Save the Date: Sept. 20 The Best American Poetry 2018 Launch Reading

September 17, 2018September 17, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

The New School
The Auditorium
66 W 12 Street, New York, NY

7 PM

Best American Poetry series editor David Lehman and guest editor Dana Gioia headline an all-star cast of poets included in this year’s much anticipated volume. Join them for the launch reading, an annual rite of Autumn in New York.

Allison Adair, Kaveh Akbar, Andrew Bertaina, Bruce Bond, George Bradley, Brendan Constantine, Mary Ann Corbett, Cynthia Cruz,Warren Decker, Dante Di Stefano, Nausheen Eusuf, Jonathan Galassi, Sonia Greenfield, Ernest Hilbert, R. Nemo Hill, Anna Maria Hong, Marie Howe, Steven Kampa, Mandy Khan, Ilya Kaminsky, Karl Kirchwey, Nate Klug, Nkosi Nkululeko, Aimee Nezhukumatathil, Alfred Nicol. Sharon Olds, Jacqueline Osherow, Elise Paschen, Wang Ping, Aaron Poochigian, Michael Robbins, Jill Rosser, Jason Schneiderman, Nicole Sealey, Michael Shewmaker, Adrienne Su,, Agnieszka Tworek, G. C. Waldrep, James Matthew Wilson, Ryan Wilson.

Read an excerpt from Dana Gioia’s introduction here.

Free and open to the public

Books will be available for purchase.

More information here.

Best American Poetry Trailer 2018

September 13, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ 1 Comment

The official publication date for this year’s edition of Best American Poetry is September 18. The launch reading in New York City will take place on September 20. I’ve been invited to read my poem, “Addendum.” Mike Gioia of Blank Verse Films has created a trailer to accompany the book launch. I’ve attached a link to it here.

One of My Proudest Moments

September 13, 2018September 13, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

One of my proudest moments: to see a poem of mine in Scribner’s Best American Poetry, together with poems by so many friends and teachers: Maryann Corbett, Robert Cording, Dick Davis, David Mason, A. E. Stallings, James Matthew Wilson, Christian Wiman… And if anyone had told my teenage self that Gary Snyder and I would one day publish poems in the same book, well, I’d have been speechless. Kerouac’s Japhy Ryder?!! No way. I couldn’t have hoped that high. Many thanks to editor Dana Gioia for seeing fit to include my poem in his selection of the best poetry published in 2017.

An Occasion to Celebrate

August 14, 2018August 14, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

On Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 5:30, three poets from my Emma Andrews Poetry Workshop— Priscilla Turner Spada, Paulette Turco, and Sandra Thaxter—will be featured along with Elizabeth Wolf at The Poetry Society of New Hampshire’s new book night at Gibson’s Bookstore, 45 South Main Street, Concord, NH 03301. Pretty wonderful.

Animal Psalms Honored

August 6, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

Thanks to the Massachusetts Book Awards committee for listing my most recent collection of poems, Animal Psalms, as a “Poetry Must Read” for 2018.

The First Statues of Real Women In Central Park

Image ~ July 22, 2018July 22, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

I’m proud to hear that my friend Meredith Bergmann’s design has been chosen for the Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony Woman Suffrage Movement Monument. These will be the first statues of real women in New York City’s Central Park.

Meredith been given two years to complete the work. The unveiling of the monument is scheduled for August 26th, 2020. I plan to be there.

Photos from Newburyport Literary Festival

May 4, 2018May 4, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

Thanks to John Foy for sending the pictures he took of poets reading at this year’s literary festival.

Alfred Nicol introduces an impressive lineup of poets

Catherine Chandler, whose poems are bright candles

“If you thought you knew what formal poetry was, you need to read Jenna Le.” (K. Bridgford)

Rachel Hadas reads poems of “unapologetic bliss”

Mark Doty: “Poetry…represents the resolutely specific experience.”

2017 Yale Younger Poets Prize winner Duy Doan

The Newburyport Literary Festival, April 27-28

April 26, 2018April 26, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

The Newburyport Literary Festival is happening this weekend. Here is the complete schedule. It’s going to be a beautiful day!

Thomas Merton & Bob Dylan

April 26, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

Robert Hudson has written “a parallel biography” of what some might consider an unlikely pair, Thomas Merton and Bob Dylan. Both of these poets, however, figured largely as influences on my own development as a poet and Catholic thinker. Read a review of the book in Commonweal.

Boston National Poetry Month Festival

Image ~ April 1, 2018April 1, 2018 ~ Alfred ~ Leave a comment

Come to the Boston Public Library on Friday, April 6, to hear Rhina Espaillat, John Tavano and myself perform a new program of melopoeia titled “Passages.” Our performance, scheduled to begin at 1:15 PM, is part of this year’s Keynote Poets readings.

The New School The Auditorium 66 W 12 Street, New York, NY

The New School
The Auditorium
66 W 12 Street, New York, NY