Monthly Archives: January 2018

Why I (Still) Choose to Write Poems

“I dwell in possibility”–Emily Dickinson “I am large, I contain multitudes”–Walt Whitman “A poem should be a part of one’s sense of life.”–Wallace Stevens “Poetry reminds us of the richness and diversity of human existence.”–John Fitzgerald Kennedy “Poetry is a … Continue reading

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Doin’ It to Ourselves–part 3086: No-Sympathy Cases

From Edmonton to the Dominican Republic. Edmonton: Guy running on ice downhill into the valley falls and breaks his wrist. Bad, stupid choice. No common sense. Much like bike-lane falls and injuries in winter. Dominican Republic: couple gets hookworms on … Continue reading

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Amazingly,

(3 jr. high texts not shown here) I continue to receive royalties every 6 months from 50 textbooks and teacher guides I wrote and edited 37 years ago. I certainly had no idea when I began writing and editing that … Continue reading

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“Smiley’s People”: 1982 TV Series (with Spoilers)

The Take-Away Although he tricks and outwits KARLA, the number of references that Smiley should retire for good are equally resonant. This series is as also about the mental acuity and competence of Smiley (in contrast to his Russian foes)–no … Continue reading

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With all the non-stop accusations in news headlines these daze,

you’d have to logically conclude that we are living in an age of sexual McCarthyism.

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Of ‘Priorities’ and Supreme Idiocy

Don Iveson & Edm. City Council declaring bike lanes as the priority for road cleaning after the winter’s most massive dump of snow. Who in their right minds would be or need to be on a bike in winter and … Continue reading

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Remembering Tommy

I was lucky I got to tell him this past year at the Yardbird Suite how much I appreciated his Christmas album which has wonderfully original, tasteful arrangements. I’m glad to see he was enjoying himself (he was carrying two … Continue reading

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Meeting Bruce Again Last Night

(his amazingly full, rich life autobio; also recommended: the signed CD boxset) (he signed by “Lions” in the 2nd ed. of my copy of  Inside Poetry) What a show at the Winspear! I think it was the best tour show … Continue reading

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Lorraine Hansberry: American Masters (PBS Series)

(my theatre program with her rare signature, from the successful 1959 Philadelphia run which culminated on Broadway and various awards) Lorraine Hansberry is pretty much a forgotten name now partly because she was a one-hit wonder. But what a sensation … Continue reading

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Henry David Thoreau:

“There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature.”

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