Some New Publications and a Reading in July

Three new publications from yours truly are now available:

"Rhymes with History: Joe Francis Doerr and Kevin Ducey" an article on two first books of poems, Doerr's Order of the Ordinary and Ducey's Rhinoceros, in issue 19 of The Notre Dame Review. Ducey and Doerr are, for my money, two of the most interesting new poets around.

"Black Dog's Bedside Manner" and "Poem for a War Poet, Poem for a War," two poems, in issue number 44/45 of Another Chicago Magazine. "Black Dog's Bedside Manner" is dedicated to John Matthias, and I had the pleasure of reading it at the Matthias gathering at Notre Dame a few weeks ago (the event is blogged below).

And the Big Publication of the month, "Identity Politics and the Modern Self: Robert Pinsky's An Explanation of America". This is a shorter version of the Pinsky essay from the forthcoming book Laureates and Heretics. It appears in Mantis number four, a newish journal out of Stanford. Their site needs an update, but has ordering information. The issue itself is a special number devoted to poetry and politics, and is packed with good stuff.

There will be a poetry reading to celebrate the new issue of Another Chicago Magazine at Hideout in Chicago on July 14th at 9:00 pm. I'll read, as well as a few other poets including the incredibly cool Simone Muench. Admission is a paltry five bucks, and that includes the post-reading dance party (Simone can dance, I can't, which doesn't always stop me) with DJ Birdy Num Num, whose name comes from the funniest movie of 1968.

Since this is the Me Me Me post, let me add a link to the new page my publisher has put up for my book: they've got good designers at Salt, I think.