Dec
31
On Saturday, January 17th 2009, Salomon Arts and the founders of Poegles.com will celebrate the closing of Ah Pook is Here: The Lost Art of William S. Burroughs and Malcolm McNeill with a reception and a presentation on found poetry in honor of Burroughs and his “cut-up method” of writing.As proponents of a new kind of ‘cut-up’ method of found poetry using internet search results, we are extremely excited to demonstrate our craft in the presence of work by the cut-up’s most famous proponent, William Burroughs. Participants are invited to view the exhibition and participate in an interactive discussion about found poetry and the new art of using internet search results to create poems.
When and where is the event?
Saturday, January 17th, 2009
Wine reception 4 pm to 7 pm, Presentation at 5:30 pm
Salomon Arts- Tribeca
83 Leonard Street (between Broadway and Church), 4th Floor
New York, NY 10013
How do I RSVP?
Because of limited space anyone wishing to attend must RSVP to editor@poegles.com.
Dec
25
More Inaugural Poetry News
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
From the New York Times- More news on Elizabeth Alexander, the nation’s next inaugural poet.
“After eight years of mangled and manipulated language, and the palpable effects of that in the real world, it seems like any gesture toward clarity of expression and dignity of life is welcome,” Christian Wiman, the editor of Poetry magazine, said in an e-mail message.
Dec
24
Sir Paul, poegler:
“I would pull some words out of a poetry book, do a cut up, stick it with some other words, make some other words up that went with them.” says McCartney. “And suddenly we found ourselves on this kind of exciting trail, where ‘Whew, it’s a song.’”
More: Paul McCartney Finds Freedom in His Alter Ego
Dec
23
The Red Swing Project
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
Here at Poegles we’re always happy to read about artistic projects intended to surprise and delight. So we were very pleased to read in today’s Houston Chronicle about The Red Swing Project.
Participants in the project are installing red swings in public places all over the world. The goal is to add a bit of fun and mischief into the world- and to make people think differently about public space.
We’re made a $2 donation. We urge our fellow poeglers to do the same.
Dec
20
In Honor of the Christmas Season….
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
One from the Collection.
Eight Problems with Jesus
He doesn’t fit into boxes.
We never know who belongs to his flock.
He just never seemed to accept the normal world, did he?
He speaks with authority, not simply citing the authority of the rabbinic community.
His salvation comes only on his terms.
All sorts of claims are being made about him from people who have no way of knowing if any of them are true.
He died too young.
He was not the sort of light that we expected. That is where the trouble started.
-Editor (search phrase “the problem with Jesus”)
Dec
19
Anguish fuels creativity
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
Good news! That bad mood you’re in may be of some use:
”A recent study, led by Harvard professor Wendy Berry Mendes, is the first to examine how biological predisposition and negative situations work in tandem to influence creativity, in fields such as art.
“This study is the first to examine how biological predisposition and negative situations work in tandem to influence creativity, she says.”
Dec
19
Blagojevich answers charges with poetry
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
Via Gawker: Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, accused of corruption and trying to ’sell” Barack Obama’s Senate seat, recited Rudyard Kipling’s poem “If” on television today.
He’s a decent reader. Check out the video here.
Dec
19
Poegles looks forward to 2009
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
Dear Poeglers,
So, we come to the end of 2008 and the holidays are upon us. But we’re already looking forward to 2009 because, well, 2008 wasn’t all that great in the end, what with the economy at a virtual standstill. But take heart, Poeglers, for the New Year holds opportunity for change and merrymaking.
On Saturday, January 17th 2009, Salomon Arts and the founders of Poegles.com will celebrate the closing of Ah Pook is Here: The Lost Art of William S. Burroughs and Malcolm McNeill with a reception and a presentation on found poetry in honor of Burroughs and his “cut-up method” of writing.As proponents of a new kind of ‘cut-up’ method of found poetry using internet search results, we are extremely excited to demonstrate our craft in the presence of work by the cut-up’s most famous proponent, William Burroughs. Participants are invited to view the exhibition and participate in an interactive discussion about found poetry and the new art of using internet search results to create poems.
When and where is the event?
Saturday, January 17th, 2009
Wine reception 4 pm to 7 pm, Presentation at 5:30 pm
Salomon Arts- Tribeca
83 Leonard Street (between Broadway and Church), 4th Floor
New York, NY 10013
How do I RSVP?
Because of limited space anyone wishing to attend must RSVP to editor@poegles.com.
What is Ah Pook is Here?
The exhibition is made up of artwork and prints from the unfinished graphic novel Ah Pook is Here. This remarkable seven-year collaboration between Burroughs and the artist Malcolm McNeill has been rediscovered after more than thirty years and is now being publicly shown for the first time.
As Burroughs wrote in 1978, “over the years of our collaboration Malcolm Mc Neill produced more than a hundred pages of artwork. However, owing partly to the expense of full color reproduction, and because the book falls into neither the category of the conventional illustrated book, nor that of a comix publication, there have been difficulties with the arrangements for the complete work. The book is in fact unique…”
What will happen at the event?
Participants will be invited take in the exhibition, and then channel the spirit of Burroughs in their very own cut-up poems. We will demonstrate the poegling technique and discuss the history of found poetry from 19th century France through to today.
Friends, poeglers, we hope you can join us.
Now on to the poegles of the week. Our poegles contest turned out a great poegle from up north, “We Looked All Over“. Julian from Vancouver, you win this week’s prized jump rope. We also received a handful of submissions from elsewhere on other topics, including the fine ‘noir’-gle, “She Wandered the City” from Jamie B. in Brooklyn. Suzanne in Richmond treated us to “The Lightbulb Burst.”
Poeglers, we want to thank you for your contributions this year. Over the holiday break we’ll be updating the archive to include all the fine poegles you’ve shared with us in 2008. We’re taking a week off- so look for this email in your inbox again in 2009.
Happy Holidays,
The Editors
Dec
18
Obama taps inaugural poet
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
Via PoetryHut: Barack Obama has tapped poet Elizabeth Alexander, 46, a prize-winning poet and professor of African American studies at Yale University, to do the inaugural reading on January 20th, reports the Washington Post.
Other celebs at the event: Yo Yo Ma, Rick Warren (yes, the purpose driven life guy), Aretha Franklin (the Queen of Soul), and others, per the New York Times.
Dec
17
Poegles from the North
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
We Looked All Over
We searched under the stairs, behind
The sofa. Barry went into all of the stores
That we were previously in to look, to no
Avail. Most of the stores we went in
Had no idea what we were talking about.
We went and asked one of the security guards
Who was guarding the entrance to the tour bus.
There was nothing there that would even indicate
That a house had ever been there before.
Scotland, Wales, England and Eastern Europe,
Everywhere in fact. Around the lake,
Even down in Union County. (The flower
Can be found all over the island.)
We needed to find a spot
Where we could get a 360 degree turn
Of the camera, and see no other sign
Of civilization. We thought it was strange
But we also took a drive down to Jesus House
To see if she was there.
It’s very hard to find a space in New York
That doesn’t have columns.
What shocked me was that ‘losing money’
Was more important than being honest.
Finally we had to go to Canada to get her.
She was carsick all the way back.
-Julian in Vancouver, British Columbia (search phrase “we looked all over”)
Dec
16
Polar Poegles
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
When it comes to jumping into icy cold water, we poeglers have nothing on the enterprising poets of Seattle, Washington:
“‘My life is pretty ordinary,’ said Tracy Day, 47, wearing a bikini and clutching a Thermos of peppermint schnapps. ‘I’ve worked for the Social Security Administration for 26 years. I ride the bus five days a week. I come home and watch TV.’
Then the Green Lake resident saw the polar poetry event on Craigslist. ‘I said, “It’s time to create.”‘ ”
Read For poetry’s sake, they jumped in the lake
Dec
16
Secret message
Filed Under Poegles | Leave a Comment
From Found Magazine’s website. Found in a library book. About Found:
We collect found stuff: love letters, birthday cards, kids’ homework, to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, doodles– anything that gives a glimpse into someone else’s life. Anything goes.
We certainly didn’t invent the idea of found stuff being cool. Every time we visit our friends in other towns, someone’s always got some kind of unbelievable discovered note or photo on their fridge. We decided to make a bunch of projects so that everyone can check out all the strange, hilarious and heartbreaking things people have picked up and passed our way.

