Kanchana Ugbabe (photo courtesy of and (c) Penguin India
The Fordham Department of English has welcomed a new colleague, Kanchana Ugbabe of Nigeria, to serve in the newly created position of Writer at Risk in Residence for one year beginning this fall.
The pilot position was made possible through the efforts of the Creative Writing program in partnership with PEN America, Artists at Risk Connection (ARC), Westbeth Artists Housing, ArtistsSafety.net, and Residency Unlimited. The residency is the second effort of the New York City Safe Haven Prototype, a multi-organizational artist residency program designed to house, integrate, and nurture artists at risk.
Ugbabe is a professor of English and African Literature at the University of Jos, Nigeria, and the author of a collection of short stories, Soulmates(Penguin Books, 2011). She has edited two collections of essays on the writings of the Nigerian novelist Chukwuemeka Ike and contributed three chapters to the Dictionary of Literary Biography focusing on African writers. Ugbabe holds a doctorate from Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. She holds a master’s in English literature from the University of Madras, India.
Since arriving at Fordham in mid-October, Ugbabe has been visiting English classes as well as courses in other departments, such as “Women and Independence in Africa,” taught by Fawzia Mustafa, Ph.D., professor of African and African-American studies and English. This spring, Ugbabe will teach her own class, “Creating Dangerously: Writing from Contact Zones.”
Over the last decade, the political crisis over ‘indigene’ rights and political representation in Ugbabe’s home city of Jos has developed into a protracted communal conflict affecting most parts of the area.
As a writer and South Asian woman settled in an increasingly unstable part of Nigeria, the risks and uncertainty became personal, Ugbabe says. These risks weighing upon her became intrinsically associated with a place she considered home—the town of Jos, which in the early days was a quaint, attractive outpost but has now devolved into a deeply fractured, overpopulated town rife with ethno-religious conflict. Ugbabe and her family, along with Nigerian friends, colleagues, and neighbors, found themselves at the center of the vortex of events. Disruption of work and a climate of insecurity escalated over the years as Jos deteriorated and the town became divided along ethnic and religious lines.
An invitation from Harvard University, to serve as Visiting Scholar with the Women and Gender Studies program, enabled Ugbabe to leave Jos and continue her writing and academic work in the peaceful environment of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The period also enabled her to distance herself temporarily from the tumult in Jos and to gain new perspective on the risks faced by fellow writers and academics in her beloved home country, Nigeria. As that fellowship neared its end, the Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) reached out to Ugbabe with the new opportunity at Fordham. This year-long pilot position will allow Ugbabe to continue writing and make headway with her research while being part of an enriching, safe, and encouraging community.
Street Scene: Jos, Nigeria The pollution comes from thousands of motorbikes which are the main transport in town. Photo courtesy of Andrew Moore under CC BY-SA 2.0 Generic license
Jos is a city in the Middle Belt of Nigeria.
“The city has a population of about 900,000 residents based on the 2006 census. Popularly called ‘J-town’, it is the administrative capital of Plateau State.
“The city is located on the Jos Plateau at an elevation of about 1,238 metres or 4,062 feet high above sea level. During British colonial rule, Jos was an important centre for tin mining. In recent years it has suffered violent religious clashes between its Muslim and Christian populations in 2001, 2008, 2010, and 2011.” MORE
A Decade of Suffering
“In the past decade, more than 3,800 people have been killed in inter-communal violence in Plateau State, including as many as 1,000 in 2001 in Jos and more than 75 Christians and at least 700 Muslims in 2004 in Yelwa, southern Plateau State. In November 2008, two days of inter-communal clashes following local government elections in Jos left at least 700 dead.” MORE
Some of the killings in Jos hit very close to home for Ugbabe. In 2007, a university professor was kidnapped and never found. Around that same time, church members were attacked, a neighbor’s home was set on fire, and a colleague’s daughter was killed in a bomb blast, to name just a few incidents.
This feature is compiled courtesy of Artists at Risk, PEN America, Human Rights Watch, Fordham University and Wikipedia
The Artists at Risk Connection (ARC) brings together organizations around the world that are committed to defending and promoting artistic freedom of expression, and to ensuring that artists everywhere can live and work without fear.
PEN America stands at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect open expression in the United States and worldwide. It champions the freedom to write, recognizing the power of the word to transform the world. Its mission is to unite writers and their allies to celebrate creative expression and defend the liberties that make it possible.
Human Rights Watch
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ABSINTHE: A Journal of World Literature in [English] Translation, hosted by the Department of Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan, publishes fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction by living authors. No unsolicited manuscripts. Query only. Details HERE.
ALLUVUM, 21st century writing / 21st century approaches offers academics the possibility to publish “topical columns that are intended to reflect upon key issues and emerging trends in literature and literary criticism…” Details on becoming an Alluvium contributor are HERE.
CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SOUL publishes poems and true stories. No submisson fee. Paying market. Open call for submissions for 2018 Christmas and Holiday collectionHERE.
GNU JOURNAL all genres are created equal accepts literary fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction and is “friendly to genre fiction, YA literature, short plays, comics, photography, and writing that defies classification.” Published online once a year and by MFA students at National University. No submission fees. Details HERE.
KWELI JOURNAL (Kweli is the Swahili word for “truth”) celebrates “community and cultural kinships.” Demographic restrictions. Publishes fiction (short stories or novel excerpts), nonfiction and poetry online and in print. $3 submission fee for multimedia only. Submit through May 30. Details HERE.
RAMINGO’S PORCH has an open call for submissions. Deadline is January 26. Details HERE.
THE BELLADONNA COMEDY by “all women and non-binary/genderqueer writers however green or seasoned to submit.” No poetry. Demographic restrictions. Seeks comedic and satirical pieces. Details HERE.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, BeDecember issue – themed Spirituality (Spiritual Paradigms, Awakenings, Miracles) is now open and the deadline is December 10th. NEW RULES:Please send text in the body of the email not as an attachment. Send submissions to me (Jamie) at bardogroup@gmail.com. Publication is December 15th. Poetry,essays, fiction and creative nonfiction, art and photography, music (videos or essays), and whatever lends itself to online presentation is welcome for consideration. No demographic restrictions. Please read at least one issue and the Intro/Mission Statement and Submission Guidelines. We DO NOT publish anything that promotes hate, divisiveness or violence or that is scornful or in any way dismissive of “other” peoples.
The BeZine will go to a quarterly schedule in 2018:
March 2018 issue, Deadline February 10th. Theme: Peace.
June 2018 issue, Deadline May 10th. Theme: Sustainability
September 2018 issue, Deadline August 10th, Theme: Human Rights/Social Justice
December 2018 issue, Deadline November 10th, Theme: A Life of the Spirit
The BeZine is an entirely volunteer effort, a mission. It is not a paying market but neither does it charge submission or subscription fees.
I do consider previously published work if you hold the copyright and I encourage submissions from beginning and emerging artists as well as pro. I am especially interested now in short stores, feature articles, music videos and art. / J.D.
THE COLUMBIA REVIEW, the oldest college literary magazine in the nation, will reopen for submissions in February. Does accepts submissions from poets, writers, and artists outside the University. Print and online publication twice yearly. Details HERE.
THE WAX PAPER (after the Studs Turkel radio show The Wax Museum) “a broadsheet publication open to all forms of written word, image, and collected conversation. The first priority of The Wax Paper is to expand our understanding of the people we share the world with, and in doing so, expand our understanding of ourselves. Pieces will be selected on their ability to illuminate the humanity and significance of the subjects that inhabit the work.” Submittable says “current reading period is open through June 30th.” Whether that means 2018 or 2017, I don’t know. I think she may have forgotten to update the page. Meanwhile, The Wax Paper IS currently open for submissions. Details HERE.
WHALE ROAD REVIEW accepts submissions of poetry and short prose in December. Open to submissions of reviews and pedagogy papers year-round. Details HERE.
VITA BREVIS
VITA BREVIS is a fledgling publication. The Vita Brevis teams tells me that readers of The Poet by Day are just the kind of prospective contributors the editors seek.
I am so taken by this graceful and peaceful new effort that in spite of their fledgling status I sent them some poetry, see Wabi Sabi (inspired by Leonard Koren, Wabi Sabi for Artists, Designers, Poets & Philosophers) and One Lifetime After Another this coming Tuesday.
Introducing the new kid on our literary block:
“Ars longa, vita brevis” (art is long, life is short). This maxim so moved us that it seemed only right to title our literary magazine after it. It may seem curious that we chose Vita Brevis (life is short) as our title instead of Ars Longa (art is long). But this choice was more than appropriate; after all, the aim of our magazine is to publish work that shows a keen awareness of not only art’s beauty and immortality but life’s toils and finiteness. We want to revive and nourish the rich existential literature that forms when art and the human endeavor collide.
“Our team is small, young, and not one for the spotlight. Perhaps, you will never know us by name, but know that we will be reading and analyzing your work from our university dorms, fixated on bringing it to as many readers as possible–fixated on inspiring the second wave of existentialist literature. With that, we give all literary poets and writers our call-to-arms–send us your best work, and let us see what it can do!”
The Vita Brevis Team
Give them some love: visit, read, “Like,” comment, submit work, promote, donate and encourage them. Theirs is a clean and clear effort with what promises to be well-curated poetry and art. They’re off to a fine start and with little noise about it and no self-aggrandizement.
Vita Brevis has an open call for submissions and clear guidelines. No deadline.
Vita Brevis is sponsoring a three-line (eighty word) writing contest. Again, the guidelines are clear. The deadline is December 10th.
POWER POETRY
“A poem is a way into a person’s heart …” Pearl*
a special opportunity for youth
POWER POETRY (powerpoetry.org) “is the world’s first and largest mobile poetry community for youth. It is a one-of-a-kind place where you can be heard. Power Poetry isn’t just about poetry: it’s about finding your voice and using it change the world!”
If you are reading this from an email subscription, you’ll likely have to link through to The Poet by Day site to view this video.
* Pearl was featured in the film To Be Heard (2010), reviewed HERE in Slant Magazine
THADDEUS HUTYRA announced a new CHALLENGE competition. Your poem may contain any theme and be written in any poetic form. Details HERE on the Facebook public poetry group, Poetry Universe.
2018 PETER PORTER POETRY PRIZE, International Competitions. Entries are welcome from poets anywhere in the world. There is no age limit. “The Porter Prize is one of Australia’s most lucrative and respected awards for poetry. It honours the life and work of the great Australian poet Peter Porter (1929–2010).” Australian Book Review. Deadline: December 3, 2017. Details HERE.
EVENTS
Montmartre Mondays, La Cave Cafe, 134 rue Mrcadet, 75018, Paris France, 7:30 pm. “Monday nights in Montmartre at the lusciously low-key yet soignée Cave Café from 19h30 ’til the last metro, pianist-around-town Sheldon Forrest brings his versatile accompaniment to your turn at the vocal mic or playing along in the jam session blend, welcoming everyone to let your hair down in the wake of the weekend and get a collective groove going just right. As intro and outro, DJ Objet brings signature mixes of downtempo electronica with left-field classics from all genres for your listening and/or rug-cutting pleasure. Entrée libre always (hat-pass contributions most graciously appreciated) – Come on out to start the week on the good foot!”
The Dodge Poetry Festival 2018, the largest poetry event in North America will return to Newark, New Jersey from Thursday October 18th through Sunday October 21, 2018. For four days Newark’s vibrant downtown Arts District will be transformed into a poetry village featuring some of our most celebrated, diverse and vibrant poets and spoken word artists. Details HERE.
Accessible anytime from anywhere in the world:
The Poet by Day always available online with poems, poets and writers, news and information.
The Poet by Day, Wednesday Writing Prompt, online every week (except for vacation) and all are invited to take part no matter the stage of career (emerging or established) or status (amateur or professional). Poems related to the challenge of the week (always theme based not form based) will be published here on the following Tuesday.
The Poet by Day, Sunday Announcements. Every week (except for vacation) opportunity knocks for poets and writers.
THE BeZINE, Be Inspired, Be Creative, Be Peace, Be – always online HERE.
Beguine Again, daily inspiration and spiritual practice – always online HERE. Beguine Again is the sister site to The BeZine.
POETS IN NIGERIA [PIN]
“connnecting poets for greatness”
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS: PIN CONNECT CENTRE REPRESENTATIVES
The dawn of PIN Connect Centres on September 9, 2016 has been a huge success to Poets in Nigeria (PIN). In view of this, and in response to calls for new Connect Centres, applications/indications of interest to serve as PIN representatives for new Connect Centres within Nigerian localities are welcome. MORE
KUDOS TO
TRISH HOPKINS(TrishHopkins.com) for donating $6 per order from her chapbook. ” You can now order a signed copy of my new chapbook Footnote, and for the next couple of weeks all proceeds ($6 per order) go to one of three charities of your choice: ACLU, Lambda, or Utah Humanities.” Further details HERE.
Poets and Publishers MENDES BENITO, CATFISH McDARUS and ME PSKI (PSKI’S Porch Publishing) on the rollout of Ramingo’s Porch, which is available through Amazon for $10. “I’m very proud of this issue that is the beginning of an amazing journey. First of all I want to thanks my fellows (and masters) Catfish McDaris and Me Pski. Grazie fratelli!’
.
“But now it’s time to give honor and glory to our authors. Get ready to applaude the works of: Ruben Macias, Carole Bromley, Daniel Snethen, Brenton Booth, Marianne Szlyk, Alexis Rhone Fancher, Michael Dwayne Smith, Paul Koniecki, Alyssa Trivett, Mark Blickley, Catfish McDaris, Ryan Quinn Flanagan, Jesse Lynn Rucilez, Fred C. Applebaum, Janet Madden, Yi-Wen Huang, Wayne F Burke, Adhikari Sudeep, Marc Pietrzykowski, Rona Fitzgerald, Michael Lee Johnson, Lynn White, Linda Imbler, Kurt Lipschutz, Jason Baldinger, Charlotte Ormston, Jamie Dedes, Holly Day, John Patrick Robbins, Guinotte Wise, Francine Witte, Finola Scott, Eric Nicholson, Charles Joseph.” Mendes Benito (Ramingo’s Blog, La Cultura Come Non Te L’Aspettavie)
SPECIAL REQUEST (deadline December 10, 2017): More and more magazines are charging submission fees and these are in some cases going up. The highest I encountered recently was $23 for the submission of one poem. Sometimes the publication pays writers and poets. Sometimes it doesn’t. This is not new, of course. Its been going on for some years now. It makes me wonder how much of a barrier that creates for writers. I’m collecting material on how you feel about these charges as a poet/writer and/or editor. Fair? Not fair? Okay depending on rate? Okay depending on whether or not they pay poets and writers? That sort of thing. I do plan to share the results of this informal survey at The Poet by Day. I won’t quote you by name without first getting your permission. Please let me know your thoughts about submission fees in the comments section below or by email: thepoetbyday@gmail.com. Thank you! J.D.
YOUR SUNDAY ANNOUNCEMENTS may be emailed to thepoetbyday@gmail.com. Please do so at least a week in advance.
If you would like me to consider reviewing your book, chapbook, magazine or film, here are some general guidelines:
send PDF to jamiededes@gmail.com (Note: I have a backlog of six or seven months, so at this writing I suggest you wait until June 2018 to forward anything. Thank you!)
nothing that foments hate or misunderstanding
nothing violent or encouraging of violence
English only, though Spanish is okay if accompanied by translation
though your book or other product doesn’t have to be available through Amazon for review here, it should be easy for readers to find through your site or other venues.
Often information is just that–information – and not necessarily recommendation. I haven’t worked with all the publications or other organizations featured in my regular Sunday Announcements or other announcements shared on this site. Awards and contests are often (generally) a means to generate income, publicity and marketing mailing lists for the host organizations, some of which are more reputable than others. I rarely attend events anymore. Caveat Emptor: Please be sure to verify information for yourself before submitting work, buying products, paying fees or attending events et al.
What’s it like for a poet and a singer/songwriter to pool their talents and produce an album? That’s something I’ve wondered about. I thought perhaps some of you have as well. When I found out that Diane Barbarash and Allison Grayhurst did just that, I asked them to share their experience with us here. / J.D.
I should first explain that Allison and I were extremely close friends back in Toronto, my old hometown. Several years ago I moved 3,000 miles west, landing in Vancouver on the west coast of Canada. I think it’s hard to maintain friendships with such distance so over time we focused more on our private lives and lost our regular communication.
Sometime in 2016 Allison and I reconnected, and it was as if we had never skipped a beat. I truly felt a piece of myself had returned and so it followed that I downloaded her compilation and was immersed in the book on that auspicious New Year’s Eve. I don’t even know what possessed me, but I remember the moment clearly. I suddenly picked up my guitar, scanned the poem I had just read and a verse flowed from a few of the lines like magic. It came so easily; musically it sounded like “something.”
So I went to another poem and had a similar experience. I should insert here that I was at that time fresh off of a three-year creative block in which I was only able to write a few songs, not many for such a time period. When these two random verses came forward from Allison’s poetry I felt more alive than I had in a long time. I can’t tell you how I knew but I knew something big had opened. The following day I contacted Allison and proposed the project. She very kindly gave me her blessing and her trust, and then I got to work!
The first poem that became a song was Animal Sanctuary. I think I sent Allison the first half, just to see how she felt. She loved it. I remember feeling nervous because I had changed the wording of course, the order of things, because a song is going to demand its own unique rhythm and one that flows with the chord progression. Even with just a half a song, we knew we had something. The writing of the album continued from January until July 2017. It was recorded in four days in August and mixed and mastered that same month.
River has been the most beautiful artistic relationship I have ever experienced. I’ve previously co-written with other musicians and one other Canadian poet, so I have had some collaborative experience, but mostly it’s been a solo road, writing my own material. I admit I am biased here… I think Allison is truly a great writer and I have not read poetry that moves me so deeply into my human rawness as hers does. It’s an honor that I’ve been able to bring her work out into the forefront.
Songs, like other art, cannot be forced by the mind. They have to come from the heart and you have to give yourself over to them as they flow out. This is how I’ve always known I am in the presence of true love, the unexplainable lyrical and musical combination that gives birth to what becomes a song.
Composing with Allison’s poetry became this kind of pure-heart experience. I am changed because of this album and definitely hope that there is more to come.
– Diane Barbarash
DIANE BARBARASH started writing songs even before she learned how to play guitar at thirteen. She was an active performer in Toronto’s folk club circuit before moving to Vancouver where she perused her love of recording. She has released three albums prior to River butconsiders River her true debut.
River – songs from the poetry of Allison Grayhurst was released in October 2017 and is available on Bandcamp, iTunes, and Amazon. Diane’s Amazon page is HERE. . . Diane on Soundcloud.
Allison Grayhurst:
When Diane first approached me about this project, my initial response was surprise and trepidation, along with excitement. I didn’t think such a thing was possible – for although there is a natural rhythm in my poetry, I didn’t think there could be music. I was nervous that I wouldn’t like what I heard. Even though I completely trusted Diane and was already a fan of her musical abilities, I was full of scepticism. However, after hearing how Diane combined her musical gifts with my poems to create separate identities – songs – I was blown away. I never imagined such a thing possible and I can’t imagine that anyone but Diane could have tuned in so well to my poems, creating songs from my poems that I would be happy with. Her instinctual genius, both musically and vocally, astounds me and resonates in complete harmony with my poetry. She has honoured my work every step of the way. I am in awe of Diane’s talent and brilliance.
Diane wrote the songs using my poems. Once the songs were complete, Diane sent me each song as an mp3 and a word file of the lyrics. I went over the lyrics meticulously and got back to her with any changes I wanted. There weren’t many changes, but there were a few that I felt necessary to keep true to the poems. Diane made the changes upon my suggestion – sometimes sending me back several versions. We did this until it fit musically for her and I was happy with it lyrically. As we both mutually respect each other’s artistic integrity, the process was quick and easeful.
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– Allsion Grayhurst
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Three poems by Allison Grayhurst
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River
I will run my breath across your eyelids,
go to you, trace the edges of your hands,
finding infinity inside your torment. I will
drift into you like wind and you will not mind
my lips like a concentrated shadow on your skin,
darkening but leaving no weight. You will let me
be inside your picture, a background to your lyrics,
softly at first, I will heal the red in the whites of your eyes.
I will release my wardrobe for you and you will be the mania
that I climb through to reach tranquility. I will
cup your flesh and stretch you through this intimacy because
I own you as you own me and it is not a bad thing, not
blasphemy or anything
to fear. It is your hands, mine – these
poignant burial grounds that have been excavated,
these days of standing close, depending upon the ease
of our mutual exposure. I will speak in your ear and you
will step into my voice
like stepping into a river.
First published in InnerChildPress
Now I am Two
It is this way, togetherness:
A covenant with tenderness and speaking thoughts
only glimpsed.
The snow falls like rain as the afternoon moves
without time, our hands pressed as one,
lips and then, something better. Always
miraculous, unexpected, awakening. Always
us, vanishing and then re-emerging with these things
of harmony and friction engulfing our scent and path. Soon,
the tiger lilies will bloom and being just us will be made difficult
with the children gathered in our arms. But this ‘difficult’ is
whole and adds to our liberation – making coffee, laughing
at things shared and only ours.
It is what was prayed for, what years and hardship has not
diluted, but has fused into an unbreakable bond – us –
the summoning of all our parts – ancient, immediate
so that even when death comes or fate and terrible sobbing,
neither of us will ever be again
without the other
alone.
First published in Anchor & Plume: Kindred, Issue 5, Nest
ALLISON GRAYHURST (Allison Grayhurst.com) is a member of the League of Canadian Poets. Three of her poems were nominated for “Best of the Net” in 2015, and one eight-part story-poem was nominated for “Best of the Net” in 2017. She has over 1125 poems published in more than 450 international journals and anthologies. Her book Somewhere Falling was published by Beach Holme Publishers, a Porcepic Book, in Vancouver in 1995. Since then she has published sixteen other books of poetry and six collections with Edge Unlimited Publishing. Prior to the publication of Somewhere Falling she had a poetry book published, Common Dream, and four chapbooks published by The Plowman. Her poetry chapbook The River is Blind was published by Ottawa publisher above/ground press December 2012. In 2014 her chapbook Surrogate Dharma was published by Kind of a Hurricane Press, Barometric Pressures Author Series. In 2015, her book No Raft – No Ocean was published by Scars Publications. More recently, her book Make the Wind was published in 2016 by Scars Publications. As well, her book Trial and Witness – selected poems, was published in 2016 by Creative Talents Unleashed (CTU Publishing Group). She is a vegan. She lives in Toronto with her family. She also sculpts, working with clay. Allison’s Amazon page is HERE.
The Grand Canal in Venice from Palazzo Flangini to Campo San Marcuola, Canaletto, about 1738. The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles / This photograph of the painting is in the public domain.
I stood in Venice, on the Bridge of Sighs,
A palace and a prison on each hand:
I saw from out the wave her structures rise
As from the stroke of the enchanter’s wand:
A thousand years their cloudy wings expand
Around me, and a dying Glory smiles
O’er the far times, when many a subject land
Looked to the wingéd Lion’s marble piles,
Where Venice sate in state, throned on her hundred isles!
Lord Byron (1788-1824), Childe Harold's Pilgrimage
I’ve been so enjoying Linda Ibbotson’s Facebook and blog posts about her travels, art and poetry readings and thought some of you might enjoy her site as well. She’s done a wonderful post on Contemplating the Muse, Linda Ibbotson/Poet, inspired by a recent adventure in Venice, a taste of which is included below today. To read the entire post and see the fabulous photographs she included link HERE. You can link to pianist Ivan Ilić’s site HERE. / J.D.
Meanwhile, with LInda’s permission …
“When I seek another word for ‘music’, I never find any other word than ‘Venice’.” Friedrich Nietzsche.
When pianist Ivan Ilić announced his cd Reicha Rediscovered was to be launched in Venice at the magnificently restored Palazzetto Bru Zane, (The Centre de musique romantique française) it was music to my ears and the catalyst that awakened my desire to attend this wonderful momentous occasion. It was also an exciting opportunity for me to rediscover Venice!
Venice, known also as La Serenissima is shaped like a fish, 118 small islands spanned by over 400 named bridges and resembles a theatre of stone!
Visually, a masterpiece! From the ancient splendour of Baroque, Byzantine and Moorish influenced Gothic architecture, particularly in the Chiesa’s (churches), the delicate Murano artisan glass chandeliers, the prodigious work of Renaissance artists such as Carpaccio, Titian and Tintoretto, influenced by light and play of light on water (a legacy to European art) to the contemporary Venice Biennale spectacularly captured in 2017 by Lorenzo Quinn’s giant hands of Support at Ca’ Sagredo Hotel.
After viewing the impressive Piazza San Marco and the Rialto, paradoxically, the only way to find Venice is to lose yourself in the labyrinth. You will discover timeless haunts such as Caffè Florian est. 1720, famous for its delicious hot chocolate and where a plethora of artists, musicians and writers; Byron, Verdi, Hemmingway to name a few frequented, the renowned Libreria Acqua Alta bookshop where books are kept safely afloat in a gondola and bathtubs, Hotel Danielli, the location for The Tourist movie and where George Sand stayed, the decorative mask and costume shops Marega and Ca del Sol well as quieter residential areas of Santa Croce and San Polo where the early morning washing hangs from windows to dry.
The Finale, another glorious concert as Interpreti Veneziani play Vivaldi at Chiesa san Vidal near the Accademia bridge. The final fading notes of a cello, fragrance of a nearby oleander, the creaking crowded Grand Canal night vaporetto indelibly etched in my mind.
Venice is compelling, the ultimate lure for the artistic and intrepid traveller!
Reicha Rediscovered is the first in a series released by Chandos; one of the world’s premiere classical record companies , produced by Swiss National Radio and supported by the Palazzetto Bru Zane. Antoine Reicha was a contemporary of Beethoven and many of his compositions unpublished, stored in France’s National Library. / L.I.
Linda Ibottson
LINDA IBBOTSON is a poet, artist and photographer from the UK, currently residing in County Cork, Ireland. Her poetry, artwork and photography has been published internationally including Levure Litteraire,Enchanting Verses Literary Review, Irish Examiner, California Quarterly , Fekt and Live Encounters, also read on radio and performed in France by Irish musician and actor Davog Rynne.
Her painting Cascade featured as the cover of a cd. She writes a poetry and arts blog Contemplating the Muse.
Linda was invited to read at the Abroad Writers Conference in Lismore Castle, Butlers Townhouse, Dublin and Kinsale.
Ugbabe is a professor of English and African Literature at the University of Jos, Nigeria, and the author of a collection of short stories, Soulmates (Penguin Books, 2011). She has edited two collections of essays on the writings of the Nigerian novelist Chukwuemeka Ike and contributed three chapters to the Dictionary of Literary Biography focusing on African writers. Ugbabe holds a doctorate from Flinders University of South Australia, Adelaide, Australia. She holds a master’s in English literature from the University of Madras, India.
Jamie Dedes' THE POET BY DAY Webzine 