Gracefully Insane revisited

A few days ago I posted the following Anne Sexton quotation, "Even so, I must admire your skill. You are so gracefully insane." Lucindyl was curious about it asking if I knew in what context it was used and suggesting it must have a good story behind it.


The line is actually from a poem titled Eulogy In the Classroom by Sexton. I am imaging that it is a representation of the poet Robert Lowell who taught a class that Saxton, Plath and George Starbuck all were associated with. Given Sexton’s tendency to write Confessional Poetry it would not seem to be too far a reach to come to this conclusion. From everything else that I have read about Sexton and Lowell it would seem that she had quite a bit of respect for his brilliance even as she surely must have seen his decline in mental status.



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A Second Prospero's?

 

The independent bookstore that has graced the midtown area of Kansas City for years is taking it to the burbs.   They aren't moving, just cloning themselves sort of. Actually, come Friday they will reopen  Parkside Books, 208, N. Missouri 7, in Blue Springs as Prospero’s Parkside Books.

Beginning Friday and lasting through Sunday they will celebrate the official  grand reopening along with a tent sale where some paperbacks will be priced at a buck and hardbacks as low as two bucks. Half the proceeds going to two not-for–profit charities… the Hope House and Write the Future.

At a time when many Independent Book Stores are closing, this is good news! And Prospero's has been a big supporter of local writers and particularly poets. I haven’t heard if they are planning anything like the poetry pit at the new location yet.

 

 

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Confession Tuesday

It’s Tuesday— again.

I haven’t time to dittle-dattle so if you are here for Confession Tuesday come along…

Dear Reader~

I confess that I’m tired today. Is it age? What is it that leaves me without energy by mid day. I think the people in Latin America have the right idea about an afternoon siesta.

~0~

Last night I did not write. Instead I fixed dinner, mowed the front yard and watched the Home Run Derby. I confess that I should have written because tonight I will want to watch the All-Star Game. So what will probably happen is that I will try and write while I’m watching it, or write after it when I am even more tired then I am presently. Of course I will likely beat up on myself for being lax in my writing come Wednesday.

~0~

Have I mentioned how annoyed I am at spammers that post comments on my blog.? I love people to comment, good bad or indifferent, but not post their spam. In fact, sadly that is the reason I went to moderated posts a couple years back. So people that insist on being jerks are not going to get their span on here anyway and would do well to stop wasting time. I confess this makes me grumpy.

~0~

My wife made a really interesting suggestion for a poem the other day. I confess this suggestion is really interesting has not fallen on deaf ears. It is in fact so intriguing that I have been thinking a lot about it because I want to do it justice. Cathy is very supportive of my writing but generally only cares for my most straight forward (accessible) work which means since I really like things more abstract I generally lose her interest on these pieces of work. I confess I should try to make this poem one that leaves little to the imagination so that she appreciates it.


I confess that I am all confessed out for now… hope everyone has a great week! Tanks for listening.





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Unconscious Mutterings –week 389

 

You say…I think:

• Dickens :: scare
• Collection :: stamp
• Weekends :: away
• Travel :: schedule
• District :: of Columbia
• Vampires :: Buffy
• Peep show :: marshmallow
• Crochet :: mallet
• Lion :: King
• Fetch :: ball

get your own list here

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Climbing into Poems

This week I’ve started my mornings reading from Mary Oliver’s Thirst.  It’s been a good way to get the days off. What I like about these poems is their spirituality. By this I’m not inferring religious so much as I am their contemplative nature and quite frankly “nature” is another very notable aspect of many of the poems.




I’ve read a handful of other poems by Oliver, plus I heard her read locally not that long ago and many are laden with rich images from the outdoors. Her poetry isn’t particularly complex but it is easy to climb right into them. I would not want a diet of only poetry like this, but I am happy to supplement my poetry tastes otherwise with these gems.

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Grace comes in all shapes…

"Even so, I must admire your skill. You are so gracefully insane."     — Anne Sexton

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Iran and the Brutality of Stoning

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani is a 43 year old Iranian woman who faces death by stoning after being convicted of adultery. She has already spent five years in prison and received 99 lashes for alleged adultery, the issue of her innocence or guilt not withstanding, the fact that Iran would in this day and age stone people to death is brutally abhorrent. It speaks loudly about the barbaric state of the Iranian government.


People around the world should speak up concerning this and can do so by signing the Save Sakineh Petition and or the Protest e-mail here: International Committee Against Stoning. 


It would not hurt to share these kinks with friends or via twitter or facebook, etc.

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Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani  stoning   Iran


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