tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-100931122024-03-13T04:31:17.862-07:00ASTHMABOYJon Paul Fiorentino. Blog.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger139125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-74066797403037016772013-04-08T11:57:00.002-07:002013-04-08T11:57:48.353-07:00Civic Poem mp3 with soundscape by Ben Spencer <embed flashvars="audioUrl=https://sites.google.com/site/mediafilesjpf/mp3s/civic%20poem%20spencer.mp3?attredirects=0&d=1" height="27" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" quality="best" src="http://www.google.com/reader/ui/3523697345-audio-player.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="400" wmode="transparent"></embed>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The poet, not as priest, but lover</i></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The novelist, not as druid, but drunk</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and shaking off careerist rust</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but almost constantly shaking</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and therefore displeased</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but not completely displeasured</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and, yes, health concerns</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but no, not concerned</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and they are tired of lessons</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but the poets are pictograph sick</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and how you get back from that fissure</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but why you won’t come</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and the fissure divides the priests from the lovers</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but the druids and the drunks mix implicit</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and for some reason you like it in winter</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but the adverbs returning</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and the full rash</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but the half-life left</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and the votive, the semaphore</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but the shrinking ex voto</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and you know where to find you</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but you hate civic poems</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-78084702443680374522012-12-22T18:12:00.001-08:002012-12-23T00:51:19.079-08:00Trinity-Bellwoods<style>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Down to my last </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">lyric</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(We're not supposed to </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">anymore)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Whisper the word pilling – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">a piling-on of fabrications</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You wear it well or</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">wore it</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Free range derangement commences</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">as denizens make strange with tenses and moods</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I saw an old cancerous friend and he said, </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">“I remember when I used to be creative. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">They cut it out of me </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">all interstitial-like.” </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">The lies and years are </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">pilling.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I will miss you when you shun me. I write these</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">things for nothing</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">You remain </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">the best nothing I know</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-41956571755714069612012-12-16T17:14:00.002-08:002012-12-17T12:58:31.831-08:00Please, Just Continue To Be Michael's MotherI am so troubled by people saying that mental health is the REAL issue that needs to be addressed in the wake of the Newtown tragedy. People with mental health challenges have to deal with enough unwarranted stigmatization and marginalization as it is. People with Autism, Asperger's Sydrome, ADHD, chronic depression, chronic anxiety, personality disorders, and other mental health challenges are, on the whole, non-violent and law-abiding citizens. Many of the people dearest to me have mental health challenges. I have spent a great deal of time in my life getting to know people from across the Autism spectrum. They are among the kindest and gentlest I have ever known. I happen to have my own mental health challenges as well. I used to be self-injurious and I still suffer from acute depression and anxiety. It's not an easy thing for me to discuss without cracking wise (this is my defense mechanism) but I will do my best, considering the gravity of this issue.<br />
<br />
<div id="__p21">
<a href="http://gawker.com/5968818/i-am-adam-lanzas-mother" target="_blank">Liza Long's now-viral blog post</a> is being heralded as "brave" and "powerful." I believe it is neither. "Michael," Long's undiagnosed 13 year old son, is no doubt a child with behavioral challenges that need to be addressed. My heart goes out to him and to his family. And, yes, we need to do better in the United States and Canada to provide free and accessible health care for people like Michael. I have no problem with the idea that we need to talk about mental illness. We absolutely do. But let's take a close look at the language and its implications here. Long writes: "Now is the time to talk about mental illness ... That's the only way our nation can ever truly heal." Why? Why is NOW the time for a discussion about mental illness? A very dubious link is being made between Michael's rage issues in his formative years and the monstrous act that Adam Lanza committed on December 14, 2012. The manner in which Long and the media have been using terms like Autism and Asperger's prompted the Autism Research Institute to release a <a href="http://www.autism.com/index.php//newtown" target="_blank">very carefully worded statement on the tragedy</a>. The truth is, the great majority of people with Autism, Asperger's Syndrome, as well as those with other forms of mental health challenges are not to be feared. As <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1525086/" target="_blank">Dr. Heather Stuart quite rightly points out</a>, "mental disorders are neither necessary, nor sufficient causes of violence.
The major determinants of violence continue to be socio-demographic and socio-economic
factors such as being young, male, and of lower socio-economic status ... [Further], members of the public undoubtedly exaggerate both the strength
of the relationship between major mental disorders and violence, as well as
their own personal risk from the severely mentally ill." </div>
<div id="__p21">
<br /></div>
<div id="__p21">
It's difficult to comprehend that an argument based on facts (such as
Stuart's) may go largely unnoticed and an argument based purely on
feelings (such as Long's) is currently being lauded as persuasive and
groundbreaking. I believe we have been taken in too easily by the myth of the "violent madman" whether it be through depictions in entertainment or by the media. In fact, Stuart's and countless other studies have concluded that those with mental health challenges are <a href="http://mentalillnesspolicy.org/consequences/victimization.html" target="_blank">more likely to be victims of violent crimes.</a> The last quote I will take from Stuart is an important one because it takes us back to the issue of "the REAL issue.": "Too much past research has focussed on the person with the mental
illness, rather than the nature of the social interchange that led up to the
violence."</div>
<div id="__p21">
<br /></div>
<div id="__p21">
What is the nature of the social interchange that led to the Newtown tragedy? Or, to put it more bluntly, what was the specific context? Here's what we know. In fact: Adam Lanza's mother was a gun enthusiast and actively participated with Adam in gun culture. She <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/adam-lanza-had-something-just-off-about-him-mother-nancy-was-a-social-but-reserved-gun-fan/article6458929/" target="_blank">reportedly "loved" her guns</a> and allowed her son access to them. Her guns included two traditional hunting rifles, and three guns that are basically unsuitable for hunting: two handguns and a semi-automatic rifle. These are the three killing machines that Adam Lanza took with him that morning, after killing his mother, to Sandy Hook Elementary School where he slaughtered 20 young children and 6 more adults. This twisted element of North American culture where, for some reason, people feel the need to fill their homes with killing machines commonly referred to as guns (and let's face it, guns have no other purpose) and to "love" these killing machines is the real issue here. There is no reasonably intelligent argument for the inclusion of guns in our culture. Full stop. The second amendment is outdated and needs to be repealed immediately.</div>
<div id="__p21">
<br /></div>
<div id="__p21">
I have faith that Liza Long's blog post was a genuine attempt to start a discourse on mental health. For that reason, I am thankful she wrote it. I would guess that she loves her children very much and wants what's best for them. This is why I hope she will see the problematic rhetoric in her proclamation of kinship and solidarity with Adam Lanza's mother. It is a much more powerful and brave message to say: "I will not provide my son with a similar context. I will not participate in my country's love affair with guns. I am not Adam Lanza's mother. I am Michael's mother." <br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-74423774676715250542012-12-02T17:35:00.004-08:002013-01-14T17:54:31.935-08:00GAG<style>
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<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b></b><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">Entirely
my idea not a great one but entirely mine</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">There was
a bicycle and an objectivist poet sort of riding it. Not</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">red or
blue. Entirely my idea all twig and spoke and gag</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">I gag
often these days like as if it wouldn't catch up</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">Never my
bicycle always entirely my idea and I timeshare</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN-CA" style="font-family: inherit; font-weight: normal;">the poet
with a post-mountain time scholar from out east</span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoSubtitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-style: normal;">Grey. Not silver but entirely
grey</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-66647158850853258732012-11-19T13:19:00.000-08:002012-11-19T13:21:02.582-08:00Some Book Covers I Designed<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o1k1GvwuYQ0/UKqYV1AHcTI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/8KcgzNawpJo/s1600/andycoverlow.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o1k1GvwuYQ0/UKqYV1AHcTI/AAAAAAAAAQQ/8KcgzNawpJo/s400/andycoverlow.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The Barista and I. Insomniac Press. Art by Maryanna Hardy.</div>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwD58xhlF3o/UKqYylz34MI/AAAAAAAAAQY/ZoZvqFmagFY/s1600/JulieLowCover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zwD58xhlF3o/UKqYylz34MI/AAAAAAAAAQY/ZoZvqFmagFY/s400/JulieLowCover.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Entry Level by Julie McIassac. Insomniac Press. Art by Ghislain Garlin.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnmfXduC3_k/UKqcWKsDBpI/AAAAAAAAAQo/4wUcicudxsw/s1600/THUMBCOVFINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nnmfXduC3_k/UKqcWKsDBpI/AAAAAAAAAQo/4wUcicudxsw/s400/THUMBCOVFINAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thumbscrews by Natalie Zina Walschots. Snare Books.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2h9z0PJLzM/UKqc8qJyOoI/AAAAAAAAAQw/7ISzvyXaW7Y/s1600/fakemathcov.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="293" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Z2h9z0PJLzM/UKqc8qJyOoI/AAAAAAAAAQw/7ISzvyXaW7Y/s400/fakemathcov.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fake Math by Ryan Fitzpatrick. Snare Books</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wTULrSDpBU/UKqeCiXXkhI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/jW0ryDm7m00/s1600/ORTI+COVER+FINAL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="286" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1wTULrSDpBU/UKqeCiXXkhI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/jW0ryDm7m00/s400/ORTI+COVER+FINAL.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Olive and the Dawn by Ian Orti. Snare Books.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilNDeifSBLc/UKqiEHP7aKI/AAAAAAAAARI/Z2zBJ2Jn4yQ/s1600/asthmatica+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilNDeifSBLc/UKqiEHP7aKI/AAAAAAAAARI/Z2zBJ2Jn4yQ/s400/asthmatica+cover.jpg" width="268" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asthmatica by JPF. Insomniac Press.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span id="goog_1400308039"></span><span id="goog_1400308040"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-81537689260968844972012-11-18T16:07:00.005-08:002012-11-18T16:07:44.830-08:00SKULK HOUR
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<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">All love
is careless</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">bleating
sadly into some thing or other or</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">mainlining
its way into varicose</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The
millionaires of summer</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">swelter
away in Old Montreal</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">delve
deep into marry me’s</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">I’m
scared all the way</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">down the
skill hull </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">it’s
always a point of almost-pride</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">No
setting to this poem</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">but your
mind’s alright</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">and the
pediatricians are sleeping</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">so just
skulk softly</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-77519745927883318942012-10-26T11:52:00.002-07:002012-10-26T11:52:14.480-07:00Summary: Condensation and Displacement<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1YV0l62qOX8/UIrbogHFfNI/AAAAAAAAAP8/cZnOhA6TtKs/s1600/SUMMARY+CAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1YV0l62qOX8/UIrbogHFfNI/AAAAAAAAAP8/cZnOhA6TtKs/s640/SUMMARY+CAD.jpg" width="321" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-47967489568200593022012-10-15T11:46:00.002-07:002012-10-15T18:05:14.803-07:00Official Statement Regarding Snare Books<div class="MsoNormal">
After
this year’s publication of the 2012 Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry
winner, Snare Books will no longer be publishing books as an independent press.
We received no funding for the second year in a row and there is no way forward
for the program in its current incarnation. I sincerely regret that it has come
to this. Two years ago we were ranked very high in the Canada Council for the
Arts Emerging Publishers Program. Since then, we completed two very strong
years of amazing titles. Unfortunately, the Block Grant juries were not as
receptive to us, and we were unable to acquire funding.<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
want to express my immense gratitude to all of the Snare authors for letting me
play a part in their writing careers. I cannot adequately describe the pride
and good fortune I feel for having had the opportunity to bring all of their
books into the world. I am especially thankful to the authors who trusted me
with their first books. One of the early mandates of Snare Books was to
showcase emerging poets and experimental writers. I would like to thank Angela
Carr, Melissa Thompson, Jason Christie, ryan fitzpatrick, Natalie Zina
Walschots, Sarah Dowling, Ian Christopher Goodman, Ian Orti, Geoffery Hlibchuk,
Mike Spry, Helen Hajnoczky, Sheryda Warrener, Laura Broadbent and Lesley
Trites for allowing me the privilege of being there at the beginning of their
careers. <br />
<br />
Robert Allen and I began scheming in 2004 about a press that would
provide a much-needed space for the kind of strange, experimental, innovative
and distinctly non-mass-market writing that we loved. He loved Will Self,
Gilbert Sorrentino, and Gail Scott to name a few. I could not get enough of
Robert Kroetsch, Nicole Brossard, and bpNichol to name a few. Our hope was to
publish books in this risk-taking tradition of the writers we loved. I loved
Robert Allen so much as a writer, thinker, mentor, and friend. It is not an
exaggeration to say that he saved my life by showing faith in me and giving me
the opportunity to work with him. When he passed away in 2006, I vowed to keep
his memory alive through Matrix and Snare. My personal attachment to Snare has so
much to do with the fact that Rob and I started it together. It was our thing. We
started it in part because we saw a need. But as I look back on it now, I
realize that we also started it because we thought it would be fun. And it
always was. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When
Rob died, I was not sure I could make a go of it with Snare. And I wouldn’t
have if it weren’t for the mentorship and guidance of so many friends and
colleagues. Snare Books survived for seven years because of the guidance of
Robert Kroetsch, Alana Wilcox, Karis Shearer, Marisa Grizenko, Karl Siegler,
Darren Wershler, Alex Porco, Bill Kennedy, Jason Camlot, Neil Besner, Sina Queyras, Sachiko
Murakami, Dennis Cooley, John Goldbach, Karis Shearer, Mike O’Connor, Michael Holmes, David
McGimpsey, Rachel Zolf, Elizabeth Bachinsky, and Christian Bok. I am in their
debt. I would also like to thank the Canada Council for the Arts for their
early support of Snare. I must also thank the people I have worked with on the
design and marketing of Snare: Gillian Savigny, Jocelyn Parr, Melanie Bell, Lorne
Roberts, Leigh Kotsilidis, Genevieve Robichaud, Chris Tucker, Tyler Morency, and
Georgia Webber as well as the staff at LitDistCo and the LPG. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thankfully,
there is exciting news to report as well. From now on, Snare Books will be the
name of the poetry imprint at <a href="http://www.invisiblepublishing.com/" target="_blank">Invisible Publishing</a>. Further, I am pleased to
announce that Invisible has agreed to take on the back list Snare titles and
the titles will continue to be available to book buyers. I am thrilled to announce
the continuation of <a href="http://www.matrixmagazine.org/rkaward/" target="_blank">The Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry</a>. The administration
of this award will fall under the purview of <a href="http://www.matrixmagazine.org/" target="_blank">Matrix Magazine</a> in partnership
with Invisible Publishing and these books will be published every fall by Invisible
under my editorship and the Snare imprint. The prize will be awarded annually
to the best poetry manuscript by an emerging Canadian writer (a writer who has
published two books or less). Each year the winning manuscript will be selected
by established and well-known Canadian writers. The 2013 award will be judged
by innovative poet and BookThug mastermind, Jay MillAr. I am also pleased to announce that the first title under the Snare imprint will be kevin mcpherson eckoff's new book, Forge.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just
a few months ago, I was absolutely heartbroken to discover that Snare Books could
no longer operate as an independent publisher. But then a series of astonishing
and inspiring events happened as a result of the goodwill and genuine interest
of astonishing and inspiring people. Nic Boshart and Robbie MacGregor from
Invisible reached out to me immediately with a simple message: Snare Books is
not dead. When we began formal discussions, I was instantly thrilled to
discover that I was dealing with kindred spirits – people who believe that
literary innovation has a future in Canada. Beyond this, I was made acutely
aware through my observations of the way their publishing co-op works, that
there is potential to make the kind of work I love more available to readers
through multiple platforms. In its five years, Invisible has already become a
vital and cutting edge publisher. And the people behind it are exemplary human
beings. In the course of a few weeks, one of the most devastating events of my
adult life was transformed into an uplifting and re-affirming experience. I am so
lucky, so grateful. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Jon
Paul Fiorentino</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
October
15, 2012</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A
Complete List of Snare Books 2006 – 2012</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2012</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">OH
THERE YOU ARE I CAN’T SEE YOU IS IT RAINING? by Laura Broadbent </span>(Robert
Kroetsch Award Winner)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2011</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thirsts by Pearl Pirie (Robert Kroetsch Award Winner)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
easy peasy by kevin mcpherson eckhoff </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
echoic mimic by Lesley Trites (Expozine Best English Book
Award Finalist)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
seen of the crime by derek beaulieu</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2010</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
HARD FEELINGS by Sheryda Warrener </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Lateral by Jake Kennedy (Robert Kroetsch Award Winner)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Update. by Bill Kennedy and Darren Wershler </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
THREE DEATHS by Josip Novakovich</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Poets and Killers by Helen Hajnoczky (Expozine Best English
Book Award Finalist)</div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2009</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Olive and the Dawn by Ian Orti (Expozine Best English
Book Winner) </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Taste of Penny by Jeff Parker</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Generator by Ian Christopher Goodman </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thresh by Kim Minkus</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Security Posture by Sarah Dowling (Robert Kroetsch Award
Winner)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2008 </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All our Grandfathers are ghosts. by Pasha Malla </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
JACK by Mike Spry (A.M Klein Poetry Award Finalist)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Variations on Hölderlin by Geoffrey Hlibchuk (Robert
Kroetsch Award Winner)</div>
<br />
2007</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
FAKE MATH by ryan fitzpatrick</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thumbscrews by Natalie Zina Walschots (Robert Kroetsch Award
Winner)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
the small blue by Jay MillAr</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
2006</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Emily Valentine Poems by Zoe Whittall </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Dreadful Paris by Melissa A. Thompson (McAusland First Book
Award Finalist)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ropewalk by Angela Carr </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Canada Post by Jason Christie</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-21619241633985446182012-10-09T10:48:00.000-07:002013-03-27T19:30:40.389-07:00A SLOW, STUPID METRONOME<style>
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</style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">With decades behind, one
still boorishly chases the dull candles </span></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">held by those somehow traipsing
through the uncomplicated </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">life; one just an
acknowledgment page away from calling it now</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">one page away from a done.
Over it. So very over it</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">With a brisk rendering of
complexity, shrill and shrugged</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">repeats of days and one is
an unparented swiller and one’s tonic and </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">balm no longer enough. Soon
there will be no verb. The countables </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">wreck their own units;
static laughs; lit up and tweak-weary</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Diplomacy taints the micropolitic.
Countless hours, of course, </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">spark sluggish decades and
one loses games one isn’t even aware of </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">There is this one thing that
all things are made of, one says</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">and the dull-witted say <i>yes, this</i>.
One does not, should not. Still rhetoric eases</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">The peculiar sting of fact-unchecked
quirk factor hymnals and yet, one </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">chases slow moving candles and
one fattens and withers in season – </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">slow metronome. A slow,
stupid metronome. Then, at some point, </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">there is no real verb but an
unrelenting need to call it and to call it </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">in time, listlessly, to call
one’s own over it</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-3413111058199879552012-09-26T15:44:00.006-07:002012-09-26T16:17:16.438-07:00IT IS OK AND IT’S OK<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">If you bandy about protocols for the dance card; it is ok
and it’s ok to speak in clear sentences even though there isn't a dance (there never will be) </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">You may propose and propose. Let us be clear and let’s be
precise. Your purpose of things is borne out of exalted forecasts, broadcasts </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">The broadcasts diminish in real time as we diminish slightly faster. It is ok
to speak in clear sentences and it’s ok to say a thing before the broadcast’s end </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It is sooner than you applied for. The quickened wretched hubris calmed you
as an HDMI swaddling. The thing is, it is ok. It’s ok to speak in a clear sentence or to even </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Risk more than one. It’s ok to not let the terrible, accurate tunage squelch;
it is ok and it’s ok to feel alone and dopplered. That is what it does and that’s what. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Totally ok to have lost it in the process of nothing other than losing. Totally
and it is ok. I promise. Although these things called promises are often stupid. Promise</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-44509028696150066932012-07-13T17:26:00.001-07:002012-07-13T17:28:22.982-07:00Moda<style>
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<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://subterrain.ca/about/93/vancouver-125" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pukL6SAS5x0/UAC7j_p0bRI/AAAAAAAAANQ/fjiR7WYPlv8/s200/55.jpg" width="140" /></a><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="EN-CA">MODA</span><i><span lang="EN-CA"> </span></i></b></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; page-break-before: always; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA"><b><i>for Elizabeth Bachinsky</i></b> </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">No, I
don’t want to stay at your place</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">I need
time and space and odder hours to deal with</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">a
spectacular national celebration unequalled</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">since
Expo ’67 in Montreal. It’s not fair to </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">expect me
to adhere to your eccentricities</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">No, I
don’t want to stay at your place</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">I will
have my own. What a city! But no </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">I’m
coming, but no. I can’t possibly stand</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">a
spectacular national celebration unequalled </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">since the
1851 World’s Fair in London</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">I found a
hotel. It’s cheap. A legacy project. Moda. So </span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">no, I
don’t want to stay at your place</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">Travel,
uneasy. Your city, stifling</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">Everyone
clamours their cultural capital there, at</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">a
spectacular national celebration unequalled</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">since
Deculturation. I will write a poem, meet for whiskey</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">You will
bring me a gift and I will get sick and you will insist, but</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">no, I
don’t want to stay at your place</span></span></div>
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="font-family: inherit; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span lang="EN-CA" style="font-weight: normal;">I’m sure
it’s spectacular, unequalled </span></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-74008895673166359732012-06-06T10:50:00.000-07:002012-06-06T15:22:28.730-07:00Pantone 185CLemon Hound was nice enough to run my poem about living in Montreal right now. <a href="http://lemonhound.blogspot.com/2012/06/pantone-185c-poem-from-jon-paul.html" target="_blank">Here it is.</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-47717102246843881932012-05-28T19:13:00.001-07:002012-05-28T19:16:35.540-07:00Salut Sérotonine 2Here is another translation by Xandère Sélène. This one is of my poem "Neurotransmission" from Hello Serotonin. A series of her translations of my poems appeared in Revue Le Quartanier in 2005.<br />
<br />
NEUROTRANSMISSION<br />
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Une autre tactique de rêve statique – ne me rappelle pas à la maison sur</div>
<div class="p1">
ce ton; je deviens pensif quand tu n’appelles pas.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Le remords est une lettre à la langue de miel. <i>Je traîne, </i>a-t-elle</div>
<div class="p1">
écrit; le comptoir ne luisait guère derrière son éclat.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Quand le téléphone sonne, ma mémoire se déclenche, trébuche;</div>
<div class="p1">
une neurotransmission se fait trébucher plus vrai, filmique.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Elle chuchote quelque chose et il semble que quelqu’un</div>
<div class="p1">
grivoise toute la nuit: une berceuse caféinée, rêve sous valium.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
La culpabilité parapleut vers le ciel en trépanation courante –</div>
<div class="p1">
coup de pied à l’humour encore.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Voici une neurotransmission avortée –</div>
<div class="p1">
froide comme une baisse d’octave, continue comme la tonalité.</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
*</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
</div>
<div class="p1">
NEUROTRANSMISSION</div>
<div class="p1">
<br /></div>
<div class="p1">
Another static dream tactic – don’t call me home with</div>
<div class="p2">
that tone; I get wistful when you don’t call.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Remorse is a honey-tongued letter. <i>I’m traipsing along, </i>she</div>
<div class="p2">
wrote; the bar glistened weakly behind her sheen.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
When the phone rings my memory triggers, trips along;</div>
<div class="p2">
a neurotransmission trips itself more real, filmic.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
She whispers something and it sounds like someone</div>
<div class="p2">
thrushed all night and a ca°Ëeine lullaby, valium dream.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Guilt umbrellas skyward from the trepanation stream –</div>
<div class="p2">
kicked in the wit again.</div>
<div class="p2">
<br /></div>
<div class="p2">
Here is an abortive neurotransmission –</div>
<div class="p2">
cold like an octave drop, relentless like the dial tone.</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-48877087175196080102012-05-27T17:23:00.001-07:002012-05-28T19:13:05.007-07:00Salut Sérotonine 1Here is a translation by Xandère Sélène of my poem "Astrocytes" from Hello Serotonin. A series of her translations of my poems appeared in Revue Le Quartanier in 2005.<br />
<br />
ASTROCYTES<br />
<br />
Les astrocytes nourrissent les neurones<br />
racontent des conneries métatrophiques à l’axone et à la dendrite<br />
de même, dépolarisent la dose de glucose.<br />
<br />
Les astrocytes revendent au noir les cellules gliales<br />
distribuent l’amour neuronal partout, tout<br />
autour, accordent des strophes au compte-gouttes.<br />
<br />
Les astrocytes exigent l’extase<br />
veulent planer via la reconnaissance et la transmission<br />
mais, s’envoyer en l’air se prend avec le temps.<br />
<br />
Les astrocytes chantent des berceuses<br />
signalent la latence la plus triste<br />
Donc, cette fois c’est terminal.<br />
<br />
*<br />
<br />
ASTROCYTES<br />
<br />
Astrocytes feed neurons<br />
talk metatrophic trash to axon and dendrite<br />
alike, depolarize the glucose fix.<br />
<br />
Astrocytes deal from glial cells<br />
spread neuronal love all over, all<br />
around, dole out strophes.<br />
<br />
Astrocytes need bliss<br />
want the highs of recognition and transmission<br />
but, starfucking is an acquired agency.<br />
<br />
Astrocytes sing lullabies<br />
signal the saddest dormancy<br />
so, this time it’s terminal.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-49217840607133556512012-05-10T15:01:00.000-07:002012-05-10T16:29:45.024-07:0023 Books! (Oops! 24 books!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--3GQMeL1tbI/T6w6pazarmI/AAAAAAAAALs/znMouxgzEVg/s1600/JULIE%2BLOW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="307" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--3GQMeL1tbI/T6w6pazarmI/AAAAAAAAALs/znMouxgzEVg/s400/JULIE%2BLOW.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
I have edited 23 books in 10 years! Below is a list of the amazing titles I have had the great privilege of working on:<br />
<br />
Editor of The Barista and I by Andrew Szymanski. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2012. (forthcoming)
Editor of Entry Level by Julie McsIaac. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2012.<br />
Editor of Easy Peasy by Kevin McPherson-Eckhoff. Montreal, Snare Books 2011.<br />
Editor of Metraville by Jamie Popowich. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2011. <br />
Editor of Distillery Songs by Mike Spry. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2010.<br />
Editor of Bird Eat Bird by Katrina Best. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2010. (Commonwealth Writers Prize for Best First Book)<br />
Editor of The Lateral by Jake Kennedy. Montreal: Snare Books, 2010.<br />
Editor of Update by Darren Wershler and Bill Kennedy. Montreal: Snare Books, 2010.<br />
Editor of Selected Blackouts by John Goldbach. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2009.<br />
Editor of Thresh by Kim Minkus. Montreal: Snare Books, 2009. (Robert Kroetsch Award Winner) Editor of Blues and Bliss: Selected Poetry of George Elliott Clarke. Kitchener: Wilfred Laurier, 2008.<br />
Editor of We could be like that couple… by Sarah Steinberg. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2008.<br />
Editor of Variations on Holderlin by Geoffery Hlibchuk. Montreal: Snare Books, 2008.<br />
Editor of Thumbscrews by Natalie Zina Walschots. Montreal: Snare Books, 2008. (Robert Kroetsch Award Winner)<br />
Editor of Delible by Anne Stone. Toronto: Insomniac Press, 2007.<br />
Editor of The Emily Valentine Poems by Zoe Whittall. Montreal: Snare Books, 2006.<br />
Editor of Canada Post by Jason Christie. Montreal: Snare Books, 2006. (with ryan fitzpatrick)<br />
Editor of The Coward Files by Ryan Arnold. Montreal: Conundrum Press, 2006.<br />
Editor of Post-Prairie. A Poetry Anthology. Vancouver: Talonbooks, 2005. (With Robert Kroetsch)<br />
Editor of Cherry by Chandra Mayor. Montreal: Conundrum Press, 2004. (Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award Winner)<br />
Editor of Career Suicide! Contemporary Literary Humour. Montreal: DC Books, 2003. <br />
Editor of August Witch by Chandra Mayor. Winnipeg: Cyclops Press, 2002. (Eileen McTavish Sykes Award for Best First Book Winner)<br />
Editor of The Cyclops Review. An Anthology. Winnipeg: Cyclops Press, 2002. <br />
Editor of Trains of Winnipeg by Clive Holden. Montreal: DC Books, 2002. (with Robert Allen)Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-51896739576722121022011-09-09T17:31:00.000-07:002011-09-09T17:43:26.526-07:00My Tribute to Robert Kroetsch<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m1wY5z2DCSg/TmqyGg6WiHI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/llAMLGGMaj8/s1600/kroetsch.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 130px; height: 200px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m1wY5z2DCSg/TmqyGg6WiHI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/llAMLGGMaj8/s200/kroetsch.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5650524507473348722" /></a>This piece first appeared in the September 2011 issue of the <a href="http://www.quillandquire.com/">Quill and Quire</a>. The text below is slightly longer and less edited:<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />ROBERT KROETSCH: ONLY HIS BOOKS<br />Jon Paul Fiorentino<br /><br />Summer Literary Seminars. Montreal, Quebec. June 22, 2011.<br /><br />Tonight I read with emerging writer, Tom Burke, American novelist, Kevin Canty, Montreal poet, Katia Grubisic. The DeSeve cinema amphitheater was over half-full. I always count the audience (it calms my nerves). Tonight there were 58 people in the room: participants and instructors from all over North America, here In Montreal to study and write in a new context. There were people I loved, people I wanted to impress. I read from new work -- a comedic text--and I struggled. I flubbed lines, failed to convey the rhythm of the prose, apologized to the audience, and did pretty much everything else you aren't supposed to do when you present your work. When I was done with the new stuff, I felt relief and regained my composure. Then I read some selections from a text I had been reading all day: “Towards an Essay: The Upstate New York Journals” from Robert Kroetsch's The Lovely Treachery of Words. I wasn't ready to read Seed Catalogue (my favourite). But I needed to share with this audience a sense of the man. The journal is not that long. It documents a time in the 1970s when he was teaching. Some the entries are matter-of-fact. Most contain gems: his brief encounter with Basil Bunting and the secrets Bunting revealed about his own poetry and about the title of a certain TS Eliot text, the image of Gwendolyn MacEwen at the 1969 Governor General’s Literary Awards ceremony, sitting alongside her young Greek lover alongside, George Bowering with his green velvet suit and extravagant silk shirt, so many small ruminations, striking in their intellectual acuity. I read a passage where Kroetsch had just found out that he was to receive the GG for his novel The Studhorse Man and he proceeded to recall 20 years earlier when he received first ever acceptance letter for a story (to be published in The Montrealer.) Then I read my poem "Civic Poem" which is inspired by and dedicated to him. When the reading was over. I swiftly exited the theatre without looking anyone in the eye. I ran to my office and cried.<br /><br />I found out via text message that morning that Robert had died in a car accident. Once I could confirm it, I broke down instantly. Never has anyone been so encouraging, kind, and inspiring to me as Robert Kroetsch. It was enough that his books taught me so much, but the fact that he took a particular interest in me and my writing was astonishing. I am aware of the fact that he had similar relationships with countless other writers. If you were a reader or a writer, he had time for you. We met around 11 years ago. In Winnipeg. I remember sitting across from him at the restaurant in McNally Robinson. I was in awe. I had some poems I wanted him to look at and to my surprise he had brought me some poems of his to look at too. I remember thinking, "Why on earth would he want my opinion on new poems?" I had just started volunteering for Matrix magazine in Montreal, and he asked if I might like to publish them. The poems were exquisite of course. And being the young, hyper-ambitious guy that I was, I insisted that he let me interview him as well. Obviously, he said yes. He always said yes. In 2007 he said yes to lending his name to my fledgling literary press, Snare Books. The Robert Kroetsch Award for Innovative Poetry was established. My favourite annual email was the one he would write after he reading the latest winner. His enthusiasm for new poetry, for new ways of poetry was awe-inspiring. As our friendship grew and our conversations became more sophisticated, he kept telling me: "It's your turn to talk." (And I tried. And I'm trying.) But it always provided more pleasure, more bliss, to listen to him.<br /><br />In the upstate journals, Kroetsch writes about Charles Olson's passing, observing that he “is only his books." The elegance of Kroestch. The staggering peculiarities of his language. The way he changed our language. The imperceptible ease with which he articulated so much wisdom. He was always fascinated with the poem he "could never complete." But the truth is, he was the complete poet. The complete writer. He approached language and life with a sense of rigorous play. Now he is only his books. I will visit him there for the rest of my life. You will too.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Jon Paul Fiorentino is the author of Stripmalling, Indexical Elegies, and the editor of Matrix Magazine and Snare Books. He lives in Montreal.<br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-58926729068188891182011-02-12T10:06:00.001-08:002011-02-12T10:10:43.664-08:00Golden Beaver!So, Indexical Elegies has been nominated for the CBC Book Club Award for best book of poetry. A Bookie! The trophy is a golden beaver! For real! Obviously I would love to have a golden beaver in my home.<br /><br />If you read IE and liked IE, please vote for me here:<br /><a href="http://www.cbc.ca/books/bookclub/2011/02/more-bookies-nominees-revealed-get-your-votes-in.html">http://www.cbc.ca/books/bookclub/2011/02/more-bookies-nominees-revealed-get-your-votes-in.html</a><br /><br />sincerely,<br />Jon Paul Fiorentino<br />Poet DudeUnknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-59682830695263328332010-10-03T15:00:00.001-07:002010-10-03T15:15:20.520-07:00Indexical Elegies Readings!Hello blog. It's been too long. Throughout this fall, I will be reading from my new book, <a href="http://www.chbooks.com/catalogue/indexical-elegies">Indexical Elegies</a>:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chbooks.com/events/oct-14-coach-house-fall-2010-launch-2010-10-14">Toronto Coach House Book Launch</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.chbooks.com/events/oct-22-jon-paul-fiorentino-vancouver-international-writers-festival-2010-10-22">Vancouver International Writers Festival</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.artsforall.ca/index.php/AFA/article/my_citys_still_breathing_symposium_schedule/">Winnipeg My City's Still Breathing Conference</a>.<br /><br />And a few more to be confirmed (Calgary, Saskatoon, Winnipeg again, Toronto again)...<br /><br />I'm looking forward to getting out west, seeing old friends and making new ones!!!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-50010715905818863042010-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:002010-04-03T06:15:53.443-07:00Some Spring Readings!I will be at AWP in Denver next week:<br /><br />Friday, April 9, 2010 <br />4:30pm - 6:00pm <br />The Dikeou Collection, Colorado Building <br />1615 California Street, Suite 515<br /><br />Please join the Denver Quarterly and Coach House Books for an off-site AWP reading on Friday, April 9, from 3 - 6 pm at The Dikeou Collection, located in downtown Denver, just a two-block-walk from the Colorado Convention Center. There will be free wine and snacks, and no charge for the event.<br /><br />Coach House will be presenting The Cross-Border Avant-Garde Extravaganza, featuring Canadians Christian Bök (Eunoia), Jen Currin (The Inquisition Yours), Jon Paul Fiorentino (The Theory of the Loser Class) and kevin mcpherson eckhoff (Rhapsodomancy) and Americans Rachel Levitsky (Neighbor) and K. Silem Mohammad (The Front). Hosted by Coach House senior editor Alana Wilcox, it promises to be a phenomenal afternoon of out-there poetry, with Flarf, surrealism, visual poetry and more! A Peace Bridge of Poetics! <a href="http://is.gd/bcElZ">http://is.gd/bcElZ</a><br /><br />Later this month, I will be at Blue Metropolis as a host for this:<br /><br />SATURDAY APRIL 24 @ 9:00 PM<br />THE AFTER-HOURS LITERARY LUAU<br />DELTA CENTRE-VILLE<br />777 University Street<br />Salon ST-LAURENT<br /><br />This Blue Metropolis after-hours party presents short readings from some of the small press world’s finest poets and fiction writers in a casual atmosphere. Come out after the discussions and lectures and have some fun! Cash bar.<br /><br />Presented by Coach House Books, Insomniac Press, Invisible Publishing, Matrix magazine, and Snare Books.<br /><br />With Katrina Best, Jen Currin, John Goldbach, Kevin Mcpherson Eckhoff, Ian Orti, Alan Reed, Mike Spry, Thom Vernon, and Rachel Zolf.<br /><br />And your host, Jon Paul Fiorentino. <a href="http://is.gd/bcErC">http://is.gd/bcErC</a><br /><br />And next month in Vancouver for this:<br /><br />May 13, 2010, 7pm at the UBC Library/Bookstore at Robson Square: David Derry, Jon Paul Fiorentino, and Matthew Hooton. <a href="http://is.gd/bcEjD">http://is.gd/bcEjD</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-11895389806209137562009-11-25T15:37:00.000-08:002009-11-25T15:53:42.380-08:00The QWF GalaNovember 17th, 2009. Lion D'or. <br /><br />It was a lovely evening. Snare Books was honoured with a A.M. Klein prize nomination for <a href="http://snarebooks.wordpress.com/books/mike-spry/">Mike Spry's Jack</a>. <br /><br />I was honoured with a Hugh MacLennan Prize nomination for <a href="http://www.ecwpress.com/books/stripmalling">Stripmalling</a>.<br /><br />Friends Gillian Sze, Patrick McDonagh and David Homel were also nominated for book awards.<br /><br />Most important, Adrian and Lucille King-Edwards from The Word Bookstore were honoured with the QWF Community Award. Long overdue!<br /><br />It was particularly exciting for me to have the opportunity to bring my folks out to a classy event. They didn't know I had it in me!<br /><br />Here are some photos.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3BUgkvsbI/AAAAAAAAACw/eubBSMWDEvo/s1600/-5.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3BUgkvsbI/AAAAAAAAACw/eubBSMWDEvo/s320/-5.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408191285627433394" /></a><br /><br />Me and my girlfriend, Marisa<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3BqAygSCI/AAAAAAAAAC4/B_8HGpMrOxc/s1600/-4.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3BqAygSCI/AAAAAAAAAC4/B_8HGpMrOxc/s320/-4.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408191655052331042" /></a><br /><br />Adrian!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3CodLO8bI/AAAAAAAAADA/awxRvD40fO8/s1600/-2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3CodLO8bI/AAAAAAAAADA/awxRvD40fO8/s320/-2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408192727824134578" /></a><br /><br />Mike Spry, David McGimpsey<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3C-wZCDnI/AAAAAAAAADI/_NWpAxKO0yg/s1600/-1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3C-wZCDnI/AAAAAAAAADI/_NWpAxKO0yg/s320/-1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408193110939405938" /></a><br /><br />Mike Spry, Gillian Sze<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3DTBygTWI/AAAAAAAAADQ/k1ZIf6OijdQ/s1600/-3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sw3DTBygTWI/AAAAAAAAADQ/k1ZIf6OijdQ/s320/-3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5408193459207032162" /></a><br /><br />Me and my pops!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-54046735046822338912009-05-29T12:01:00.001-07:002009-05-29T12:11:25.968-07:00Stripmalling Climbs the Winnipeg Charts!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/SiAy5FgkIUI/AAAAAAAAACo/mO7scNQCQ7I/s1600-h/best2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/SiAy5FgkIUI/AAAAAAAAACo/mO7scNQCQ7I/s320/best2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341325114374103362" /></a><br /><br />Stripmalling has momentum! So close to a number one hit! I feel just like Engelbert Humperdinck when "There Goes My Everything" made it to number two. Do you know what I mean?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-49217721541669063502009-05-22T13:42:00.000-07:002009-05-22T13:56:04.504-07:00Stripmalling makes Winnipeg Bestseller List!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/ShcPaKHVFgI/AAAAAAAAACg/xUwup3XPTQ0/s1600-h/best.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 254px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/ShcPaKHVFgI/AAAAAAAAACg/xUwup3XPTQ0/s320/best.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338752825337124354" /></a><br /><br />Thanks to an amazing launch with Guy Maddin and the very hard working staff of McNally Robinson, I made it to number 3 on the Winnipeg Bestseller List! Guy Maddin's My Winnipeg is #1 in the Non-Fiction category!<br /><br />HARDCOVER FICTION<br /><br />1. Wake<br />Robert J. Sawyer. Science Fiction.<br /><br />2. Assegai<br />Wilbur Smith. Fiction.<br /><br />3. Stripmalling.<br />Jon Paul Fiorentino. Fiction.<br /><br />4. The Gargoyle.<br />Andrew Davidson. Fiction.<br /><br />5. Wicked Prey.<br />John Sandford. Fiction.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-81226254917970868472009-05-13T16:08:00.000-07:002009-05-13T16:52:44.033-07:00Hold on, 'peggers!<a href="http://www.ecwpress.com/winnipeg_launch_stripmalling">Here I come Winnipeg! </a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-79812254056259929172009-05-02T09:52:00.001-07:002009-05-02T13:19:05.340-07:00The good, the bad, and the uglyOk, so I have received quite a few reviews for Stripmalling now. The reviews have been an interesting mix. I am lucky to have received very positive assessments from (in my opinion) the most important venues -- The Quill and Quire, and the Globe and Mail. Other rags and mags have been less positive. And one review is so ridiculously negative that it fails to cite the book at all and actually makes claims about my life instead! (Mmmm! Now that's good literary journalism!)<br /><br />Anyways, as per usual, my two hometowns are home to the harshest criticism. And, overall, I am very pleased with the response to the book. <br /><br /><br />Here's the good, the bad and the ugly:<br />________________________________________________________________________________<br />THE GOOD<br /><br />Stripmalling is the first novel by Jon Paul Fiorentino, and a very funny one it is.... Amid the hilarious scenes that make up Stripmalling — gas-station hot-boxing, desperate ploys for sex, moderate success in the writing world — Fiorentino produces peaks of warmth and true sadness.<br />— Globe and Mail<br /><br />It's a Canadian triumph. It's not pretty, but it's a great romp. A funny, funny romp.<br />— Lemon Hound<br /><br />Stripmalling is an entertaining, occasionally disorienting trip through the wires of Jonny, a presumably semi-fictional character working in and around a strip mall in suburban Winnipeg.... Outrageous, intriguing and quietly powerful, Stripmalling offers readers the curious and ultimately rewarding experience of stepping outside their own stories.<br />— Scene Magazine<br /><br />Stripmalling is an author’s memoir freed from the tyranny of facts. Jonny shares his personal issues with an off-the-wall candour.... From the top of Stripmalling, you see a keen mind at work under the quirky surface.<br />— Xtra<br /><br />There’s a welcome what-the-hell bent to the fictionalized part-memoir, part-graphic novel collage that is Jon Paul Fiorentino’s Stripmalling.<br />— Toronto Star (Arrivals)<br /><br />...poignant, politically savvy and laugh-out-loud-funny...<br />— Montreal Mirror<br /><br />Stripmalling is worth reading for its wry, sardonic humour and delightfully self- deprecating tone . . . Thoroughly enjoyable.<br />— Montreal Review of Books<br /><br />[Stripmalling has] a poignant tension between narrative and fragmentation, hopefulness and cynicism. . . . [Fiorentino has] become one of Montreal's — and Canada's — most prolific and accomplished young writers.<br />— Hour<br /><br />A collage-like experience, Stripmalling is a hybrid book forged out of multiple angles and perspectives. It is also a funny and clever experiment in tale-telling.<br />— Quill and Quire <br /><br />Stripmalling is an amusing, breezy read ... well-paced fun <br />— Complete Review<br /><br />THE BAD<br /><br />He certainly does bits well: the comic strips "Helen Keller’s Voice Mail" and "Dubious Toasts" are tastelessly hilarious, aided considerably by Munday’s understated cartooning. Nor is Fiorentino without insight. What he needs to do next time is supply a final act.<br />— Winnipeg Free Press<br /> <br />Sometimes the line between hipster irony and boringly bad is too narrow to discern.... If everybody's alienated and nobody cares, what's the point of reading any further? There's a reason why The Simpsons isn't a novel.* <br />— Toronto Star (Column)<br /><br />THE UGLY<br /><br />It should never be enough to simply regurgitate one's lack of a significant life... Sadly, instead of building on his strengths, Fiorentino wallows in his weaknesses – lack of plot, banal observations, cheap characterization, hipster posing.<br />— Montreal Gazette<br />________________________________________________________________________________<br /><br />An aside: It's interesting to note that in the most scathing indictments of Stripmalling, the word "hipster" is invoked. I think these days, "hipster" is scribe code for "young and/or threatening." See Carl Wilson's <a href="http://www.zoilus.com/documents/general/2009/001688.php">excellent response</a> to <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20090430.wrussell30art1631/CommentStory/Entertainment/">Russell Smith</a> for a more nuanced and complex discussion of this.<br /><br />Another aside: *(Hey, Toronto Star dude: Actually, writers of The Simpsons care very much about cultural literacy and intellectual/literary practice. Stop being reductive and try reading <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Swartzwelder">John Swartzwelder's</a> wonderful novels. He wrote 59 episodes of The Simpsons and his books are brilliant.)<br /><br />So there you have it. The responses to my book so far. It obviously hits a nerve with readers. I am thankful for the good and bad reviews. The ugly one is just ugly. Is Stripmalling hipster posing and boringly bad? Or is it funny, clever and poignant? Go buy it and let me know what you think.<br /><br />Now let's all sit back, relax, and listen to the clearly not hipster band <a href="http://loudersoft.com/songs/Smoking_Popes-If_You_Dont_Care.mp3">The Smoking Popes!</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10093112.post-48237677518473372682009-03-31T12:35:00.000-07:002009-04-09T17:53:36.751-07:00Official Montreal Launch - Blue Metropolis<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sd6NO559eaI/AAAAAAAAACQ/vhEEK_SVWzs/s1600-h/Stripmalling+evite.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 174px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_arVa9GYAI48/Sd6NO559eaI/AAAAAAAAACQ/vhEEK_SVWzs/s320/Stripmalling+evite.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5322847096800115106" /></a><br />THURSDAY, APRIL 23 2009 @ 7:00 PM<br /><br />STRIPMALLING<br /><br />The launch of Stripmalling, a tale of love, art, and low, low retail prices. <br />Jon Paul Fiorentino's first novel, followed by a reading and reception. <br />Hosted by Maya Merrick.<br /><br />DELTA CENTRE-VILLE - LES COURANTS <br />ADMISSION: FREE<br /><br /><a href="http://www.bluemetropolis.org">www.bluemetropolis.org</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0