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Chicago Poetry Scene Top 135

· A Cram On WBEZ
· After Hours Press
· Another Chicago Magazine
· Anti-War Poetry
· Apparatus Magazine
· AquaMoon
· Audio Party
· Barbara's Bookstore
· Beach Poets
· Blue Line Studio
· Bob Boone's Teacher's Hangout
· Book Cellar
· Book Slut
· Book Stall
· Brown Rice
· Caffeine Theatre
· Center on Halsted
· Chaotic Radio
· Chicago Amplified
· Chicago Calling
· Chicago Literary Club
· Chicago Poetry Club
· Chicago Poetry Examiner
· Chicago Poetry Project
· Chicago Poetry Neutral Zone
· Chicago Public Library
· Chicago Reader
· Chicago Readers Blog
· Chicago Shakes
· Chicago Slam Works
· Chicago Writes
· Collage Productions
· College of Complexes
· Columbia College
· Columbia College Events
· Columbia Poetry Review
· Cracked Slab Books
· CRWROPPS
· Danny's
· Discrete Series
· Dollar Store
· Drinking and Writing
· EarCandy
· Ebony Energy
· 826 Chicago
· Encyclopedia Show
· e-poets.net
· Featherproof
· Gallery 37
· GB Book Club
· Girl Speak
· Golden Rule Jones
· Green Mill
· Guild Complex
· Gwendolyn Brooks Center
· Homolatte
· Illinois Arts Council
· Illinois Poet Laureate
· Illinois Poets Society
· In One Ear at Heartland Cafe
· KuumbaLynx
· La Bloga
· Lake Forest College
· Lethal Poetry
· Letter eX
· Literago
· Literary Chicago
· Louder Than A Bomb
· Loyola
· LVNG
· Mango Tribe
· March/Abrazo
· Mental Graffiti
· Milk Magazine
· Myopic Books
· Neighborhood Writing Alliance
· Newberry Library
· New City Words Section
· Next Objectivists
· Northwestern
· Northwestern Press
· NNWAC
· Parlor Reading Series
· Partner Dance Press
· PerformInk
· Poetry Center of Chicago
· Poetry Foundation
· Poetry Magazine
· PoetryPoetry
· Poets and Patrons
· Powells
· POW-WOW
· Printers Ball
· Printers Row Book Fair
· Proyecto Latina
· Puddin'head Press
· Publish Chicago
· Quickies!
· Quimby's
· Ragdale
· Rambunctious Review
· Reading Under The Influence
· Rec Room
· Revolving Door
· Red Rover
· Rhino
· 2nd Story
· Series A
· Seven Corners
· Shakespeares Monkeys
· She Writes
· Silver Tongue
· Small Garlic Press
· Spoon River Review
· StarWallpaper
· Sunday Salon
· Sun Times Books
· Swan Isle Press
· Switchback Books
· Tallgrass Writers / Outrider Press
· The2ndHand
· Third World Press
· Tianguis Bookstore
· TimeOut Blog
· TimeOut Books
· TriQuarterly
· Tuesday Funk
· Twilight Tales
· U of C Poetics
· U of C Press
· U of I Press
· Underground Library
· Unscene Chicago
· Virtual Artists Collective
· Vocalo.org
· Waiting 4 The Bus
· Weeds
· Woman Made Gallery
· Women and Children First
· Young Chicago Authors

eX-treme 100

· Taalam Acey
· Bill Allegrezza
· Lisa Alvarado
· Diane Anjoue
· Antler
· Robert Archambeau
· AvantRetro
· Dave Awl
· Beatriz Badikian
· Tara Betts
· John Biederman
· Robert Bly
· David Breeden
· Tim Brown
· Michael H. Brownstein
· Michael Burke
· Darren Callahan
· Emily Calvo
· Vito Carli
· Mars Caulton
· Daniel Cleary
· Kristiana Colon
· Kevin Coval
· Anna Castillo
· Larry O. Dean
· Thax Douglas
· Annabelle Echo
· Robert Klein Engler
· Anida Esguerra
· Ryan Ewart
· Richard Fammeree
· Maria Fischinger
· Jason Fisk
· Mary Fons
· Cynthia Gallaher
· Lee Groban
· Amy Guth
· Steve Henn
· M. Miriam Herrera
· Nissa Holtkamp
· Paul Hoover
· Robert Karimi
· Donna Kiser
· David Kodeski
· Kathy Kubik
· C. J. Laity
· Jim Lambert
· Anna Leahy
· Toni Asante Lightfoot
· Josephine Lipuma
· Lyn Lifshin
· Nicole Macaluso
· William Marr
· Marc McCune
· Sharon Mesmer
· Susan Messer
· Jonathan Messinger
· Moon
· Wilda Morris
· Simone Muench
· David Novak
· Daniel X. O'Neil
· Pam Osbey
· Johanny Vazquez Paz
· Marilyn Peretti
· Paul Martinez Pompa
· Andrew Rafalski
· Luis Rodriguez
· Kathleen Rooney
· Charlie Rossiter
· Carl Sandburg
· Larry Sawyer
· Steven Schroeder
· Adam Selzer
· Bronmin Shumway
· Homer Smith
· Mark K. Smith
· Kerri Sonnenberg
· Dan Stafford
· Jason Sturner
· Robbie Q. Telfer
· Kelly Zen-Yie Tsai
· Billy Tuggle
· Lara Unnerstall
· Judith Valente
· Lina ramona Vitkauskas
· S. L. Wisenberg
· Larry Winfield
· Jacqui Wolk
· Ruan Wright
· Tim Yu
· Claire Zulkey

Topic: Chicago Poetry Reviews: Click Headlines
The new items published under this topic are as follows.


		Revolving Door Reading Series at Red Kiva Posted by : cj on Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 09:10 AM
		377 Reads Note: On Wednesday, July 28, the new Revolving Door Reading series presented another hot poetry night at Red Kiva, 1108 W. Randolph. This time the poetry party included an ACM pre-release event hosted by Jennifer Steele, Jacob Knabb and Jamie Kazay, featuring Quraysh Ali Lansana, Tara Betts, Timothy Yu and Bayo Ojikutu. And you bet that ChicagoPoetry.com was there to check out the poetic action. Click here for the scoop! 535 More words


		aaaaaaaaaaalice by Jennifer Karmin; Reviewed by CJ Laity Posted by : cj on Sunday, May 09, 2010 - 01:31 PM
		708 Reads . aaaaaaaaaaalice by Jennifer Karmin flim forum press Reviewed by CJ Laity At the end of aaaaaaaaaaalice (that's eleven letter "a"s, the same number of "cantos" in this "travelogue"), Jennifer Karmin explains that the poems in her book (that are actually collages derived from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and a book called Beginning Japanese Part 2), are "word scores for polyvocal improvisation" that are "intended for reading, sound, and performance experiments." The author suggests, "every reading of this text-sound epic should produce new results." Well, that may be the intention, but the bottom line is this is a book of poetry. Since it has two covers and is made out of paper, I am going to look at Karmin's book as a book, a book that will be read by its audience silently like any other book. What we have here is something extremely experimental and completely anti-narrative. But just as it is within the chaos of subatomic particles that everything physical is formed, even within the randomness of these words a story develops. This story may be different for each reader, as the author seems to be suggesting, so I can only share with you the story that I get out of it. Note: Click Here to read the full review. 1184 More words


		Gurlesque (new grrly, grotesque, burlesque poetics), Review by CJ Laity Posted by : cj on Friday, April 02, 2010 - 05:51 PM
		1263 Reads Note: Here is a review of Saturnalia Books' Gurlesque Anthology. WARNING: Due to the nature of the book being reviewed, this article contains explicit language not intended for children or for those who are easily offended. 2179 More words


		Venue Review: Katerina's Street of Dreams' Future Perfect Posted by : cj on Thursday, April 01, 2010 - 11:45 PM
		916 Reads Note: Here is a review of the Future Perfect Series at Katerinas. 299 More words


		Review Of Night Of Sights And Sounds With Saul Williams Posted by : cj on Sunday, March 28, 2010 - 01:34 PM
		1225 Reads Note: Here is a review and some photos from A Night of Sights and Sounds with Saul Williams. 2088 More words


		THE TWELVE CHICAGO POETRY BOOKS OF eX-MAS Posted by : cj on Friday, December 11, 2009 - 05:59 PM
		1766 Reads Note: ChicagoPoetry.com picks the twelve books that have caught our attention the most in 2009. Click here to learn who made the list. 1301 More words


		PAUL MARTINEZ POMPA: MY KILL ADORE HIM Posted by : cj on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 - 06:16 PM
		1461 Reads Note: Here is a review of Paul Martinez Pompa's debut book of poetry, My Kill Adore HIm 1100 More words


		DISCOVER HELEN DEGEN COHEN Posted by : cj on Sunday, March 01, 2009 - 01:16 PM
		2576 Reads Note: Here is a review of Helen Degen Cohen's new book of poetry, On A Good Day One Discovers Another Poet 772 More words


		AL DEGENOVA: PAINTER OF TIME Posted by : cj on Saturday, September 06, 2008 - 05:34 PM
		2445 Reads . The Blueing Hours poems by Albert DeGenova published by Virtual Artists Collective reviewed by C. J. Laity With the creation of The Blueing Hours, two important establishments have been made: Al DeGenova as a great American poet and Steven Shroeder's Virtual Artists Collective as a major Midwestern publisher of poetry. I enjoyed reading these 60 pages of jazzy, erotic poetry Note: Click here for CJ Laity's full review of Al DeGenova's new book, The Blueing Hours. 617 More words


		TOP DOG: CHARLIE ROSSITER Posted by : cj on Sunday, November 18, 2007 - 11:43 AM
		1978 Reads Note: Here is a review of Charlie Rossiter's new book The Night We Danced With the Raelettes. 624 More words


		TOP DOGS OF CHICAGO POETRY Posted by : cj on Sunday, November 04, 2007 - 08:32 PM
		1746 Reads ChicagoPoetry.com has discovered eight of the Top Dog Male poets in the City of Chicago. Whether they bark, bite or wiggle or wag, we wanted to know who they are; the dog-diggity mission has concluded. Click On The Top Dog's Name To Read The Review. LARRY JANOWKSI FRANCESCO LEVATO TONY TRIGILIO RAUL NINO RON OFFEN KEVIN STEIN ** CHARLIE ROSSITER Of course there are a lot more Top Dogs in Chicago, but we have to end the mission somewhere. 145 More words


		TOP DOG: KEVIN STEIN Posted by : cj on Friday, October 26, 2007 - 01:05 PM
		2462 Reads Note: Here is a review of Kevin Stein's new book, American Ghost Roses. 999 More words


		TOP DOG: RON OFFEN Posted by : cj on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 01:09 PM
		2365 Reads Note: Here is a review of Ron Offen's book, Off-Target. 901 More words


		TOP DOG: RAUL NINO Posted by : cj on Tuesday, September 04, 2007 - 11:36 AM
		1620 Reads Note: Here is a review of Raul Nino's new book, A Book of Mornings. 1006 More words


		TOP DOG: TONY TRIGILIO Posted by : cj on Sunday, September 02, 2007 - 01:22 PM
		2713 Reads Note: Here is a review of Tony Trigilio's new book, The Lama's English Lessons. 1354 More words


		TOP DOG: LARRY JANOWSKI Posted by : cj on Thursday, August 30, 2007 - 08:58 PM
		1871 Reads Note: Here is a review of Larry Janowski's new book, BrotherKeeper. 944 More words


		THE NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY Posted by : cj on Friday, January 05, 2007 - 02:03 PM
		1784 Reads Recently ChicagoPoetry.com went on a pursuit for the Nine Lives of Chicago Poetry. We sought out the poets who write poetry that is filled with life. In Chicago, much of the poetry is live. Many of us live our lives as poets. How many poets are livers of life? How many poets live their poetry? How much of our poetry is based on our lives? Will we live our life live before a live audience reading poetry about life? To some this is living life to it's fullest. Poetry is their life's work. We pursued nine of these poets and we learned something about life. This is what we came up with. Can you dig it, cool Cat daddy-o? Click On Poet's Name To Read The Review. 1st Live Poet: Lauren Levato 2nd Live Poet: Tara Betts 3rd Live Poet: Mike Puican 4th Live Poet: Simone Muench 5th Live Poets: Tia Chucha Poets 6th Live Poet: Tyehimba Jess 7th Live Poet: Donna Pucciani 8th Live Poet: Norman Porter ** 9th Live Poet: Mary Fons 246 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: MARY FONS Posted by : cj on Friday, January 05, 2007 - 12:56 PM
		4045 Reads Note: Here is a review of Mary Fons' chapbook, the texas EP. 794 More words


		THE TRUTH ABOUT NORMAN PORTER / J J JAMESON Posted by : cj on Wednesday, December 06, 2006 - 06:52 PM
		3974 Reads Note: Here is a review of Norman Porter's book, Lady Rutherfurd's Cauliflower. 4038 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: DONNA PUCCIANI Posted by : cj on Saturday, November 18, 2006 - 01:32 PM
		1677 Reads Note: Here is a review of Donna Pucciani's book, The Other Side Of Thunder. 821 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: TYEHIMBA JESS Posted by : cj on Sunday, October 15, 2006 - 05:58 PM
		2429 Reads Note: Here is a review of Tyehimba Jess' book leadbelly. 1184 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: TIA CHUCHA'S POETS Posted by : cj on Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - 07:27 PM
		2270 Reads Note: Here is a review of Tia Chucha Press' new anthology, Dream of a Word. 973 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: SIMONE MUENCH Posted by : cj on Monday, September 11, 2006 - 03:57 PM
		3425 Reads Note: Here is a review of Simone Muench's book Lampblack & Ash. 1436 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: MIKE PUICAN Posted by : cj on Thursday, September 07, 2006 - 05:34 PM
		2047 Reads Note: Here is a review of Mike Puican's book 30 Seconds. 1217 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: TARA BETTS Posted by : cj on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 - 04:00 PM
		2383 Reads Note: Here is a review of Tara Betts' chapbook, Switch. 2149 More words


		NINE LIVES OF CHICAGO POETRY: LAUREN LEVATO Posted by : cj on Sunday, September 03, 2006 - 12:52 PM
		2409 Reads Note: Here is a review of Lauren Levato's new book, Marriage Bones. 1125 More words


		SEVEN WONDERS OF THE POETRY WORLD Posted by : cj on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 07:53 PM
		1826 Reads CLICK HERE to discover the first Wonder of the Poetry World: Nissa Holtkamp CLICK HERE to discover the second Wonder of the Poetry World: Jared Smith CLICK HERE to discover the third Wonder of the Poetry World: Luis J. Rodriguez CLICK HERE to discover the fourth Wonder of the Poetry World: Marilyn Peretti CLICK HERE to discover the fifth Wonder of the Poetry World: Dave Barr CLICK HERE to discover the sixth Wonder of the Poetry World: Lucy Anderton CLICK HERE to discover the seventh Wonder of the Poetry World: Jim Coppoc 163 More words


		POETRY WONDER: JIM COPPOC Posted by : cj on Thursday, March 09, 2006 - 06:57 PM
		2227 Reads Note: Here is a review of Jim Coppoc's new book, Blood, Sex, and Prayer. 791 More words


		POETRY WONDER: LUCY ANDERTON Posted by : cj on Monday, March 06, 2006 - 12:04 PM
		2278 Reads Note: Here is a review of Lucy Anderton's new chapbook, tender grass. 708 More words


		POETRY WONDER: DAVE BARR Posted by : cj on Friday, March 03, 2006 - 11:36 AM
		3119 Reads Note: Here is a review of Dave Barr's new book, Woman of my Dreams. 613 More words


		POETRY WONDER: MARILYN PERETTI Posted by : cj on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 02:16 PM
		2185 Reads Note: Here is a review of Marilyn Peretti's chapbook Let Wings Take You. 722 More words


		POETRY WONDER: LUIS J. RODRIGUEZ Posted by : cj on Monday, February 20, 2006 - 03:17 PM
		6932 Reads Note: Here is a review of Luis J. Rodriguez's new book My Nature Is Hunger. 1983 More words


		POETRY WONDER: JARED SMITH Posted by : cj on Saturday, February 18, 2006 - 05:39 PM
		2940 Reads Note: Here is a review of Jared Smith's new book Lake Michigan and Other Poems. 1122 More words


		POETRY WONDER: NISSA HOLTKAMP Posted by : cj on Thursday, February 09, 2006 - 11:56 AM
		2866 Reads Note: Here is a review of Nissa Holtkamp's new book Tinterchange. 683 More words


		SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION Posted by : cj on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 01:52 PM
		1493 Reads . The Month Of Meshing Has Concluded, But Feel Free To Mesh Some More. FIRST DEGREE: Click Here to meet Carol Anderson. SECOND DEGREE: Click Here to meet Frank Matagrano. THIRD DEGREE: Click Here to meet Elizabeth Marino. FOURTH DEGREE: Click Here to meet Joe Roarty. FIFTH DEGREE: Click Here to meet Robert Bly. SIXTH DEGREE: Click here to meet Cathleen Schandelmeier. Thank you for the Month of Meshing, Chicago Poets. 141 More words


		SIXTH DEGREE: CATHLEEN SCHANDELMEIER Posted by : cj on Tuesday, October 25, 2005 - 12:41 PM
		3187 Reads Note: Here is a review of Cathleen Schandelmeier's performance piece, Moving Chicago. 640 More words


		FIFTH DEGREE: ROBERT BLY Posted by : cj on Sunday, October 23, 2005 - 12:10 PM
		2633 Reads Note: Here is a review of Robert Bly at Unity Temple in Oak Park. 1174 More words


		FOURTH DEGREE: JOE ROARTY Posted by : cj on Saturday, October 15, 2005 - 12:49 PM
		2791 Reads Note: Here is a review of Joe Roarty's new book, Choruses I. 721 More words


		THIRD DEGREE: ELIZABETH MARINO Posted by : cj on Saturday, October 08, 2005 - 02:08 PM
		3958 Reads Note: Here is a review of Liz Marino's new book, Debris. 1199 More words


		SECOND DEGREE: FRANK MATAGRANO Posted by : cj on Saturday, September 24, 2005 - 03:31 PM
		2492 Reads Note: Here is a review of Frank Matagrano's I Can Only Go As Fast As The Guy In Front Of Me. 1012 More words


		FIRST DEGREE: CAROL ANDERSON Posted by : cj on Sunday, September 18, 2005 - 12:49 PM
		2436 Reads Note: Here is a review of Carol Anderson's new book of poetry, Ordinary. 1003 More words


		THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Posted by : cj on Friday, May 13, 2005 - 05:02 PM
		1453 Reads LETTER EX CALLS UPON THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: FORMS POETRY POSSE Attention Chicago Poets. The fate of this little ghost town called poetry has been saved. I have deputized seven poets. These seven have embarked on a journey into the most mountainous regions of the soul. Armed with their words, they hunted down the notorious outlaw allies of Yog Monster From Space and protected our land from the wretched clutches of that six-gun slingin' Dr. Goodverse. The enemies of the spoken word thought they could hide in the hills but The Magnificent Seven tracked them down, discovered their cinders still smoldering under wet coffee grounds, measured their horse's dung for freshness, sniffed out evil and offensive anonymity as the wind blew it their way. They met at high noon at the Bourbon Saloon and everyone received a whiskey on the house before they ventured into Vulture Valley. 1. CLICK HERE to deputize Steven Schroeder. 2. CLICK HERE to deputize Lee Kitzis 3. CLICK HERE to deputize Dan Cleary. 4. CLICK HERE to deputize Emily Rose. 5. CLICK HERE to deputize Maureen Tolman Flannery. 6. CLICK HERE to deputize Martha Modena Vertreace-Doody. 7. CLICK HERE to deputize Larry Winfield. 268 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: LARRY WINFIELD Posted by : cj on Tuesday, April 26, 2005 - 01:55 PM
		989 Reads Note: Here is a review of Larry Winfield's audio CD Erzulie Freda. 810 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: MARTHA MODENA VERTREACE-DOODY Posted by : cj on Wednesday, April 06, 2005 - 12:00 PM
		2235 Reads Note: Here is a review of Martha Modena Vertreace-Doody's "Glacier Fire". 1090 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: MAUREEN TOLMAN FLANNERY Posted by : cj on Friday, March 25, 2005 - 09:26 AM
		2686 Reads Note: Here is a review of Maureen Tolman Flannery's book "Ancestors in the Landscape" 940 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: EMILY ROSE Posted by : cj on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 12:19 PM
		4991 Reads Note: Here is a review of Emily Rose's "Cigarette Love Songs and Nicotine Kisses" 700 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: DANIEL CLEARY Posted by : cj on Friday, March 11, 2005 - 10:20 AM
		2283 Reads Note: Here is a review of Dan Cleary's "Elegy For James Gerard and Other Poems for the Larger Voice". 903 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: LEE KITZIS Posted by : cj on Thursday, March 10, 2005 - 02:10 PM
		2530 Reads Note: Here is a review of Lee Kitzis' "The Laundromat Girl". 612 More words


		MAGNIFICENT SEVEN: STEVEN SCHROEDER Posted by : cj on Wednesday, March 09, 2005 - 12:46 PM
		2498 Reads Note: Here is a review of Steven Schroeder's book "Revolutinary Patience". 471 More words


		AN AFTERNOON OF AFTER HOURS Posted by : cj on Sunday, February 13, 2005 - 06:35 PM
		2307 Reads Note: On Sunday, February 13, 2005, After Hours celebrated the release of its tenth issue. Click the headline for Letter eX's coverage. Now includes a letter from Al DeGenova. 919 More words


		THE USUAL SUSPECTS Posted by : cj on Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:58 AM
		1435 Reads . CHICAGO'S MOST WANTED POETS Suspect One: Charlie Newman $$ Suspect Two: Michael H. Brownstein $$ Suspect Three: Tom Roby $$ Suspect Four: Kristy Bowen $$ Suspect Five: Kathy Kubik Suspect Six: Jan Bottiglieri $$ Suspect Seven: Kenneth Clarke 678 More words


		SUSPECT TWO: MICHAEL H. BROWNSTEIN Posted by : cj on Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:56 AM
		2260 Reads Note: Michael Brownstein's book, A Period of Trees,* is edited the way a fine gem is cut.* 757 More words


		SUSPECT THREE: TOM ROBY Posted by : cj on Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:55 AM
		2119 Reads Note: Like Constance Vogel's The Mulberry, Tom Roby's new book is a therapeutic metamorphosis. In it, grief becomes art and loss becomes self-examination. The emptiness found after the death of a loved one is filled by the very nature surrounding us all. 880 More words


		SUSPECT FIVE: KATHY KUBIK Posted by : cj on Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:52 AM
		2235 Reads Note: Kathy Kubik's collection captures portraits of the difficult subjects in life with an unflinching lens. 792 More words


		SUSPECT SIX: JAN BOTTIGLIERI Posted by : cj on Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:51 AM
		1847 Reads Note: Jan Bottiglieri owns a mental zoom lens and she uses it with the skill of a seasoned artist. 1302 More words


		SUSPECT EIGHT: KENNETH CLARKE Posted by : cj on Monday, December 06, 2004 - 10:49 AM
		3874 Reads Note: You might want to get a copy of ReVerse simply for Lawrence Flerlingetti's performance of the poem "History of the Airplane", or for Lou Reed's poem "The City and the Sea". But, in my opinion, the performances by the local poets make this CD worth the $12 asking price. 1290 More words


		CONSTANCE VOGEL'S "THE MULBERRY" Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 11:08 PM
		1802 Reads Note: This bittersweet collection of 17 related poems explores the grief and confusion felt by a mother who has lost her daughter. 693 More words


		MARVIN TATE AND GROUP SEX Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 11:07 PM
		640 Reads Note: Is this reviewed shaped like what I think it's shaped like? 434 More words


		STYLE TWO: THE SONIC TRANCE STYLE Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:50 PM
		786 Reads Note: Michelle Rigot (who recently made her ChicagoPoetry.com debut at the Guild Complex's Chicago Poetry Uncensored show) has taken the art of the recorded spoken-word to the extreme. 466 More words


		STYLE THREE: THE COSMIC PINBALL STYLE Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:49 PM
		1316 Reads Note: Celibate Dazzled is what a chapbook ought to be, a one sit read, short in length, gigantic in depth. 661 More words


		STYLE FIVE: THE OSEI TUTU STYLE Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:46 PM
		768 Reads Note: They Shall Run is not light reading. It can not be consumed in one sit like a box of candy. 899 More words


		STYLE SEVEN: THE NUMEN BLITZ STYLE Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:43 PM
		530 Reads Note: After Hours Press Publisher Albert DeGenova keeps getting better and better at what he does. 1348 More words


		STYLE EIGHT: THE AMAZING STAMINA STYLE Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:42 PM
		827 Reads Note: On Saturday, May 22, Lucien Stryk read and spoke for over two hours at the Harold Washington Library. ChicagoPoetry.com was there to cover the entire thing. 1377 More words


		MASTER SAFE CRACKER STEALS HEART OF CHICAGO POET Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:33 PM
		2670 Reads Note: Susan Spaeth Cherry's Breaking Into The Safe Of Life* is a groundbreaking collection of eighty poems divided into three sections, each section distinct in its style and subject matter.* 2864 More words


		TIM BROWN'S GUIDE TO THE NEW YORK SCENE Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:32 PM
		768 Reads 1761 More words


		BIG HEART, WEAK VERSE: BILLY CORGAN AT POETRY CENTER Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:26 PM
		812 Reads . Billy Corgan's recent appearance for The Poetry Center of Chicago was undoubtedly the most hyped-up poetry event Chicago has ever seen, with write ups online at Rolling Stone, Billboard, MTV and in dozens of other mainstream media sources. And with word of his band Zwan's breakup originating on Chicago's "very own" WGN days prior to the reading, it is no surprise the Art Institute's Rubloff Auditorium was virtually sold out at $35 a pop, making this event probably the most successful benefit for Chicago's much deserving thirty year old poetry organization. And you just have to love Corgan, the former lead singer of the internationally acclaimed rock band Smashing Pumpkins, for coming back to his sweet home Chicago to present this intimate, multi-media presentation. That takes a big heart. However, Corgan's big heart couldn't save his forced, sophomoric attempts at creating what he must have thought poetry is suppose to sound like. Corgan seemed utterly uncomfortable on the stage in starched slacks, sporting a long, gray mortician's tie, fumbling with and dropping his pages, pacing back and forth, his nasally speaking voice subtracting from work already lacking in inspiration. For the most part, his poetry was so bad it was comical, sounding like a pile of high-school assignments composed by the C-minus student in the class. His poetry contained no energy, no rage, no dazzling metaphor or impressive usage of language, no unique voice, no imagery, no passion: in short, no Billy Corgan. It was probably fitting that he included a psalm from the Bible in the show, because his work came off like a collection of parodies of psalms, complete with the words "Thy" and "Alas". At times, I thought I should feel guilty for not feeling privileged that Corgan was sharing something so private as these unpolished exercises in stiffness, these embarrassing journal entries. At other times, I thought, certainly he must be making fun of poetry. But, more often than not, I just thought: for heaven's sake, even Jim Morrison had his moments--when is Corgan's going to start! I wanted to sneeze out, "Throw that dusty manuscript in the can, Billy. It's a noble first attempt, but put it where it belongs. Now try it again, from the beginning--using your own voice this time." Corgan either decided to demonstrate what a brilliant lyricist he is by comparing his music to how god awful his poetry can be, or he truly believes that poetry in the Millennial Age has to be sucked dead, dry of rhythm, must be read with a style completely lacking in emotion, and is totally undeserving of an encore. If Corgan sincerely believes that what poets do on stage is that much different than what he normally does with a band backing him up, that's just plain insulting. He didn't break a single rule with his poetry, creating something so obnoxiously unnatural and lifeless that even traditionalists would cringe at it. And he's not making any Slam teams either, trust me. But--"Alas!"--as soon as Corgan grabbed hold of his guitar and sang a few lines of his poetry, all the disappointment melted away instantaneously and his words took flight. He breathed new meaning into his words as he sang them. In a rare, unplugged performance using a steel guitar, Corgan showed what a genius he can be when he is honest with himself and when he remains true to his own style. Poetry can be sung. Go figure. --C. J. Laity 649 More words


		MYSTICAL PEN: STEVE GLABMAN Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:24 PM
		1284 Reads The Quest is complete. After seven journies by our brave Knights, a total invasion of Uptown, and the summoning of the Weeds magic, we have found the Mystical Pen. We will use this ancient relic of supernatural power to report the poetry news here at Letter eX. The pen will bring us truth and positivity. Seven poets were Knighted during our Quest, and each has taken an individual journey. Click on all the "Mystical Pen" headlines to read the reviews. 643 More words


		MYSTICAL PEN: PAMELA MILLER Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:17 PM
		1129 Reads Note: Chicago poet Pamela Miller is a gifted woman. 631 More words


		MYSTICAL PEN: KATHERINE CHRONIS Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:16 PM
		3656 Reads Note: I’ve known Katherine Chronis for close to ten years, and I have always admired her work. I first met her when she was the feature at Thax Douglas’s late, lamented weekly reading at Myopic Books. 2511 More words


		LEGENDARY CHICAGO POET JOHN DICKSON PASSES AWAY Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:11 PM
		2502 Reads Note: Well, I try to be completely honest in my reviews, so let me just admit this right from the start. Lake Michigan Scrolls is by far the best book of poetry I've read in many a years, and is written by one of America's most underestimated poets, 1262 More words


		MYSTICAL PEN: LARRY O. DEAN Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:11 PM
		2651 Reads Note: I want to tell you about one of these gems in the rough. The book I'm referring to is called "iDENTiTY THEfT for DUMMiES" and it is written by musician / poet Larry O. Dean 729 More words


		MYSTICAL PEN: In Defense of D.H. Lawrence by David Novak Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:09 PM
		590 Reads Note: In an essay in this summer’s City Journal, Theodore Dalrymple writes: “[D.H.] Lawrence was an earnest, but not a serious, writer--if by serious we mean one whose outlook on life is intellectually or morally worthy of our consideration.” 1985 More words


		MYSTICAL PEN: WAYNE ALLEN JONES Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 10:08 PM
		1493 Reads Note: You might have seen (recent newcomer to Chicago) Wayne Allen Jones read his poetry at Coffee Chicago on a Friday night. 803 More words


		A REVIEW OF THE UTTERLY INCOMPLETE "SPOKEN WORD REVOLUTION" Posted by : cj on Sunday, December 05, 2004 - 09:57 PM
		868 Reads Note: C. J. Laity takes an advanced peek at "The Spoken Word Revolution" -- a new book from the creators of "Poetry Speaks." This review is now in its final version. 2259 More words


		VOX ROCKS GUILD COMPLEX Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:47 PM
		720 Reads 624 More words


		GIVING SORROW WORDS IN THE BREADLINE Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:44 PM
		746 Reads 708 More words


		SURGICAL STRIKES UNLEASH YOG MONSTER FROM SPACE Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:13 PM
		815 Reads 5758 More words


		MARCH / ABRAZO vs. TIA CHUCHA Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:09 PM
		1140 Reads Note: Shin Yu Pai takes on "Bitter Coffee" and "Rise". Shin Yu Pai is a poet and photographer living in Boston, MA, and a former Chicago denizen. 2509 More words


		D-SETTLEMENT UNPLUGGED Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:07 PM
		837 Reads 760 More words


		DIVAS GIVE BIRTH TO POETRY Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:07 PM
		941 Reads 788 More words


		TWO FOR TWO ON BACK BEAT Posted by : cj on Saturday, December 04, 2004 - 03:05 PM
		825 Reads 3281 More words



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