Nils @rapiaria@koyu.space

Finished L'anomalie by Hervé Le Tellier and what a clever book it is. But you have to read it as an oulipian work or it might not work for you
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4165047326

One a side note, I might switch to a different pod (verse, node?) because the Koyu rules scare me. Its tranquility seemed attractive but their 'no insects, no scary things, no spoilers, no negativity, no images of people looking at the camera' policies seem to work counter productive for me. Not that I post any of those to any degree of extremity. So far Writer's Exchange seems like something I could feel at ease on. It's feels more grounded than any lit community on 'the other service'. Just have to figure out how switching works.

I've avoided spoilers buti know a bit. It's a story that also fits in the magic realism genre but it's also a language novel. Almost every page has some line or dialogue that refers to the novel itself. Intriguing stuff. Other oulipians were Pérec, Queneau and Calvino but it's an active and living movement one needs to be invited to.

Reading last summer's hot pick in France, L'Anomalie by Hervé Le Tellier. Meanwhile it seems to have been translated in a number of languages including English. This motto turns out to be by one of the characters in the novel: the true pessimist knows it's already too late to be one. Le Tellier is an oulipian.

Hirshfield on the poem Amor fati in Beshara Magazine, and being braver in making a statement in poetry.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LfMY1Y1IwM

"Missing in the count now counts as one
—counts as if one weren't already
Counted others missing being"
Halpern in (very good) translation works just as well. Beautifully set here as well.

Almanac 'Der scaepherders kalengier' printed by Adriaen van Bergen in 1520 in Antwerp—only known extant copy. Via stcv.be

Someone commented Atwood is not a poet and it's not the poetry I read or need, but it is how you write poetry that works. Would advise beginners start here, then grow.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51184322-dearly

From Salinger's out-of-print stories—first lines that set you straight, invite.