Tara Betts found herself attacked by a particularly ignorant political blogger named Debbie Schlussel over her class at UrbanWordNYC. Betts's response is elegant, measured, and powerful, everything the attack was not. Oscar Bermeo takes on the changes at Harriet and talks about the need for an actual exchange of ideas about poetry. Kaya Oakes wants … Continue reading Poetic Lives Online
A Brush With Jackholery
I almost got into a fight last night, for the first time since junior high school. I've been around fights in the decades between--I had to break up a few when I was a bartender and when I was in the fraternity--but I haven't been a combatant in one since I was in 7th grade. … Continue reading A Brush With Jackholery
More poetry and politics
David Biespiel's scolding essay in the latest issue of Poetry would bug me more if its claims weren't so easy to debunk. Many of the commenters there--and thanks to the Poetry Foundation for not closing them down the way they did the ones at Harriet--did a good job of disemboweling Biespiel's claims by pointing to … Continue reading More poetry and politics
Am I a feminist poet?
I've been a feminist for a long time now--even in my more conservative days, I was a strong supporter of equal rights for women, even though I was a bit of an ogre personally. I've had a long way to travel from my fundamentalist upbringing, but it's been a good road and I'm glad I've … Continue reading Am I a feminist poet?
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Are you a sensitive poet? I may be.
Poetic License
About a month ago, I saw a story about a project being put together by a brand new production company. The project was called "Poetic License 100 Poems 100 Performers" and the idea was to get actors to perform their favorite poems, package it into a CD, and sell it during National Poetry Month. They … Continue reading Poetic License
Some thoughts on Treme
So a couple of things before I start on this. 1. I don't believe in the concept of spoilers, so if you do, go away now. A story that's good isn't often spoiled, in my view, by learning plot points before you see them. That said, this is the first episode, so it's not like … Continue reading Some thoughts on Treme
Michael Specter on the Danger of Science Denial
Great video, in which Michael Specter takes apart the difference between distrust of corporations and governments and an unwillingness to look at scientific evidence.
Does this mean I have taste?
The Lambda Literary Awards have announced the finalists for their 22nd annual awards, and I'm really glad to see a couple of names in particular on the lists for Lesbian Poetry and Gay Poetry, because I reviewed both books for The Rumpus. Here's my review of Samiya Bashir's Gospel, and of Randall Mann's Breakfast with … Continue reading Does this mean I have taste?
Another Poem to Love 