Writers' Publishing House Prize and will be published in 2009. A third collection, Stateside, will be released by Northwestern University Press in 2010.

Though I will note that any mention of her adorable dog and remarkable husband are missing. You might ask her about these things as well as being a formal poet in a fractured poetry landscape as the week goes along.

Free Subscription! Easy Contest!

Just trying to get your attention, here, so I can send you over to Lisa Romeo's blog where you can read how editors and readers might react to a poem in the current issue. Leave a comment and you can win a free subscription!

And stay tuned. There's a Part II coming. But after Tax Day.

National Poetry Month...and a Contest

The Spring issue is out, out, out, and so we're in a mood to celebrate (of course, the Summer proofs just came back, and Fall--the Baby Boomer issue--has just been assembled). While it is the 1st of April, it's no joke that it's National Poetry Month, and there's a further lack of jokiness in the promotion we're involved in over on Lisa Romeo's blog, Lisa Romeo Writes. She and I share some approaches to one of the poems in the issue (Roberto Christiano's Why I Sang at Dinner). So that'll be nice to read.

But here's the great part: leave a comment over there and you'll be in the running for a free one-year subscription. So go. Read. Talk back. We want to hear what you think.

Come back, though. We'll have another discussion soon, with more good stuff to read.

Have We Mentioned Amazing People? We Should Mention Amazing People.

Our 2007 Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Poetry runner up, Craig Arnold, is rolling into Lincoln today. The manuscript he sent, Made Flesh (you can read excerpts here), got picked up by Ausable Press (now part of Copper Canyon, where you can order a copy).

Before I go any further, I should mention that the man has his own Wikipedia entry.

He'll be reading in the Bailey Library, just across the hall from our offices in Andrews Hall, at 7:30 pm. If you're in town--or can make it in time--stop by. As always, we bring you these cultural highlights free for all comers.

New Poetry 2009

An amazing poet and contributor to Prairie Schooner, it’s nice to see that Stephen Dunn’s What Goes On: Selected and New Poems 1995-2009 has recently come out in January from W.W. Norton. Even though being both a senior poetry reader and student can prove busy, Dunn’s newest is sure not to be passed up by this poet.

Also out this year is Jean Valentine’s Lucy: A Poem. Years ago Jean Valentine visited a workshop I was in and she was an astounding reader of poetry and humble poet. This book surely shouldn’t be missed.

Lastly, Delivered by Sarah Gambito is out, and if it’s as giving a book as Matadora, this one will certainly find a home on my bookshelf as well. Only five weeks has passed since the New Year but already it’s shaping up to be a good one for poetry.

                                -John Chavez

Been There, Done AWP

Back now from the diverting lights of Michigan Avenue, from my three coffee-roused mornings, and from the hordes of aspiring and established writers bustling in the streets of Chicago, I’m happy to report that this year’s AWP was a wonder. Not in the fanatical, awestruck sense of the word, but wonder in the sense of how people stay upright and sprightly over the course of four days. True to my confession, I found myself beckoned each day in twenty different, but pleasing directions. And as thought, the panels on Latino writing were amazing, but especially the Breach: Emerging U.S. Latino and Latina Poetry panel.

At the helm were Roberto Tejada, J. Michael Martinez, Gabe Gomez, Carmen Gimenez-Smith, and Rosa Alcalá, from left to right respectively. Certain I was in for a treat I took out my poet’s notebook and took notes—simply because this particular generation and community of poets is my scholarly interest. Five minutes into the reading I wasn’t disappointed, and the end drew near, I still wasn’t disappointed. In fact, many AWP attendees to my mind missed one of the best readings.

Even so, this year’s conference was abounding with budding and accomplished talent. At the Diode & Anti- reading at the Fine Arts Building downtown, I ran into and introduced myself to Paul Guest, one of our Prairie Schooner Book Prize winners. His reading was as stunning as his book. To this end, I saw writers I knew, recognized from bookcovers, and wanted to know after I was introduced to them personally. Of course, some of them I’ve read for years, some for a couple years, and some I will be sure to follow now in the years to come.

Until Denver, though, I have many papers to grade and poems to read before I sleep. To each of you I met, thank you for your generosity of spirit and welcoming presence. I can’t wait to see you in the Mile High City.

                                                        -John Chavez

NB: We received a lovely little review on NewPages.com. They're a great resource, and they deserve a little extra traffic from you.

We Celebrate Ourself

And in particular, Susan Blackwell Ramsey.

How could you not love a poem entitled “Pickled Heads: St. Petersburg”? You pretty much have to, and we’re delighted to announce that David Wagoner is including Susan's poem in the Best American Poetry 2009.

It’s a great poem, well worth looking up when the book comes out. And we’re damned happy that what we assumed, David assumed. Congratulations, Susan!

Now we will loafe and invite our Souls…