Monthly Archives: May 2010

The Dangerous Power of Metaphor

By Robin Bates | Published: May 4, 2010

Standard Oil as octopus in an early 20th century cartoon       Today I want to talk about metaphor and its use in political discourse.  Metaphor, or more broadly figurative language, is at the core of what makes literature literature.  Figurative language packs a punch because it is doesn’t confine itself to the literal level.  It connotes […]

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Witchery Unleashed in the Gulf

By Robin Bates | Published: May 3, 2010

Just days after celebrating the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, we experienced the greatest oil spill in U.S. history. And it is still going on! I can’t begin to express how discouraged I am about the news. I have boycotted Exxon since the Valdez tanker spill fouled the Alaskan coast in 1989, and here we […]

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Dazzled by Dreams of the Body

By Robin Bates | Published: May 2, 2010

Ten years ago my 21-year-old son died on the Sunday following Easter.  The coupling of the tragedy with the celebration of Christ’s resurrection makes my questioning of the religious observance all the more acute.  Do I really believe that Jesus rose from the dead?  Is there life after the death of our bodies?  Or if […]

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Pitchers and Poets Avoid the Obvious

By Robin Bates | Published: May 1, 2010

Sports Saturday Some of my favorite moments as a father came in watching my three sons play sports.  Justin, my oldest whom I am remembering this week, was a fine baseball pitcher and outfielder.  Two plays especially stand out for me: a diving catch he made as centerfielder in an all-star game when he was […]

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