For Immediate Release
Contact: Paul E. Nelson
Global Voices Radio/SPLAB!
Slaughter, WA 98002

253.735.6328


Global Voices Radio / SPLAB! E-Fishwrapper


In this E-Fishwrapper, Burning Word IV was a HUGE success, 4 Million Iraq Refugees so far, Nu Quang's New Blog, UBU Web, Open Books and more.


1) Burning Word Festival Saturday at Greenbank Farm on Whidbey Island.

WPA's Burning Word 4 was a remarkable event. For the third year in a row attendance was up, with over 400 people, the event was organized better than ever, the headliners delivered BIG TIME and we made sure the weather did not interfere like in 2006.

Headliners:

Naomi Shihab Nye had poems written in the voice of George Bush as letters she'd like to see him write. Letters written to Iraqi children who have lost limbs and must make sacrifices to bring Democracy to your country. It was quite touching. She is a first-class lady as well and we hope she'll be back someday.


George Bowering, the first Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate, read work from his new book published by Talon, Vermeer's Light. Among them poems with him as The Answer Man. He was witty and professional and his poems written to his wife Jean were at once funny and moving. I loved his Friday workshop also. Danika Dinsmore's workshop had poets wandering like sheep, silently looking for images. Baaaaaaaaa! Christopher Luna had poems to his goddesses and one about how you can tell when you are REALLY poor. (When another poet makes you his charity case.) Christopher also facilitated a workshop, as did Tyrone Williams. Tyrone's covered Michael Palmer, among other innovators. Stephen Roxborough had a poem which electrified the Main Stage audience, with its refrain When Will We Wake Up? There were many other highlights as well and kudos go to the intelligent audiences AND all the Whidbey Island folks who stepped up as hosts. Gracias. This event is quickly becoming the premier annual West Coast poetry festival.



2) Nu Quang's New Blog

After living under Communist rule in Vietnam for almost a decade, Nu Quang came to the U.S. alone in 1985. In seven years, she transformed herself from a high-school dropout in Vietnam to a holder of an MFA in English and creative writing in America. Her new, weekly, online journal A Jade Lotus is the playwright/writer/poet's take on culture, religion, writing, and immigration.

3) AFSC Symposium on Iraqi Refugees


More than 4,000,000 Iraqis have been displaced by the war and occupation. Two million have fled the country with 50,000 Iraqis leaving each month.

Join AFSC in drawing attention to a growing, and vulnerable, population of Iraqis - the refugees and internally displaced people. Join us for a symposium on Iraqi refugees on May 19 in Philadelphia.


4) Zappa's Cartoonist May 12 at 6P.


We'd like to invite you down to Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery on
Saturday, May 12 at 6:00 PM for our presentation of "The
Idiosyncratic Cinema of Bruce Bickford." You may know his work from
Frank Zappa's classic "Baby Snakes" film. If you haven't seen
Bickford's amazing clay animations, you're in for a real treat. The
reclusive animator doesn't get out much, so this is a rare
opportunity. The evening will be hosted by Jim Woodring, and Bruce
will discuss his work after the screening of four shorts - one of
which has never been seen. Free admission, as always. Spread the word.

Fantagraphics Bookstore & Gallery is located in Seattle's lively
Georgetown arts community at 1201 S. Vale St. (at Airport Way S.).
We're open daily 11:30 to 8:00 PM (Sunday until 5:00 PM). See you all
soon.


5) David Meltzer and Michael Rothenberg at Open Books:


OPEN BOOKS SHORT-FORM CALENDAR


Tuesday 5/8 at 7:30 PM DAVID MELTZER & MICHAEL ROTHENBERG

Tuesday 5/15 at 7:30 PM MARY SZYBIST

Tuesday 5/22 at 7:30 PM C. DALE YOUNG

Thursday 5/31 at 7:30 PM JEAN-PAUL PECQUER

Thursday 6/14 at 7:30 PM MARYROSE LARKIN & DONNA STONECIPHER


Open Books: A Poem Emporium / 2414 North 45th Street / Seattle, Washington 98103 / (206) 633-0811
store@openpoetrybooks.com / www.openpoetrybooks.com

Tuesday - Thursday, 12 - 6
Friday & Saturday, 12 - 7

First Sunday of the month, 12 - 4

6) New on Ubuweb.

UbuWeb Featured Resources:
May 2007
Selected by Adalaide Morris

1. Billie Whitelaw, "Not I" (1973)
http://www.ubu.com/film/beckett.html

2. Jonas Mekas - Scenes from Allen's Last Three Days on Earth as a Spirit (1997)
http://www.ubu.com/film/mekas.html

3 Agnes Varda - Black Panthers, Huey! (1968)
http://www.ubu.com/film/varda.html

4. John Cage Meets Sun Ra, Side B" (MP3)
http://ubu.artmob.ca/sound/cage_john/cage_sun_ra/Cage-John_and_Ra-Sun_02.mp3

5. Henri Chopin - Le Ventre de Bertini, Audio-poème (MP3)
http://ubu.artmob.ca/sound/chopin_henri/Chopin-Henri_Le-Ventre-de-Bertini.mp3

6. Philip Glass - Score of "1 + 1 for One Player and Amplified Table-Top."
http://www.ubu.com/aspen/aspen8/onePlusOne.html

7. Christian Bök - Eunoia, Chapter u
http://mediamogul.seas.upenn.edu/pennsound/authors/Bok/Eunoia/Bok-Christian_Eunoia_06-Chapter-U.mp3

8a. Cecil Taylor - Chinampas 1987 (MP3)
http://www.ubu.com/sound/taylor.html

8b. Fred Moten on Cecil Taylor's Chinampas
http://www.ubu.com/papers/moten.html

9. Peter Greenaway - Four American Composers: Meredith Monk (1983)
http://www.ubu.com/film/monk.html

10. Gregory Whitehead, "What Words Want"
http://mediamogul.seas.upenn.edu/pennsound/authors/Whitehead/Gregory_Whitehead-What_Words_Want_1984.mp3

Well, it was one hella party at Burning Word IV. (A poetry IV, now THERE'S an idea. Mainlining verse.) Who should feature NEXT year, besides YOU?

Looks like the Binghamton saga is coming in for a landing. I finished the paperwork and sent it in yesterday. Thank you if you helped solve that wicky sticket. (You know who you are, eh?)

I am sorry this Fishwrapper is late. My new job really gets in the way of my work. Who knew? OK, my Doc Prep tasks are waiting.

Ciao,

Paulo

Paul E. Nelson
www.GlobalVoicesRadio.org
www.SPLAB.org
Slaughter, WA 98002
253.735.6328 or 888.735.6328

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