Surprising Parity in Arab Anthology of American Poets

I read an article about a project to translate a number of poems into Arabic as part of a project to widen the Arabic world's access to foreign literature. Over a thousand titles are being translated for the anthology project including many by American poets. I was intrigued by the selection the and thought others might be as well. Check out these selections:

• Langston Hughes
• Charles Simic
• Sylvia Plath
• Anne Sexton
• Charles Bukowski
• Robert Bly
• Ted Kooser
• Billy Collins
• Denise Levertov
• Louise Gluck
• Kim Addonizio,
• AR Ammons
• Florence Anthony
• Theodore Roethke
• Dorianne Laux

If anything, I am amazed that this project based in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates has a very close parity between men and women selected. Seven women out of fifteen total! 

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Sixth Anniversary Blog Post

Just a quick note to extend my thanks for those who from time to time stop by here, read and even offer some interaction. Interaction is good. I like to think of blogs at their best when they become interactive.

On the left is the cover of my read for last week. Carolyn Forche’s The Country Between Us. This entire book of poetry is laden with political undertones that are woven through narratives that would not disappoint even the apolitical type. I’m a firm believer that writing good political poetry is at least as difficult are writing love poems that work. Carolyn Forche gets this and rises to the occasion. One of the poems from this collection, Selective Service can be read  can be read here. 

I love the way Forche uses the image of children on their backs in snow making snow angels and powerfully closes with “We lie down in the fields and leave behind / the corpses of angels.” Go take a look at the whole poem and how it unfolds. Better still, get a copy of this book and read them all!

 

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World View

“We look at the world once, in childhood. The rest is memory." — Louise Gluck

Giants Have Life As September Starts…

I was so excited yesterday – the Giants had a really tough 10 games with injuries-  they finished up 4-6 and found themselves 3 games behind the Rockies for the NL Wild Card. Then they hosted  the Rockies at home three games – sweeping them. With a day off today they are now tied for the Wild Card with the Rockies. Tomorrow the Giants will go up against the Phillies.

Well, I need to write for a while yet and then it’s off the bed.

 

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Charles Bukowski - “The Man With The Beautiful Eyes”

 

 

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"In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes." Andy Warhol

Yes, even you can be immortalized in Warhol pop art!

Come Tuesday, this blog will turn 6 years old. There are times, even recent, in which I have considered putting this blog to rest. I know some bloggers will write for a while and finish a blog then take up another as though to start a new chapter in life.  I have considered what would perhaps be the advantages and disadvantages of this and I won’t bore you with the lists as I see them on both sides, but only say that in the end I have elected to carry on, not because there were more reasons for it than against it, or because there are better reasons to continue then not, but because for better or worse, that is not my style to quit.

Anyone who has blogged for any length of time has likely had posts that were perhaps not of any significant value to others, but none the less needed to be spoken by the blogger if only for their own benefit.  This is probably most especially true when the blogger is a writer in general. Not someone blogging because of an interest in a sport or hobby, but those who come to blogging as writers in general. Those who write because it is as fundamental to their survival as breathing.

I hope to go back over these past six years, and reflect on some of what I believe are a few of the more significant blog posts. I will do this throughout the next week. I hope that you find something of interest.

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Some Days I’m Lucky if I Use Three Gears

 

Life is like a ten-speed bicycle.  Most of us have gears we never use.  ~Charles Schulz

 

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