Election anxieties from listening to a seashell. That and James Stephens’s poem “The Shell.”
Tag Archives: Joe Biden
The Beowulfian Case for Keeping Biden
Think of Biden as Beowulf facing the dragon at the end of his reign. And then think of how Wiglaf responds, which is to support him fully.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged Aesop's Fables, Allen Ginsberg, belling the cat, Beowulf, Donald Trump, Election 2024, Howl Comments closed
Trump’s Debate and Swift’s City Shower
Trump’s torrent of lies in Thursday’s debate brings to mind Swift’s poem “Description of a City Shower.”
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged "Description of a City Shower", Bertolt Brecht, Biden-Trump debate, Donald Trump, Galileo, Heather Cox Richardson, John Stoehr, Jonathan Swift, Ruth Ben-Ghiat Comments closed
Joe Biden as Old Father William
Think of Joe Biden as Lewis Carroll’s Old Father William, who pushes back against ageism.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged "Old Man's Comforts and How He Gained Them", "You Are Old Father William", Aging, Donald Trump, Lewis Carroll, Robert Southey Comments closed
Gandalf and Saruman, Biden and Trump
The both-siderism that equates Trump with Biden would probably equate Saruman with Gandalf.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged both-siderism, Donald Trump, Election 2024, J.R.R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings Comments closed
Poet Hart Crane on Forgetting
Crane’s poem “Forgetfulness” captures the ambiguity of this mental state.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged "Forgetfulness", dementia, Greg Olear, Hart Crane, Herman Melville, Jonathan Swift, Memory, Moby Dick Comments closed
Biden and Auden’s Unknown Citizen
Auden’s “Unknown Citizen” looks better now than when the poet wrote the poem.
Posted in Uncategorized Also tagged "Unknown Citizen", Donald Trump, Election 2024, MAGA, W. H. Auden Comments closed
Biden Is No Beowulf–And That’s Okay
Biden lacks Beowulf’s leadership charisma but has other gifts, ones recognized by Wiglaf.
