Monthly Archives: November 2013

Poetry Is Not a Luxury

Poetry Audre Lorde makes a practical case for visionary poetry.

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Caution: Don’t Stereotype Immigrants

William Carlos Williams has a poem that prompts us to see beyond immigrant stereotypes.

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A Reminder Not to Forget War’s Ravages

Kipling’s “Recessional” curiously isn’t the imperialistic war poem that would have expected at Queen Victoria’s diamond jubilee.

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Martin = Copperfield, Incognito = Steerforth

The scene in “David Copperfield” where Steerforth bullies a sensitive teacher provides insight into the Miami Dolphins’ Incognito-Martin case.

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Two Parables Involving Falling Leaves

Scott Bates and Lucille Clifton find poetic lessons in falling leaves.

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For Sontag, Purpose of Lit Was Change

Susan Sontag loved literature because she craved “new blood and new nourishment and new inspiration.”

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Stewart Should Learn from Jonathan Swift

Jon Stewart may be one of our leading satirists, but satire comes up short in handling this country’s healthcare crisis.

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Morrison Helps Young Black Men Stand Tall

The story of how Toni Morrison’s “Song of Solomon” inspired one of my African American students.

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Using Lucille Clifton to Defend the Arts

There’s a decline in English majors at elite universities. We use a Lucille Clifton poem to respond.

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