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Meta
Monthly Archives: December 2009
2010 New Year Theme: Generosity
The Buddha said: “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared. It’s a cruel irony that by not giving of ourselves we … Continue reading
Themes for the New Year: 2010
I’ll be indulging myself over the next few weeks with ruminations on my themes for the new year (I hope you’ve noted the overall optimism I’m implying by adding the year in this post’s title). I’m not one who stands … Continue reading
“Common Presence” (Rene Char)
This little gem turned up in John Ladd’s Paradise Tossed blog (which I highly recommend) and I have to agree with John that it is stunning: “Common Presence” You’re in a rush to write As if you were late for … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics, Commonplace Book, Poetry & Poetics
Tagged cpb, poetry, rene char
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BAP 2009: “A House is Not a Home” (Terrance Hayes)
I’m noticing a pattern to my movement through BAP 2009 (a volume which is getting much more attention than it deserves): most of the poems don’t impress me at first, then keep nagging at my subconscious until I have to … Continue reading
On Bookworm: Essential and Subjective
I don’t listen consistently to many podcasts… I just don’t have time, particularly as I get on in years and am no longer under the illusion that I can multi-task effectively enough to get much out of a podcast while … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics
Tagged books, bookworm, michael silverblatt, podcasts, reading
1 Comment
Thoreau on Virtue & Vice
[CC licensed image by DerrickT] “I was never so rapid in my virtue but that my vice kept up with me. We are double-edged blades, and every time we whet our virtue the return stroke strops our vice.” –Henry David … Continue reading
Posted in Commonplace Book
Tagged cpb, essays, henry david thoreau, journals, vice, virtue
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BAP 2009: "How to Be Eaten by a Lion" (Michael Johnson)
I’m glad Jared has taken Michael Johnson’s poem in an interesting direction… it was a poem I dismissed too quickly. First, the poem itself: "How to Be Eaten by a Lion" If you hear the rush, the swish of mottled … Continue reading
Flannery O’Connor reading “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
[CC licensed photo by alphadesigner] I meant to post this a long time ago: courtesy of The Bava, you can listen to a recording of Flannery O’Connor reading one of her (our) greatest short stories: “A Good Man is Hard … Continue reading
Shtick-Lit
[CC licensed image by e^3000] In Memoir: A History, Ben Yagoda uses (coins?) the inspired term "shtick-lit" to describe "books perpetrated by people who undertook an unusual project with the express purpose of writing about it." I wish I’d thought … Continue reading
Posted in Art & Life & Politics
Tagged books, memoirs, nonfiction, reading, shtick lit
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BAP 2009: “Apparition (Favorite Poem)” by Mark Doty
As is so often the case with anthologies like Best American Poetry, I’m finding a significant number of poems that diminish each time I re-read them. Fortunately, other poems grow on me. I’m on track, as I expected before ever … Continue reading
BAP 2009: “Open Field” by Phillis Levin
Reading through this year’s Best American Poetry volume, it’s clear that Wagoner doesn’t shy away from the kind of meta-poems– poems about poems, poems about writing, poems about the language of poems and stories– I remain suspicious of. He also … Continue reading
Cognitive Poetics…
[CC image by Hljod.Huskona] So that’s what the post-avant poets are doing—engaging in “cognitive poetics?” If, as I do on good days, those poets are being intellectually honest, then Travis Nichols’ article makes sense. An excerpt: Memory–and the wonder and … Continue reading
BAP 2009: "Zones" by Albert Goldbarth
Continuing my meandering through the Best American Poetry 2009 (and my seat of the pants "analysis") brings me to "Zones" by Albert Goldbarth. Goldbarth’s an erudite poet who’s been growing on me over the past few years. A platinum member … Continue reading
BAP 2009: “Ringtone” by Bruce Bond
The first poem from Best American Poetry 2009 that struck my fancy was Bruce Bond’s entry: "Ringtone" As they loaded the dead onto the gurneys to wheel them from the university halls, who could have predicted the startled chirping in … Continue reading
Yours Ever: People and Their Letters
[CC licensed image by a.drian] As an enthusiastic snail-mail letter writer—you might remember those paper things, physically transported in little paper sleeves with “stamps” on them– Thomas Mallon’s new book Yours Ever: People and Their Letters looks fascinating (as does … Continue reading
BAP 2009: Foreword & Intro
While I don’t plan to proceed through Best American Poetry 2009 in an orderly fashion, I did want to capture a few thoughts about David Lehman’s foreword and David Wagoner’s introduction. On Negative Criticism Lehman’s dismissal of Jason Guriel’s “Going … Continue reading
More on “The Weenie Roast” aka PW Top 10
Amy King has another longish post on “The Weenie Roast” (aka the Publishers Weekly Top 10, which I posted about twice before). I recommend reading both of Amy’s posts and considering the issue for yourself. In her most recent entry, … Continue reading
December Distraction: Best American Poetry 2009
As Jared notes, our “December Distraction” is going to be the 2009 Best American Poetry anthology. On the whole, I’ve found enough gems in every volume of the Best American Poetry series to make it worth the very reasonable cover … Continue reading