Robert Bly is a character in the poetic landscape of the 20th century, an outsider who forged a career though his passion for poetry. I wish I had known him and not just known Continue reading “Robert Bly”
Month: January 2022
Sinchronicity
This weekend I had my grandsons overnight and broke out the Puffin puzzle, which we had a lot of fun with, but didn’t finish. Then the Sunday NY Times arrived, with a brochure for cruise ships. It had this image on the cover.
When I opened my email this morning, here was a Diane Seuss poem from Poetry Daily, not about puffins, but about one of those gorgeous, detailed dead game paintings from the 1800s. Somehow, it seemed in sync with the theme.
Short poems
I have a strong preference for brevity, and this little poem packs a punch:
The Carp
In your pools and in your ponds
Carp, how long you live
Is it that death forgets you
Fish of melancholy
Guillaume Apollinaire
Translated from the French by Michael Zapruder (from Poetry Society of America)
From the Portuguese
This came from the Academy of American Poets. I know it’s not May, but it seemed appropriate anyway.
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From Women’s Voices for Change
Among the poems I receive is this one, from Women’s Voices for Change which posts a poem with commentary every Sunday. This seemed like a good one to start 2022:
Even Now
we are permitted to celebrate.
even now. “not like it was
so great in the middle ages,”
says my son, the new father.
true it is, especially for those
of peasant stock, like us.
in the ravine, small clusters of
people in masks step aside
as I push Emma in her stroller.
light falls through the leaves
like confetti over Emma.
she is perfect, though born
under the flag of Covid.
by ancient law it is said:
if a bridal party meets
a funeral party in the path,
the funeral party
must step aside.
Emma smiles
as if she knows.
Susan Zimmerman
New Year’s Resolutions
I read this about New Year’s resolutions in the Paris Review this morning:
“One estimate suggests that almost half of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, and yet fewer than 10 percent successfully follow through… It might be tempting to do away with this farce altogether, but before we commit to being noncommittal about the New Year, it’s worth thinking through some of the options.”
So here’s an option. My approach to this tradition is “aim low and succeed.” Some examples from past years:
No movie theater popcorn
Only good chocolate
Learn to make better salad dressings
I’m happy to report that I was able to sustain each of these resolutions, and they improved my life by a small increment. This year?
Get more massage
I have great hopes for this. Oh, you looking for something a little more uplifting? How about this: