Feline steps are deliberate
cautious intermittent pauses-
to allow for adjustments.
No one expects life
to be without recalculations
or changes.
It is our prerogative
to make u turns
even if the law doesn't allow
for it, the road itself will
not hinder us
or the police that follow.
Sunday, January 03, 2010
Boring? Think Again
For those who might think all things poetry equals boring, think again. We who chose our words with great thought are quite capable of sparking sharp discourse. There are a couple of excellent examples of this going on right now in full public view.
On the national scene there is the ongoing and seemingly unending friction over a $200 million gift to Poetry Magazine by Ruth Lilly, the 94 year old reclusive philanthropist and drug heiress who died this past week. The basic story is old news to most poets, but the death of Ms. Lilly seems to have drawn media attention back to it by as evidenced by a series of new articles that have appeared in print these last few days.
For an art form often marginalized, such a gift was both shockingly exciting and on some level a bit difficult to rationalize. The Poetry Foundation which publishes Poetry Magazine is operated by a staff of four. It has a circulation of 12,000 and an annual operating budget of about $700.000 which makes such a gift seem a bit like overkill. But for many, it’s not so much the gift as it is the administration of the Foundation that has been the focus of discussion. Some, including a former trustee have been critical of the foundation’s expenditure of $25 million to build a “Home for Poetry” in Chicago. John Barr , the director has also been criticized for giving his wife a job at the Foundation. Complaints have reached the Illinois Attorney General who is looking into "questionable governance and management practices."
Back in my home state, the selection of a second Poet Laureate have has brought some criticism of the Governor’s office who has posted an application for the position that looks more like they are searching for a CEO of a fortune 500 Company than an ambassador for an art. It asks for instance to: “Please provide any other information, including information about other members of your family, which could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the Governor” and “Is there anything in your or your spouse’s background that might become an embarrassment to you if it were to become public? Please consider carefully any letters to the editor, blog posts, etc., which you or your spouse may have authored, even anonymously.” It also asks about associations with other individuals which might be a source of embarrassment. I’ve not personally seen applications used in other states, but according to a January 2nd Columbia Tribune article, “Application forms for poets laureate in other states do not ask similar questions.” The same article notes several individuals have expressed disappointment about such approach to the search and at least on poet with national accolades that said he was not interested in applying with these terms.
The outgoing Poet Laureate Walter Bargen, said he was not asked to fill out an application but he and his wife did agree to a State Highway Patrol background check. He was asked if there was anything they should know about. Bergen to them, “I grew up in the ‘60s,” and that he once used the world “nipple” in a poem.
On the national scene there is the ongoing and seemingly unending friction over a $200 million gift to Poetry Magazine by Ruth Lilly, the 94 year old reclusive philanthropist and drug heiress who died this past week. The basic story is old news to most poets, but the death of Ms. Lilly seems to have drawn media attention back to it by as evidenced by a series of new articles that have appeared in print these last few days.
For an art form often marginalized, such a gift was both shockingly exciting and on some level a bit difficult to rationalize. The Poetry Foundation which publishes Poetry Magazine is operated by a staff of four. It has a circulation of 12,000 and an annual operating budget of about $700.000 which makes such a gift seem a bit like overkill. But for many, it’s not so much the gift as it is the administration of the Foundation that has been the focus of discussion. Some, including a former trustee have been critical of the foundation’s expenditure of $25 million to build a “Home for Poetry” in Chicago. John Barr , the director has also been criticized for giving his wife a job at the Foundation. Complaints have reached the Illinois Attorney General who is looking into "questionable governance and management practices."
Back in my home state, the selection of a second Poet Laureate have has brought some criticism of the Governor’s office who has posted an application for the position that looks more like they are searching for a CEO of a fortune 500 Company than an ambassador for an art. It asks for instance to: “Please provide any other information, including information about other members of your family, which could suggest a conflict of interest or be a possible source of embarrassment to you, your family, or the Governor” and “Is there anything in your or your spouse’s background that might become an embarrassment to you if it were to become public? Please consider carefully any letters to the editor, blog posts, etc., which you or your spouse may have authored, even anonymously.” It also asks about associations with other individuals which might be a source of embarrassment. I’ve not personally seen applications used in other states, but according to a January 2nd Columbia Tribune article, “Application forms for poets laureate in other states do not ask similar questions.” The same article notes several individuals have expressed disappointment about such approach to the search and at least on poet with national accolades that said he was not interested in applying with these terms.
The outgoing Poet Laureate Walter Bargen, said he was not asked to fill out an application but he and his wife did agree to a State Highway Patrol background check. He was asked if there was anything they should know about. Bergen to them, “I grew up in the ‘60s,” and that he once used the world “nipple” in a poem.
Friday, January 01, 2010
VISITOR # 50,000
It seems a nice way to kick off the new year is to make it with this site having been visited by its 50,000th unique visitor. Yeah! An thank you to all 50,000 peeps.
A new year and a new book in my reading stack. I’m not only working through Winter Pollen - (writings and essays by Ted Hughes) but I picked up a copy The Shadow of Sirius by W.S. Merwin today. This book was published by Copper Canyon Press and I’m always impressed with the quality of their books. I’m anxious to share my thoughts on this book once I’ve read it. Merwin is among my favorite poets.
I kind of like that I’m kicking the year off with a male poet as I tend to be drawn disproportionately to the work of female poets. This isn’t a complaint, just an observation.
Who’s on your reading table at the moment?
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Happy New Years!
The final hours of the decade are slipping by… I made a run to Taco Bell on the spur of the moment and then stopped off for a bottle of Chardonnay. The traffic was frantic. I sensed many are anxious to get this decade over, as if they could grease it and slip out of it a bit ahead of time.
So many are writing about the decade past or future expectations. Lots of New Years Resolutions. I’ve made some, though I normally take a dim view of the practice, something has driven me to do so this year. I’ve committed them to a page in my journal and I’m not going into them here, not now. There are a litany of bad things to say about the past ten years. I could repeat many I’m sure you’ve heard or can recount all to well from personal experiences. That is not what I want to do here. Instead I want to point out a positive story I read this evening. It even relates to poetry!
Christine Klocek-Lim blogs at November Sky Poetry and she writes poetry. I’ve followed her blog for a while now as well as read her on-line journal Autumn Sky Poetry. Still, I learned more about Christine in post from today then I ever knew about her. She writes about her metamorphous as a poet over the past ten years and it’s a story of challenges and successes. It’s a positive story and I think it’s a good way to pass out of this decade and into the next. Read and enjoy Christine’s story – Ten years of internet poetry (is poetry dead?) It’s a good note to end the year on.
Have a safe, a prosperous and a joyous new year!
Technorati Tags: Christine Klocek-Lim,November Sky Poetry
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
The Scavenger : GPS locates water, offers poetry for illegal immigrants crossing desert
I ran across this story tonight and had to share it.
Here's how the tool works. The phone, loaded with free GPS software, displays a digital compass that locates water stations installed by John Hunter, founder of the Water Stations project. Stations that are too far will not be displayed. The phone pinpoints "safety sites" -- such as Border Patrol station, a clinic or a church -- and includes poetry written by Amy Carroll to "welcome you to the U.S," said Dominguez. Encrypted to avoid detection by authorities, phones are $30 and should be available by summer.
CLICK BELOW TO READ THE FULL STORY
The Scavenger : GPS locates water, offers poetry for illegal immigrants crossing desert
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Saving our forests is in / Tiger Woods is out
You know how you see something out of the corner of your eye and you think it says something but on closer look, it says something else. I saw this link Couple Following GPS Get Stranded for 3 Days but on first glance I would have sworn it read, Couple Following GOP Get Stranded for 3 Days. I mean I can see how they could have gotten lost.
This has been a crazy year for politics at home and around the world. The Republicans eating their own, so to speak; Democrats finding even with a majority it is difficult to rule. In Iran, the people decry a what they believe a stolen election and the ruling government finds an enemy not from the west, but right there at home.
As is often the case with a year passing we see things some things that follow it out the door and new things or at least different things become vogue. My in and out list:
This has been a crazy year for politics at home and around the world. The Republicans eating their own, so to speak; Democrats finding even with a majority it is difficult to rule. In Iran, the people decry a what they believe a stolen election and the ruling government finds an enemy not from the west, but right there at home.
As is often the case with a year passing we see things some things that follow it out the door and new things or at least different things become vogue. My in and out list:
- Phone applications are in / Land lines are out
- Hybrid Vehicles are in / The Hummer is a bummer (out)
- Collaboration is in / Competition is out
- Staycation is in / Vacation is out
- More tasks on the job is in / Bonuses to executives is out
- Saving our forests is in / Tiger Woods is out
- Staying put is in / Moving is out
- Main Street is in / Wall Street is out
- Saving is in / Investing is out
- Paying online is in / mailing the bills is out
- Sarah Palin is in / Governor Palin is out
- Keith Olbermann is in / Sean Hannity is out
- Reading is in / Jay Leno is out
- Project Runway is in / Dancing with the Stars is out
- Starbucks Coffee is back in / McDonalds Coffee is out
- News online is in / Newspapers are out
- Screaming at your Congressman is in / Writing your Congressman is out
- Afghanistan is in / Iraq is out
- Twitter is in / IM is out
- Texting is in / Calling is out
- Value is in / Price is out
Technorati Tags: In & Out List for 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Search for Missouri's Next Poet Laureate
Governor Jay Nixon has signed an executive order establishing the procedure for selecting Missouri’s second poet laureate. The new laureate, who will replace Walter Bargen is to be named in January.
Nixon has an advisory committee that includes three representatives from the Missouri Center for the Book and two individuals named by the Governor. This committee of five is charged with soliciting, publicizing and encouraging nominations for the post. They will develop additional selection criteria, [minimal criteria established by the executive order: resident of state, a published poet, active in the poetry community, be willing and able to promote poetry in the state throughout the two-year term], reviewing and evaluating the nominations, and recommending candidates for appointment to the Governor.
The committee is comprised of: Thomas F. Dillingham, Associate Professor of English at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri; Kris Kleindienst, co-owner of an independently owned bookstore in St. Louis; Carl Phillips, Professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis; Kevin Prufer, author of a number of books of poetry and winner of three Pushcart prizes as well as an National Endowment of the Arts fellowship, from Warrensburg, Missouri; and Cheryl D.S. Walker, poet, lawyer and native of St. Louis.
I’m delighted to see the Governors approach to this appointment. Given this is nearly the end of December I would have hoped the committee would have had a little more time to give to the process. Those named to the panel appear to be reasonable choices for the search; I am however disappointed that the five member panel has a heavy St Louis tilt.
It would be nice to see at least one Kansas City area person on that panel.
A copy of the application for for consideration can be found here.
Nixon has an advisory committee that includes three representatives from the Missouri Center for the Book and two individuals named by the Governor. This committee of five is charged with soliciting, publicizing and encouraging nominations for the post. They will develop additional selection criteria, [minimal criteria established by the executive order: resident of state, a published poet, active in the poetry community, be willing and able to promote poetry in the state throughout the two-year term], reviewing and evaluating the nominations, and recommending candidates for appointment to the Governor.
The committee is comprised of: Thomas F. Dillingham, Associate Professor of English at Central Methodist University in Fayette, Missouri; Kris Kleindienst, co-owner of an independently owned bookstore in St. Louis; Carl Phillips, Professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis; Kevin Prufer, author of a number of books of poetry and winner of three Pushcart prizes as well as an National Endowment of the Arts fellowship, from Warrensburg, Missouri; and Cheryl D.S. Walker, poet, lawyer and native of St. Louis.
I’m delighted to see the Governors approach to this appointment. Given this is nearly the end of December I would have hoped the committee would have had a little more time to give to the process. Those named to the panel appear to be reasonable choices for the search; I am however disappointed that the five member panel has a heavy St Louis tilt.
It would be nice to see at least one Kansas City area person on that panel.
A copy of the application for for consideration can be found here.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
What I'm Reading
I started a new book today. Winter Pollen - Occasional Prose edited by William Scammell. The book is a collection of reviews, essays and articles by Ted Hughes, much of which originally appeared in newspapers, magazines and journals. I'll let you know what I think of it once I get a little deeper into it.
Is tomorrow Monday again? [heavy sigh]
Is tomorrow Monday again? [heavy sigh]
Unconscious Mutterings week 361
You say... I think:
1. Classified :: ads
2. Praised :: child
3. Censored :: book
4. 2010 :: decade
5. Lamp :: shade
6. Alternate :: lifestyle
7. Script :: post
8. Handsome :: man
9. Eager :: beaver
10. Meeting :: business
get your own list at Unconscious Mutterings
1. Classified :: ads
2. Praised :: child
3. Censored :: book
4. 2010 :: decade
5. Lamp :: shade
6. Alternate :: lifestyle
7. Script :: post
8. Handsome :: man
9. Eager :: beaver
10. Meeting :: business
get your own list at Unconscious Mutterings
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas has passed, the snow hasn’t
Snow came to visit us for Christmas but I understand it was pretty much making the rounds all over the Mid-west.
Thankfully our travel yesterday was safe. It was all local but the highways were still challenging. Visited my son & had a Christmas meal with him at his house. Cathy cooked a scrumptious lunch.
So we saw a son and on of our daughters. The other two daughters were out of the area but at least they were able to see each other.
It’s so quiet quiet here today I can hear myself thinking. Ok, maybe an exaggeration but not much. Actually I was thinking about some of the books I read this year. There were some impressive poetry collections published.
By far most of the books I read this year were in fact poetry books. Otherwise biographies and some political non-fiction and baseball non-fiction. I’m wondering if I would best be described as a narrowly focused reader or a poets dream come true?
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
It’s the Season of Red… get in the spirit, give blood
I took time today to do a double platelet donation at our local blood bank. I’ve never done platelet donations before but have been donating whole blood for many years now. Today I passed the 5 gallon mark.
Platelet donation takes longer but they are critical for patients with blood disorders, such as leukemia and aplastic anemia. They help stop bleeding. Fresh frozen plasma increases the level of clotting factors to help control bleeding.Red blood cell transfusions are critical for many patients who have suffered a traumatic injury,have anemia or have undergone surgery.
The need for blood donations is ongoing. Shelf life is limited and maintaining an adequate supply is a constant challenge. If you are able to donate blood I would urge you to look into it. It’s a gift that saves lives.
Platelet donation takes longer but they are critical for patients with blood disorders, such as leukemia and aplastic anemia. They help stop bleeding. Fresh frozen plasma increases the level of clotting factors to help control bleeding.Red blood cell transfusions are critical for many patients who have suffered a traumatic injury,have anemia or have undergone surgery.
The need for blood donations is ongoing. Shelf life is limited and maintaining an adequate supply is a constant challenge. If you are able to donate blood I would urge you to look into it. It’s a gift that saves lives.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Unconscious Mutterings - Week 360
You say... I think:
- Interest :: loan
- Chase :: pursue
- Itch :: seven year
- Soothe :: unruffle
- Lamp :: street
- Tutor :: English
- Nicole :: Smith
- Sloth :: lazy
- Burn :: unit
- Bug :: flu
Monday, December 21, 2009
Crab Creek Review Summer 09
Reading CCR this weekend – I just wanted to draw attention to a few poems that stood out to me.
- Gail White’s - How I Spent My Time Since You Died
- Marjorie Manwaring - Refusal
- Kimberly L. Becker - Washing the Blankets
- Jill Crammond Wickham – Even with Clorox, June Cleaver Has a Tough Time Cleaning The Skeletons From Her Closet
- January Gill O’Neil – Tether
- Paul David Adkins – The Mouse in Iraq
- Maya Ganesan – Undefined
- Joannie Kervran Stangeland – A Crow Means Everything
- Buzz Mauro – Einsteinian Physics in Plain English
Technorati Tags: Crab Creek Review
Religious Right & Wrong
What is it about the Religious Right element within the Republican Party that feels compelled to seethe such meanness of spirit? The rhetoric from such people seems quite in contrast to Judo-Christian spirit.
A classic example was a sad display Sunday afternoon, just nine hours before the scheduled 1 a.m. vote critical to the Senate’s Health Care Reform bill, Republican Senator Tom Coburn (Okla.) went to the Senate floor and proposed a prayer. "What the American people ought to pray is that somebody can't make the vote tonight. That's what they ought to pray."
Do we really need leaders that mix the darkest sides of human nature with religion and then insert it into how we govern ourselves as a nation? I find this kind of thing sickening.
Homeless Awareness
A few facts about homelessness...
- Research indicates that 40% of homeless men have served in the armed forces, as compared to 34% of the general adult population.
- Persons with severe mental illness represented about 26 percent of all sheltered homeless persons.
- 35% of the homeless people who are members of households with children are male while 65% of these people are females.
- 25% of homeless were ages 25 to 34; the same study found percentages of homeless persons aged 55 to 64 at 6%.
- Children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless population; 42% of these children were under the age of five (National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, 2004). This same study found that unaccompanied minors comprised 5% of the urban homeless population.
Learn more here
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