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Sunday, September 21, 2014

Bel Canto

I am reading Bel Canto, by Ann Patchett, hot on the heels of State of Wonder. Bel Canto turned up on many people's lists of 10 memorable books, and I think blog pals here have advised me to read it more than once but especially whenever I rave on wildly about the aria from Lucia di Lammermoor in the movie, The Fifth Element. I love that movie. I love that aria!

Recently I had the lovely surprise of a poem of mine set to music by Joe Robinson of Ham Kicker, a music collaboration site where poets can leave poems and various composers can use them as inspiration for songs! Here it is, "I woke in grief and beauty," a dreamily sad poem set to a charmingly joyful melody!

Many thanks to Right Hand Pointing for first publication of the poem and for taking another poem for December publication. It's been a dry season for acceptances lately, if a wet season outside. (Yes, it rained at--but not in!--the theatre last night, drowning out a bit of the dialogue and even a train whistle at one point, but we all got through!) Poets who read this blog should check out the collaboration practices at Ham Kicker and the current calls for submissions at RHP!
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7 comments:

  1. Kim KishbaughSeptember 21, 2014 at 10:42 AM

    Bel Canto is one of my favorite books, ever, Kathy. It works a magic on me that I can't quite explain. I've probably read it 5 times in as many years - just keep going back to it and have never ended up disappointed.

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  2. KathleenSeptember 21, 2014 at 12:30 PM

    Thanks, Kim. Enjoying it so far, and I knew exactly what was wrong with the accompanist.

    I read Franny and Zooey that way.

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  3. CollagemamaSeptember 21, 2014 at 4:07 PM

    Praying incessantly I read Ron Hansen's Desperadoes over and over. Just listened to State of Wonder on cd, but my library doesn't have Bel Canto. When the Dallas Opera presented Lucia a few years back my opera buddy and I were just slackjaw after the aria.

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  4. KathleenSeptember 21, 2014 at 6:23 PM

    Life is beautiful.

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  5. SarahJaneSeptember 22, 2014 at 3:05 PM

    Just to be negative, I dislike Bel Canto a lot. Smile. :)

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  6. KathleenSeptember 22, 2014 at 3:07 PM

    OK, I am warned!

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  7. KimSeptember 23, 2014 at 6:46 AM

    Those are my 2 favorite Ann Patchett books! Did you know she also owns a bookstore in Nashville? She opened it when the last 2 bookstores there closed. I have not been to it, but it's on The List

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Go ahead and comment, and I will publish it after I get an email notification! Thanks!