The Michigan Daily - Monday, September 25, 1989 - Page 11" 'Invisible' poet to appear at Guild + E IC BY JAY PINKA I'M hoping we'll all be able to see Margo LaGattuta read her poetry at Guild House this evening, but accord- ing to her answering machine, she's invisible. - LaGattuta sets tables for the middle-aged couple that can't eat because "their silverware is stitched to the tablecloth." And they're invisible. Believe it or not. Their names are Mr. and Mrs. Blombatt, and accord- ing to their creator, LaGattuta, they are "Mr. and Mrs. America and they're bored with each other." The invisible Blombatts are part of a scenario LaGattuta and her collaborator, artist Kris Reising, have constructed as part of a piece entitled "Hot Lights and Dinner Music," a work of art that LaGattuta and Reising have been recreating in new locations since 1986. "They're like ghosts," added LaGattuta. LaGattuta's interest and activity in the creative field stretches beyond the realm of poetry, as shown in her poems that complement the sculptures, drawings, and collages of Reising. "She began to make pieces of art from the images of my poems," explained the invisible LaGattuta. Her work with others shows her considerable experi- ence with the creative process in and out of the writing field. Her innovative use of her own imagination, as well as that of others, is particularly striking. For example, her latest book (finished in January and entitled The Dreamgivers) is, according to the poet, free verse inspired by the "deep-images of my dreams." She commented on the surreal tendencies of her poetry. But LaGattuta's poetry is not a closed door covered with graffiti that is Greek to the average human being. LaGattuta spoke of the challenge presented by ity... breaking down edge lines between the individual arts, between people," explained LaGattuta. She teaches creative processing classes at Cranbrook, where she does "improvisation... getting people to write and read on the spot," techniques which she's doubtless includ- ing in a textbook on creativity she is currently working on. Her last trip to the Rag Deale Writers' Colony, where she goes approximately every six months, re- LaGattuta's poetry is not a closed door covered with graffiti that is Greek to the average human being. LaGattuta spoke of the challenge presented by the poet or artist, saying that it should "be art and yet accessible to real people - not just for an academic audience." The author hinted at the universal truths that all people share, which bind them one to another, and which she feels are inherent in her work. one of her sparkling, new mysterious ideas - concern- ing a certain mythological woman called The Green Lady. Her own need to write shows in how LaGattuta- expresses herself about her ideas and her poems. The' poet stopped writing for 14 years, realized how muchd she "missed it," and signed up for "poetic license once again." LaGattuta commented on the quality of literature be= ing published in the U.S. today: "I'm disappointed with the publishing in this country." The poet defended the excellence of other poets who she feels deserve, more respect. While it goes unacknowledged by pub- lishers, readers have to settle for things unbearable such as "sentimentality." She asked, "When real people can write like this, why are they publishing all this junk?" "Graduate school really got me disciplined," says LaGattuta of her education at Warren-Wilson and Vermont College. Usually, the poet writes a first draft, types it up, and then proceeds to revise onto the typed copy. Once in a while, "a poem comes out complete on a yellow legal pad." LaGattuta's vivacious spirit showed as she relayed the story of a man in England who, after she recited her poem to him, gave her eight dollars on the spot and demanded that she mail him her book. She radiates a desire to explore and to share creative experience. "I've gone a lot of places with my work," she said. "I really do have an audience." And not an invisible one, either. the poet or artist, saying that it should "be art and yet accessible to real people - not just for an academic audience." The author hinted at the universal truths that all people share, which bind them one to another, and which she feels are inherent in her work. "I'm not writing literary truth... not writing in style or vogue... but emotion... pushing my own creativ- r pr r r sulted in 15 finished poems. It's clear that this poet is neither bored nor invisible like the Blombatts. Her tastes and perceptions are in- tense and colorful, as shown by her fascination with the "conceptual, abstract quality... imagery," of poets such as Anne Sexton and Sylvia Plath.. LaGattuta's first book, Diversion Road, was pub- lished in 1984 by The State Street Press. She is also presently working on another book, Fire on the Lake, about illusions and reality. LaGattuta has also been published in several literary journals. The poet recapped Camper Van Beethoven Key Lime Pie Virgin Records The happy Campers have been putting out their own wonderfully eird ska/ethnic/folk/rock musical lend for five albums now, not in- cluding a bunch o' EP's and side pro- jects, and Key Lime Pie continues the previous albums' tradition of fine music. This is the band's second album for Virgin records, following the brilliant Our Beloved Revo- lutionary Sweetheart. The group's latest project is their 0rst since the departure of violin- t/keyboardist Jonathan Segal, who contributed greatly to the Camper Van sound. Segal's replacement is violinist Morgan Fichter, who con- tributes a nifty "lead violin" to a cover of "Pictures of Matchstick Men." Elsewhere, the violin does not play as large a role as in previ- ous CVB excursions; whereas Segal's violin was usually an inte- *ril part of the songs, here the in- strp ment seems to be used mostly foj embellishment. Guitarist Greg Lisher and vocalistlguitarist David Lowery more than adequately fill in the band's sound, yet overall the so(nd of this year's model of CVB sems less driving than that of earlier renditions. The excellent rhythm section of bassist Victor Krummenacher and drummer Chris Pederson seems particularly subdued. The band only really cooks on three of the album's 14 songs. The band has played "Pictures of Match-stick Men" in concert in the past, and here they put in a fine version. "The Humid Press of Days" and "(I Was Born In A) Laundromat" come close to the intensity of the band's best work, and the latter features an instantly memorable guitar riff worthy of Led Zeppelin (well, sort of). "Jack Ruby" and "Sweethearts" are also above-average Camper-pop. Lyrically, the content ranges from the absurdly funny "The Light From A Cake" to the silly "When I Win The Lottery" ("I'm gonna donate half my money to the city/ So they'll have to name a street or a school or a park after me"). There are also two instrumental tunes, part a long tradition of CVB instrumentals. Although this album does not seem as strong as previous ones, espe- cially coming after the great Our Beloved, it is still a mighty fine lis- tening experience and features plenty of good tunes - even at their weak- est, Camper Van Beethoven is a lot more interesting bands. than most other -Gregg Bierman Bob Dylan Oh Mercy Columbia Records The fact is Oh Mercy is at last a real Bob Dylan album. The Wilburys project and Dylan and the Dead certainly didn't cut it. Last summer's Down In the Groove had a great version of "Shenandoah," and the effort before that, Knocked Out Loaded, could boast of its worth- while collaboration between Dylan and Sam Shepard, but both relied far too much on all-star pick-up ses- sions and thrown-together ditties. They suffered, really, because of their unbearable lightness. Oh Mercy is heavy. Maybe it should have been called Oy vey. This year's Dylan broods about the . state of the world, the state of his re- lationships, the state of his own spirit. He's weighed down by guilt, disbelief, remorse, responsibility. He's carrying nearly fifty years of experience on his weary shoulders. As a consequence he moves very slowly. Eight of the album's 10 tracks plod along in an uphill march, See RECORDS, p. 13 These sweethearts do more than music this side of Daly City: fiddle around. Camper Van Beethoven boasts some of the neatest Write for us. 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For more information, please call 936-4070. ____________________ ________.... WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO MIRLYN? +e 4 MORE THAN A CATALOG - NOW JOURNAL INDEXES, TOO Although we have come to think of MIRLYN as the online catalog for the University Library, MIRLYN now consists of TWO major parts: 1. The online catalog (records for all items owned by the Uni- versity of Michigan Library) computer) you may now choose either: MCAT - Michigan's online catalog DWIL - Wilson indexes The indexes currently include: 1 4 - i R