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LITERA
LOVE POEMS ONLY on St. Valentine's Day features the poet volunteers of the Austin International Poetry Festival. Free admission. Bring yer love poems. Book People, 601 N. Lamar, on Fri, Feb 14 from 5-7pm. 416-7435.CONGRATS TO TOM DOYAL, perennial short story contest winner, for having his short story "Suppressing the Grief Response" chosen for presentation in the Texas Bound program of the Arts & Letters Live series. This particular story won second place in the '93 Chronicle short story contest. Get up to Dallas on April 7 for the 6:30 and 8:30 shows. Buy your tickets now. See below. Way to go, Tom.
ROLANDO HINOJOSA-SMITH and David Rice will be featured on KOOP Radio's Adventures in Aztlan. Hinojosa-Smith has written over a dozen novels and David Rice has a new collection of short stories entitled Give the Pig a Chance about Rice's life in the Rio Grande Valley. Sat, Feb 15 at 3pm on 91.7FM
TERESA MCKENNA, associate professor and chair of the Department of English at USC, will present the first lecture of the Center of Mexican American Studies spring lecture series. Her book, Migrant Song: Politics and Process in Contemporary Chicano Literature, will be published this month by UT Press. Texas Union Eastwoods Room, 2.102, Thu, Feb 20, 3:30pm. 471-2136.
THE ROLANDO HINOJOSA-SMITH SYMPOSIUM features readings by the renowned author and UT Creative Writing professor and discussions of Hinojosa-Smith's prolific writings by scholars from around the country. Organized by Jose Limon, David Montejano, and Jordana Barton and sponsored by the Center of Mexican American Studies. The morning session includes readings by Hinojosa-Smith and the afternoon features panel discussions and presentations. Bass Lecture Hall, Fri, Feb 21. 471-2136.
POET & ESSAYIST GARY SNYDER will pre-sent a poetry reading at the University Performing Arts and Conference Center, Southwest Texas State University (a reception and book-signing follow). The following day, Snyder will hold a question-and-answer session in Flowers Hall, G09, also on the SWT campus. Thu, Feb 20, 6pm (reading); Fri, Feb 21, 11am (Q&A). 245-2651.
ROBERT BLY is one of the special guests for this year's Austin International Poetry Festival to be held April 1-6, 1997. 40 hours of readings with over 400 poets. Tickets available in Feb at Book People, 601 N. Lamar. 512-335-8599. E-mail: aipf97@aol.com
ARTS & LETTERS LIVE presents its sixth season of readings and performances by distinguished writers, actors, and musicians. Featured are such notables as Bobby Short, Brenda Vaccaro, U.S. poet laureate Robert Haas, Horton Foote, Janine Turner, G.W. Bailey, Judith Ivey, and many, many more. The programs begin February 24 and continue thru May 9. They sell out fast so call now: 214/922-1219.
A SELECTED SHORTS program will be in Austin March 8 and 9 as part of the Arts & Letters Live program. Call now. 471-1631.
JOHN CUTAIA of the Wondrous Hot Groovers Glosso Babel writes to say they got into SXSW this year and, even more importantly, they are simply screaming good lately. Get at it, y'all. Says, too, they're doing a Huffstickler poem called "Newsreel '75" with a Miles Davis groove to it that the band calls the Left-handed Mummy piece. Expect a CD from them - god willing and the money don't blow - by SXSW. Can't wait.
EAST OF THE FREEWAY by raúlrsalinas is almost two years old. My sincerest apologies for not reviewing this earlier. I first heard about this proposed collection back in 1986, so somehow it seems in the spirit of this project that the delay of nearly 10 years is met with this almost pikerly delayed reaction. The best wines must wait, n'est pas? Drink this deep, all you young poets north south west east and central in this city, this state, this USA. Here is a master of voice and rhythm and soulful clarity who brings even politics into your heart, your blood with the grace of an eagle and the numinous power of the bull. What else is there to say? Retro top 10 for two years? O, yeah. No doubt. Raúl Salinas, poet of the barrio, ambassador for the people, beat bard extraordinaire, no passing fancy, El Maestro. Pick up your copy at Resistencia Bookstore, 2210-B South First.
ReviewsAMICHEL is this delightfully queer book - queer in the literary sense of a Lovecraft or a James Branch Cabel or some other fantasist of the late 19th, early 20th century or any century for that matter - queer book, yes, of poetry written, or collected, by one Haver Currie in the year 1973. One might say it is merely regional poetry, vanity press jetsam, harmless and quaint, yet read deeper and it has this otherworldly, macabre quality; it seems the work of the average American middle class eccentric, one who remembered late in life that in his father's age a cultured person did publish one's thoughts and he felt compelled by his father's spirit to do at least that one thing, or perhaps he just wanted to have his name in print, posterity and all, some proof of his immortality, yet this man, dead now four years, seems to have been caught in some strange poetic web flung by the dreamy daimons of perfidious peripherality; there's always that uneasiness at our side; the question of what is down that particular road, who exactly lives in that particular apartment; what is the there there at sunset, at dawn, at those times in our lives when we are neither what we were or what we will become, when our hard-won persona seems so much gossamer and we pray that if we can get it down on the page, give it form, pay it cult in that classic sense that one would pay the god Pan cult, maybe then we could come back inside who we really are, back from the wispy white faery visions drawing the alien us away to the amorphous center that, my god!, sustains us with its ripe blood, yet there is the price... Listen to the epigraph credited to a Spanish archivist: "In 1519, Piñeda drew a map of that expansive region northward and westward from the crescent of the Gulf of Mexico, and named it Amichel." Yeah. You think you're in Texas, think you know who you are and why you are reading what you are reading, every thing in its place, but there, just to the west and north of the chair, you can reach out and... Amichel. Thanx to those delightful dadaists who bring us Hint for this surreal stash from the poetry crypt. (Personal note to KC: Yes, it does, and soul works even better.) Send a buck (for postage) to: Kevin Claussen c/o The Currie Cottage, 1811 Alameda, Austin, TX 78704.
AUSTIN YOUNGER POETS AWARD is a poetry contest in conjunction with the Austin International Poetry Festival. The contest is open to middle and high school students in the Austin and Central Texas area. Ask your English teacher for the rules. $100 in cash prizes. Deadline is March 1, 1997. 346-8717. Email: aipf97@aol.com
Call for EntriesCONVERSATIONS WITH JOHN HERNDON is a new talk radio program airing on Sundays, noon-2pm on KJFK-FM 98.9. Poet, journalist, and teacher, John's show will focus on books and authors, the arts, ideas, and culture. John promises lots of poetry and readings and interviews from and with authors, artists, scholars, and thinkers. Poets, authors, musicians, artists, and arts organizations are encouraged to send books, CDs, schedules, and other material to: John Herndon, 3616 Far West Blvd. #101-145, Austin, TX 78731-3074.
ART-CORE is now accepting submissions of photos, drawings, paintings, video, et cetera. They support uncensored anarchistic art - and have been doing so for quite some time now, kiddies. PO Box 49324, Austin, TX 78765. 323-0774.
NERVE COWBOY is accepting submissions of poetry, short fiction (up to five pages), and black-and-white artwork for issue #3. They would especially like subs from Texas. So torpedo yo' hoagie-burritoed schtuff along with a SASE to: Joseph Shields and Jerry Hagins, PO Box 4973, Austin, TX 78765.
LITERALLY, Austin Monthly Journal of the Liberal Arts, is accepting submissions of art, cartoons, photography, fiction, and poetry, etc. Send to: Terry R.W. Whisenant, 1700 Burton, #423, Austin, TX 78741.
PATCHWORK POEMS Submissions must be received by the full moon each month (Next full moon is Feb 21). Send to: New Moon Publishing, 1528 W. Contour, Suite 103, San Antonio, TX 78212. Fax: 210/684-3050.
VALLIE FLETCHER TAYLOR will speak on diaries and memoirs at the Feb meeting of the Austin Writers' League. She is the author of Rebel Private: Front and Rear, the Civil War memoirs of her great grandfather, William Andrew Fletcher. Feb 20 at 7pm in the First Unitarian Church, 4700 Grover. 499-8914.
Classes, Misc.
UTTER is a reading series of original fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. Come listen to local writers on the second Thursday of every month (Feb 14) at 7pm in the Reception Room of the Austin History Center, 810 Guadalupe.
Ongoing Readings & Misc.SHORT FICTION GROUP meets twice a month for friendly critique sessions. Beginners to professionals welcome. Austin History Center, O. Henry Room. 467-2588.
BOOK PEOPLE, 603 N. Lamar, reading group meets every other Wednesday, 6:30-8pm on a new topic every two months. Call for a schedule of selected books and/or to get on their mailing list. 472-5050 or 459-8081.
*Book People's Book Group meets 6:30-8pm in the Community Room on the third floor. The February-March session of Book People Book Group will be Granta magazine's best young American novelists. (Feb 12 Reservation Blues; Feb 26 Bone; Mar 12 Krik? Krak!; Mar 26 Iona Moon.) For the schedule/to reserve a spot call 472-5050. 603 N. Lamar. 459-8081.
AIR SALON is the current poetry and theatre radio show from KVRX-FM with hosts Caitlin Wood and Phil West. Tuesdays, 7-7:30pm. Send submissions: Air Salon c/o KVRX-FM, UT, PO Box D, Austin, TX 78713.
THE AUSTIN POETRY ENSEMBLE (APE) features Mike Henry, Peter Manriquez, Susan Somers-Willett, Hilary Thomas, Genevieve Van Cleve, and Phil West. These sorted (sordid?) circus runaways from Blue Plates and environs will perform their no-net, high-wire poetics on a monthly basis in costuming yet to be determined. (It's too scary for the children in the audience for the APE to attempt weekly derring-do of such a volatile nature and Slam-seamytresses Van West is still wrestling in the basement with the fish hook thong prototype.) The last Friday of each month at 8:30pm in the Electric Lounge.
WRITING FROM THE HEART, North Village Branch Library, 2139 W. Anderson, writing group, every other Sat, 11am-1pm. 445-6573.
* Weekly *STORYTELLERS OF AUSTIN performs traditional and original stories at Koffee `n Ice Cream, 6700 Middle Fiskville Rd. Guest tellers welcome. Mondays, 6:30-8pm. 453-0665.
THE 1997 AUSTIN INTERNATIONAL POETRY FESTIVAL is set for April 4-6. Planning meetings are held every Tuesday night at Soma. Festival volunteers are needed and anyone interested is welcome to attend and participate. 212 W. Fourth, 6-7pm. 335-8599 or e-mail at AIPF97@aol.com
HYDE PARK UNPLUGGED features hosts Glen Alyn and Steve Brooks. Thursdays, 7-9pm. Joel T's Cafe, 41st & Guadalupe. 453-8482.
JUDGE ROY'S BEAN EMPORIUM, 604 Brazos, presents Langtry's Poetry Open Mike EACH Tuesday 8-10pm. Surprise guests. 928-0619 or 837- 8693.
MOJO'S DAILY GRIND, 2714 Guadalupe, features gibberish @ 10pm every Fri. Sign up before 9:30. Bring some, make some up, or just listen. Poets, storytellers, ranters, rêvers. They're flexible. Hosted by Naomi Frye. 477-6656.
WORDSNIGHT The Blue Pearl, 129 E. Hopkins, San Marcos is a new open-mike poetry reading, held every other Sunday, 7-9pm. Storytellers are also welcome; limit three poems or stories per person. Hosted by Bob Clark. 369-1689.
POETRY UNDER THE TREE is a weekly reading on Wednesday, 6-8 pm in the Spiderhouse, 2908 Fruth, just east of Guadalupe between 29th & 30th. The Austin Poets at Large meet before the reading at 6pm to plan various and sundry poetrying deviltry and all are welcome. 371-1254.
* Monthly **AUSTIN POETRY SOCIETY meets 10am on the third Saturday of each month, through May. North Loop Library, 2210 Hancock Dr. 276-7858.
*THE ELECTRIC LOUNGE POETRY SLAM is hosted by Slamistress Genevieve Van Cleve on the first Tuesday of each month at 8pm. Monthly winners will qualify for the slamoff to determine next year's Austin Poetry Slam Team competing in the National Poetry Slam. And each monthly winner gets 50 green slims. 302 Bowie. 476-FUSE.
*TRIBES hosts Talking Drums Black Poets Reading and Discussion Group, W.H. Passon House, 1501 E. 12th. Fourth Wednesday of each month, 7-9pm. These gatherings focus on presentation and critiques. Guest speakers, too. 477-4247.
*BORDERS BOOKS & MUSIC, 10225 Research. The shop hosts a different book discussion group every Wednesday of the month - staff booksellers or customers select and read various titles, then make recommendations for discussions. A Literary Discussion Group (first Wednesday of the month); Mystery Discussion Group (second Wednesday of the month); Science Fiction Discussion Group (third Wednesday of every month); Horror Discussion Group (fourth Wednesday of every month). 795-9553.
*AUSTIN HISTORY SHORT FICTION GROUP meets in the O. Henry Room, first Sunday of each month, 1-3pm. 467-2588.
*BARNES & NOBLE, Arboretum Poetry the second Thursday each month, 7:30-10pm. Feb 13 features Michael Eaton with guest Herman Nelson. Hosted by John Berry. Round-robin open-mike follows. 928-0619 or 837-8693.
Third Thursday of each month, AWL and the Texas Commission on the Arts sponsors a Poetry Workshop at the B&N shop led by Jill Timmons, 7:30-10pm. Bring 10 or more copies of any one-page, original poem. 335-7078.
Women's Book Discussion Group meets at the Arboretum store at 7pm every fourth Wed.
The Fiction Book Group at the Arboretum meets at 7:30 on the last Monday of the month. 502-8468 or 418-8985.
*AND AT WESTLAKE Barnes & Noble at 2757 Bee Caves: A Poetry Workshop sponsored by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Austin Writers' League is held on the first Thursday (Mar 6) of each month from 7:30-10pm. Hosted by Barbara Carr. Bring 10 or more copies of any one page original poem. 343-7940.
Other events at the Westlake location: two children's story times, Wed and Sat, 11am.
Book Discussion Group idea? Seminar idea? Call Amy at Barnes & Noble 418-8985.
*Red Salmon Press continues its "Poetic Action" series with canto libre/open mike sessions and featured readings, second or fourth Thursdays of each month. Resistencia Bookstore, 2210-B S. First. 7:30pm. 416-8885.
*Turquoise Door Poetry reading and open mike every third Sunday of the month, 2-5pm. "Each Poet Is a Featured Poet." 10 minutes max, each poet for one round, then round-robin. Hosted by Sue Littleton. To schedule ahead of time or for better directions, call 480-0168.
* Women's Book Discussion Group every fourth Wed, 7:30pm (call 477-6318).
More poetry! Well, one thing for sure, you ain't gonna be airlifted out on Monday if you check out on Sunday. Now, checking out is a natural inclination, especially for those having that explorer's curiosity who fancy the edgier side of town, but staying the course, recording the events, living to tell the stories till the last yellowed tooth falls out... that is the artist's great gift. Come back from the edge with the stories. Suicide, fast or slow, is the same old, same old tragedy, but every artist's life (and we are all artists) lived fully, consciously to the last moment is unique. That is living till death, not dyin' to life; a significant difference, my friend. If the labyrinth has you in its grip, fly up, dig down, blow out, but there is blue sky out there and mountains and the sea and cities of magical gold and those of us who want to hear your stories from your own lips. Break the spell. Break the spell. Wake up. Wake up. Vaya con dios.
Poem of the IssueA gateway by the lone highway
opens to a dusty trail
that winds among cedars
to a ranch house in the hills
where, I'm told, a ranchman lives,
with two daughters growing lately
lonely and as lovely,
underneath the hills.
- Haver Currie "Ranch Road" in Amichel