Never Mind the Beasts

I really feel alone right now. Lonely and sick of everything Korean. Not all Korean people of course. I have met some amazing Korean people. I am just feeling really isolated. Why the hell am I putting this on a…

3-14-06 My hands believe in Spanish songsAnd bullet holes in sanitary wallsI used to get my kicks in used bookstoresBut I’m out to sea in Korea Histrionics is after correspondenceUntidiness is infinite; tidiness is finiteWhere is my mind among these…

3/13/06 I believe in heaven and hell. What is hell other than hell? Hell is not like anything. Other things are like hell. It hurts like hell means it hurts a lot. Hell is about torture. The lower ninety percent…

3-2-06 I have not eaten today I don’t know what THEY want but it’s all about saving face the top of the chain never takes the blame 3-2-06 I have been in this small room waiting waiting and a mother…

2/27/06 BEWARE YEA WHO ENTER WONDERLAND without a way out 2/29/06 EVERYONE SMILES IN WONDERLAND I speak to the mothers because I have the right format Every building is a big block building Every city has the same shops, the…

I just moved to Beomgye yesterday because I landed a really nice university gig. The campus is new so everything is clean and fresh. By new I mean all the buildings including the bathrooms are less than one year old.…

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2/10/06 I want to populate new cities A thicker ear abstracts me Tea tends to give me the trots And alas this dust unsettles me 2/14/06 Valentines Day the six-year oldsgave me chocolate & socks 2/17/06 This is JakJeon A…

from top to bottom: 1) famous Korean king 2) Peking duck (in a nice park in Seoul) 3) Quick shot of Osaka, Japan 4) A Buddhist temple in the middle of the city (sinchon I think) 5) Old Buddhist temple…

In order from top to bottom: 1) Live Jazz club in Seoul (Itewon) 2) food stand (they are everywhere in Seoul. Cheap and good on the tummy after a few pints) 3) My compact apartment

I’ve tentatively decided to name this new project/ms WONDERLAND. It fits perfectly. Here are a few more rough entries. All of these are unrevised. I will revise more later. 1/22/06 My anti-hero has painful hiccups At the end of this…

I lost the usb cord for my camera, but as soon as I find one I will post some pictures from Korea and from my recent visit to Osaka, Japan. In the meantime, here are some more notes from Korea:…

12-26-05 Mona is warmand my lap is warmwhen we will I hear this purr? Iris chases a fake mouseand climbs the walls sharp branches scrape the roof silent Boxing Day without snow 1-1-06 I am flying to Korea. I am…

I just back from Seoul. I love that city. So much energy. I picked up a nice leather briefcase for work and a beautiful Buddhist bell. Met some college students who wanted to practice their English with me. I saw…

I’ve been in Korea for a week but it feels like years. I really like the Soju ( a hard rice based liquor). I have been teaching little kids this week but I will teach older kids soon in a…

check out the latest issue of free verse. A nice section on experimental Irish poetry with some sections from my recently renamed manuscript CHAIN. Free verse mag Some interesting stories from my first week in Korea coming soon. Stay tuned.

I am moving to Korea in two weeks for a one year teaching contract. It is a very good deal. Free lodging, HEALTH BENEFITS, good pay. Plus a culture I am not at all familiar with. I posted my cv…

I am often feel like I have to have something great when maybe the great is right in front of me.

Innocent people suffer. The less innocent subsidize. Is this not the case? There was of course fierce resistance. A never-ending reflection the writer must smash. He was assassinated while saying Mass. Never happened even while it was happening. Is all…

After leaving the Mormon church, I immersed myself in Buddhism and Eastern Spirituality. But it become a problem when I mixed it up with stoicism. From an early age I experienced emotions as negative. I did cry. But anything male…

I learned a lot this weekend Especially about my life The Atlanta Poets Group reminded me why art matters There really is a difference between college poetry scenes and scenes outside the university (non career poets for one thing) It…

On the lucipo listserv there was a recent spate of discussions about projects and individual poems. I tend to value the book over the individual poem. I can name my favourite books much easier than my favourite poems. However, Carl…

boredom is blocked energy

Mairead Byrne shows me the way beyond the page

I’m humped and it’s good to let off a load.

Another Lucifer Poetics roadtrip this weekend. We are going to read in Atlanta, GA and Athens, GA I am very excited to meet some of the Atlanta Poets Group. I think Brian Howe and I are going to try out…

I heard his name all the time growing up. I was always a Liverpool supporter, but I still pretended to be Georgie Best. As a young boy from Northern Ireland living in England, I was especially chuffed he was from…

feeling mighty fine this morning. It’s cold and rainy. My kind of weather. I’ve got one class for next semester. Hopefully I’ll pick up four or five more. I’m going to use Rothenberg’s Technicians of the Sacred, Waldman’s Life or…

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My best sex was when it was prohibited. We hung pictures of Jesus on the ceiling to try and stay righteous. I ended up coming while looking at Jesus on the ceiling. Maybe I need Jesus again! BUY YR T-SHIRT…

Ever since Scott Pierce visited these parts, my forehead has felt strange. Every time I touch it, it feels like thin paper. Maybe rice paper? In other news, I am writing some children’s passages for a freelance gig (thanks to…

Check out the audio of this strange performance last night at The Blue Door: Randall Pelosi

Sarah Manguso and Julian Similian rocked at the DC. Julian unleashed a gigantic snake and Sarah moved us elliptical. Sarah was funny. Sometimes quirky. Sarah delved into love and death in non-ironic ways without shame! Julian took us into letters…

Check out my reviews of Mairead Byrne and kate Greenstreet at: My Poetry Reviews Also check out David Need’s second article on Rilke: David Need’s article Stacey Harwood’s and Michael Parker’s second article will be coming soon. If you have…

Dan Albergotti read as part of the UNC Greensboro reading series. Check out the audio here: Dan Albergotti Reading Don’t forget you can subscribe to miPo Radio (and my audio) by clicking on the link to the right (subscribe via…

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this seems like a good reference tool for publishing etc. check it out: Poetry Resource page

Terrific readings last night at the Desert City and Blue Door Reading series (Randall Williams, John Taggart, and Joe Donahue). I recorded Joe Donahue’s reading for miPo Radio. I will also record various other readings in NC. You can listen…

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I realize this distinction is too simple and needs a lot of asides etc. But I found it very helpful to read volume one and volume two of Jerome Rothenberg’s Poems for the millennium and compare it to say the…

My new stuff IS better than my old stuff. Damn, who was I kiddin!

I am reviewing books of poetry for MiPoesias magazine. Details are as follows: REVIEWS: POETRY BOOKS, CHAPS AND JOURNALS To be considered for a review, please send your printed material to MiPoesias Magazine C/O Marcus Slease 118 A South Mendenhall…

Overall, I do believe in progress. It wakes me up in the morning. I think my poetics have moved in different directions over the past year or so and so I tucked away my first ms from about three years…

Hopefully you’ll hear something interesting if you tune in to my broadcast at miPO Radio. You can subscribe to my podcast on miPO radio via itunes, rss feed, or odeo here: Marcus Slease miPO Radio subscribe via odeo Please check…

I can’t decide between Narcoleptic Lawn and King Gorged for book two of Resident Alien. Any thoughts?

Geraldine Monk Geraldine Monk info Review of Monk’s Noctivagations Tom Raworth Tom Raworth EPC page Tom Raworth Homepage video of Tom Raworth Reading Maggie O’Sullivan Maggie O’Sullivan info Maggie O’Sullivan MP3 files

head: by which information is transferred from an electrical signal to the recording medium, or vice versa

miPO radio is really kicking ass. Check out the latest shows (Asian-American poets, reading poetry by others, an interview with Rita Maria Martinez). I have a few recordings on the show of Resident Alien and a reading of Interregnum by…

What is the difference between a serial poem and a long poem?

I had a really great time reading/listening/chatting on Saturday. Great to see close friends from Greensboro (Angie and Jake, Lori, Fay, Ezra) and lots of Lucifers: I’ve always been interested in the ritual/chant aspects of language and a few years…

I’ve got some samples from Resident Alien in the latest Mipo radio broadcast. Interesting radio programme (check it and subscribe to the podcast). Here is the link to subscribe to iTunes: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=74194035 Here is the link for the web site:…

Here’s the poster Todd Sandvik made:

Perhaps many of you know this already, but I continue to find it fascinating. A society that uses sex to diffuse violence etc. A more equal relationship between males and females. Lots of diverse sexual practices. Is it too late…

watched the movie Crash last night. Really well done. Much better than Shortcuts or Magnolia etc. in weaving multiple plots and characters. The movie deals with race with compassion and complexity. See it if you haven’t already. I cried three…

Reading Mark Wallace’s Temporary Worker Rides a Subway and watched In the Realms of the Unreal and they triggered some strange neuron firings this morning. I am in an airport full of Japanese folks. It’s a small airport. I am…

Google the word “failure” and look at what’s first.

I am wondering what the ratio might be between ancient art celebrating the life giving powers of the penis versus ancient art celebrating the life giving powers of the vagina? Sometimes I feel guilt for having a penis. I mean…

A really terrific reading last night at The Nightlight in Chapel Hill. Some of the DC poets braved the highways and read some fascinating poetry. First up was Kathy Eisenhower. I was not familiar with her work so it was…

Prepare to be blown away. This is a very promising literary journal (The best new lit journal I have ever witnessed whether print or online). Ambitious. Well-contextualized. The very highest caliber (as in Sulfur, Jacket etc.) Prepare to witness some…

This just in from Michael Magee at Combo Books: Hi everyone, It is my distinct pleasure to announce the publication ofthe latest Combo Book, ALSO WITH MY THROAT I SHALL SWALLOW TENTHOUSAND SWORDS: ARAKI YASUSADA’S LETTERSIN ENGLISH. Written under the…

Finished reading Robert Kelly’s Runes and now reading Clark Coolidge’s Odes of Roba and a selection of poems from Maureen Owen’s The No-Travel’s Journal. So ancient places have invaded my mind. Runes/ruins (as Kelly says in the intro to his…

I just finished reading Kent Johnson’s _Lyric Poetry After Auschwitz_ and it woke me up. I’ve been a bit sluggish (two weeks of only bits of writing). One of the things I found most compelling in Kent’s book is how…

The semester starts on Monday and I just picked up four classes (just wish adjunct status included benefits). I don’t like to do the same class twice, so I’ve immersed myself in readings for my classes. Joe Donahue gave me…

1) Ken Rumble getting ready to wet willy Randall (his morning wake-up call. (Wish I looked that sexy w/out my shirt on) 2) Todd and Laura with punk rock legend Mickey (he toured with the sex pistols back in the…

1) Molly engaged in conversation 2) a famous Philly politician 3) sign for the Italian market 4) Brian Howe Waking up (Molly let us sleep in her room in the bookstore. A very kind and energetic and fascinating person) 5)…

1) Marcus points to the deli in Brooklyn (our morning after meeting spot for the journey to Ithaca) 2) I met my good friend Hardy Gieske in Brooklyn (he recently relocated) 3) Our reading space in Pete’s Candy Store

Brian Howe leaves our cabin of infinity (we had some good stony talk about infinity in there). Marcus Slease and Ken Rumble hug as brothers as they contemplate the long 14 hour drive back to NC.

While boundaries are often permeable, I think it’s quite clear these poets fit the school of quietude. Or perhaps the school of safety or the school of predictability. Top 40 music without the same amount of $$$: Fishhouse Poets

Jack Kerouac, The Bobblehead Lowell Massachusetts native Jack Kerouac is getting bobbleheaded – Boston Red Sox single-A affiliate Lowell Spinners will be giving out 1000 Jack Kerouac bobbleheads on August 21, as part of Jack Kerouac night. The bobblehead doll…

What an amazing trip with the Lucifer Poetics Group. I am exhausted but very happy. Brian Howe has a nice report at: Slatherpus Mike Snider has a brief account of the Baltimore reading here: Mike Snider’s Report Greg Deslie has…

I am trying to find a server to store mp3 files for podcasting. So do not subscribe to never mind the beasts on itunes yet. For some reason it’s just a pdf file right now.

A Selection from RA

You can subscribe to my rss feed for audio (just click the link) But, better yet, subscribe to the Never Mind the Beasts podcast via itunes (within a day or two). Just search for Never Mind the Beasts under podcasts…

I’m going on a reading trip with the Lucifer Poetics Group. Come see us if you’re in any of the areas. Here’s our tour schedule: Baltimore: Wednesday, July 27, 7pm — Red Emma’s Bookstore: 800 St. Paul Street Baltimore 410-230-0450…

If you like a good mix of critical consciousness (politics, well-situated damn amazing poetry) then check out the spanking new issue of: Your Black Eye

This is one of best sites I’ve ever come across. Some great hip hop podcasts and street art from around the world. The power of artist collectives. check it out: Wooster Collective

The poet and music critic Brian Howe has created a blog combining both his passions. Really interesting first post comparing hip hop to contemporary poetry in its expansiveness (not in the new formalist sense). check it out: SLATHERPUS

Part One of Stephen Jonas’ Selected Poems (Talisman House) is titled Exercises for the Ear and Part Three is titled Orgasms/Dominations. These titled capture the amazing fusions and poles of Jonas’ work. Jonas accomplishes a fusion unlike any poet I’ve…

Just picked up some books from the bookshop in Chapel Hill and Internationalist Books. All via trade credit (with $40 in store credit left): 1) Dalachinsky (Ugly duckling Presse) 2) Xing by Ron Silliman (Factory School) 3) Runes by Robert…

“Technology does not serve so much as modify; it simultaneously promises and threatens change.” (Steve McCaffery) I’ve been reading scattershot about sound and music and space. I am especially intrigued by the idea of low frequency sounds in Gothic churches.…

poetry as: 1) quest 2) questioning 3) to write:to right 4) striking out FROM MY NOTEBOOK: “Surrealism once promised to tell us about the unconscious, but finished up trapped by its chosen objects of desire, peddling porngraphic thrills to the…

After some serious revisions, Campanology has now become Resident Alien. Resident Alien has a good chunk of Campanology, but the frame is a lot stronger (sequencing etc.) Resident Alien also circles the ms (as in saucer) in various ways. Resident…

Some very good revisions today. It helps to get Campanology rejected by contests. Makes me reorganize, resee, rethink. So. Campanology is now divided into three sections: section 1: Resident AlienSection 2: Shem/ShamSection 3: Sprog Section 1 now contains the first…

Selected Quotes of Ernest Fenolossa: “The eye sees noun and verb as one: things in motion, motion in things.” “Motion leaks everywhere, like electricity from an exposed wire . . . there could be no complete sentence . . .…