Nixon nostalgia is au courant
It’s a sign of the weariness of our times that
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Borges was right: the perils of Funes
The laconic, elegant, deeply intellectual, and labyrinthine Jorge Luis Borges is one of my favorite authors, and “Funes, the Memorius” from his collection Ficciones is one of his best stories. Borges had a swell of popularity in the 60s. I … Continue reading →
Memorial Day: mourning the war dead, honoring the war dead
Before Memorial Day became a national three-day weekend in 1971 and the official kickoff to summer festivities, it was Decoration Day. I’m not all that ancient, but my earliest recollection of the holiday is of the latter name. It was … Continue reading →
The chocolate Jesus and “Sensation” for sensation’s sake: art, culture, religion, and politics
The news that a sculpture entitled “My Sweet Lord” (after the Beatles song, no doubt, crossed with Tom Waits)—due to debut at a New York Hotel and consisting of a six-foot tall anatomically correct chocolate Jesus—has been canceled, conjures up … Continue reading →
Twanging, from Homer to Cohen and back: music and poetry
I’m still on a bit of a Leonard Cohen kick, as well as a YouTube fling. Stay with me here, though; this isn’t just about Cohen. As Gerard Vanderleun has noted, Cohen has an even darker side than the one … Continue reading →
Dance me to Leonard Cohen
I reacquainted myself with the music of singer/songwriter/poet Leonard Cohen recently, as a result of this post by The Anchoress. It links, not to the lugubrious Cohen himself, but to a YouTube video of John Cales singing Cohen’s much-covered “Hallelujah.” … Continue reading →
Understanding (and misunderstanding) Shakespeare: Romeo and Juliet
One of the most famous misunderstood lines in all of literature is Juliet’s balcony query: “Oh Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” As most of you probably know, the archaic “wherefore” means “why.” But the misconception that the word means … Continue reading →
Peace/love: a golden oldie
I went out dancing the other night. No, not ballet. My ballet days are over, I’m afraid. And no, most assuredly not the tango. My tango days are over, I’m very happy to say. This was dancing to the music … Continue reading →
Making music: on playing the cello
I used to play the cello. Well, perhaps “play” is too strong a word. I was chosen for the instrument (no, that’s not a typo; I was chosen for it, rather than the reverse) in fifth grade, at the public … Continue reading →
Frost on poetry: “the happy discoverer of your ends”
Here’s a little relief from politics and its discontents–excerpts from a discussion by Robert Frost entitled “Conversations on the Craft of Poetry” (1959).” Any aspiring poets in the crowd, please listen to a guy who knows–who really knows. In response … Continue reading →
5 things you don’t know about me
I’ve been tagged for one of those meme things by my friend Fausta, “five things you don’t know about me.” Ah. what to divulge? I have an unusual breadth of choice, since some of the most basic facts about me … Continue reading →
No surge, Dems urge: beware those helicopters!
You think I sing a repetitious dirge “Iraq, Vietnam; please let the two diverge!” But here’s some news: the Democrats they urge, “Oh Mr. Bush, don’t recommend a surge!” And why? They say we’re surely on the verge Of failure. … Continue reading →