New Muse of Contempt
NMOC is poet Joe Blades’ bundle of literary joy that begins with an ugly scarf R.M. Vaughn found and sent to the MAPP Art Project, and ends with the blurry package label that mumbles “Mixed Merchandise Enclosed”. This is indeed a bag of mixed tricks – from phonic poetry to an interview with Montreal author Anne Stone, to book reviews, to my personal fav, a short story called “The Fingers of Gods” by Beth Goobie (“He helps me into the black sequined bodysuit, bare-shouldered, tits lifted up and out, black gauze frill over the hips. There’s a make-up kit in the glove compartment. I wait for Lennie to park before I do the eyes…” The quality of the writing is high and so are the writers (joke). Oh, if you ever get the chance to see Joe perform some of his own poetry, grab it! (EPW)