Terry Pratchett describes his ideal teacher in “Thief of Time.”
Monthly Archives: August 2020
Pratchett’s Ideal Teacher
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged COVID-19, school children, teaching, Terry Pratchett, Thief of Time Comments closed
The Case for Memorizing Poetry
To bolster yourself against this age of anxiety, memorize robust poetry. Other poetry works as well.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Kubla Khan", "La Belle Dame sans Merci", "Second Coming", "Soldier Rest", "Building of the Ship", "My Candle Burns at Both Ends", "Props assist the House", "Say Not the Struggle Nought Availeth", Arthur Clough, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Emily Dickinson, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, If, John Keats, Memorizing poetry, Rudyard Kipling, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Sir Walter Scott, William Butler Yeats Comments closed
Wanted: A Pragmatic Idealism
In Ghosh’s first novel “Circle of Reason,” extreme rationality is shown to be blinkered and vulnerable. In the end, it must be blended with pragmatism, a good lesson for today’s politics.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Amitav Ghosh, Circle of Reason, Democratic Party, Donald Trump, Idealism Comments closed
Poems in Praise of Strong Women
To celebrate the 19th Amendment, I share three poems celebrating strong women.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Aint I a Woman", "Chain", "To the Tune The River Is Red", 19th Amendment, Christine Craig, right to vote, Sojourner Truth, universal suffrage, womens rights Comments closed
In a Dark Time, Beowulf Was My Virgil
If Dante had his Virgil, I have Beowulf. Both poets helped up negotiate dark times.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Aeneid, Beowulf, Beowulf poet, Dante, Divine Comedy, grief and grieving, Virgil Comments closed
A Love Beyond Knowledge & Fame
George Herbert’s “Pearl” explains how he chose a spiritually rewarding life over a promising court life.
The Moment Has Come to Decide
Educator Diane Ravitch’s favorite poem include two 19th century oldies that get at a teacher’s sense of mission.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Casabianca", "Present Crisis", activism, Civil War, Education, Felicia Hemans, James Russell Lowell, slavery, Trumpism Comments closed
Kamala Harris, a Phenomenal Woman
To understand the power exuded by Kamala Harris, check out these two Maya Angelou poems.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Phenomenal Woman", "Still I Rise", 2020 election, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Maya Angelou Comments closed
Better Living through Virgil
When lost in deep depression, Dante turns to his favorite author, Virgil, to help him out.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Aeneid, Christopher Marlowe, Dante, Divine Comedy, Doctor Faustus, Virgil Comments closed
