May 31, 2011

Whitman with a boombox: A Review of John Murillo’s Up Jump The Boogie

“That there is a kind of joy in the begging // Itself, that all songs are love songs. Blues, / Especially. Praise the knowledge. Praise.” These lines from “Song,” the final poem of John Murillo’s debut collection Up Jump The Boogie (Cypher Books, 2010), illustrate the core themes of the collection. With the title of Up Jump The Boogie it would be right to assume that Murillo sets out to celebrate the energy of hip-hop and the neighborhoods that helped channel this energy into the world. Up Jump The Boogie can be categorized as a neighborhood love song; however, the book is more than that. The collection is not only concerned with the positive energy of Murillo’s world, the energy that empowers the title character of “Santayana, The Muralist” as he “Aerosols Aztlan across barrio brick for all the poor / To see: Aztec warriors, Mexican washwomen, dios del sol.” This is a creative energy, but the same energy responsible for creating the murals is capable of creating the scenes seen in another poem, the sestina “The Corner” (forms like sestinas and ghazals are prevalent in Up Jump the Boogie, but it is easy to miss Murillo’s formalism because of how naturally one poem flows into the next). Here, we see characters like Jojo and the dark places the same energy can lead:

Take this young boy, Jojo. Fresh out the joint, before he’d head
Anywhere near his mama’s house, he’d run straight here. Across
The street from the carryout and check cashing spot, he’ll peddle
His rocks to anybody who pushes past. Even little Ebony. Hear
She was almost prom queen, drove the young boys crazy back
In the days before Jojo got at hold of her. How the weight


Melts from face and neck. How skin cankers, and blood and sweat
Crust corners of lips licked only in wet dreams. How she gives head
Now by the dumpster behind the church, fucks, how fast five bucks
Find their way back to Jojo’s hands. And Jesus, on a stone cross,
Watches it all from on high. How it begins, ends, and begins again here,
On the corner. Tonight, rain clouds bruise the sky. Jojo sells.

In the universe Murillo creates, for every Santayana, there is an Ebony. Every scene of creation and hope is counterbalanced by a story of destruction and loss. No corner of his world is sacred because all corners of his world are sacred, and Murillo invites his readers to watch these sacred acts from his shoulders.

While the power of the collection does not wane, there are moments of levity as well. In poems like “Enter the Dragon,” readers get to see the narrator and his father celebrating martial artist and actor Jim as they trade “Salt & butter / High-fives” and “jab and clutch.” This moment of happiness ends when the two are pulled over by police officers. However, with poems like this and “Monster Boy,” where a young narrator and his friends wish for things like “a dick as long as a turkey leg” and “Psycho Michael Lopez out of the way” and these wishes find a way to become true, readers get a chance to see the normalness that can occur amongst the broken lives Murillo describes. In any world, children will still dream; boys will still pretend to know kung-fu after watching a Bruce Lee movie. On the surface, these moments could seem like filler or a tonal shift for the sake of a tonal shift. But on these moments of levity help to show how the human spirit and peek out from any situation and shine.

There are many clumsy and political arguments made about hip-hop being the spiritual successor of classical poetry or slave hymnals. Some of these arguments hope to diminish the culture at hand. Other arguments hope to chain the culture to a false tradition. Thankfully, Murillo manages to avoid those tropes while still echoing the original purpose of both the MC/DJ and the poet in society: to proclaim truths about their societies for all the world to hear and recognize.

_____

Review by Jason McCall whose debut collection, Silver, is forthcoming from Main Street Rag. He is from the great state of Alabama, where he currently teaches English and Literature at the University of Alabama. He holds an MFA from the University of Miami, and his poetry has been or will be featured in Diverse Voices Quarterly, The Los Angeles Review, Cimarron Review, New Letters, Mythic Delirium, Fickle Muses, and other journals.

May 23, 2011

Pittsburgh Lit Events: May 23 - 29

Monday, May 23:
Reading: Literazzi Invades Fleeting Pages
Literazzi, a performance troupe that supports literacy in Pittsburgh, will host a night of readings by Kristin Ross, Ashly Nagrant, A.E. Loveridge, Jenn D., and Jocelyn Hillen reading excerpts from T.S. Eliot’s ‘Four Quartets.'
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - free



Tuesday, May 24:

Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series
The back room of Hemingway's Cafe fills up with featured readers and an open mic in this 30+ year running poetry series, hosted by Jimmy Cvetic. This week the series features
Lisa Alexander, Cara Armstrong, Darla Himeles, and Lori Wilson.
Hemingway’s Cafe
3911 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland)
8:00pm – free – (412)621-4100



Thursday, May 26:

Planes, Trains, & Automobiles: Three Hometown Writers on the RoadThree Pittsburgh writers — one former truck driver, one former flight attendant, and one former cross-country motorcycle wanderer — will read their poems and stories about leaving and coming home. Featuring Dave Newman, author of Please Don't Shoot Anyone Tonight (World Parade Books) and more; Bob Pajich, author of Everyone Exquisite (Liquid Paper Press) and more; and Lori Jakiela, author of Miss New York Has Everything (Hatchette), Red Eye (Pudding House) and more. Live road-mix-worthy music to follow the readings. All proceeds go to Fleeting Pages. Music to follow the readings: Emily Rogers & Eric Cirelli-Reading (Green Lantern Press)
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
8:00pm - $2



Friday, May 27:

Blanket and Shake: Women Poetry Round Robin ReadingFour local writers will dazzle you with a round robin, work trading, no-holds-barred evening of live poetry. Featuring Carolyne Whelan, Beth Fleeson, Elizabeth Ashe, and Courtney Lora Lang. Brief open mic to follow.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - $4

Saturday, May 28:

Pomegranate Poetry WorkshopArtist, filmmaker, photographer, and poet Edward Murray leads a prompt-based workshop exploring the ways poetry is found all around our everyday experiences.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
1:00pm - free





Do you have a literary event you want to see listed on our calendar?
E-mail details to: joel.weavezine @ gmail.com

May 16, 2011

Pittsburgh Lit Events: May 16 - 22

Monday, May 16:

"Bad Writing" Film Screening
Join Creative Nonfiction for a screening of "Bad Writing." The feature-length documentary by Vernon Lott includes interviews with leading figures in the literary world including David Sedaris, Margaret Atwood, Steve Almond, CNF's very own Lee Gutkind, and many more. A brief and lively discussion of writing--bad, good and in-between--will follow the film.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - free



Tuesday, May 17:

Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series
The back room of Hemingway's Cafe fills up with featured readers and an open mic in this 30+ year running poetry series, hosted by Jimmy Cvetic. This week the series features Jan Beatty & Madwomen in the Attic:
Molly Bain, Tess Barry, Gayle Reed Carroll, Dorina Pena, Susan Shaw Sailer & Bernadette Ulsamer.
Hemingway’s Cafe
3911 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland)
8:00pm – free – (412)621-4100



Wednesday, May 18:

WEAVE FEATURED EVENT!
Weave Magazine Workshop @ Fleeting Pages
Join Weave's Editor, Laura E. Davis, for the second in our series of workshops at Fleeting Pages. Bring a "famous" poem or short prose piece to serve as inspiration in this fun-filled workshop. Suggested donation includes a copy of Weave!
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - $5 (suggested donation)



Thursday, May 19:

The New Yinzer Presents
Join The New Yinzer for another installment of TNYPresents
.
Featured writers include Steve Himmer, Traci O'Connor, Noah Gershman, and Derek Pollard.
ModernFormations
4919 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Lawrenceville)
8:00pm - $5 (free w/ pot luck contribution)
- (412) 362-0274


Friday, May 20:

The New Yinzer Presents: Special Edition
Join The New Yinzer for a special installment of TNYPresents at Fleeting Pages
.
Featured writers include Kris Collins, Scott Silsbe, Celine Roberts, Nicole Leckenby, Holly Coleman, Mark Mangini, Taylor Grieshober, and Adam Matcho.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - free


Saturday, May 21:


WEAVE FEATURED EVENT!
Sentence: A Journal of Prose Poetics - Pittsburgh Reading
Join Editors and Contributors of Sentence: A Journal of Prose Poetics for a celebration of issue #8, a reading from same, and an open mic (1 prose poem per reader, no more than 2 pages). Featured readers include Deb Bogen, Claire Barbetti, Sten Carlson, Robin Clarke, Sharon Fagan McDermott, and Ellen McGrath Smith.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
8:00pm - free


Speaking of... Reading Series
Enjoy a night of words featuring Joseph Young (fiction), Jim Coppoc (Poetry), and Stacy Waite (Spoken Word).
Amani International Coffee house & Cafe
507 Forland St Pittsburgh, PA (North side)
8:00pm - $5.00 - (412) 477-3235






Do you have a literary event you want to see listed on our calendar?
E-mail details to: joel.weavezine @ gmail.com

May 9, 2011

Pittsburgh Lit Events: May 9 - 15

Monday, May 9:

"Lines braided from their voices": A poetic journey with Kelli Stevens Kane & Angele Ellis
Join literary and performance poet Kelli Stevens Kane and Angele Ellis--whose work has appeared on a theater marquee--for an evening of work that combines earth and spirit, movement and music.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - $5 (children under 12 free)



Tuesday, May 10:

Writers LIVE @ CLP - Nathaniel Philbrick
Pittsburgh Lectures welcomes Nathaniel Philbrick, reading from The Last Stand, his take on the mythic story of the American West.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Main Branch)
4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland)
6:00pm - free (call in advance to register) – (412) 622-8866

WEAVE FEATURED EVENT!
Gary Shteyngart Reading
Author Gary Shteyngart reads from Super Sad True Love Story (Random House, 2010) under the City of Asylum tent. Moderated by Eric Shiner, acting director of the Andy Warhol Museum.
330 Sampsonia Way Pittsburgh, PA (North side)
7:00pm - free - (412) 321-2190

Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series
The back room of Hemingway's Cafe fills up with featured readers and an open mic in this 30+ year running poetry series, hosted by Jimmy Cvetic. This week the series features the Squirrel Hill Poetry Workshop: Anthony Ciotoli, Pam O'Brien, Shirley Stevens, Randy Minnich, Marc Jampole, Ann Curran, and Nancy Esther James.
Hemingway’s Cafe
3911 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland)
8:00pm – free – (412)621-4100

Representations of the Working-Class: Workshop
What does ‘working-class’ mean? Does it refer to the author or the art? This workshop will examine various examples of "working-class" representation and conduct a short free write session in response. Please bring your own or other writing, art, and ideas to share.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - free


Wednesday, May 11:

WEAVE FEATURED EVENT!
Weave Magazine Workshop @ Fleeting Pages
Join Weave's Editor, Laura E. Davis, for the first in a series of workshops at Fleeting Pages. Bring your favorite famous poem to serve as inspiration in this fun-filled workshop. Suggested donation includes a copy of Weave issue 3 or 4!
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - $5 (suggested donation)


Author Jean Kwok reads from Girl in Translation (Riverhead, 2010) under the City of Asylum tent. Moderated by Bill O'Driscoll of Pittsburgh City Paper.
330 Sampsonia Way Pittsburgh, PA (North side)
7:00pm - free


Thursday, May 12:

WEAVE FEATURED EVENT!
"Bookstore Clerks Who Write About It" Reading
Bookstore clerks, bookstore owners, and former bookstore workers read from their own writings on the bookstore biz, as well as the writings of others. Readers will include: Kris Collins (Caliban Books), Nancy Krygowski (formerly, Maelstrom Books), Karen Lillis (formerly, St Mark's Bookshop), Tommy Mac (formerly, Powell's Books, Chicago), and Bob Ziller (Awesome Books) reading their own work as well as writings from Ron Kolm (Posman Books), Corey Mesler (Burke's Book Store), and Kevin Sampsell (Powell's Books, Portland)
.
Fleeting Pages (former Borders Eastside)
5986 Penn Circle South, Pittsburgh, PA (East Liberty)
7:00pm - free



Saturday, May 14:

Cyberpunk Apocalypse Coo-Off
Monthly writing and art presentation, open to all, awarding a homemade trophy and half the door money to the "coolest" project, as selected by all in attendance.
Cyberpunk Apocalypse

5431 Carnegie St Pittsburgh, PA (Lawrenceville)
7:00pm - $2-4 donation - (412) 513-8285



Sunday, May 15:

Carnegie Library Sunday Reading Series
The Carnegie Library’s Sunday Poetry Reading Series hosts a reading with Lisa Alexander and Victoria Dym.
Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh (Main Branch)
Quiet Reading Room, Main Floor
4400 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland)
2:00pm - free – (412)622-3151





Do you have a literary event you want to see listed on our calendar?
E-mail details to: joel.weavezine @ gmail.com

May 2, 2011

Pittsburgh Lit Events: May 2 - 8

Monday, May 2:

Free Poetry Workshop
Pittsburgh Poetry Exchange hosts open poetry workshop on the first Monday
of each month. Call for details. Please note new time and location!
Panera Bread
5430 Centre Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Shadyside)
6:30pm - free


Tuesday, May 3:

Join City of Asylum for readings by Hervé Le Tellier (France), David Bezmozgis (Latvia/Canada), and Kyung-sook Shin (South Korea). The event will kick off a 3-reading series sponsored by City of Asylum/Pittsburgh during the month of May and will be held outdoors, under a tent, on Pittsburgh's Northside. Moderated by Terrance Hayes.
330 Sampsonia Way Pittsburgh, PA (North side)
7:00pm - free

Hemingway’s Summer Poetry Series
The back room of Hemingway's Cafe fills up with featured readers and an open mic in this 30+ year running poetry series, hosted by Jimmy Cvetic. Feat. Pittsburgh Poetry Society members: Edna Machesney, Marilyn Marsh Noll, Liane Ellison Norman, Christine Pasinski, Lucienne Wald, and Christine Wolfe.
Hemingway’s Cafe
3911 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Oakland)
8:00pm – free – (412)621-4100


Saturday, May 7:

This Night's Cave - a reading by poets Lori Wilson and Angele Ellis
Lori Wilson (House Where a Woman, Autumn House Press) and Angele Ellis (Spared, Main Street Rag, and Arab on Radar, Six Gallery) will alternate voices by "calling and responding" to each other's work, and will debut some new poems.
Awesome Books
5111 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA (Garfield)
7:00pm - free






Do you have a literary event you want to see listed on our calendar?
E-mail details to: joel.weavezine @ gmail.com