Every once in a while, I pick up my Library of America edition of Wallace Stevens. It usually has this effect of making me want to call in sick and read poetry all day. Who writes 18 line poems that are all one, grammatically coherent sentence any more?
Does that not conflate "warrior culture" with colonialist/expansionist culture? Or are you thinking in terms of technologies and tactics?
Looking at the manuscript again, I think we might have something here.
@cadwellturnbull.bsky.social @suyidavies.com @roxanegay.bsky.social @mauricebroaddus.bsky.social @colson.bsky.social @riverssolomon.bsky.social @davaun.bsky.social @tadethompson.bsky.social @chesyaburke.bsky.social And please pass it on. Help me get the word out.
Terrific in podcast, too. Leonard Nimoy reading Raymond Carver's "What We Talk About When We Talk About Love" is brilliant if you can find it in their archives.
Have you ever had that moment when you realize that, since 1988, your brain has been telling you that David Niven starred in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels but that he was not, in fact, in that movie? No? But you do know David Niven was not in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels? Ok. Just me then.
And while I don't suffer the problem of having followers on X, isn't the exodus more about rejecting what it has become, even if there's a cost to rebuild a following elsewhere?
How much of that reach is the trade off for the invitation system here? I am hoping that we will slowly see more and more reach here with less the noise of the other platforms.
I'll be showing some new paintings for most of October at the @westendphoenix.bsky.social offices at 3 Bartlett Street in Toronto. The opening reception is Wednesday, October 11 from 7-9pm. Please drop by if you're in the area!
Details:
www.westendphoenix.com/events/cloud...
For me, at least, it's less an expectation that people will flock to the thing (where I am standing by to bask and sign books) and more like releasing the thing in a park at night and hoping someone finds it and gives it a good home, but I can't watch the process.
True; part of that mindset shift is expanding the definition from crassly chasing dollars to connecting with readers. I would say that I don't quite follow to the point of saying that avoiding self-promo is more self-serving, though. (Cont.)
One thing I really liked about Chen Chen's post is the idea that you can also uplift others or provide info--whatever feels comfortable for you.
I haven't changed my mindset but realize that I may need to when the manuscripts I'm trying to finish become things seeking readers. And I will very likely feel the need to warn everyone that my posts are going to sound single-minded for a while.
I wrote about my mindset change when it comes to self-promotion. I was inspired by Chen Chen’s IG post last January about self-promotion, privilege, and finding your readers.
sendmylovetoanyone.substack.com/p/on-self-pr...
So clearly, on this platform, activity is ... hm ... I want to say some kind of divinely appointed ruler, possibly possessing several recessive traits, but a term free of both gender and colonial implications escapes me for the moment. But the point is that I follow a lot of people who post rarely.
The image shows a series of red fingers of shocked molecular gas expanding from the bottom of the image towards the top and top right. Each of the fingers comprises a series of bright arcs of emission like bow waves, expanding behind tips, the latter often appearing green. There are many stars spread across the image with the characteristic eight spikes due to diffraction in the optics of Webb, and there is a foreground haze of wisp blue clouds due to the Orion Nebula, which lies in front of the fingers.
I’m sorry … WOT?!
EXPLOSION FINGERS?!?!?!?
JWST’s new images from Orion Nebula are spectacular! Look at this structure 🥹🤩😱
Read more: www.esa.int/Science_Expl...
📸 JWST / ESA / NASA / STScI / CSA / M. McCaughrean / S. Pearson
🔭🧪
...in a good way, or...
I paid for my undergraduate degree working in a comic store and have a lot of nostalgia for that time and regret that I let my love of comics go.
Too much has changed including the tolerance for any kind of insightful editorial curation. I find the same is true for reading series - the audiences have gone elsewhere.
It’s very sad that there’s no real way for an independent literary magazine to continue anymore, even online really. Social media is such a poor replacement.
mailchi.mp/thewhiterevi...
I really hope no one actually needs to hear this but don’t scab for the machine that wants not just to leave you starving in the street but also wants to destroy art, period, because they will make more profit this way
How many of the poetry reading series that went on line for the pandemic are still digital or hybrid? Anyone have favourites? #poetry
It'll be fine as long as no one pokes anything with a stick.
When I started to navigate the poetry publishing world, I spent a lot of time learning the editors and publishers of journals and books. If I hadn't, the only poets I'd have read would have all sounded the same. Now I find it challenging to find new work that will appeal again. Help? #poetry #poets
This is exactly how I expected to learn this. Pink banana and all.
On the other hand, I do enjoy the thought that people said yes to my proposal to bring Misanthropy and Animal Cruelty into the world.
I had never received a grant for my writing before 2023. Rain; pour. Grateful to have received two (thanks @arcpoetry.bsky.social) for two different projects this year, but I'm wondering if that's not one of those ironic curses. "May you receive grants for all your projects all at once!" Evil laugh.
Signing up for Twitter over a decade ago was a frenzy of trying to follow as many people as possible so they'd follow me back. I am enjoying a more laid back approach to finding people with interesting things to share here. Like a bottle of whisky and an ant farm.
Musician Sjef Frenken set the poems of a number of local Ottawa poets to music. I'm very fortunate to be among them.
