15 Ways to Stay Alive

by Daphne Gottlieb

Overview

Broken hearts, scattered dreams, postpunk politics, and postmodern cut-up collages spiral and flow in award-winning poet Daphne Gottlieb’s latest collection of startling new works that explore survival after personal or communal disasters and the renewal that follows. Whether she’s writing about unanticipated outcomes (“After the Midway Ride Collapsed”), her mother’s passing (“Somewhere, Over”), or absurd situations (“Preoccupation”), Gottlieb’s deeply personal insights into the complex areas where life and contemporary culture collide offer readers a unique, thought-provoking perspective.

"I Have Always Confused Desire with Apocalypse"

We met over a small
earthquake. Now, my knees

shake whenever
you come around

and I’ve noticed your hand
has a slight tremor.

Daphne Gottlieb is the award-winning author of seven books including the critically acclaimed poetry collection Final Girl (Soft Skull Press) and the graphic novel Jokes and the Unconscious (Cleis Press), illustrated by Diane DiMassa. Gottlieb has performed and taught creative writing workshops throughout the United States. She received her MFA from Mills College, and currently resides in San Francisco.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781933149554
Publisher:	Manic D Press, Inc.
Publication date:	04/19/2011
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	128
File size:	110 KB

About the Author

Daphne Gottlieb: Award-winning poet Daphne Gottlieb stitches together the ivory tower and the gutter just using her tongue. She is the editor of "Fucking Daphne: Mostly True Stories and Fictions" and "Homewrecker: An Adultery Reader", as well as the author of the poetry books "Kissing Dead Girls", "Final Girl", "Why Things Burn" and "Pelt", as well as the graphic novel "Jokes and the Unconscious" with artist Diane DiMassa.

"Final Girl" was the 2003 winner of the Publishing Triangle's Audre Lorde Award. "Final Girl" was also named one of the the Village Voice's Favorite Books of 2003, and received rave reviews from Publisher's Weekly, and the San Francisco Chronicle. "Why Things Burn" won a 2001 Firecracker Alternative Book Award. Gottlieb is a three-time finalist for Lambda Literary Awards. Her work has been translated into Turkish and Greek, and has inspired theatrical adaptations and DJ remixes.

Recent press has praised her work as "fierce," "unapologetic," "scorching" and "deliriously gutsy." She has been widely published in journals including Utne Reader, Tikkun, Nerve.com, McSweeneys.net, Exquisite Corpse, and Instant City. Her work has appeared in a number of anthologies including "Live Through This: The Art of Self-Destruction", "Word Warriors:35 Women Leaders of the Spoken Word Revolution", "Don’t Forget to Write!", "Half/Life: Jew-ish Tales from Interfaith Homes", "With a Rough Tongue: Femmes Write Porn" and "Short Fuse: A Contemporary Anthology of Global Performance Poetry". She is also the cover girl on Akashic Books' "San Francisco Noir".

Gottlieb has performed at festivals coast-to-coast, including South by Southwest, Bumbershoot, and Ladyfest Bay Area. She formerly served as poetry editor of queer literary magazines Lodestar Quarterly and Other Magazine.

Gottlieb currently teaches graduate-level creative writing, and has also taught creative writing workshops at all levels around the country. She received her MFA from Mills College.

Table of Contents

I.

adage 5
open water 6
lonely indonesia 8
at the punk lit reading 11
pack animals 12
preoccupation 13
like I stole it 14

II.

no poetry after auschwitz 17
what it means 23
to prove that I was someone 30
so outrageous 33
I've been understanding, but god told me there is something wrong 34
requiem for the mehserle jury 35

III.

the unauthorized autobiography of black beauty 37

IV.

Are you a socialist or something? (all text taken from various single-day emails) 47
the bearded lady 48
white-out on the screen 49
where he’s ben 51
be honest, but remember 53
the end of the county cheese princess’ reign 54
somewhere, over 56
after the midway ride collapsed 59
fingers and cash 61
conversion disorder 62

V.

I have always confused desire with apocalypse 65
double cross 66
high horse 71
dog 72
fuck you 74
seven stages 76
fifteen ways to stay alive 78

VI.

je me souviens 80
exclusive 81
sexy balaclava 82
easy 84
how you talk 86
drive 88
confession 89
because you are a libra there is the cherub at the gates with a flaming sword and susan sontag writing about nazi fetishism and the point is just I love you 90
i do not want to fuck you like a poem 95
i brought you something 97