Pratchett uses his Thieves Guild to satirize those who think perfection in our society is achievable.
Author Archives: Robin Bates
A Thieves Guild to Manage Crime
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged crime in America, crime prevention, Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett Comments closed
The House Speaker’s Théoden Moment
House Speaker Mike Johnson had a Théoden moment when it came to Ukraine aid. I explore the parallels.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Congress, Donald Trump, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Michael Johnson, Ukraine, Ukraine aid, Vladimir Putin Comments closed
The World Calls to You Like Wild Geese
For Earth Day, an Oliver poem that lays out the first principle of environmental activism: love the earth.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Wild Geese", Earth Day, Environmental movement, Environmentalism, Mary Oliver Comments closed
Ask Not for Whom the Bush Burns
In this Passover poem, Chaya Lester calls us to have the courage to leave traumatic relationships.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Hear the Call", "Passover", abusive relationships, Chaya Lester, Exodus, trauma Comments closed
In a Dante-esque Prison of His Own Making
Trump’s suffering the the Manhattan courtroom is his own version of Dante’s Inferno.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged authoritarianism, Dante, Donald Trump, Fascism, Inferno, Ruth Ben-Ghiat, Trump trials Comments closed
Mary Oliver on Frog (and Human) Sex
Mary Oliver captures the magic of April in these two sexually-charged frog poems.
Poetry’s Role in the 2019 Indian Protests
Poetry has been a powerful ally of Indian Muslims protesting Modi’s Hindu nationalism.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "On That Day", "You Will See", 2019 Indian Muslim protests, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Hindu Nationalism, Hussain Haidry, protest poetry, Urdu poetry Comments closed
Bothsiderism in Lewis’ Last Battle
When the journalists engage in bothsiderism in the 2024 election, they resemble the dwarfs in Lewis’s “Last Battle.”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged bothsiderism, C.S. Lewis, Donald Trump, Journalism, Last Battle, mainstream medium, press freedom Comments closed
Literature on Why Taxes Are Good
Edgar A. Guest has a fun poem in favor of taxes. And Dickens unloads on those with money who avoid paying them.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged billionaires, Charles Dickens, Edgar A. Guest, Hard Times, Taxes, wealth inequality Comments closed
