Yesterday I posted Vladimir of Lviv’s imitation poem of Carl Sandburg’s “Chicago.” (Vladimir is a student in my sister Ceci’s ESL conversation class. All the students were asked to write a poem about home using Sandburg’s poem as a model.) Today I’ll highlight excerpts from a few more student works. I wish I […]
MoreWith all the blahblahblah about Chinese mothers and the ensuing defense of western ones, perhaps it’s time for a dose of multiculturalism that goes down easier. I’m posting poems, previously unpublished, written not only by novice poets, but by novice poets writing in a non-native language. How amazing is that! It’s akin to me writing […]
MoreWrong Road So I said to the short order cook (because I think he owns the joint) what did Santa bring you: a fairly aggressive bit of humor, since I hardly know the man: my wife and I stop there occasionally on the way to Syracuse because it is so busy, the […]
MoreTwo stories to begin the new year: When I was young and sometimes cruel, I played a trick on my little sister. I tracked her down in the neighborhood and told her that our father had been looking all over for her and was really, really mad that she wasn’t home. What got me […]
MoreI’ll be slowing down on the blogging for the next few weeks (which sounds a little like Lady Gaga saying she’s going to put more effort into her costumes), but I wanted to share my new favorite song. Here’s Jamie Lidell with “Another Day.” (I’m not crazy about the video—best to hear and not see.) […]
MoreLast Friday night my youngest daughter went to her first high school dance. Her date was a boy whose mother died when he was three, a fact which partly explains his unusual attire. All the other boys wore prep-school navy blue blazers, khakis and loafers; he sported an ill-fitting tuxedo, black skater sneakers and a […]
MoreGreat news today in the New York Times: astronomers announced there may be at least three times as many stars as previously estimated. One astronomer with the knock-knock-joke-ready name of Pieter van Dokkum (this is a challenge I throw out to my husband) says this finding is “problematic,” calling into question current theories about how big […]
MorePoem in Praise of Menstruation by Lucille Clifton if there is a river more beautiful than this bright as the blood red edge of the moon if there is a river more faithful than this returning each month to the same delta if there is a river braver than this coming and coming in […]
MoreA short break from the cooking frenzy in my kitchen to complain and give thanks. My complaint is with food manufacturers. Every year more food items seem to be downsized. What was 16 oz. is now 14 oz. Besides feeling irritated at having to pay more for less, I’m wondering what’s going to happen […]
MoreEvery year Baltimore’s Enoch Pratt Library holds an Altered Book Contest. An altered book is a bound book that’s been reworked in some way—torn, painted, sculpted, woven—to create a piece of art. (Link here for examples.) My friend Trish Rawlings’ entry, above, is entitled “l’enfant lune.” Here’s a 3-dimensional view: I’m entranced by […]
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