Issue 2

FWIW: My posts on For Godot's Issue 1 are now “anthologized” in Issue 2 [pdf].

Hat tip: Charles Bernstein

A hoax anthology

I like the idea behind the hoax anthology posted recently by the folks at for godot: a collection of poems attributed to poets who didn't actually write them. But I'm not as keen on the execution. Are these seemingly computer-generated texts supposed to be parodies? If not, then is one poem by each poet enough to allow this project to do or say anything significant? I think maybe the project could have worked if the editors built up a kind of false context for each poet in the “issue.” Issue, I guess, means that this will be an annual or something? That's fine. I have no idea what they expected to gain by including me and a host of other poets most have never heard of. Were the editors trying to say something about the vast number of publishing poets these day? Or were they just trying to create an absurdly huge issue? Whatever the faults so far, I'd be interested to see what these guys come up with if they make a second stab at it. If they can give it a point or two. But if the point is only supposed to be that there is no point—yawn—or if this is just another faux heralding of the death of the author—yawn, yawn—that would only be worth it if the pieces succeeded as art, which they don't.

Here's “my” poem (from page 2580!)—

The imperial ways

Delirium turned like red
Little as a key

A piece of
                  ways
A thread of periods
The imperial orbits
Using silver
A foot of emeralds

Making ice
________________________________________
Hat tip: Geof Huth.

The Hay(na)ku Anthology, Vol. II

Recently published from Meritage Press, The Hay(na)ku Anthology, Volume 2. Co-Edited by Jean Vengua and Mark Young, with work by John Bloomberg-Rissman, Allan Aguilar, David-Baptiste Chirot, David Giannini, Christian Jensen, Ray Craig, Bill Freind, Thomas Fink, Dion Farquhar, Alex Gildzen, Jeff Harrison, Geof Huth, M. J. Iuppa, Jill Jones, Scott Keeney, Leigh Knight, William Allegrezza, Karri Kokko, Rebeka Lembo, Rochita Loenen-Ruiz, nick-e melville, Crag Hill, Jukka-Pekka Kervinen, Derek Motion, Sheila E. Murphy, Tom Beckett, Lars Palm, Chad Parenteau, Ernesto Priego, Christopher Rieder, Michael Steven, Ernesto Acosta Sandoval, harry k stammer, Jordan Stempleman, Eileen Tabios, Harriet Zinnes, C. St. Perez, Marcie Lynn Tentchoff, Michael A. Fink, as well as from one of Elizabeth Robinson's Poetry Classes at the University of Colorado, Boulder: Elizabeth Robinson, Adam Baker, Spencer VanBuskirk, Elan Benami, Chris Caruso, Audrey Knowling, R. Noelle Clason, Jessica Kirkbride Miller, Carnyta Lewis, and Eric Schrader.