Chapbook Classic Back In Print: Levenson's "Dances With Tears" POD Paperback Available November

Efrayim Levenson's "Dances With Tears" Print on Demand Edition Due Out November from Poets Wear Prada Following His Recently Released "Funhouse"

Described as a collection of "heartfelt psalms" ["Small Press Review''] and "a blast of Hasidic bebop ecstasy [Fishbane], "Dances With Tears" takes readers on a walk along a path a spiritual discovery. The new edition available November features cover art by publisher Roxanne Hoffman.

Poetry Chapbook Classic Back In Print from Hoboken Publisher

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

Oct. 10, 2013 - HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Roxanne Hoffman, publisher at Poets Wear Prada, announced today the upcoming re-issue of “Dances With Tears” by poet Efrayim Levenson.  Originally printed in 2007 as a limited-edition (under 500 copies) saddle-stitched chapbook, and described as “a blast of Hasidic bebop ecstasy” by Brooklyn poet and Bensonhurst resident Craig Fishbane, the newly designed mass market paperback edition will be available this November.

DANCES WITH TEARS 

by Efrayim Levenson

(Poets Wear Prada, 2013)

Hoffman said, “This very popular and charming little book was reprinted twice after its original print run sold out with each subsequent printing selling out. How nice it will be to have the book in circulation again so that more readers can enjoy it.”  The new perfect-bound soft cover edition will be available print-on-demand, so the little book should not go out of print, again, at least not anytime soon. An initial run of fifty copies will be printed, to be signed and numbered by the author for collectors.

The new edition of “Dances With Tears” follows the recent publication of Levenson’s “Funhouse,” written while the poet listened to the music of guitarist Buckethead.

Levenson, who often composes his poems under headphones listening to music, said, “There are instrumental music interpretations involved with most of these.”  He recalls listening to Dave Schmeidler, “Skyrats Scraps,” HDS, 2002; Ensemble Ambrosius, “The Zappa Album,” Musical Heritage Society, 2001; Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Mark O'Connor, “Appalachia Waltz,” Sony Classical, 1996; Pat O'Connell, “Tikal,” Rogue Elephant Music, 2000; Prasanna, “Peaceful,” Susila Music, 2001; and John Zorn (performed by Rashanim), “Masada Rock,”  Tzadik, 2005. And of course Buckethead, “Electric Tears,” Meta, 2002, was playing when the poet wrote his poem “Electrocuted Tears.” The admiration Levenson has for these musicians is often returned. John Zorn, the American composer and saxophone player, wrote Levenson a personal thank-you note for “Mordechai’s Day at the Beach” after the poet hand-delivered a copy of the poem with his email address, the first time they met.

Levenson has collaborated with several musicians, including Dave Schmeider, Rey Scott, and others, and said he has a spoken word CD in the works.

The book's production editor, Jack Cooper, described the new front cover as "Beautiful!" Cooper had requested “something that colorfully and with Surrealist execution combines tears with rain.”  Hoffman, who is also a graphic designer, said she created the image of the young man dancing in a drizzle of tears, someone just learning to be “frum” [Yiddish for “devout” or “pious”], after googling hundreds of images of Hasidic men dancing. Levenson’s daughter Marissa took the photo of the author that appears on the new back cover.

Levenson began writing poetry in 1982.  His work is influenced by poets Lawrence Ferlingetti and Allen Ginsburg, and Chabad Chasidism, as well as by the music he enjoys.

"Dances With Tears" takes the reader on a walk along a path of spiritual discovery. The book, described as collection of “heartfelt psalms” by Small Press Review, includes the poem "& Ribbon," which was nominated for a 2008 Pushcart Prize. Rabbi Yossi Mendelson, Congregation Machane Chodesh, said “Efrayim’s poetry truly embodies the experience of a contemporary Jew who has found a very deep inspiration in his ancient roots. There is a certain freshness and bright sunny quality that comes with his pure simplicity which cuts to the very core of his growing relationship with G-d.”

Poetrymanz Press released his first collection, "For My Relations," in 2000.

Founded in 2006, Poets Wear Prada publishes beautifully designed, well-crafted books of poetry from Sinatra's hometown, Hoboken, the birthplace of professional baseball.

“Dances With Tears” by Efrayim Levenson (Hoboken: Poets Wear Prada, 2013), 24 pages, ISBN-10: 0981767834, ISBN-13: 978-981767833, list price: $12.00, will be available in paperback from Amazon Books and other popular booksellers.

###

FUNHOUSE by Efrayim Levenson Takes Readers on 3-Day Cranial Amusement Ride

New Poems by Efrayim Levenson From Poets Wear Prada Take Readers on 3-Day Cranial Amusement Ride

Poets Wear Prada today announced release of Efrayim Levenson's “Funhouse,” poems written listening to guitarist Buckethead. Second book with Hoboken-based publisher follows "Dances With Tears," his "blast of Hasidic bebop ecstasy" [Fishbane].

 

FUNHOUSE
Poems by
Efrayim Levenson
Paperback: 42pp.; $12:00
 ISBN-13: 978-0615848853
Poets Wear Prada, 2013

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 

 

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct. 3, 2013 - HOBOKEN, N.J. -- Roxanne Hoffman, publisher at Poets Wear Prada, announced today publication of “Funhouse” by poet Efrayim Levenson.

“Funhouse,” written while Levenson listened to the music of guitarist Buckethead, is a three-day journey in a surreal amusement park filled with sea lions, guitars, monsters, crickets, spiders, a guillotine, a human pretzel, more guitars, a traffic jam, drought, grasshoppers, angels, and even more guitars.

The book’s production editor, Jack Cooper, said, “‘Funhouse’ is superb; it reads beautifully, uncovers much that is profound, and remains full of surprise.”

“Efrayim Levenson’s ‘Funhouse’ sends us on a wild nightmarish yet at times tender merry-go-round ride through his own private Coney Island and ours,” said New York poet Steve Dalachinsky.

David Elsasser, founder of Parkside Poetry Collective, said, “In his new chapbook, ‘Funhouse’, Efrayim Levenson responds to the guitar virtuosity of Buckethead with a poetic soul-jouney that reverbs through the wildest word riffs.”

“I have been addicted to writing poetic interpretations of instrumental music for about seven years now,”  says Efrayim Levenson.  “This project was a lot of fun!  I hope Buckethead likes it.”

This is Efrayim Levenson’s second book project with Poets Wear Prada.  In 2007, the Hoboken-based press released “Dances With Tears,” a walk along a path of spiritual discovery.  The book, called "a blast of Hasidic bebop ecstasy" by Brooklyn poet, Craig Fishbane, includes the poem “& Ribbon,” which was nominated for a 2008 Pushcart Prize.  Poetrymanz Press released his previous collection, “For My Relations,” in 2000.

Founded in 2006, Poets Wear Prada publishes beautifully designed, well-crafted books of  poetry from Sinatra’s hometown, Hoboken, the birthplace of professional baseball.

“Funhouse” by Efrayim Levenson (Hoboken: Poets Wear Prada, 2013), 42 pages, ISBN- 10: 0615848850, ISBN-13: 978-0615848853, list price: $12.00, is available in paperback from Amazon Books and other popular booksellers.

12/15 in NYC: Space on White fts. PWP Authors Efrayim Levenson & John J Trause

Come, help fill-up the page . . .

Thursday, December 15, 2011

from 7pm to 9pm

Poets on White

features

* EFRAYIM LEVENSON * JOHN J. TRAUSE * JACK TRICARICO *

+ open mic (Sign-Up 6:45 with Cindy Hochman

@

[space on white]

81 White Street,

(Tribeca,near Broadway)

New York, NY 10013

http://www.spaceonwhite.com/

 (212) 227-8600

Hosts: Evie Ivy & Cindy Hochman

$4.00 donation

Directions: J, N, R, Q, B and #6,1 train, A,C,E trains slightly longer walk
to Canal Street; Space on White is two blocks south of Canal Street


About the Features:

JACK TRICARICO is a New York City painter, poet, and T'ai Chi instructor who has been published in numerous poetry journals and anthologies based in New York City and upstate New York . He has completed 9 chapbooks and is working on his 10th. He's been published in Hunger Magazine, Home Planet News, Long Island Sounds, 2009 Issue, Perhaps I Am Wrong About The World, Asbestos, Nomad's Choir, Dinner With The Muse, Pushing The Envelope, The Poets Gallery press, among others. His art work can be seen on two art sites: www.nyaw.com and bondandbowery.com.

*

JOHN J. TRAUSE, said to be the secret love child of Henri Langlois and Mary Meerson (Or is it Marie Menken and Willard Maas?), was nominated for the Pushcart Prize (2009-2011). The Director of Oradell Public Library, he is the author of Seriously Serial and Latter-Day Litany, the latter staged Off-Off Broadway. His translations, poetry, and visual work appear in many journals and anthologies in North America and Europe , including the artists' periodical Crossings and the Dada journal Maintenant. Appearing in the City Lights Books celebration (Poetry Project, St. Mark’s, NYC) with Steven Van Zandt, Anne Waldman, and Karen Finley, and in Visible Word (Stevens Institute, Hoboken, NJ) with Jerome Rothenberg, he is cofounder of the William Carlos Williams Poetry Cooperative (Rutherford, NJ) and serves as host and curator of its monthly reading series. Aside from his literary work, his artwork has been exhibited in The MoMA Staff Show (1995), at Il Trapezio Café ( Nutley , NJ ), and appears in the permanent collection of The Museum of Menstruation (New Carrollton , MD ) to whose website he has contributed.

*

EFRAYIM LEVENSON has presented his poems at bars, churches, colleges, libraries, and synagogues in Manhattan , Brooklyn, and Buffalo . His work has been published in Pure Light, ArtVoice, Medicinal Purposes, What Happens Next, Poetica, and other anthologies, and online as well. A member of Parkside Poetry Workshop, Efrayim is currently editing a chapbook (his third) of poems based on the music of guitarist Buckethead. A CD of poetry and jazz, with bassist Clif Jackson, is also in the works.

Wed March 2: Poetry Thin Air Features Susan Maurer & Efrayim Levenson on MNN Ch 67 Live Stream

Efrayim Levenson, Author of  DANCES WITH TEARS (PWP, 2007)

Susan Maurer, author of RAPTOR RHAPSODY (PWP, 2007)

Wed@ 8:30 PoetryThinAir… Susan Maurer and Efrayim Levenson
Direction and Video by Mitch Corber

…………………………………………………………..
About two dozen shows were recently put up on YouTube by Mitch Corber so you can watch them at your convenience.

Go to http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=poetry+thin+air+spencer&aq=f
…………………………………………………………..

The show airs every Wednesday night at 8:30 pm on Channel 67

(MNN/Manhattan Neighborhood Network)

Note: if you live outside Manhattan or can't get MNN Ch 67, you can still watch
the live internet stream of the show by following instructions below.


INTERNET STREAM.....

1. Click on http://www.mnn.org/

2. Viewing the right column of MNN webpage, go to "MNN4 Culture"

3. Click "Watch MNN4 Live"

4. Click small icon to watch full screen on your computer during live broadcast.



(You can only watch the streaming video in real time, i.e. at 8:30pm Wednesday night)

Jan 26 Poet Efrayim Levenson in Brooklyn w/ Dan Brown & Matthew Anish

Hello again.  I have another reading tomorrow night.  I hope you can attend.  Coordinates are below: Efrayim Levenson

* * *

HAPPY WINTER FOLKS!
For A Great Evening of Poetry:

The Green Pavilion Poetry Event

(The gala event for poetry.)

Wednesday, JANUARY 26, 7:00-9:30

@ 

The Green Pavillion Restaurant & Sports Lounge

4307-18th Ave.

Brooklyn, NY

Take the F train to 18th Ave. station. Last car coming from Manh, right staircase to street.
You will be only about 1/2 block away from rest., same block you will be standing on.

Join Us. Come read your poetry, or your favorite poet under the chandeliers!

One of the longest running poetry venues in the NYC area. 

We are looking forward to these two wonderful featured readers:


* * * EFRAYIM LEVENSON * *

* * * DAN BROWN * *

+ a mini-feature by well published author of poetry & prose:

***MATTHEW ANISH ***

+ o p e n r e a d i n g * * * *



$5.00 min. toward rest. (an inexpensive & diverse menu, dinner, or wine with your poetry.) *



$3.00 suggested donation toward reading.Your hosts: Evie Ivy, Cindy Hochman * * *



Some Bio Notes:



Daniel Brown's collection Taking the Occasion (Ivan R. Dee) won The New Criterion Poetry Prize in 2008. His poems have appeared in Poetry, Partisan Review, Parnassus: Poetry in Review, The New Criterion and other journals. Winner of a Pushcart Prize, he has been widely anthologized in volumes such as Poetry 180, edited by Billy Collins, and Fathers, edited by David Ray. He holds a masters degree in musicology from Cornell University, and has taught music history and theory at Cornell and Dartmouth College. He lives in Baldwin, New York. His Why Bach?, an online appreciation of Bach's music, is available at http://www.whybach.com/ .


Efrayim Levenson is the author of 2 chapbooks of poetry, For My Relations (2000) and Dances With Tears (2007). His poem "& Ribbon" was a 2008 Pushcart Prize nomination. Other poems have been published in What Happens Next, Poetica, Poems, Medicinal Purposes, www.chabadrego.org, http://timessquareshoutout.blogspot.com/ , Above Water, ArtVoice, My City Underground, Bflo Journal, The Buffalo News, Pure Light, Foist, Earth's Daughters, Tempus Fugit, Swift Kick, The Grin, and Blatherskite. He is at work currently on a collection of poetic interpretations of the music of Buckethead and a CD with double-bassist Clif Jackson. Efrayim is also blogging at http://efrayimlevenson.blogspot.com/.


Matthew Anish is a widely published poet/writer. He has published work in Aim, Beyond Bree, Voices Israel and in many other publications. He also writes a monthly column for Barr's Postcard News. He is a graduate of Brooklyn College and has an ESL Certificate from the New School. He currently works at Borough of Manhattan Community College.

Poet Efrayim Levenson in NYC Monday January 24

Hello, folks. I have not given a feature poetry reading for @ 2 years. I'm as surprised to tell you as you are to read that I'll be featuring for Saturn Series tomorrow night (1/24/2011)! I'd love to see you if you're available. We should get reacquainted.

Nightingale Lounge
2nd Avenue @ 13th Street
LES, NYC

The sign-up for open mic readers begins at 7 PM. The evening should commence @ 7:30-8.

Efrayim Levenson

* * *

PWP originally released Efrayim's DANCES WITH TEARS in 2007. 

DANCES WITH TEARSby Efrayim Levenson
ISBN 978-0-9817678-3-3
soft cover, saddle stitched, 16 pp.
$6.25 (+ $1.50 S&H)

This book is a blast of Hasidic bebop ecstasy.
—Craig Fishbane, Brooklyn Poet and resident of Bensonhurst

Thank you for the poem [Mordechai's Day at the Beach]...beautiful...best wishes

—John Zorn, American composer and saxophone player

His poems themselves are heartfelt psalms.
—George Held, The Art of Writing and Others

To read more about what George Held has to say about Dances With Tears click here to read his review for Small Press Review.

Efrayim (Fred Barry) Levenson began writing poetry, in Buffalo NY, in 1982. He has been published in small press anthologies across New York State, as well as in Missouri and Belgium, and has collaborated with musicians Dave Schmeidler, Rey Scott, and others. Since 2003 he has lived in Forest Hills NY with his wife Devorah and dog Yoffee.

Efrayim Levenson | Dances with Tears

Efrayim's poetry truly embodies the experience of a contemporary Jew who has found a very deep inspiration in his ancient roots. There is a certain freshness and bright sunny quality that comes with his pure simplicity which cuts to the very core of his growing relationship with G-d. Yet, there is the tension and frustration of one who has seen what he, and those around him, could become if only they would. He is both optimist and realist.
—Rabbi Yossi Mendelson, Chabad of Rego Park - Jewish Learning Circle


This book is a blast of Hasidic bebop ecstasy.
—Craig Fishbane, Brooklyn Poet and resident of Bensonhurst

DANCES WITH TEARS
by Efrayim Levenson
ISBN 978-0-9817678-3-3
soft cover, saddle stitched, 16 pp.
$6.25 (+ $1.50 S&H)


Thank you for the poem [Mordechai's Day at the Beach]...beautiful...best wishes
—John Zorn, American composer and saxophone player


His poems themselves are heartfelt psalms.
—George Held, The Art of Writing and Others

To read more about what George Held has to say about Dances With Tears click here to read his review for Small Press Review.

Credit: Devorah Levenson


Efrayim (Fred Barry) Levenson began writing poetry, in Buffalo NY, in 1982. He has been published in small press anthologies across New York State, as well as in Missouri and Belgium, and has collaborated with musicians Dave Schmeidler, Rey Scott, and others. Since 2003 he has lived in Forest Hills NY with his wife Devorah and dog Yoffee.

Levenson’s poetry writing path has been guided by Joy Walsh, Allen Deloach, Robin Kay Willoughby, and Carole Southwood. His work is influenced by poets Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Allen Ginsberg, musicians Frank Zappa and Buckethead, and Chabad Chasidism.

Levenson’s imagery ranges from the subtlety of a quiet walk in the park to an attack by a runaway lawnmower. His poems are montages of rhythm in which he plays with rhymes and the sounds of words. Deloach once said, “See through the eyes with the heart.” Efrayim Levenson’s poetry will take you on a journey into his heart and soul.

Click here to visit his blog spot at: http://efrayimlevenson.blogspot.com

Watch a video clip of Efrayim's New Year's Day reading a Bowery Poetry Club for Futurus Lux/Light of the Future:

Efrayim Levenson at Bowery Poetry Club in NYC on New Year's Day 2008 (Video Credit: Roxanne Hoffman)

& RIBBON

& I died a little every time you cried & screamed at our nose-to-nose screams & I moved to the city where the noise is quiet & Mommy would not let me go until she took you home, her home & we invented a new life & we won & you lost & we lost & we are a 5-minute phone call every Monday night & you’re in my arms, my home, 18 hours a month & you remember less and less of your hometown & you lose baby teeth without me & you grow taller without me & you do not learn to ride your bicycle without me & though I have love I am a lonely old man without you & I am not a Daddy without you & all I have are snapshots without you

"&Ribbon" was nominated for a 2007 Pushcart Prize by Poets Wear Prada.


Hear Efrayim talk to Art Wave's Host Anne Cammon and read his poetry on WKCR FM NY, originally aired on Friday Sept 7, 2007 at 9PM EST.