Johannes Göransson interviewed by Blake Butler / Cathy Wagner judges Ahsahta chapbook contest

Holy crap.  Blake Butler, whom I love, interviewed Johannes Göransson at HTML GIANT.  One great thing about the interview: it starts with this picture:

Seriously, though–for anyone interested in art in general, this cat lays down some heavy duty dispatches that flense art top to bottom, turn it inside out and wear it as a halloween mask.  Johannes is a much needed breath of acrid air in an art world where the air has been sterilized and store bought.  I just finished up a review of his latest book, which I will now wait at least a little bit to post here because I really do want to encourage people to take the time and read this interview, but for anyone that is experiencing chronic pain and doctors can’t figure out why, know that this is the poet you should be reading.

 

Want to hear Johannes read?  Here’s a video of him in Racine, Wisconsin, when he, Joyelle McSweeney and Ish Klein read in the BONK! series.  That was a glorious night for this town.

Also, wanted to pass on news from the magnanimous Julie Strand, who is on the Ahsahta Press staff:
“Ahsahta Press is accepting manuscripts through June 30, 2011. Entry fee is only $15 and entries can be made on Submission Manager (see the link below).

$1,000 for a chapbook of poems
Final Judge: Cathy Wagner
The winning volume will be published in April 2012 by Ahsahta Press.

Full details at http://ahsahtapress.boisestate.edu/chapcontest.htm”

Ahsahta Press.  Cathy Freaking Wagner.  C’mon.  Whoever gets picked, I’m reading that chapbook pronto.

And now I’m going to sleep.  Be well.