Bin Laden in his mansion conjures up images of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. And Muriel Barbery’s Elegance of the Hedgehog gives a perspective on eclectic film tastes.
Monthly Archives: May 2011
Faustus, Case Study of a Depressive
Today I share the story of a student making the case that Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus is a case study of a depressive.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Christopher Marlowe, Depression, Doctor Faustus, Psychology Comments closed
Lit Beats Psychology Any Day
In addition to giving us psychological insights, literature also trains us to become better people. By engaging in the act of reading, Susan Cain says in a Psychology Today article, we increase our ability to empathize.
The Green of Jesus Is Breaking the Ground
According to the church calendar, we are still in the Easter season,and the hope of the resurrection continues to be mirrored in beautiful May days. Lucille Clifton intermingles the spirituality of religion and the sensuality of life as well as any poet I know. Here’s a poem in her Jesus series. As far as she’s concerned, there’s no conflict between religious ecstasy and the sights and sounds of spring or the wonderful smells emanating from people’s kitchens and the music from their radios.
Derby Day: We Galloped All Three
It’s Derby Day so here’s a horse racing poem with galloping anapests (three-beat poetic feet, unstressed, unstressed, stressed). Unfortunately, two of the horses don’t make it to the finish line. At least the third horse is suitably rewarded. This 1834 Robert Browning poem is not based on an actual event, but it’s a lot of fun.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "How They Brought the Good News from Ghent", Horse racing, Robert Browning, Sports Comments closed
The Witch that Walks in the Fields of Spring
Here’s a poetic warning that my wife directs to those who close their eyes to the miracle of May that is exploding all around us. Maybe we miss out on spring because we are plugged into our iPods or talking on our cell phones or texting. Or for that matter, blogging. Ignoring spring requires a […]
