river crests

river's been busy this month
but thanks to morganza spillway
sacrifice of rural la residents
(sincere acknowledgement deserved: thank you)
and the opening of the bonnet carre
the river crested. br and nola rest easier--

but the river never rests even after it crests
summer surge begins with the convergence of:

The Liver Delivers, a one act play written especially for the river by regular
Susan Kirby-Smith

and

rivering in from Grand Coteau, LA
Patrice Melnick!

Patrice Melnick’s memoir, Turning Up the Volume (Xavier Press) was published in 2005 and she has a forthcoming collection of essays in Fall, 2011 (Catalyst Book Press.) Her essays and poems have appeared in a number of literary journals including Grain, The Xavier Review, Buffalo Bones and Prism International.

Patrice Melnick taught at Xavier University in New Orleans for 13 years where she founded one of the first creative writing programs at a Historically Black University. She teaches a Literary Nonfiction Workshop in the low-residency MFA program at the University of New Orleans.

Following Hurricane Katrina, Melnick opened up an international gift shop and started a literary reading and open mic series. In 2010 she established the nonprofit organization the Festival of Words Cultural Arts Collective Inc.

Melnick holds a B.A. in English from the University of Texas at Austin, and an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.









and special lagniappe reading from: james blanchard

dig call for submissions

Dear Poets,

Christopher Shipman here. I want to let you all know immediately that I have been asked to act as poetry editor for DIG Magazine of Baton Rouge. As the name implies, DIG is devoted to uncovering, or digging up all Baton Rouge has to offer. Poetry is something that Baton Rouge has to offer its citizens in plentiful delicious helpings. I want to extend a call for submissions (SEE BELOW) to all of you and any poets you may know in the Baton Rouge area who may be interested in seeing their work published in an eclectic quality magazine close to home.

The constantly growing poetry community of Baton Rouge is full of talent and inspiration. What better way to ensure this community reaches out to other important communities in the city than providing another exciting space for voices to be heard? DIG is a space for poets to do what poets do best- say a lot while saying very little. With that said, and considering the magazine's attention to the whole of Baton Rouge, DIG offers poets the challenge of submitting poems of only six to nine lines. Are you up to it? I look forward to finding out. DIG wants to publish a poem a week, so please see full guidelines below and start submitting!

GUIDELINES:
Please submit up to 5 poems (of six to 9 lines) in a single word attachment directly to me at cshipm1@lsu.edu

In the subject line of your email include "Your Name - DIG SUBMISSION"

Be sure that you include a cover letter that includes a brief note about yourself and your contact information.

I look forward to looking through your poems. Please forward this information to anyone interested!

Best wishes,
Christopher Shipman

river for the ages

river for the ages tomorrow (5/3/11):

capt. rick blackwood reads from his novel

(two t's) eric elliott "the graves we dig" chap release

and first river from poet charles garrett

sprivering

fantastic sprivering tomorrow evening:

phillip zimmerle leaves
and the lovely
miss lucie monk returns!

+ open river
bring a poem or two

river resistance : rich and dustin

welcome rivervirgin dustin smith

+ old and new industrial pastorals
marginalized voices, rhyming quatrains,
slam and fantasy from soon to be dr.
rich cooper

houston post fest river--

Houston Indie Book Festival and Interstate Poetry Showdown

Celebrate the fourth annual Houston Indie Book Festival along with Word Around Town and dozens of nationally-distributed literary journals, local booksellers, publishers, small presses, literary organizations, and authors at the Menil Park on Saturday, April 2nd from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Co-sponsored by NANO Fiction and Gulf Coast, the festival showcases the efforts of writers, artists, teachers, community members, and cultural groups working to make the arts and humanities a vibrant part of the Houston community.

After the Festival come experience the first ever Interstate Poetry Showdown brought to you by Word Around Town and the River Writers Group of Baton Rouge. The show will consist of 3 poets from Houston, TX and 3 from Baton Rouge, LA in a contest of poetic skill and endurance the likes of which have never been seen! Don’t miss the Interstate Poetry Showdown Saturday, April 2nd from 8 p.m. until 10 p.m. at Avant Garden.

The featured poets are Benjamin Lowenkron, Eric Elliott, and Vincent Cellucci from Baton Rouge and Stephen Gros, Teresa Juarez, and Lupe Mendez from Houston. After the showcase will be an open mic so bring your poetry. Go to www.wordaroundtown.org for more info!