In “Sic Vita” Thoreau uses the image of plucked flowers to wrestle with the meaning of life and death.
Monthly Archives: August 2021
Here I Bloom for a Short Hour Unseen
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Each and All", "They Are All Gone into the World of Light", "Sic Vita", existential wrestling, George Herbert, Henry David Thoreau, Henry Vaughan, Ralph Waldo Emerson Comments closed
The Afghan Debacle, a Greek Tragedy
There’s an element of Greek tragedy in the withdrawal from Afghanistan, starting with arrogance and ending with fate.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Afghan War, Afghanistan withdrawal, Joe Biden, Oedipus, Sophocles Comments closed
Haitian Earthquake Redux
No poet can do justice to a disaster such as befell Haiti this past week. Voltaire and Karl Shapiro, however, have works that operate as a response.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Auto Wreck", Candide, earthquakes, Haiti earthquake, Karl Shapiro, Voltaire Comments closed
Bibliotherapy Is Having a Moment
A new book indicates that bibliotherapy may be having a moment.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Buried Life", "Episode", bibliotherapy, D. H. Lawrence, Inger Hagerup, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Mary O'Hara, Matthew Arnold, My Friend Flicka Comments closed
Lit as Truth in a Self-Deceiving World
When many are suffering from cognitive dissonance, the truth of literature more important than ever.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Task", Brian Castleberry, cognitive dissonance, Salman Rushdie, Trumpism, William Cowper Comments closed
Remembering School with Fondness
Carol Ann Duffy fondly remembers childhood school, although certain disturbances vaguely threaten the idyllic scene.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "In Mrs. Tilscher's Class", "Ode to a Distant Prospect of Eton College", beginning of school, Carol Ann Duffy, schooling, Thomas Gray Comments closed
When All Around Doubt the Mystery
How can we believe in mystery when everything appears as it has always appeared? So the Virgin Mary wonders in this Carl Phillips poem.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Visitation", Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Carl Phillips, Mary, Virgin Mary Comments closed
Worshipping False Covid Idols
People resisting the Covid vaccines are like the counselors in “Beowulf” worshipping false idols to ward off Grendel’s attacks.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged anti-vaxxers, Beowulf, Beowulf poet, Covid vaccine, COVID-19 Comments closed
Tucker Carlson’s Insidious Influence
Satirist Alexandra Petri wonders why Fox News’ Tucker Carlson aspires to no more than Hungary. Why not shoot for Mordor?
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged autocracies, Fox News, Hungary, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, Tucker Carlson Comments closed
