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Plummet by Chris Nealon (Edge Books)
Theogony by Douglas Rothschild (Subpress)
Spell Albuqueque: Memoir of a "Difficult" Student by Tennessee Reed (AK Press)
Map of the Hydrogen World by Steve Halle (Cracked Slab Books)
Lightwall by Liliana Ursu (Zephyr Press)
Extreme Positions by Stephen Bett (Spuyten Duyvil)
Portland Noir edited by Kevin Sampsell (Akashic Books)
Seattle Noir edited by Curt Colbert (Akashic Books)
The Jook by Gary Phillips (PM Press/Switchblade)
Legible Heavens by H.L. Hix (Etruscan Press)
Saint Joe's Passion by Jeremy Schraffenberger (Etruscan Press)
A Poetics of Hiroshima by William Heyen (Etruscan Press)
Songs of the Dead by Derrick Jensen (PM Press/Flashpoint)

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SONGS FOR TOMORROW: A COLLECTION OF POEMS 1960-2002 by Ko Un (Green Integer)
POEMLAND by Chelsey Minnis (Wave Books)
SUNNY WEDNESDAY by Noelle Kocot (Wave Books)
UNION! by Ish Klein (Canarium Books)
THE TANGLED LINE by Tod Marshall (Canarium Books)
TAKE IT by Joshua Beckman (Wave Books)
NOW & THEN: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS by Robert Phillips (Ashland Poetry Press)
LIGHT THICKENS by Elizabeth Biller Chapman (Ashland Poetry Press)
INSEMINATING THE ELEPHANT by Lucia Perillo (Copper Canyon Press)
THE CURVATURE OF BLUE by Lucille Lang Day (Červená Barva Press)

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Notes on Conceptualisms by Vanessa Place & Robert Fitterman (Ugly Duckling Presse)
Classification of a Spit Stain by Ellie Ga (Ugly Duckling Presse)
Sometimes My Heart Pushes My Ribs by Ellen Kennedy (Muumuu House)
Zero Summer by Andrew Demcak (BlazeVOX [books])
Nexus of Evil: Late Fragments, 1-7 by André Spears (First Intensity Press)
Delusions of Normality by J.P. Harpignies (Cool Grove Press)
Journals from the Time of the Radar Dog by Pat Lawrence (BlazeVOX [books])
Submissions by Jared Schickling (BlazeVOX [books])
Parataxis by Matt Hill (BlazeVOX [books])
DIS by Davis Schneiderman (BlazeVOX [books])
The Desense of Nonfense by Megan A. Volpert (BlazeVOX [books])
Astrometry Orgonon by Mark Lamoureux (BlazeVOX [books])
Bystander: An Irreality by mIEKAL aND (BlazeVOX [books])
String Parade by Jordan Stempleman (BlazeVOX [books])
For To by Skip Fox (BlazeVOX [books])
Theaters of the Tongue by Diana Adams (BlazeVOX [books])
Torched Verse Ends by Steven D. Schroeder (BlazeVOX [books])
Dead Letters by Alan May (BlazeVOX [books])
I Went Looking for You by Ruth Lepson (BlazeVOX [books])
Thái Bình: Great Peace by Kevin Bowen (Pressed Wafer)
Alice Fantastic by Maggie Estep (Akashic Books)
Of Mule and Man by Mike Farrell (Akashic Books)

Small Press Distribution's New Lit Generation at City Lights 3/18

Pictures and video courtesy of the better-than-able Oscar Bermeo (whose own report of the night you can read here)
► See Oscar's full photo set here.
► Watch Oscar's video playlist here.

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After-Dinner Declarations by Nicanor Parra (Host Publications)
Face by Sherman Alexie (Hanging Loose Press)
German for Travelers: A Novel in 95 Lessons by Norah Labiner (Coffee House Press)
Light, Moving by Carolyn Miller (Sixteen Rivers Press)
The Spoils by Ted Mathys (Coffee House Press)
Coal Mountain Elementary by Mark Nowak (Coffee House Press)
Arena: On Anarchist Cinema edited by Richard Porton (PM PRess)
Again by Lynne Knight (Sixteen Rivers Press)
I Go To Some Hollow by Amina Cain (Les Figues Press)
The Red Army Faction, A Documentary History: Volume 1: Projectiles for the People by J. Smith and André Moncourt (PM Press)
The 5th Inning by Ethelbert Miller (PM Press/Busboys and Poets)
Portrait and Dream: New and Selected Poems by Bill Berkson (Coffee House Press)

suddenly spd is on facebook

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BIG AMERICAN TRIP by Christian Peet (Shearman Books)
BY MYSELF: AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY by D.A. Powell & David Trinidad (Turtle Point Press)
TWO NOVELLAS: MARBLE SNOWS & THE STUDY by Michael Heller (ahadada books)
INFINITY BLUES by Ryan Adams (Akashic Books)
RESISTANCE BEHIND BARS: THE STRUGGLES OF INCARCERATED WOMEN by Victoria Law (PM Press)
TRAIN WRECK GIRL by Sean Carswell (Manic D Press)
QUAKELAND by Francesca Lia Block (Manic D Press)

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MAGDALENE & THE MERMAIDS by Elizabeth Kate Switaj (Paper Kite Press)
THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING by Josie Kearns (Mayapple Press)
TO BE HUNG FROM THE CEILING BY STRINGS OF VARYING LENGTHS by Rick Reid (Black Goat)
SUCCESS: STORIES by David A. Taylor (Washington Writers' Publishing House)
JOYCE CHO PLAYS by Joyce Cho (53rd State Press)
THE TAO OF A WOMAN by Michele Ritterman (Skipping Stones Editions)
ANDEAN EXPRESS by Juan de Recacoechea (Akashic Books)
THE TORTURER'S WIFE by Thomas Glave (City Lights Publishers)
WITH EVERYTHING WE'VE GOT: A PERSONAL ANTHOLOGY OF YIDDISH POETRY edited by Richard J. Fein (Host Publications)
MATTERHORN: A NOVEL OF THE VIETNAM WAR by Karl Marlantes (El León Literary Arts)
UNDERWATER OVERGROUND/GAFFER TAPE by Citizen Fish (PM Press)

SPD Poetry Best-sellers January/February 09!

1. BREAKING POEMS by Suheir Hammad (Cypher Books)
2. FOUR LETTER WORDS by Truong Tran (Apogee Press)
3. ZAATARDIVA by Suheir Hammad (Cypher Books)
4. THE PLUM-STONE GAME by Kathleen Jesme (Ahsahta Press)
5. COME TOGETHER: IMAGINE PEACE edited by Ann Smith, Larry Smith and Philip Metres (Bottom Dog Press)
6. LYRIC POSTMODERNISMS: AN ANTHOLOGY OF CONTEMPORARY INNOVATIVE POETRIES edited by Reginald Shepherd (Counterpath Press)
7. SHIMMING THE GLASS HOUSE by Helen Pruitt Wallace (Ashland Poetry Press)
8. THE TREE OF NO by Sandy Florian (Action Books)
9. ACTION KYLIE by Kevin Killian (ingirumimusnocteetcomsumimurigni)
10. EUNOIA by Christian Bök (Coach House Books)
11. THE MAN SUIT by Zachary Schomburg (Black Ocean)
12. THE TURNING by Maxine Chernoff (Apogee Press)
13. ONEIROMANCE (AN EPITHALAMION) by Kathleen Rooney (Switchback Books)
14. THE BUSINESS OF FANCYDANCING by Sherman Alexie (Hanging Loose)
15. GIRL SCOUT NATION by Yedda Morrison (Displaced Press)
16. MAXIMUM GAGA by Lara Glenum (Action Books)
17. RAKING THE HOLLOW BONES by Bryan Tso Jones (Fairweather Books)
18. THE SOUND MIRROR by Andrew Joron (Flood Editions)
19. THE WHOLE MARIE by Barbara Maloutas (Ahsahta Press)
20. THERE ARE BIRDS by John Taggart (Flood Editions)
21. YOU ARE A LITTLE BIT HAPPIER THAN I AM by Tao Lin (Action Books)
22. AND HOW TO END IT by Brian Clements (Quale Press)
23. NEWCOMER CAN'T SWIM by Renee Gladman (Kelsey Street Press)
24. NIGHT SCENES by Lisa Jarnot (Flood Editions)
25. PUBLIC DOMAIN by Mónica de la Torre (Roof Books)
26. PLEASE by Jericho Brown (New Issues Poetry & Prose)
27. THE POETS GUIDE TO THE BIRDS edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser (Anhinga Press)
28. TO AFTER THAT (TOAF) by Renee Gladman (Atelos)
29. PETALS OF ZERO PETALS OF ONE by Andrew Zawacki (Talisman House)
30. RADI OS by Ronald Johnson (Flood Editions)

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Postmodern Lyric

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: James Wagner
Category: Worst Postmodern Lyric

SCEPTER, OF THE AUTODIDACT [RECALCITRANT MODE]

Fallow
tall,

risque
brocades.

Of an
unguent…

unslept
“bed.”

Where a
(toy of)

philo-
sophy

opera-
tes. Here,

{neo-
dis-}

with in/
us.

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Nota Bene Eiswein by Eileen R. Tabios (Ahadada Books)
Lisa Robertson's Magenta Soul Whip by Lisa Robertson (Coach House Books)
New Depths of Deadpan by Michael Gizzi
Little Book of Days by Nona Caspers (Spuyten Duyvil)
The Artist & the Moose: a fable of forget edited by Roy K. Kiyooka (LINEbooks)
Of Kids & Parents by Emil Hakl and translated by Marek Tomin (Twisted Spoon Press)
Scale and Stairs: Selected Poems of Heeduk Ra by Heeduk Ra (White Pine Press)
How Beautiful the Beloved by Gregory Orr (Copper Canyon Press)
Tomorrowland by Lisa Samuels (Shearsman Books)
The Secret of White by Barbara Tomash (Spuyten Duyvil)
If the Delta Was the Sea by Dick Lourie (Hanging Loose Press)
Hyacinth for the Soul by Joan I. Siegel (Deerbrook Editions)

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Poem Using Chance Operations

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Chris Haven
Category: Worst Poem Using Chance Operations

Store bytes wooooooooooooooo only and snow everything

Whole wooooooooooooooo they aren’t is think is know,
History house isaac into they village though.
he’s will nothing seeEEE meijer store here,
too watch history wooooooooooooooo file update with snow.

Myself litmags horse must think it’s question,
too store with a title farm near,
Better they wooooooooooooooo andy from lakes,
They dark everything off the plane??!! year.

He’s give history hard believe and shaky,
too asked ifs they isaac someone missed.
the panel only other sounds they sweet,
off easier wind andy down flat.

The panel wooooooooooooooo aren’t love, dark andy deep,
button is having profound too keep,
andy million too good before is sleeeeeeeepy,
andy million too good before is sleeeeeeeepy.

—Robin From

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Flarf Poem

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Lucas Rivera
Category: Worst Flarf Poem

The Dissolution of Eric Maskin

"Because mechanism designers do not generally know which outcomes are optimal in advance, they have to proceed more indirectly than simply prescribing outcomes by fiat; in particular, the mechanisms designed must generate the information needed as they are executed."
BAUDRILLARD—from Eric Maskin's Nobel Prize Lecture

My 19th century hummingbird
probably gathered the balance of Kafka,
a miracle,
and a sack race.

Upon the accumulation of all three
the guest will call you
but my hummingbird will die.

Kafka will become a bow hunter.
A miracle will be called a shower of pink.
And a sack race is a sack race.

But how did we become this way?

We: The Real People of God. ©

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Workshop Poem

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Martin Nakell
Category: Worst Workshop Poem

Spring A Fall the Sun the Moon

It was time for the sun to rise.
So, it being Spring, and dawn
the sun rose on time
making me think of death.

I looked out the window
and what did I see?
The sun rising!
But I also saw my son’s wagon
in the backyard. It wasn’t
the same wagon I had as a child
in my boyhood. But it was like
the wagon of my memory. Both
being red, I thought of my wagon,
and my boyhood, and how
it was gone and how the sun
keeps rising so inexorably
on my son as he sleeps in his boyhood bed
his passing years carrying him quickly
to manhood. I screamed at the sun:
Stop!
I smashed my hand trough
the window glass as transparent as time,
waking up my son, who came down
the stairs, teddy in arms, to say
to me, Dad, not again, Dad.

He does not learn from my age
but, perhaps I can learn
from his youth, to play in
the sunshine of this day
given to us, so that we may know
tonight how the moon will take it away.

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Poem Using the Word "Capitalism"

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Nathan Logan
Category: Worst Poem Using the Word "Capitalism"

Buttering Nintendo's Bread

Capitalism = Mariokart.
Holy crap. Sometimes
you get a crappy banana
peel (item raped). But
in last place you can get
the blue tortise shell
and take out numba 1.
This is “rags to riches.”
Filming a girlfriend hoola-
hooping on Wii Fitness
and uploading it to YouTube
is reviving the patriarchy!

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Poem Intended to Lead to Sex

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Christian Bök
Category: Worst Poem Intended to Lead to Sex

Putting the No in Eunoia

Hi — my name is
   Christian Bök.

Perhaps you've heard
   of me.…

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Sonnet

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Craig Santos Perez
Category: Worst Sonnet

Blooming

Every time you think a reader might
pause, perhaps I may revisit thee
no more, as many an exiled.
On the other hand you can agonize
for hours, and in the end
it's a waste of time. But if all else fails,
immortality can always be assured
by a spectacular error. "Blooming"
may turn into an epithet rather than
simply an adjective when I
refer to this thing. Cold steel
circles for use in some Magician's
act. But at least I tried
and that's all I have to say.

JUST IN!

Areas of Fog by Joseph Massey (Shearsman Books)
Rob the Plagiarist by Robert Fitterman (Roof Books)
Expressway by Sina Queryas (Coach House Books)
Kissed by a Fat Waitress by Dan Fante (Sun Dog Press)
The Dirty Goat 20 edited by Elzbieta Szoka and Joe W. Bratcher (Host Publications)
containment scenario: DisloInter MedTextId entCation: Horse Medicine by M. Mara-Ann (O Books)
Shalom India Housing Society by Esther David (The Feminist Press)
Brief Nudity by Thomas Farber (Mānoa Books/El León Literary Arts)
With Everything We've Got: A Personal Anthology of Yiddish Poetry edited and translated by Richard J. Fein (Host Publications)
Styrofoam by Evelyn Reilly (Roof Books)
Perpetual Care by Katie Cappello (Elixir Press)
Reaching Out to the World: New and Selected Prose Poems by Robert Bly (White Pine Press)
Provenance by Brandel France de Bravo (Washington Writers' Publising House)

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Poem Mentioning Your Mother

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Katelyn Leenhouts
Category: Worst Poem Mentioning Your Mother

Mother

Her womb
like an oven
where the cupcakes of fragility
and abundance
baked.

How many times has cake
dripped
from her hungry grasping fingers
too warm to be had?

I watched her with all my hopes
echoed in her eyes, trying to see
when I could go outside, and get
what I deserved. Receive
the rewards of my labor.
See beauty beyond the fence
that was in the front yard.

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Language Poem

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Matthew Siegel
Category: Worst Language Poem

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Haiku

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Colleen Lookingbill
Category: Worst Haiku

deeply felt moment
with a tiny unicorn
trapped in middle

SPD Bad Poetry Contest: Worst Poem Using the Words Rainbow, Mist, Luminous, Crystal, and Anemone

SPD's AWP BAD POEM CONTEST
1st Prize Winner: Chris Haven
Category: Worst Poem Using the Words Rainbow, Mist, Luminous, Crystal, and Anemone

I Am So Sad Today

I gaze out into the gathering mist—
It makes me so sad I want to punch it with my fist.

My body is warm and friendly and luminous,
But your heart is cold and black and bituminous.

Our love was of the finest formed crystal,
But in court it was judged a mistrial.

We lost our matchstep, we lost our harmony,
Bruised and forsaken like the anemone.

Where in the end does all this heart pain go?
I will send mine over the next rainbow.