GALATEA RESURRECTS #5 (A Poetry Engagement)

EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION

This issue is dedicated to kari edwards (1954-2006). kari was a Guest Editor for Galatea Resurrects' Inaugural Issue. I won't -- can't -- say what's impossible for me: how kari had so engaged, affected, and shared. So I thank Ron Silliman and Mark Young for manifesting this issue's dedication to kari with their reviews of hir posthumous -- and awesome -- poetry collection, having been blue for charity, accessible for free from BlazeVox Books HERE.

*****

While the total number of reviews for this issue is lower than the prior issue's it's still a pretty hefty example of Giving! And if you adjust for Issue 4's spike in reviews from my e-begging for reviews so that I don't lose a bet that would have made me hang out naked in the cold on University Avenue in Berkeley for a day, then you'll see that the pattern affirms a consistent rise in reviews -- a rise in interest and participation from the poetry community. Thanks to you volunteer-reviewers who've contributed to the following:

Issue 1: 27 reviews

Issue 2: 39 new reviews (one project was reviewed twice by different reviewers)

Issue 3: 49 new reviews (two projects were each reviewed twice by different reviewers)

Issue 4: 61 new reviews (one project was reviewed thrice, and three projects were each reviewed twice by different reviewers)

Issue 5: 56 (four projects were each reviewed twice)

Of these engagements, the following were generated from review copies sent to Galatea Resurrects:

Issue 1: 9 out of 27 new reviews
Issue 2: 25 out of 39 new reviews
Issue 3: 27 out of 49 new reviews
Issue 4: 41 out of 61 new reviews
Issue 5: 34 out of 56 new reviews

So I continue to encourage publishers and authors to send in review copies. Reflecting the logistical support of the internet, reviewers from around the world are paying attention. For information on submission and review copies, go check out Galatea's Purse.

*****

Between the prior issue and this issue, on a poetry-related List, a teacher cited Galatea Resurrects as a Creative Writing resource! Yes -- indeed! Resource Galatea!

And as always, please feel free to email me or put in Comments section any errors or publisher web sites information related to the books.

*****

In 2006, Galatea Resurrects released four issues encompassing 176 new reviews and 31 online debuts of reviews first presented in print publications. I hang out with members of the secret organization, "Oenophiles For Poetry." I'm the only poet in the group. But the others sometimes get tipsy enough for me to trap them into doing something to support poetry.

So, at one of our recent gatherings, I was able to persuade Oenophiles for Poetry to read all of Galatea Resurrects' 2006 reviews. From their reading, Oenophiles for Poetry chose their favorite read, and we now are pleased to announce that Galatea Resurrects' 2006 CALENDAR AWARD goes to

Mr. Sandy McIntosh

for his review, viz a memoir, of LIVING IS WHAT I WANTED by David Ignatow as well as SELECTED SHORTER POEMS and THE TABLETS, both by Armand Schwerner.

If you did a review in 2006, don't get insulted yours wasn't picked. This isn’t a “best of reviews” contest; full disclosure requires me to say the judges were deep in their goblets when they picked the recipient of this CALENDAR AWARD.

The CALENDAR AWARD comes with two prizes. The first is a $20 gift certificate good towards the purchase of a poetry book. I hope that future years' awards will be worth more, but that's all that the total came to from the loose change that I managed to steal this year from the winos' pant pockets and cocktail purses which don't ever carry anything but lipstick (why is that, oeno-ladies?). Still, $20 should at least cover the purchase of one poetry book and that is a good thing, No? I mean, Yah?

The award is so named because the second prize is ... [insert drum roll] a Calendar. This, of course, is special because it is a 2007 Dutch Henry Winery calendar (y'all know I'm Dutch Henry's Poet Lariat, right?) and when you turn to the March page, you will see the same drop-dead gorgeous photo of Achilles and Gabriela that was featured in Issue 3. So, isn't that spe-cial?!

*****

Now, speaking of that famous photo of Achilles and Gabriela:

Those who know me know that Moi's flagpole, as a poet, is empty. But Galatea is flexible enough to allow nations to visit, if it means that she can also raise the Dawg's Flag:



Because they guard my poetry so well, I'll do anything for Achilles and Gabriela who love to see their photos interrupt air:



I really can't believe I allowed flagpoles on the property, but as you readers know, I indulge my dogs -- rather, I indulge myself indulging my dogs. Woof.

With much Love, Fur and Poetry,

Eileen Tabios
St. Helena, CA
February 14, 2007

posted by na @ 11:55 PM