WEALTH OF IDEAS

Presents Mary Mackey and Brad Henderson Mon. Aug. 4, 2008 at 7:30 PM HQ for the Arts 1719 25th Street Mary Mackey was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is related through her father's family to Mark Twain. She graduated magna cum laude from Harvard and received her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature from the University of Michigan. During the early 1970s she lived in the rain forests of Costa Rica. From 1989 to 1992 she served of Chair of PEN American Center, West. Currently, she is a professor of English and Writer in Residence at California State University, Sacramento. Mary Mackey taught me fiction writing at Sac State. I remember reading two of her books which feature horses and their roles in the old European world. As a teacher she emphasized the importance of research, and she was very encouraging when she compared my short stories o...

2008 marks The Arvon Foundation’s 40th birthday and the 14th Arvon International Poetry Competition. The competition is open to all poets around the world and poems are entered anonymously. There are no line or subject matter restrictions. The judges for 2008 are UK Poet Laureate Andrew Motion, Moniza Alvi and Alice Oswald. The deadline for entries is 15th August at 5pm. Prizes - Classic FM First Prize - £5000 Second Prize - £2500 Third Prize - £1000 Three commendation prizes - £500 each. Ted Hughes Environmental Poetry Prize of £1000 plus a selection of Ted Hughes publications.

Intwasa Arts Festival: Short Story Competition 2008 The annual Intwasa Arts Festival Short Story Competition is open to all residents of Zimbabwe. Submissions must be original, previously unpublished and in English. Entries can be on any subject, but must be typed and of no more than 1500 words. Entries, in an envelope clearly marked Intwasa Short Story Competition, should be sent to: Intwasa Arts Festival P.O. Box 28 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe or delivered to the Intwasa Office: Studio 1 National Gallery of Zimbabwe 75 Main St/L. Takawira Ave Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Contact details, including postal address, telephone number and e-mail address should be included. Entries will not be acknowledged or returned to those who have submitted. Only those short-listed will be contacted. The closing date is 23 August 2008. The winners will be announced and prizes for the competition awarded during Intwasa, which runs from 23 to 27 September, and those winners attending the award ceremony may be asked to re...

‘amaBooks Publishers are looking for short stories for a joint publication with Parthian Books of Wales. The launch date for the book is 1 March 2009. There is no set length for the pieces, or any theme. We would prefer pieces that reflect life in Zimbabwe, and that are accessible to and have meaning for readers in the United Kingdom. The final deadline for submissions is 31 August 2008, though we would be delighted to receive as many pieces as possible before then. Please email submissions to amabooks@gator.co.zw. Unfortunately ‘amaBooks are not in a position to acknowledge receipt of submissions and only those whose pieces are chosen for the publication will be contacted. Copyright for the stories will remain with the author.

On Monday Sept 8th 2008 a HOWL ! Festival event: Nathaniel Siegel hosts an Open Reading From 12noon to 6pm At The Bowery Poetry Club 308 Bowery New York 10012 Phone 1 212 614 0505 www.bowerypoetry.com

Above:Roan Press Logo. Brad Buchanan and his wife, Kate Washington,launched Roan Literary Press today. The event took place at The Book Collector, located in Sacramento, California. Roan Press is a small literary press which Buchanan describes as "Sacramento's long-overdue local literary publisher", unrivaled so far by any other within city limits. Roan Press's mission is to introduce readers to what Buchanan calls "deserving, talented and ambitious writers from the greater Sacramento area and beyond." He also pointed out that its purpose is to "publish high-quality books in any genre: poetry, fiction, essays, and memoir." The literary press plans to publish 1-2 books a year. Roan's launch happened concurrent with the release party for the press's first poetry publication, "Swimming the Mirror", by Brad Buchanan. Buchanan recited poetry from this collection, which contains poetry dedicated to his daughter. Above: Brad Buchanan, R...

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED WRITERS TO DESCEND ON NAIROBI FOR THE KWANI LITERARY FESTIVAL More than 30 African and international poets and writers will gather in Nairobi for the Kwani Literary Festival including Ishmael Beah, the Sierra Leonean former child soldier and author of the memoir, "A Long Way Gone" from Sierra Leone which has sold more than a million copies worldwide, Lieberaturepreis winner Aminatta Forna and Random House editor Ellah Allfrey. KLF, now in its 4th successful year, brings together thinkers and writers from different continents and experiences to explore ideas relevant to the burgeoning African literary scene. In a recent interview founder of the Kwani Trust, Binyavanga Wainaina, says, "The aim of the festival is really what I would call cross-pollination, reinforcing the relations between writers, building networks, while providing useful information on publishing deals, blogging, and advice on others' work. There are so few infrastructures t...

The following story was reported by Richmore Tera in the The Herald : Richmore Tera Harare ZIMBABWEAN poet and performer Cosmas Mairosi recently scored a first by becoming the only Zimbabwean to have his poem -- Bayethe Latin Warrior -- published in Che in Verse , an international poetry anthology dedicated to the life and works of the late Latin American revolutionary, Ernesto Che Guevara. The collection, published last year by United Kingdom-based Aflame Books, features 124 poems written by 124 poets drawn from around the globe. By having his poem featured in the book, the 31-year-old Mairosi automatically qualified to rank as one of the finest poets on the globe. Also represented in the same anthology are two previous winners of the Nobel Prize for Literature, Chilean Pablo Neruda and Derrick Walcott, from St Lucia in the Caribbean Islands, who also contributed a poem apiece to the anthology. Mairosi's poem pays homage to the late fiery Marxist and Latin American revolutionary ...

CELEBRATING KENYAN STORIES An interactive session featuring poetry performances, prose readings and story telling. Featuring: Binyavanga Wainaina Founding editor, Kwani? Cindy Ogana Njeri Wangari Samuel Munene Poet & prose writer Register for Kwani Literary Festival writers's workshops from 1st – 15th August, 2008 2 - 4PM, THURSDAY 24TH JULY KENYA NATIONAL LIBRARY SERVICES – NAIROBI FREE ENTRY

With poetry, it's sometimes difficult to decide which poets to read as a starting point. If you are interested in a survey of American poetry since 1937, you could use the US Poet Laureate as a starting point. Notice I say starting point; this list in no way is representative of the wide range of talent (issues of gender and racial inclusiveness or lack thereof) in the United States, but it will give a sense of where poetry and politics meet or collide. 1937-1941 — Joseph Auslander 1943-1944 — Allen Tate 1944-1945 –Robert Penn Warren 1945-1946 — Louise Bogan 1946-1947 — Karl Shapiro 1947-1948 — Robert Lowell 1948-1949 — Leonie Adams 1949-1950 — Elizabeth Bishop 1950 - 1952 — Conrad Aiken 1952 — William Carlos Williams 1956-1958 — Randall Jarrell 1958-1959 — Robert Frost 1959-1961 — Richard Eberhart 1961-1963 — Louis Untermeyer 1963-1964 — Howard Nemerov 1964-1965 — Reed Whittemore 1965-1966 — Stephen Spender 1966-1968 — James Dickey 1968-1970 — William Jay Smith 1970-1971 — William...

"Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued the following statement after the Library of Congress announced the appointment of Kay Ryan, of Marin County, as Library's 16th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2008 to 2009", reports the The Imperial valley News . Schwarzenegger is quoted as saying: "On behalf of all Californians, Maria and I congratulate Kay Ryan on her extraordinary appointment as the nation's Poet Laureate. Her accomplishment highlights the importance of the literary arts and her work will provide both California and the nation with a better understanding and appreciation of poetry and the world we live in." The California governor, being an actor himself, has shown that he values the arts, especially poetry and has a special place for poetry in his heart somewhere. California Poet Laureate, Al Young, stated once in a UC Berkeley presentation, that when he met him for his interview, Arnold had already memorized one of Young's poems, a gest...

My poetry collection, Forever Let Me Go is out and can be ordered from Amazon .

“Poetry may be out of fashion, but it is the finest expression of what makes us human”, writes Jay Parini in an article published by The Australian and The Chronicle of Higher Education . Parini goes on to show us the developments, or deaths, of poetry over the years. The article aptly concludes with Parini stating that he couldn’t live without poetry, which he reads first thing every day. Even those who see value in poetry, like Parini, seem to concede that poetry is out of fashion, and I can see many heads nodding in agreement. But before we mislead ourselves, let’s face the reality: poetry is just as alive today as it was years ago. If we believe that it is dying, we might be subscribing to a dangerously narrow definition or understanding of poetry. Poetry includes both the written art and the spoken word, and it comes to life when performed. Of course there is nothing new in this, but those who look at real poetry as that existing in the written form, as that relating only to the ...

Oliver Mtukudzi will be playing at Yoshi's San Francisco on August 9 and 10. Oliver Mtukudzi & The Black Spirits Aug 9, 2008 - Aug 10, 2008 Saturday both shows $24 Sunday Matinee 2pm $5 kids / $20 Adults Sunday 7 pm $24 About Oliver Mtukudzi Oliver Mtukudzi is the best-selling artist in his home country of Zimbabwe, Africa. Lovingly called "Tuku" for short, Oliver began recording in the mid-1970s as a member of Wagon Wheels, a band that also featured Thomas Mapfumo. After Wagon Wheels rolled to fame in Southern Africa, Tuku formed Black Spirits, the band that has backed him throughout his career. Tuku has been heavily influenced by chimurenga, the genre pioneered by Mapfumo that is inspired by the hypnotic rhythms of the mbira (thumb piano). However chimurenga is just one of many styles performed by Tuku, as his music also incorporates pop influences, South African mbaqanga, the energetic Zimbabwean pop style JIT, or the traditional kateke drumming of his clan, th...

Don't worry about poetry losing its place in the world; it has many avenues through which it conveys its message, and if all else fails, it can manifest itself in the form it has always used for centuries: the spoken word. This is the message director Bob Bryan conveys in his latest GV7 documentary entitled Random Urban Static: The Iridescent Equations of the Spoken Word. The documentary presents a cross-section of Southern California Spoken Word artists who, in this two-hour presentation of diverse styles, show their determination to keep the word alive. Basically, these poets understand that there is so much static in the urban world, and the poet's role is to turn the static into words. Captured by expertly-selected words, this static turns into a message that can make our world a better place. Here is a selection of poets who remain true to what they feel, to their sense of being, even in cases where they may have to use words to search for this humanity. And when they cap...

David Iribarne. The two poets, David Iribarne and Ali-Salaam treated us to an evening of powerful poetry. David read from his collection on cancer and Ali-Salaam performed poems about the inspiring moments of life, tracing the various stages of his life. I walked away ready for a new week of writing. I like these Monday reading because they fuel poets to write for the rest of the week. SPC audience.The reading started at 7:30 and ended at 9:00 pm. Ali-Salaam, actor, activist, poet, motivational speaker.

August 1st - 15th 2008, Nairobi and Lamu, Kenya Kwani Litfest (KLF) is a fortnight of writerly events, culture, mingling, discussion and inspiration. More than 40 African and international poets and writers will appear in fifteen days of panel discussions, l readings, book launches, conversations, literary lunches, cultural tours and performances. Join us for this dynamic 15-day writers festival which not only showcases the best of contemporary African writing, but also utilises established authors to provide inspiring writing tuition and manuscript assessments. KLF, now in its 4th successful year, brings together thinkers and writers from different continents and experiences to explore ideas relevant to the burgeoning African literary scene. This year, as well as creative endeavour, we will focus on the role of the writer in fast-changing conflict and post-conflict situations. As a special theme following Kenya’s post election violence, KLF will explore the need for new definitions, s...

SA PEN announces PEN/STUDZINSKI Literary Award Following the success of the HSBC/SA PEN Literary Awards, SA PEN announces a call for entries for the new PEN/STUDZINSKI Literary Award. Writers from African and SADC countries are invited to submit original,previously unpublished, English-language SHORT STORIES The best entries will be selected by an editorial board for inclusion in a book to be published next year, under the working title “NEW WRITING FROM AFRICA” Three prize winners will be selected by Nobel Laureate J M Coetzee Prizes, given by John Studzinski, will be awarded: £5 000, £3 000 and £2 000 Rules for submission of entries: Entrants must be citizens of an African or SADC* country. Stories, on any subject, must be in English; length should be 2 500 to 5 000 words. Entries must be previously unpublished. More than one entry may be submitted. Entries must be typed, in double spacing, on one side of A4 paper. Pages must be numbered and securely fastened together. Three copies m...

Ali Salaam, poet, actor, activist. Ali-Salaam boasts a strong on screen presence and versatile deliveries. Believable and sincere he can take the viewer from tears to laughter in a most authentic way. An intense and dynamic actor with strong retention and a passion for the arts, he is easily directed and a pleasure to have in any cast or ensemble. Ali-Salaam will bring that extra special touch to any project that he is connected with; all will see a truly valuable performance. He will be reading his poetry at the Sacramento Poetry Center on Monday, July 14 at 7:30 pm. The second reader of the night is David Iribarne , who has published in Poetry Now, and has just completed a collection of cancer poetry. Come join the Sacramento Poetry Center for an evening of great readings.

My first poetry collection, Forever Let Me Go , is going to print on Monday. The back cover describes the book as follows: "The poems in this collection deal with issues ranging from life in Zimbabwe and the United States to dreams of flight and the intricacies of ambition. In these poems readers will find depictions of possibilities and impossibilities, flight and stasis, hope and despair--all of which remind us that life is the sum of simple and complex experiences, the obvious and the not-so-obvious, the uplifting and the debilitating".

I have started reading The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, a book about Hmong culture. Very striking similarities with my own Shona culture.

" Poison ", a short story by South Africa's Henrietta Rose-Innes, has won the 2008 Caine Prize for African Writing. Rose-Innes, who studied under Nobel Laureate JM Coetzee, has published two novels and edited an anthology of South African writing. Her award-winning short story was originally published in African Pens . The prize, worth approximately £10 000($20 000)also entitles the author to a month's scholarship at Georgetown University in Washington DC. For a short story award, this is pretty good, not to mention the publisher interest the author may attract.

The story of the discovery of diamonds in Murowa (Zimbabwe) by Rio Tinto Diamonds caught my attention. Once I started reading several online reports of the company's explorations in the village, I started thinking about the changes such an important discovery might have brought. One news article led to another, until I saw this one: "Zimbabwe:Families, Company Clash Over Relocation", which is archived at allafrica.com . Why am I interested in this development? I grew up in Mototi, a village near Murowa, in Mazvihwa. This place is forty kilometers away from Zvishavane Asbetors Mining town, which is located in South Central Zimbabwe. The area, of course, was not known for any kind of resources, so it did not have much in terms of infrastruture, but we grew up all the same, with a great sense of pride and a sense of belonging. Murowa was central to the fabric of its neigboring villages because that's where all the primary schools converged for inter-school sports. Murowa...

The Annual Transcontinental Poetry Award by Pavement Saw Press All contributors receive books, chapbooks and journals equal to, or more than, the entry fee. Electronic and mailed entries must meet these requirements: 1. The manuscript should be at least 48 pages of poetry and no more than 70 pages of poetry in length. Separations between sections are NOT a part of the page count. 2. A one page cover letter. Include a brief biography, the book's title, your name, address, and telephone number, and, if you have e-mail, your e-mail address. This should be followed by a page which lists publication acknowledgments for the book. For each acknowledgement mention the publisher (journal, anthology, chapbook etc.) and the poem published. 3. The manuscript should be bound with a single clip and begin with a title page including the book's title, your name, address, and telephone number, and, if you have e-mail, your e-mail address. 4. The second page should have only the title of the...