By Erin L. Cox In the March Issue of Poetry, Adam Kirsch did an interview with Ilya Kaminsky, the editor of The Ecco Anthology of International Poetry. Kirsch asked a lot of questions that might provoke some other questions from you: is there such a thing as an international poem? Do you lose some of the meaning when translating a line of poetry …
Publishing Poetry? Market to Australians!
By Hannah Johnson According to a survey conducted by the Australia Council for the Arts, 84% of Australians are avid readers of literature and one in five survey respondents read poetry. The results also showed that 15-24 year-olds are the most engaged in creating art online, whether that is writing, visual arts, theater or music. The Australia Council even made …
What are the Biggest Obstacles to Translation?
By Edward Nawotka In today’s editorial Vanina Marsot writes about discovering that her novel about a translator is itself untranslatable — particularly into the very language it is about, French. Translation is tricky, particularly with books that are written in a distinct dialect. I’ve been told one of the joys of reading Andrea Camilleri’s Inspector Montalbano novels is the Sicilian …
Book Review: Why Poetry Matters Beyond Mere Money
Why Poetry Matters by Jay Parini Reviewed by Mark Garcia-Prats In the opening line of his book, Why Poetry Matters, Jay Parini concedes, “Poetry doesn’t matter to most people.” That comes as no surprise to anyone aware of poetry’s relevance (or lack there of) in popular culture. Contrary to popular belief (especially among poets), poetry is not “under attack,” writes Parini, …
Is $0.99 the Fair Price for a Poem?
By Edward Nawotka As discussed in our lead article today, PoetrySpeaks.com is a place for poets to gather online, for readers to browse new work, and a place for poets to make a little money for their effort. The site allows poets to sell individual poems much the same way a band might offer a single for sale on iTunes, …
Can Poetry Turn a Profit Online?
By Mark Garcia-Prats Even for a poetry lover, PoetrySpeaks.com (PS) can be overwhelming. The site features poetry blogs, weekly highlighted poets, and — perhaps of most importance — a fully-searchable archive of poems (available to purchase in both text and audio format). There’s also a poetry book store and a forum to post and view video of poetry performances. The …
In Praise of the Lowly Chapbook
Editorial by Bryce Milligan SAN ANTONIO: As a regional publisher whose books range from handmade chapbooks to 600-page works of fiction and history, I have been wondering what will become of the physical book in this brave new digital world. Already my paper-and-ink sales are declining as my ebook sales increase—except for, of all things, the lowly chapbook. I began …
Bonus Material: A Tale of Two Chapbooks
By Edward Nawotka As discussed in our lead article today, Bryce Milligan outlines the appeal of chapbooks in an increasingly digital world. These artisanal, often hand-finished books can be pricey, but make for lovely collectibles. By way of illustration, we offer two examples on offer from Milligan’s Wings Press: Donald Hall. Winter Poems from Eagle Pond. Wings Press, 1999 Beginning in …
From “Cruel Hookah” to “Cruel Hooker”: A Cross-Cultural Conversation in Poetry
By Christopher Merrill IOWA CITY: The book Seven Poets Four Days One Book was an experiment to see what would happen if poets from different lands, languages, and generations tried to write together. The possibilities for failure seemed limitless — which perversely appealed to me. For it has been my experience that the least promising material may sometimes yield the …