Poetry Rules

I realized today that my first 6 months of the year have been quite productive. I have had 3 publications coming out and this is more than pleasing. In January, dancing girl press has released my second US chapbook, Diagnosis . In March it was the New Anthology of American Poetry 's turn, the book that I have edited and translated, has been published by Ensemble. In May, Offerte di Carta , my translation of the first Italian collection by SF Poet Laureate Alejandro Murguía was published by Gilgamesh. I have had 12 poems as well as 2 poems by Antonia Pozzi in English translation accepted by journals  I am back to writing poetry lately and I am polishing the biography. I haven't submitted a lot, given my standards. 41 submissions will have to do. I know I must write more to send out more, but I am not worried. Poetry simply happens!

I wish to thank the numerous poets and friends who have joined the Nuova Antologia di Poesia Americana   launch party   at the Caffè Letterario N'importe Quoi , last night. A special thank you to the amazing Brigade poets and Rome poets, Marco Cinque , Ludovica Lanini , Edoardo Olmi , Giovanna Iorio , Maria Desiderio and Enzo Lomanno . A heartfelt thank you to my American friends Jackie Murray and Dan Curley and to 4 of Skidmore's students, Helen Kirk, Kevin Wang, Mary Farrington and Emily Sater who have read so beautifully the poems in their original version. Jackie's reading of "Eurydice is Missing" by Stephen Kessler was brilliant. The way she used her cell phone in the end just had me smile. And, thank you, thank you, thank you to all my friends and to all those who were there to celebrate American Poetry with me. Grazie Beppe, Stefania, Adelaide, Carolina, Greg, Riccardo, Alan, Marco and all the RomeKids. Thank you also to my publisher Matteo Chiavarone...