Smartish Pace Pushcart Prize Nominations
December 1st, 2010
Smartish Pace 2010 Pushcart Prize Nominations, made by Editor Stephen Reichert
From Issue 17 (April, 2010)
David Bergman: “When to Call My Mother”
Michael Collier: “Object to Be Destroyed”
Miriam Bird Greenberg: “Remember”
A. Loudermilk: “Coincidence”
Diane K. Martin: “Hue and Cry”
Terence Winch: “The Emptiness”
Here's hopin' we have another winner this year!
Beullah Rose Poetry Prize Winners Announced
November 28th, 2010
7th Annual Beullah Rose Poetry Prize from Smartish Pace
Judges Clare Banks & Traci O'Dea
1st Place: “Bitter Berries” by Marguerite Thoburn Watkins
2nd Place: “Linguini Fini No. 8” by Linda Gottlieb
3rd Place: “Terra Firma” by Corrie Williamson
Finalists:
“Landscape With Bear & Aspen” by Colette Gill
“July and August Highway Heat” by Linda Gottlieb
“American Cortege” & “Reading the Terrible Sonnets on Retreat” by Madeleine Mysko
“October Divide” by Rebekah Remington
All poems will appear in Smartish Pace, Issue 18.
The Trouble with Poetry
November 20th, 2010
is that it isn't being taught. MIT recently came under fire for dropping its advanced poetry workshop in order to enroll students in "Communicating with Mobile Technology" and "Writing for Social Media." Its updated terminal offering in the genre is "Introduction to Poetry." Regarding the change, MIT lecturer Erica Funkhouser says, "Really. I couldn't be sorrier."
Terrance Hayes Wins National Book Award
November 19th, 2010
Poet Terrance Hayes won the National Book Award for Lighthead (Penguin Books). His new poems appear in Smartish Pace, Issue 17. Finalists for the NBA in poetry were Kathleen Graber, The Eternal City (Princeton University Press); Smartish Pace regular James Richardson, By the Numbers (Copper Canyon Press); C.D. Wright, One with Others (Copper Canyon Press); and Monica Youn, Ignatz (Four Way Books). The poetry judges were Rae Armantrout, Cornelius Eady, Linda Gregerson, Jeffrey McDaniel and Brenda Shaughnessy.
Erskine J. Poetry Prize Winners Announced
November 17th, 2010
10th Annual Erskine J. Poetry Prize from Smartish Pace
Judged by Editor Stephen Reichert
1st Place: “In Our Place” by Anthony DiMatteo
2nd Place: “Santiago Avenue” by Jeanne Wagner
3rd Place: “Dublin” by Rachel Bennett
Finalists:
“New York Minute” by Dorothea Grossman
“High Relief” & “Refracted” by Joy Jacobson
“Desires” by Karoly Sandor
“How to Write a Poem” by Michael Steffen
“If You Will Come Back Here And Let Me Love And Pet You, I Will Fix Your Clock” by Emily Viggiano
All poems will appear in Smartish Pace, Issue 18.
MIT - Poetry = A Travesty
November 14th, 2010
This past week, graduate MIT student Emily Ruppel wrote an editorial for the MIT newspaper “The Tech” that offered a formula even a poet can understand: "MIT - poetry = a travesty." She was lamenting the cancellation of MIT's "Advanced Poetry Workshop" for financial reasons, while the school continued to offer such courses as "Writing for Social Media," "Writing for Games" and "Communicating With Mobile Technology."
Donovan, Springer & Thompson Win Whiting Awards
October 28th, 2010
Three poets won 2010 Whiting Awards. Matt Donovan won with his book "Vellum." Jane Springer won with "Dear Blackbird" and L.B. Thompson with "Tendered Notes: Poems of Love and Mone." Each receives $50,000.
National Book Award Finalists
October 13th, 2010
The 2010 Natinal Book Award Finalists were announced: Kathleen Graber, The Eternal City (Princeton University Press). Terrance Hayes, Lighthead (Viking Penguin). James Richardson, By the Numbers (Copper Canyon Press). C.D. Wright, One with Others (Copper Canyon Press). Monica Youn, Ignatz (Four Way Books). Hayes and Richardson have appeared in Smartish Pace, thus we conclude that one of their books will win.
Popshot
October 1st, 2010
Interested in some international poetry? Four issues, unknown contributors, cutting-edge illustrations, no adverts or sponsors. Check out the blogs of a 23-year-old editor of the first British poetry magazine to win international distribution. Started small, within four issues, Popshot became the first UK poetry magazine ever to gain worldwide distribution, combining poetry and illustration, and putting some of the best voices of the performance generation on paper—where, it seems, there’s a vigorous demand for their wares on paper as well as in person.
Emily Dickinson Documentary
September 28th, 2010
A new documentary explores the scientific side of poet Emily Dickinson. The one-hour film "Seeing New Englandly" will get its first screening tonight at Amherst (MA) Cinema. The documentary features a number of poems and passages that reflect Dickinson’s fascination with the natural world, including subjects such as the Northern Lights, volcanic eruptions and unusual New England weather. Dickinson received an extensive scientific education while attending Amherst Academy and Mount Holyoke College.
