PC Reading List

This was first posted on another of my blogs, which is now (sadly) defunct

 

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Singapore has a growing arts scene, and some of the poetry produced here reflects a sophisticated understanding of how poetry works and what it is all about. Cyril Wong is one of the young poets that I have encountered who seems to show a lot of promise for the direction of Singapore poetry.

Wong has been called “our first confessional poet,” and has met with much acclaim from the Literature Department at the National University of Singapore. There has been a great deal of enthusiasm, of course, in such circles over the rise of a body of poetry that is truly Singaporean.

Wong speaks with a voice that is accessible to “outsiders,” but seems to hold a uniquely Singaporean flavor. He incorporates his Chinese culture beautifully into his English poetry. This is a wonderful representation of how young Singaporeans have grown up, as if they are a part of two distinct worlds at the same time, and have somehow found a way to blend them.

Wong’s topics are diverse. In thinking through a lover’s quarrel, he writes of Sun Tzu. He talks of cockroaches, of family, of empty corridors and elevators in the high rise apartment buildings which characterize Singapore’s landscape. He writes passionately about love, about the city, about family, and about writing.

Wong’s books are not presently available online at Amazon or B&N. However, I am in contact with the publisher, and could try to help if anyone would like to order copies of his volumes of poetry:

Squatting Quietly, 2000 (ISBN: 981-04-2826)
The End of His Orbit, 2001 (ISBN: 981-04-4329-3)

I am one of those who is enthusiastic about the direction of Singaporean poetry. I will try to introduce another local poet or two over the next few days.

Some Singapore-related reading:

Lord Jim: A Tale

Tales from the South China Seas: Images of the British in South-East Asia in the 20th Century

Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei (Lonely Planet Travel Series)

 

A friend just pointed me to some new poetry that I think you will love, written by Lisa Hurley Downer. The two new poems are entitled No Disguise and I Believe.

Downer is a performing artist, and her music training really shows through in both of these poems. They’ve got such a soulful voice, so mellow. I can just hear the music behind the verse.

Lovely.

The current issue of Writing Edge Magazine is of special interest to me.  In it, you will find the winner of their poetry contest… which just happens to be my own poem entitled “Real Life.”

I just got some good news! Two of my poems have been accepted for publication in Aoife’s Kiss, a magazine which focuses on sci-fi poetry. Both are a part of a collection I have been working on, largely dealing with sci-fi related themes. I am pleased that they have been accepted.

Actually, I sent 5 poems, each quite different from the others, in order to test the market and see if I had anything that might fit. It’s nice to know that something does. And, the editor sent me some helpful feedback on one of the rejected poems. I always appreciate helpful commentary on my work, so I was very pleased.

The poems will be appearing in September, one in print and one online. There are several publications put out from Sam’s Dot Publishing, who produces Aoife’s Kiss. If you think you have something that might fit there, do drop it to them. I think, at the very least, you will get some helpful feedback.

A big thank you to Todd Boss, who has given me permission to reprint this poem, which appeared in the June 2006 issue of Poetry. If you’d like to see more of his poetry online, I’ve also reprinted one here (with permission). Other poems appear here.

Ere We Are Aware

 

 

 

we err. We err

              in open air, dare-

 

 

devil as a swallow’s

              swerve. We err

 

 

with verve. Our errors serve

              as bearings

 

 

as we flare and dive

              and flounder.

 

 

We scare away our lovers

              and declare

 

 

a territory where before

              there wasn’t any.

 

 

Later we share our feelings.

              Say we’re

 

sorry. Swear to be

 

              more careful.

 

 

Oh, we show our showy words

 

              like colors

 

and then, in a flurry of ever

              rarer, ever

 

 

braver aerials, there

              we are again,

 

 

famished birds wheeling

              over burials.

than we do
when it’s all

wound down.
I don’t know

why we settle
to the sound.

Somehow
the regular

click and chime
of passing time,

like water, turns
a water wheel

that turns a gear
that turns a stone

that turns upon
another stone

and fine
and finer in between

 

our dreams like grain
are ground.

 

(by Todd Boss)

 

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This originally appeared in Poetry Magazine in June 2006, on page 241. I very much appreciate the permission Todd Boss has given me, when he visited, to reprint this poem. More of Todd Boss’s poems are available online.

 

 

I feel as if a celebrity has stopped in to say hi. Todd Boss stopped by the blog post where I’d written about Poetry Magazine, especially mentioning that I’d like his poetry that had appeared there last year. He’s given me permission to reprint those poems here at my blog, which I will be doing in the next few days.

 

In addition, I’d like to point you over to more of his poetry. You can find about a dozen of Todd Boss’s poems at this site. I think you will enjoy browsing through it. I am doing so now, and am loving it!

Poetry magazine is one of my favorite periodicals to read. As one of the real prestigous literary magazines, a poet who gets into Poetry can feel that s/he has “made it” at last.

Much of the poetry that appears on the pages of the magazine is good, but not always memorable. Out of last year’s 12 issues, the one I most remember is Todd Boss’s poetry. It was very good, and sticks with me. There were others that I enjoyed in the moment I read them, but Boss is one of those that I have sought out, looking for other publications by him and hoping to find a book to purchase.

Not every entry will jump out at the reader like that, but the thing is… some will. For me, that is enough reason to keep reading the publication.

But, even more, each issue is always entertaining, and usually has at least one thing to make the reader really think. When added to the occasional really memorable poem or poet, that makes Poetry the magazine I keep coming back to.

I’ve just got a copy of a chapbook called Death Settled Well in the mail yesterday afternoon. It is a collection of poetry by S. Thomas Summers.

I got it in the mail in the afternoon. By night, I’d finished reading it. I was pretty absorbed in the poetry. I thought it was very well-written. I enjoyed almost all of the poems, and some of them really stood out as being top-notch work.

I don’t like only giving a new author a cursory glance. So, I’ll be rereading this volume, but my initial impression is that it is very fine work.

If you’d like to get a copy of the chapbook, it is not expensive ($6.95), and can be found at Shadow Poetry. The book won Shadow Poetry’s biannual poetry contest, and I can see why. Other years’ contest winners are also found there, if you’d like to read other volumes.

I wrote more about Shadow Poetry’s competition over at my poetically challenged blog.

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