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Maggie O'Sullivan


Photo © Charles Bernstein/PennSound. Click on image for hi-res.

Close Listening reading and conversation, October 11, 2007

Program One. A conversation with Maggie O'Sullivan
with host Charles Bernstein and questions from Penn students (26:53): MP3
transcript of conversation at Jacket2>

Program Two: O'Sullivan reads from Body of Work (London: Reality Street, 2006)

  1. Introduction by Charles Bernstein (0:58): MP3
  2. Most Incomplete (sec. 3 of A Natural History in Three Incomplete Parts, originally published, London, Magenta 1985) (19:24): MP3
  3. The Walks (3:47) (from Divisions of Labour, originally published, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne: Galloping Dog, 1986) : MP3
  4. Malevich (2:17) from Tonetreks, 1978, previously unpublished : MP3
Complete reading (26:54): MP3

Performed Poetics at Kings College London, March 12-13, 2022

  • Charles Bernstein and O'Sullivan in celebration of the work of Jerome Rothenberg

    • Media.SAS mirror: MP4

    Virtual reading hosted by University of Glasgow, February 25, 2021

    Complete recording (57:30): MP3

    Maggie O'Sullivan Reads Tom Raworth and John Clare at Eric Mottram conference, King’s College, London, Nov. 23, 2019

    Text and notes on O'Sullivan's poems via John Clare can be found here.

    Reading at the Other Room Series in Manchester, England, October 3, 2016

    1. Introduction (2:49): MP3
    2. All Origins Are Lonely (3:21): MP3
    3. From Murmur (3:19): MP3
    4. Cardiac Load (2:29): MP3
    5. From Courtship of Lapwings (3:58): MP3
    6. Quag, Edge, Ear Lone (2:45): MP3
    7. Stilled In (0:47): MP3
    8. Jugular Parting (4:24): MP3
    9. Continuance (1:35): MP3
    10. Breath (3:06): MP3
    11. This Earth (2:46): MP3

    Watch on Media.sas
    1. Introduction (5:38): MP3
    2. Homage to a City (4:00): MP3
    3. All Origins Are Lonely (2:18): MP3
    4. For Making Dying Illegal (0:51): MP3
    5. From Murmur (3:23): MP3
    6. That Bread Should Be (6:23): MP3
    7. Own Land (1:50): MP3
    8. Quag, Edge, Ear Lone (2:54): MP3
    9. Jugular Parting (1:56): MP3
    10. Stilled In (1:05): MP3
    11. Circles from Which (1:09): MP3
    12. Courtship of Lapwings (3:42): MP3
    13. Fragment (2:13): MP3
    14. Continuance (1:38): MP3
    15. Placard of the Candle (2:06): MP3
    16. Post-Reading Q&A (18:58): MP3
      Complete Recording: MP3


    Video

    Manchester, 2010

    Voiceworks Workshop at Birkbeck College, University of London, January 15, 2011

    Watch on Media.sas

    Reading at the Poetry Project, New York, October 5, 2011



    1. Introduction (2:56): MP3
    2. Circles from Which (2:08): MP3
    3. Murmur (20:14): MP3
    4. Excerpt from "All Origins are Lonely" (2:35): MP3
    5. Quag, Edge, Ear lone (3:23): MP3
    6. Jugular Parting Wild Horses (6:32): MP3
    7. Homage (2:19): MP3

    "Suddenly Everyone Began Reading Aloud": A Celebration of Bob Cobbing at the Kelly Writers House, October 11, 2007

    Complete reading (23:38): MP3

    1. third (final) section of From the Handbook of That & Furriery, originally published London, Writers Forum, 1986  from Body of Work (London: Reality Studios, 2006)
    2. red shifts, Buckfastleigh, Devon: etruscan books, 2001

    Discussing the life and work of Bob Cobbing (13:16): MP3

    Reading for the Belladonna* Reading Series, NYC, October 9, 2007

    1. Introduction (3:08): MP3
    2. All Origins Are Lonely (2:15): MP3
    3. Murmur (1:54): MP3
    4. Premonitions and Return (1:25): MP3
    5. Cardiac Load (8:24): MP3
    6. Purpled Matter (10:11): MP3
    7. Theoretical Economies (3:29): MP3
    8. Narcotic Properties (3:36): MP3
    9. Windows Opening (3:59): MP3

    Complete Reading (37:40): MP3

    Segue Series Reading at the Bowery Poetry Club (New York), October 6, 2007

    1. sections one and two of From the Handbook of That & Furriery, originally published London, Writers Forum, 1986 from Body of Work (London: Reality Street, 2006)
    2. "all origins are lonely," London: Veer Books, 2003
    3. "quag edge, ear lone", 2007
    4. Windows Opening, Belladonna* Chapbook #108, Brooklyn, New York: Belladonna* Books, 2007
    Complete reading (31:17): MP3

    From Charles Bernstein's Portraits Series: Maggie's Pen, October 5, 2007

    Watch on Media.sas

    Maggie O'Sullivan
    Maggie had just arrived in New York and came by my place after visiting Steve Clay. She was in the U.S. for the Bob Cobbing festival at Penn. We talked about Bob's generous spirit but also how generally inhospitable she found England, which often has greeted artists like her with a colossally cold shoulder. Maggie remembered that I always wrote my poems by hand and with a fountain pen, if possible. Or used to anyway. I gave her my favorite current pen, the Impact Gel writer.
    (mp4, 46 seconds, 34.5 mb)


    States of Emergency, Maggie O'Sullivan Poems 1982-1988, Rockdrill CD #11

    Published by the Contemporary Poetics Research Centre, Opic Nerve for Birkbeck College, 2005.
    Produced by Colin Still. Used with the permission of Colin Still.

    from Concerning Spheres, Broken Ground Press, 1982:
    1. Concerning Spheres (4:30): MP3
    2. Numbers in Winter (1:42): MP3
    3. Joining the Colours (4:34): MP3
    4. Growth (2:30): MP3
    5. Notes & Outings (5:57): MP3
    6. For My Mother (1:44): MP3
    7. Remembering (3:26): MP3
    8. Tree Pieces (1:23): MP3
    from Un-Assuming Personas, Writers Forum, 1985:
    • Un-Assuming Personas (15:15): MP3
    from States of Emergency, International Concrete Poetry Archive, 1987:
    1. Lottery & Requiem (1:15): MP3
    2. Headlights (6:43): MP3
    3. Busk, Pierce (3:12): MP3
    4. Plight (8:28): MP3
    from Unofficial Word, Galloping Dog Press, 1988:
    • Unofficial Word (11:49): MP3

    Reading at SUNY-Buffalo, October 27, 1993

    1. Introduction by Charles Bernstein (4:04): MP3
    2. Lottery & Requiem (for Basil Bunting: 1900-1985) (from States of Emergency, Oxford: ICPA Publication #11, 1987) (1:24): MP3

      3. From In the House of the Shaman (London: Reality Street Editions, 1993, reprint 2003)

    3. Book I: Another Weather System (8:43): MP3

      4. Book II: Kinship with Animals

    4. Hurls to the Untitled, of bees (0:43): MP3
    5. Equities Water (0:26): MP3
    6. To Our Own Day (1:05): MP3

      7. Book III: Prism and Hearers

    7. Garb (2:51): MP3
    8. Hill Figures (1:13): MP3

      9. From Palace of Reptiles (Willowdale, Ontario: The Gig, 2003)

    9. Ellen's Lament (2:01): MP3
    10. Narrow Bandages, Even Tombs (Now to the Ears) (1:43): MP3
    11. Orphée (2:31): MP3
    12. Narcotic Properties (3:24): MP3
    13. Theoretical Economies (3:06): MP3
    14. Birth Palette (2:32): MP3

      15. From eXcLa, a collaboration with Bruce Andrews (London, Writers Forum, 1993)

    15. from A2 (2:18): MP3
    16. from B4 (1:42): MP3

      17. From Palace of Reptiles

    17. Doubtless, Section 1 (4:32): MP3
    18. Riverrunnings (Realisations) (15:53): MP3

    19. Interview by Charles Bernstein (34:41): MP3, RealAudio

    At The Kootenay School of Writing

    • Reading on November 2, 1993 (43:12): MP3
    • Reading on November 3, 1993 Part 1 (21:37): MP3
    • Reading on November 3, 1993 Part 2 (38:44): MP3

    Openned Series, London, May 14, 2008

    Full video: MOV

    Reading "Windows," with Bernstein accompanying readng her text "commentary:" FLV, streaming (after July 1)

    Charles Bernstein on Maggie O'Sullivan


    Photo © Charles Bernstein/PennSound. Click on image for hi-res.

    These sound recordings are being made available for noncommercial and educational use only. All rights to this recorded material belong to the author. © 2016 Maggie O'Sullivan. Used with permission of Maggie O'Sullivan. Distributed by PennSound.