The Café Review. Summer 2006. (Yes books. 589 Congress St. Portland, Me. 04101) thecafereview@thecafereview.com) http://thecafereview.com $8.

From the city of Portland, Maine (a favorite haunt of mine) comes the well-regarded “The Café Review.” I had the privilege to meet the folks from the Review when I read with them at the “Grolier Poetry Reading Series” at Harvard University. In this issue they have a poem by Ed Sanders (of the “FUGS” and “Tales of Beatnik Glory” fame.) titled: “The Impeachment of George Bush-A World Wide Party.” This is a rollicking and humorous account of the reaction of the world in the wake of a Jr. Bush impeachment:

Today they impeached George Bush
And the world began to party.

Flowers bloomed spontaneously
Trombones cam out of attics by themselves
and began to play the celebration waltz…

Paul Bowles sent a water pipe from Tangier
to Corso, Ginsberg, and Orlovosky,
in room 27 of the Beat Hotel on Rue Git le Coeur
to celebrate the good news.

Cassandra stands on Pennsylvania Avenue
and weeps this time with surprise
because the world at last is listening to her words,
“Goodbye George, your house has fallen without ashes!

There is also fine work by Charles Ries, Dawn Potter, Diane Wakoski, and others. The journal also has a large BOOKS RECEIVED list, as well as artwork and reviews. Highly Recommended.

Ibbetson Update/ Doug Holder