If you are looking for the results of the Eighth Annual Ultra-Short Competition, please see our Production Updates page or click on the link below.
The Binnacle will sponsor its Eighth International Ultra-Short Competition in the 2011-2012 academic year. We are looking for prose works of 150 words or fewer and poetry of sixteen lines or fewer and fewer than 150 words. All works should have a narrative element to them.
All submissions should be made via email to ummbinnacle@maine.edu. We prefer that you send your entry both in the body of your e-mail and as an attachment in a .doc, .txt, .odt, or .rtf file (.rtf preferred).
A minimum of $300 in cash prizes will be awarded, with a minimum prize of $50. At least one of the prizes will go to a UMM student.
Please submit no more than two works total, prose and/or poetry.
When you submit your work, please be sure to include your postal address as well as a thirty-five to fifty word self-description.
There is no submission fee. Submisions will be accepted beginning on December 1, 2011. The deadline for submissions will be February 15, 2012. Notifications will be made in the latter half of May, 2012. Publication date will be May, 2012, but printing may not be completed until October, 2012 (probably later). Awards will be made at the time of publication.
Because of the volume of submissions, we are not always able to send notifications to all works that have not made the cut. To gain news about the winners and those who will be included in the edition, please keep checking our website. Look especially on the Updates page. The fact that you may not receive a rejection notification is no reflection on the quality of your work. The large majority of what we receive is well worth publishing, and we are thankful for you sharing it with us.
Short Short Fiction to us means less than 500 words.
Open to all writers.
Age and previous book publication are not considerations for eligibility.
Work published in periodicals may be included in the manuscript.
Please, no submissions from students or close friends of the editors.
Reading Fee
$15 entry fee must come with EACH entry by deadline or entries will not be considered.
Manuscripts will NOT be returned.
Pay online! You can pay by credit card or check online. (You still need to send in your check via postal mail. But by "paying" online, we can keep track of your transaction and manuscript much more efficiently.)
Format
Manuscript format:
between 20 and 30 pages
must be typed (clear photocopies are fine)
(for mail submissions only) 2 title pages: 1- title with contact info. 2- book title only
A biographical profile/cover page is not necessary.
**FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSIONS: There is no need to submit 2 title pages. Simply submit the manuscript with an anonymous title page online. Your contact info is with your submission (though the readers are not able to access this information).
Compensation
The winner will receive $250 and copies of the winning chapbook.
The winning chapbook will be a high quality printing with letterpress cover.
Deadline
Deadline for submission is a May 31, 2012 postmark.
"There is no place on this planet, no ground, no air, no sanctuary, no wharf, no hermitage, no refuge, no time, like the one week each summer when Black poets descend on an unsuspecting space and it becomes Cave Canem."
—Nikky Finney, The Ringing Ear: Black Poets Lean South
Cave Canem's week-long retreat is held annually at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, Pennsylvania. Adult African American poets are eligible to apply. Once accepted, poets become "fellows," and most are invited to attend two additional retreats within a four-year period. Fellows who complete three years are considered "graduate fellows."
A retreat residency offers an unparalleled opportunity to study with a world-class faculty and join a community of peers. Some fellows hail from the spoken word tradition, others focus on the text. Some are formalists, others work at the cutting edge of experimentation. All are united by a common purpose to improve their craft and find safe space "where black poets, individually and collectively, can inspire and be inspired by others, relieved of any obligation to explain or defend their blackness." (Harryette Mullen)
Tuition, valued at $1,500, is provided free of charge. Participants are asked to pay a $500 room-and-board fee. Limited financial assistance for room and board is available on the basis of need. Participants are encouraged to seek alternative sources of support— for example, scholarships and grants.
Cave Canem's fiscal health and long-term sustainability depend on the philanthropy of its fellowship. Graduate fellows who give back to Cave Canem play a critical role in ensuring that the next generation of poets enjoys the same opportunities they did. A recent graduate wrote, "I choose to donate to this organization because not giving to Cave Canem is like not giving to myself." Fellows are strongly encouraged to make an annual gift to sustain the program that nurtured their own professional and creative growth.
•Upload your submission as a single .doc or .rft document, comprising a one-page cover letter (Page 1) and 6-8 pages of poems (Pages 2-9). Format as follows:
1.Cover letter, Page 1: Include your full name, address, email address and telephone number. Write a maximum of 500 words explaining why you wish to attend and
what you expect to accomplish.
2.Six-eight pages of poems, Pages 2-9: Your name and the title of your poem must appear on every page. Only one poem per page is permitted, though you may submit multiple-paged poems, with the title appearing on every page.
3.Insert hard page breaks between every page.
4. Paginate your document.
(Example: Page 2 of 8.) Your
cover letter is Page 1.
Inserting Page Breaks with Microsoft Word:
1.Select “Insert” on your menu bar.
2.On the Insert menu, select “Break.”
3.Select “Page Break” from the menu of Break Types.
5.Use legible, 11-to-12-point font
6.Enter payment information for $10 application fee. You will be redirected to Pay-Pal to complete your payment. Applications submitted without application fee will not be considered.
Cave Canem Foundation, Inc. | 20 Jay Street, Suite 310-A, Brooklyn, NY 11201 | www.cavecanempoets.org
Today's interview is with the Design Director of Ihsani Culture. She champions the spirit of Afri-love as she breathes and has been inspiring and encouraging me since the day we virtually met! I'm so happy to present to you her passion, and her fashion…
What's your passion? My passion is Africa – just making use of my gifts, and any I pick up along the way, to impact Africa.
What inspired Ihsani Culture? Ihsani Culture is inspired by a desire to make beautiful what was considered mediocre or ugly. It is inspired by God – a creator of infinite beauty, not limited to one standard as people are. The December Collection was inspired by African/Dry Lace, an embroidered fabric that usually looks pretty ugly/mediocre in the way it's usually wrapped or worn.
What has been your greatest obstacle/challenge in establishing Ihsani Culture?
My greatest obstacle has been learning to let go of control. With the people I work with (who run their own businesses), with the designs I make (which usually morph into something different from the sketches) with the client (who is usually not certain), with God (who has a bigger, deeper purpose than I often see).
How have you dealt with/overcome it? Faith and trust. It works for all of the above. I have the most hardworking, talented team I could have prayed or asked for.
What has your greatest achievement been? My greatest achievement is BEGINNING the work. I'm thirty. 30 years of seeking purpose.
Where will you be in 10 years? I really dont know. But Ihsani will be all over Africa, with its base in Nairobi, and in boutiques across the world.
How does Africa inspire you? Africa is who I am and it's Africa that raised me – the rest of the world just barely touched me. So everything that flows out of me is Africa – whether its basic components look or do not look overtly or stereotypically African.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Ihsani is based on the premise that 'beauty flows naturally from within'' – It is the women who make the clothes come to life beautifully.
Anything we should look out for in the coming weeks/months/year? Look out for more innovation and beauty from Ihsani and all the designers sprouting up in Africa. I am not alone or unique in my mission. Look out for African clothing for the cold July weather from Ihsani.
Inspired by the recently released film "Pariah," Salon teamed up with New America Media to run a series of coming out stories by minority and immigrant LGBT youth. This is the first installment.
“Are you going to that gay pride parade?” my mother asked late one morning as I was rushing off to work last June. For a moment, I didn’t know how to respond. I stopped in my tracks, looked back at her and mumbled something about how I’d probably be too busy and didn’t like big crowds anyway. Sensing my discomfort, Mom nonchalantly added, “Well, if you decide to go, I could go with you.”
It was a watershed moment for both of us, one that proved that my mom had finally become my ally.
My mother and I had spent the better part of the past decade doing an awkward dance around my sexuality. Most of it was spent tripping over one another; me, nudging her toward acceptance by insisting on brunch with my girlfriend. Her, timidly mastering the Spanish pronunciation of my girlfriend’s name. But usually, we were most in sync when there was silence. It seemed easiest to avoid the topic altogether.
For a while, it worked. She’s a single black mom and, as she likes to note, I’m her “only child in the land of the living.” We are, for all intents and purposes, each other’s anchors. The world was cruel to black girls, and wholly unforgiving to the black women they’d grow into, but we’d always had each other. The rhythm of both of our lives depended heavily on an undisturbed current.
And it’s for precisely this reason that I imagined my coming out to be a spectacular event — with a discernible beginning and end. From the time I was young, I’d imagined making a stern declaration that said, “Yes, I love women. And no, it’s not a big deal.” It’d be a forceful wind that might knock us off course for a bit, but we’d recover.
It was harder than I’d imagined. When I was 16, my mom found a girl’s name scrawled in one of my school notebooks with hearts around it. I brushed the whole thing off as an “art project.” At 21 — armed with a college degree, some job prospects, and an address 3,000 miles away from home — I’d settled into an awkward but triumphant queer identity. When she asked over the phone why I “only hang out with girls,” I finally told her the truth. She struggled to find her words, but I remember the loneliness in her voice.
Afterward, I didn’t feel magically stronger. Sure, a burden had been lifted, but another one promptly took its place. I felt detached from the woman, and the community, that had raised me.
Over the years, I’ve come to understand that “coming out” is more of a daily commitment than a singular event. It’s the resolve to live openly and honestly; an affirmation of self-love that needs to be repeated with nearly each encounter. For my mom and me, it’s been a commitment to at least start a conversation, and to remember the pride we have in one another.
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Jamilah King is a writer and editor who was raised in San Francisco and is presently based in Brooklyn. She's currently the news editor at Colorlines.com, where she writes about media, politics and technology.More Jamilah King
Yes, I know domestic violence. Sure, I’m not the type of woman you’d think would have been exposed to domestic violence. But I have. More than once. I’m ashamed at how easily I became a statistic. I am one in four women that has experienced domestic violence. I blame it partially on the type of men I choose.
Absolute responsibility for your actions lies with you, the individual. So matter how slick my mouth is, no matter how much I seem to provoke him, no man has the right to put their hands on me. On you. Conversely, women don’t have the right to put their hands on men. We’re all adults. Let’s act as such. Some friends are shocked to learn that it has happened to me, but then again, it isn’t something that I broadcast.
Until now. I’ve let opportunities to talk about this subject go by, but no more.
A violent man will show himself. It came early in one relationship and late in another. But in neither instance did I have the strength to end it. My relationships ended because one of us left the area – not because I was courageous enough to stop the violence being committed against me.
Often these relationships start out so sweet. Will* was a great teddy bear, quiet, introspective, but he’d seen a lot in his life. He was the protector I sought at the time. I felt safe with him when we were out. He never had to flex his muscle with me or anyone else, it was apparent. They always say they don’t want to be violent. So they show it in other ways. Controlling behavior, jealousy outwardly expressed – “ strong-arming” you, derogatory speech. You start to wonder where your boo went.
I’m not making excuses for anyone, but I have a smart mouth and a sharp tongue. Often I forget that I’m talking to someone that I care about when I lash out. And one night in Will’s apartment, I did say something flippant. He crossed the living room floor faster than normal and pinned me to the wall, grabbing my neck, my head bouncing against the wall. It was a tense moment with few threatening words. He composed himself and pulled away. I, shocked, remained against the wall in fear and my own anger. To this day, I wonder why I didn’t run out of his apartment immediately.
Over time and with other experiences I began to understand how women would be drawn and even loyal to their abusers. Maybe it’s the nurturing spirit in women. Maybe it’s a hope that this will never happen again. But it does happen again. And “we” don’t leave. I remained in a relationship with Will for a few months before his luck ran out and he left the area.
I guess I considered that a minor offense. Our time came to an end, I didn’t experience any more violence with him. That would come later in another relationship. This violence came rather quickly from someone who demonstrated a serious temper. *Chico always said it was me who instigated it or pushed him to these violent outbursts. And he never thought he had done anything wrong.And he was convincing.
He was/is (I take it these aren’t traits you let go off quickly) possessive and fiercely violent. Arguments started in public places and violence came in the shadows of crowded streets, in his apartment, and in mine. Between these occurrences, I told myself that I would leave. But I couldn’t. I read somewhere that it takes up to 50 attempts to leave an abusive partner. I can believe it. But imagine the toll that it takes. I had convinced myself (with his help of course) that he loved me, and that it was sometimes my fault. And that I should hold my tongue and not be so slick with him to not provoke that behavior.
The last time it happened, I was bold enough to be physical back with him. I emerged unscathed, empowered in a bold frenzy. But I recognized how foolish I had been and how disrespectful and uncaring my “lover” was. This behavior could not continue. His. Nor mine. I had to start choosing something different. Someone different. At our last incident, Chico disappeared into the night and I changed my phone number when I moved. That didn’t stop him from contacting me via email. I had to filter his address to get some peace.
That’s my domestic violence story. A few instances, not the pattern that afflicts between 600,000 and 6 million women each year. No I didn’t report them to the police. It was my cross to bear. And from the day that Chico pinned me down in my apartment, choking me, and then flinging books across the room at me and through a window, I pledged to myself that I would never allow myself to be with someone who expressed themselves this way nor would I be physically violent with a mate. We should all learn to act from a place of love. And if you’re angry, leave. But the last thing you should do is put your hands on someone. That’s not love.
I guess the whole point of this piece was to show you that anybody could be facing domestic violence, because I know I never thought that it would happen to me, or that I would continue in relationships with men that had the potential to be abusive. I’m a lady, and I deserve to be treated as such. Any man that would put his hands on me doesn’t value me. I’ll be more discerning in my choices of mates going forward, looking for traits early on that forecast danger.
*Will is not actually “Will” and *Chico isn’t “Chico”, but names have been changed to protect privacy, mine.
IF YOU NEED HELPTHE NATIONAL DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HoTLINE at 1-800-799-7233
THE NATIONAL SEXUAL ASSAULT HOTLINE AT 1-800-656-4673
THE NATIONAL TEEN DATING ABUSE HOTLINE AT 1-866-331-9474
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Najeema Davis Washington is an entrepreneur, pop culture writer, public speaker and blogger at HeLLinAHandbag.me. She is a social media enthusiast and networking practitioner focused on making professional and social connections for urban professionals.
Nobel Laureate 2011 Tawakkol Karman speaks about the Arab Spring and Yemen, at Chatham House, 16 December 2011.More: www.chathamhouse.org/events/view/179745
It has often been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. The images of Black men and women with arms in hand together with their Mestizo counterparts in revolutionary Mexico eloquently confirms this truism. Many of the combatants fought on the side of the legendary general from the south Emiliano Zapata; others under the command of Francisco “Pancho” Villa, while yet others served forces on the opposing side. Not many people are aware that General Zapata himself was partly of African ancestry as the rare photo of him clearly attests to. Indeed, one of his sisters Maria Luz was darker than this writer. As someone interested in ending the conflict between some of our uninformed Black and Brown companero’s and companera’s, I consider the presentation of these images a worthwhile exercise.
In unaltered pictures of Mexican Revolutionary hero Emiliano Zapata you see his dark/African complexion.
I was privileged to be a delegate to the Culture Strike gathering in Tucson/Phoenix during mid September 2011. The focus of our interaction and discussions was to build support against punitive anti immigrant laws and policies. While visiting a progressive bookstore during my stay in Tucson I stumbled upon the book “Las Soldaderas: Women of the Mexican Revolution” by Elena Poniatowska. On a subsequent day, while touring a cultural center in Phoenix, I was shown a photo gallery with some unusual images of the Mexican Revolution. The images that you have before you are some of what I viewed in the book “Las Soldaderas” and in the cultural center’s photo gallery. So here you have it. If “seeing is believing” as the old adage goes, then here it is. I had seen some of these images before, such as the one of General Zapata and that of Colonel Carmen Amelia Robles. However, what I learned for the first time upon reading “Las Soldaderas” is that Colonel Robles had “participated in many battles” and would shoot her pistol with her right hand and “hold her cigar with her left”. I am reminded of one of my initial trips to Mexico’s Costa Chica region when I met the late Solomon Vargas, a 101 year old Afro Mexican veteran of the Revolution, who recounted for me and others how he had ridden with Emiliano Zapata.
Colonel Carmen Amelia Robles, Afro Mexican Woman Leader in the Mexican Revolution
It is important to note that the role of Afro Mexicans in Mexico’s struggle for independence one hundred years earlier (1810 to 1821) was even greater. So much so, as to be pivotal, as recounted in the works of the late historian Ted Vincent. There are in addition to these examples other occasions where this mutually supportive historical relationship between “Mexicans” and “Africans” manifested itself which will be explored later. Let this piece and the powerful images that undergird it, serve as an opening to more information on the suppressed history of Black and Brown unity during the new year that lies before us.
The Soldiers of the Mexican Revolution were a mix of the Indigenous, the descendants of freed African Slaves, and Mestizos .
Rounding off our series looking back at the year of 2011 in hip hop is our list of ten albums that you should endeavour to get your ears around, if you have not already done so. Read on to see the dopest of the dope both under and above ground within hip hop.
1. Dela - Translation Lost
“Melancholy, nostalgia, but also hope and aspiration, these are the feelings Translation Lost will inspire.”
French producer Dela showed us how he can speak volumes with little words on his sophomore album earlier in the year. Layered and emotive instrumentals formed the backbone of an exploration into his music craft which encompassed an array of styles. Taking it to that next however was a roster of MC's of the highest order including the underground favourite Blu, and the relatively enigmatic Reach who carried the track "Go On" with lyrical finesse. In a climate of countless hip-hop producers it is a commendable feat to stand apart with a style as unique as this.
Bottom line; for any fan of Hip-Hop this is an album to appreciate highly, whether your preference is for beats or lyrics, this album excels in both and puts Dela firmly on the map as a producer to keep your eyes on.
When people talk of great albums, they often cite continuity or "the flow" as the reason for its acclaim. With their 13th album The Roots achieve this by venturing into the concept album style to tell a compelling story through strong lyrics and impeccable production. The fact that people are calling this their best album after 12 prior is a very healthy sign for the hip hop band given the ever changing climate of hip hop itself. And it would make sense that veterans of the genre would take to developing a narrative thread through music, revolving on expert storytelling and progressive instrumentation to further it track by track, which The Roots have undeniably done on this album.
The iconic Japanese producer's posthumous album was released earlier this month, continuing his heralded discography of unique music. It's nothing new to see Japanese artists achieve cross over appeal within hip hop, but Nujabes arguably achieved more than any before him with his deeply soulful arrangements accompanied by some of the best underground MC's around. Familiar names such as Substantial and Pase Rock, who many discovered through the producers work, returned to jump on tracks and provide wisdom as articulate as the beats themselves. Enjoy this album for the fine piece of art it is.
4. Willie Evans Jr. - Introducin' Willie Evans Jr!
Willie Evans Jr. is one of the scarce few artists who can wield both the mic and production with equal skill. From start to finish this album, although relatively short, is non-stop fun. It reminds you of the playful wordplay and funky beats that got many of us into the hip hop genre in the first instance. Being technically great and hugely entertaining would be enough to keep an album afloat but what makes this excel is Evans' personality which binds the two firmly. I could count the number of MC's on one hand who could carry an album alone, and you can bet Willie Evans Jr. would be one of them.
Another prime example of superb lyrical and production talent comes from this black cloaked duo. Seemingly effortless rhymes reel off line after line through an ill vocabulary comparable in nature to that of some of the greatest. Providing an apt backdrop are the brooding and stark beats creating a backwoods boom bap that draws you into a ghastly realm making for a truly absorbing listen. Anyone who finds themselves stuck in the 90's era of hip hop will be right at home with the entirety of this album, wherever these artists are headed from here is being watched with great anticipation.
The Doppelgangaz
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6. Cunninlynguists - Oneirology
Following on with the hint of a sinister nature is the fifth album by the hip hop trio. Listening to this album at times feels like a bad nights sleep, with the heavy and relentless drums creating a dense and ever changing soundscape. Rhymes as always keep things fresh and are highlighted with guest spots from Freddie Gibbs, Big K.R.I.T. and Tonedeff. What earns this joint a place on our list, and a trait attributable to many others, is its willingness to venture beyond the expectations of a hip hop album and explore some original creativity and slightly outlandish styles. If you're looking for that something else from your listening session, pick up this and prepare for immersion.
Cunninlynguists
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7. Phonte - Charity Starts At Home
Phonte is firmly among the ranks of artists such as Aloe Blacc when it comes to being a microphone fiend and soulful crooner. His first solo album shows the progression in perspective within the artist, and how this vision relays back stories of life, love and music. Where other albums on this list excel in evoking the fantastical, the realism of this release is what makes it a notable one. The genuine, "everyman" spirit of it makes it a refreshing listen, whether you appreciate Phonte as a rapper or a singer, you can find something to enjoy here.
Phonte
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8. Blitz The Ambassador - Native Sun
Another great album based on a loose narrative came from the Ghanaian-American MC early on in the year. Flawlessly pulled off with engaging and illustrative lyrics, this release felt like a score for an amazing piece of cinema. Spanning great geographical distances musically, the album employs a wide array of musical styles from Africa to America. A truly innovative MC, Blitz embodies the passion and vision that has us believing that hip hop contains some of the brightest musical minds around.
Although we didn't drop a formal review of this, we were most definitely listening. Arguably not considered an "album" this was nonetheless one of the best sounding projects to come around in 2011, as Kendrick Lamar followed up on his previous efforts with this solid release. The fluid flow of lyrics technically made this a no brainer for making our list, but what impressed us most was the content being put across within them - topics and perspectives that are making people call him the voice of a generation, and we cannot wait for the next offering.
Kendrick Lamar
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10. Blu - NoYork!
An album that received a mixed response from the hip hop community this year. Love it or hate it, or even if you're in between, this album has to be commended for its originality, of course from Blu's lyricism, but also from the atypical beats that carry it. Fast becoming a trend setter, we wouldn't be surprised if more projects appear in a similar vein to Blu's release here. For us, we're just happy to hear the man do his thing.
Cave Canem's week-long retreat is held annually at the 
A retreat residency offers an unparalleled opportunity to study with a world-class faculty and join a community of peers. Some fellows hail from the spoken word tradition, others focus on the text. Some are formalists, others work at the cutting edge of experimentation. All are united by a common purpose to improve their craft and find safe space "where black poets, individually and collectively, can inspire and be inspired by others, relieved of any obligation to explain or defend their blackness." (Harryette Mullen)
Cave Canem's fiscal health and long-term sustainability depend on the philanthropy of its fellowship. Graduate fellows who give back to Cave Canem play a critical role in ensuring that the next generation of poets enjoys the same opportunities they did. A recent graduate wrote, "I choose to donate to this organization because not giving to Cave Canem is like not giving to myself." Fellows are strongly encouraged to make an 
DELA - Jay Electropietricus
Dela
The Roots
Nujabes
Willie Evans Jr.
Cunninlynguists
Phonte
8. Blitz The Ambassador - Native Sun
Kendrick Lamar
10. Blu - NoYork!
Blu