Lady BusinessA Celebration of Lesbian Poetry by Bryan Borland

Lady BusinessA Celebration of Lesbian Poetry Reviews

• 
  Grady

  Sibling Rivalry Press Stretches Further: The indomitable Bryan Borland
  
  This review is from: Lady Business: A Celebration of Lesbian Poetry (Paperback)
  
  For those who keep track of what happens when new publishers/presses tap into the public system the progress of Sibling Rivalry Press will surely impress. Bryan Borland is the brains and brawn behind this hugely successful venture, a Press that courageously steps into the ring that others avoid - publishing meaningful work by important new authors who happen to write outside the box. A superlative poet himself, Borland has created the very sophisticated journal ASSARACUS that features a vast array of poets who write about gay maters. And the growing success of that journal it looks as though he is now planning to provide a similar journal for lesbian poets - hopefully that is what LADY BUSINESS: A CELEBRATION OF LESBIAN POETRY serves, a premiere issue. As Borland commented in an online interview about the full spectrum of what he does, `I've also completed the publishing schedule for 2012: Stephen Mills, Matthew Hittinger, Jane Cassady, Virginia Bell, and Brad Richard, and four issues of ASSARACUS, including one issue devoted to lesbian poets subtitled Lady Business. I've hired Kevin Simmonds to edit the journal, which will allow us to expand and allow me to focus on the business side of things a bit more. Between all of this, I'm working on a novel and trying to determine the best route to take with `Less Fortunate Pirates'. True, this is a lot of work, but you won't hear complaints from me. This is my dream. This is what I pictured myself doing when I was 12 years old. How many times do childhood dreams become realities?' You gotta love Bryan Borland!
  
  But on to LADY BUSINESS, which features some of the most talented and diverse voices from established and emerging female poets. Across the collection, the poems' different speakers cope with internal struggles, come out, fall in love (and lust), run to and from family, and live ordinary and magnificent lives. The twelve poets included in this issue range form the older practiced poet to the younger barely known but talented poets: Sally Bellerose, Brit Blalock, Cassandra Christenson, Marty Correia, Teresa De La Cruz, Julie R. Enszer, Gina R. Evers, Andy Izenson, Ronna Magy, Mary Meriam, Maureen Seaton, and Jan Steckel.
  One exceptionally fine poem by Maureen Seaton is offered here:
  
  SEX TALK WITH GIRLS
  Girls may appear innocent, even girls
  whose breasts develop early and who
  calmly wait for their body to grow hair
  down there and under here, places no girl
  should ever look. Turn your thoughts to creweling
  tablecloths. Cook a moist turkey, tat
  a pillowcase. There is no better way
  through puberty than the fine art of Home
  Economics. Cupcakes are a great dis-
  traction from awkward sexual urges.
  
  Remember that God made Adam, and Eve
  fell for a viper while our first man
  stood by munching a Macintosh. Pity
  boys - they aren't equipped to compete with snakes.
  For instance, where would we be if Snow White
  had settled for wildlife? Fairy tales are great
  guides for living. Like the Lives of the Saints.
  Saints had their hands cut off rather than sin.
  Don't waste your time on girls. It's like kissing
  a mirror or rubbing against a stuffed cat.
  
  It is never okay to hug a girl
  who looks like james Dean. If you're unable
  to stop yourself, invoke the name of your
  patron saint, and think about martyrs. If
  it's Joan, ask her to guide you through the fire
  of your formative years. She herself died
  too young to think about sex i her man-
  ly clothes with her sword and her armor suit.
  But remember: They burned her alive for her-
  esy. (Even now, you've got to wonder.)
  
  To summarize: Sleep quickly and alone.
  Stay away from snakes, Joan of Arc, James Dean,
  flicks and women's sports. Cook furiously
  to appease hormones. Do not trust flowers.
  Consider the seaside a possible
  temptation. When developing a crush,
  check for a real penis and stop yourself
  if you don't see a white horse. Everything
  should be Disney or saintly. Under no
  circumstances should there be chemistry.
  
  This book is full of rich poetry like this but the poems cover a huge spectrum of topics, one of which is the brilliant A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS by Gina R. Evers, SUNDAY SCHOOL, BEFORE COFFEE AND DONUTS by Brit Blalock, SHINY SHOES by Ronna Magy and so many others. This is a brilliant introduction to a realm of poetry many may not know but should. Brava!
  
  Grady Harp
  
• 
  Gina R. Evers

  This anthology does the important work of documenting lesbian experiences -- the distinct speaker in each poem honors the diverse and authentic voices within our communities. I'm grateful to have my work included in this collection.
  
  Some of my favorite poems in the collection include (in order of appearance):
  
  "Sisters, Waiting" by Sally Bellerose
  "I Was Thinking We Should Get Naked" by Brit Blalock
  "Summer Before Snow" by Cassandra Christenson
  "The Synagogue" by Marty Correia
  "Loving a Grave" by Teresa De La Cruz
  "Bed" by Julie R. Enszer
  "Cayuga Lakeshore. $250K. 1.5 Baths" by Gina R. Evers
  "Toxaphene" by Andy Izenson
  "Musings on Clay" by Ronna Magy
  "Baptist Faggot Dinosaur" by Mary Meriam
  "Revelation" by Maureen Seaton
  "Preventative Dentistry" by Jan Steckel
  
  
• 
  Sally Bellerose

  Of course I love this book. It contains ten of my poems and fabulous poems by ten other poets. Love Sibling Rivalry Press.
• 
  Caoimhe

  I don't think I'll ever dislike a poetry anthology, but there were so many diverse and engaging poems in this collection. I've found so many poets that I want to follow and continue to read.
• 
  Jan

  Full disclosure: I'm one of the dozen lesbian and bisexual women whose poetry is featured in what started out as a women's issue of the gay male literary journal Assaracus. It's unclear whether this will remain a special number of the gay male journal, be a free-standing anthology, or be the first issue of a new journal called Assaracus: Lady Business. What is clear is that it was named an Over the Rainbow book by the American Library Association, which means that it's in libraries all over the country as recommended LGBT reading. It's a kick-assaracus read.
• 
  Kerry

  i find that the poetry about everyday nonsense and adventures rings more true than dramatic, universal poetry.