Author Archives: Oscar Bermeo

X-Post: Martín Espada & Anne Fadiman on Barack Obama


Born 2 Lead – Obama
Originally uploaded by Steve Rhodes

Espada:
“He has a rather lyrical quality, which in turn motivates people … persuades people that all is not lost,” Espada said. “The greatest enemy of democracy is hopelessness.

Fadiman:
Obama’s skill and authenticity as a writer and orator are also important, Fadiman said. “He uses the English language so beautifully. Although I’m not sure that’s a prerequisite for a president, it’s certainly a plus.”

Both authors will be speaking and donating signed copies of their books at the “Writers for Obama” fundraiser in Amherst, MA, on September 21st.

Full article, more quuotes, and details on the fundraiser can be found at the Amherst Bulletin (Inspired by Obama, area writers step up, speak out).

Acknowledgment: BorderSenses

Many thanks to Poetry Editor Sasha Pimentel Chacón and everyone at BorderSenses for including my work in the Summer 2008 issue.

From the Editor’s Note:

Manila-born Barbara Jane Reyes writes an answer to Ecuador-born husband Oscar Bermeo in two “We, Spoken Here” segments. Both Oakland writers balance their own careers with teaching and literary commitments.

Yeah, it’s great to be in the same publication space as Barb and it’s extra fitting the the “We” poems are the representative poems as Barb and I were both inspired by Nathaniel Mackey’s reading and talk at the DeYoung Museum.

Here is the official list of poets in BorderSenses Summer 2008:

This is all welcome news in the face of a big work schedule and the fact that I am behind on a lot of poetry projects. Time to get back to balancing those work and literary commitments.

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?

I hate spoilers and try to avoid any kind of early word or leaked info about films or TV shows. And there might be no movie I am more interested in right now then Zack Snyder’s version of the Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons must-read Watchmen.

I just read it again for the third or fourth time and I am blown away by its density, there are so many characters in it and Moore fleshes each and every one of them out. Now I’m not talking about just the heroes and villains since it’s a no-brainer that they all get good back stories, I’m talking about the guy who owns the corner news stand and his customers who come by every morning to check if the world has blown up yet or if that will be covered by the afternoon edition. So much detail that I am only picking up now and I wonder how much more I’ll find in the next read.

This brings me to my big question about the movie version of Watchmen. And that question doesn’t revolve around how it can keep its retro four-color richness (300 proved that Snyder can handle the visuals), or about updating character outfits (Rorshach looks pretty damn good in this pic), or who is right to play which Minuteman/Crimebuster (if I knew the right answer to those details I would be a working script doctor in Hollywood). What I really want to know is how is Snyder going to fit this 12 piece comic epic into a Hollywood acceptable movie and not leave die hard fans (read: me) hungering for more?

I don’t know the answer but I am sure hoping that Snyder does know it and can keep the Graphic Novel/Film Blockbuster streak that the Dark Knight and Iron Man have added to going strong.

Non-Spoiler Fun Link: Fox Lawyers Watching Warner Bros., Watchmen

Paul Martínez Pompa wins the 2008 Andrés Montoya Poetry Prize

Congrats to Paul. I can’t wait to read the book!

From final judge Martín Espada:

This is one tough, smart poet. The poems of Paul Martínez Pompa are gritty and visceral, but never cross the line into sensationalism. They are poems that vividly evoke the urban world, especially Chicago, without ever lapsing into urban cliché. They are poems that seek justice for the Latino community without ever resorting to the overheated language that all too often consigns poetry of social conscience to oblivion.

More from Martín’s intro over at Letras Latina blog.

Arte Poetica-The Dream Poetry Team

La Peña Presents:
Arte Poetica, The Dream Poetry Team
With Alarcón, Hirschman, Montoya, and Serrano.
Sunday, August 10, 2008. 7pm $5.
At La Peña Cultural Center, 3105 Shattuck Ave. in Berkeley.

The Dream Poetry Team descends on La Peña for a powerful evening of poetry. La Peña celebrates California’s full-fledged voices of poetry, the ripened voices that have taught up & coming new generations and upheld resolutely the arte poética for the people.
With Francisco x Alarcón, Jack Hirschman, Jose Montoya, and Nina Serrano.
MCed by La Peña’s Fernando A. Torres.

www.lapena.org