Today, a short post with a longish poem, Shelley's marvelous "Ode to the West Wind", one of the best-loved of his poems, and a true representation of the Romantic movement in poetry from the 19th century ( Read more... )

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Now, I applaud the Obamas for many reasons, but today, it's related to their decision to host an afternoon for young people and a night for adults that is devoted to celebrating American poetry. I love their willingness to embrace the arts and intellectual pursuits, and their dedication to celebrating literature and music ( Read more... )

Today, some lines by Percy Bysshe Shelley, the opening lines of which seemed terribly appropriate given that we've just had another Nor'easter come through, and it's a snow day for the kids. Since the final two stanzas seem to refer to a dead person, I figured I should make clear they do not apply.

The cold earth slept below ( Read more... )

Yesterday's poem, "The Second Coming" by W.B. Yeats, is a hard act to follow - so many great lines, yet some of them are so great that one can't really top them. Trying to think where to go from here, I found myself coming back time and again to the image of the sphinx "somewhere in the sands of the desert, . . . a gaze blank and pitiless as the ( Read more... )

All is grey skies here in New Jersey. It was like that for much of yesterday, too, and will be so, they say, for the weekend as well. I would complain about the clouds, but it wouldn't wish them away. Besides, my friends in the path of Hurricane Ike have far more to worry about than I ( Read more... )

Today's icon contains a quote from Emily Dickinson's poem of the same title.

On writing

In making any survey, even the freest and loosest, of modern fiction, it is difficult not to take it for granted that the modern practice of the art is somehow an improvement upon the old. With their simple tools and primitive materials, it might be said, ( Read more... )

Today is Earth Day ( Read more... )