Kate Atkinson is masterful in how she sprinkles literary allusions throughout her novels, which give her special insight into challenging subjects such as death.
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Meek and Mild Mary? Think Again
Mary is more eager and diligent risk-taker than a meek and mild maiden, according to Levertov, C.S. Lewis, and Christopher Bryan.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Anunciation", C. S. Lewis, Denise Levertov, Mary Mother of Jesus Comments closed
An Owl Poem for Winter Solstice
A Mary Oliver owl poem to celebrate the winter solstice.
The Green Knight and Plague Fears
The message of the Green Knight: love nature, love your bodies, and love life. People who don’t are often driven by their fear of life’s transience.
Trump as Long John Silver
Trump has mercurial escape powers similar to those of Long John Silver in Stevenson’s novels. There a sliver of optimism in this comparison.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Donald Trump, Project 1925, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island Comments closed
Birds as Heavenly Messengers
A Scott Bates poem about birds flocking around feeders in the snow captures the mystical transformation that cultures dream of during the dark days of winter.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Bird Watcher's Christmas Dinner", Christmas, Hermes Trismegistus, Scott Bates, Winter solstice Comments closed
Pickwickian Anger at Dems’ Surrender
As I watch Democrats surrendering to Trump in advance, I am as appalled as Mr. Pickwick is when he watches his lawyer praise opposing counsel.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Charles Dickens, Chris Hayes, Pickwick Papers, surrendering in advance, Trumpism Comments closed
Advent as a Final Notification
Rich’s “Final Notification” can be read as an Advent poem, a resistance to and then final surrender to God’s will.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Final Notification", "Sonnet XIV", Adrienne Rich, Advent, John Donne Comments closed
Trumpism and Penelope’s Suitors
Penelope’s suitors are like Trump and his supporters, looting the household and then calling other people lazy grifters asking for handouts.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged entitlement programs, Homer, Iliad, kleptocracy, Odyssey, Trumpism, welfare programs Comments closed
