An Emma Lazarus Rosh Hashanah poem frames America as a promised land for Jews fleeing Russian prosecution.
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Monthly Archives: September 2025
Rosh Hashanah and the American Dream
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Emma Lazarus, immigrants, Jewish diaspora, Rosh Hashanah Comments closed
Childhood Confusion: Reading to the Rescue
Continuing on with my “A Life in Literature,” I look at some of the works that impacted me when I was 8-12. These include authors Lewis, Tolkien, Burnett and Shakespeare.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged C. S. Lewis, Francis Hodgson Burnett, Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Lord of the Rings, memoir, Narnia, Silver Chair, Twelfth Night, William Shakespeare Comments closed
A Poem by Our Latest Poet Laureate
A poem by Arthur Sze, our latest poet laureate.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Unnamable River", Arthur Sze, poet laureate, Yantze River Comments closed
The Grand Inquisitor Explains Trumpism
In these days when democracy is under assault, the words of Dostoevsky’s Grand Inquisitor are worth examining.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged American Constitution, assaults on democracy, Brothers Karamazov, Christianity, Democracy, Founders, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Grand Inquisitor, Trumpism Comments closed
Poetic Advice for Those Feeling Exhausted
If Trumpism is exhausting you, this O’Donohue poem is restorative.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged “For One Who Is Exhausted a Blessing", Depression, Fascism, John O'Donohue, Trumpism Comments closed
Racial Profiling in LA? Call in Brecht
The rightwing justices on the Supreme Court have just greenlit racial profiling. Brecht would have something to say about that.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Bertolt Brecht, Brett Kavanagh, Exception and the Rule, racial profiling, SCOTUS, Sonia Sotomayor Comments closed
Touched by a Presence with No Hands
Poet Jericho Brown writes in a prophetic tradition, seeking to put us in touch with the numinous.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged “I Know What Love Is", “Stake", Jeremiah, Jericho Brown, love, Transcendence Comments closed
Anti-Vaxxers, Today’s Modest Proposers
Satirist Alexandra Petri channels Dickens and Swift as she goes after Florida for not backing away from childhood vaccines.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Alexandra Petri, anti-vaxxers, Charles Dickens, childhood illnesses, Jonathan Swift, Modest Proposal, Oliver Twist, satire Comments closed