Amy Jean Porter’s colorful gouache and ink paper paintings have a bit of children’s book aesthetic mixed with a touch of Japanese “Superflat” cuteness and surreality. The tone of Matthea’s work goes perfectly with the paintings, and the paintings and text work together; each lends the other depth and nuance. The writing is surprisingly moving as well as playful; the true story of Charles Lamb’s troubled relationship with his beloved older sister, Mary, lies right beneath the Mary-Little-Lamb trope. I highly recommend this book! It definitely expands the idea of what a poetry book can do and can be.

Exciting news at Richard Hugo House here in Seattle! Tree Swenson is leaving her post as executive director of the Academy of American Poets to become the new director of our own Hugo House! I’m very happy to hear this, and look forward to seeing in what direction Tree will encourage the Hugo House in the future. Congrats to Hugo House and I know Seattle will be happy to have Tree Swenson in town!

Victoria Chang interviews another one of my favorite poets, Rachel Zucker, on her blog. Thanks Victoria!

C. Dale Young had two poems up on Poetry Daily. You know, C. Dale’s poems always surprise me with their spirituality. He makes me remember my own spiritual side, which I don’t address very often in writing.

Oliver de la Paz has an interview up on the Ploughshares Blog.

And yet another favorite poet, Matthea Harvey, won a big old award.

Ever wonder what the Vida count would look like for sci fi? Wonder no more.

Kelli’s kicking off another grand poetry giveaway!

Today is a celebration of you guys and all your hard work!

Today:
Check out this New York Times review of Matthea Harvey’s Modern Life:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/books/review/Orr2-t.html?ex=1360818000&en=d6f393afb926b4d1&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
In it, the author takes a short look at the somewhat gloomy life of a young poet trying to break into the ranks of po-biz/academia and also makes a backhanded comment about the kind of post-avant style (see previous discussion on Harriet blog) that a lot of younger writers write in today. Otherwise, it’s a pretty positive review of the book, though I’m shocked and appalled that “Robo-Boy” makes no appearance, not even a brief mention! Best part of the book, babies.

Barn Owl Review came in the mail today, and I tell you, if I was going to edit a literary magazine, the poetry content is pretty much exactly what I would pick if I had the choice. Spooky! I recognized names from the blog-world, which I was sort of expecting, but: more strangely (this was a surprise to me!) there were at least four members of my regular poetry-group among the contributors, and two other Seattleite-friends. That’s got to be a Northwest-friendly prejudice of some sort, except that none of these writers write in a very Northwest-y way; just the opposite. I mean, of course I think these guys are all great poets, but it’s a nice surprise (and, a bit eerie) to be included with them in a journal! We could even do a reading to promote the issue together…Anyway, an exciting journal, fantastic poems, fantastic writers. And not just because I’m in it and my friends are in it. Very happy to see this out there in the world. Yay, Mary B and Sara and all the other editors who worked to make it happen.
I would mention poems I especially liked but I pretty much liked them all. And, trivia for any anime buffs: my poem “Autobiography” was inspired by a character from the cult-anime series Fooly Cooly.

In health news: After getting slightly better, I am getting worse again: fever up again, more symptoms, etc. I swear to God this is the neverending virus from Hell. The good news? Tomorrow is supposed to be upper-fifties and sunny. I vow to go outside even if it kills me. I miss the outside world! Fresh air! Trumpeter swans! The cold cold Pacific ocean!