When I am among the trees,especially the willows and the honey locust,equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,they give off such hints of gladness,I would almost say that they save me, and daily. I am so distant from the hope of myself,in which I have goodness, and discernment,and never hurry through the worldbut walkContinue reading “When I am among trees, by Mary Oliver”
Category Archives: poets and poetry
First draft advice from Tennessee Williams
I believe that the way to write a good play is to convince yourself that it is easy to do — then go ahead and do it. Don't maul, don't suffer, don't groan — till the first draft is finished. Then Calvary — but not till then. Doubt — and be lost — until the first draft isContinue reading “First draft advice from Tennessee Williams”
A Streetcar Named Desire, by Thomas Hart Benton
The Notebooks of Tennessee Williams, as compiled, databased, and published by Margaret Bradham Thornton, are one of the most astonishing acts of scholarship I have seen (and I have seen plenty). One example: Here's a painting called Poker Night, by Thomas Hart Benton, based on what we know of as A Streetcar Named Desire, givenContinue reading “A Streetcar Named Desire, by Thomas Hart Benton”
Youth and likability: Tennessee Williams
As you get to know people, if you come to like them, they begin to seem younger to you. To me Tennessee Williams will always be about twenty-seven, on the cusp. [from his great, great story Two on a Party]
Tennessee Williams: How to live (and love) past despair
How to live (and love) with despair in our hearts is a question our disaster-prone century must face. And with the possible exceptions of Shakespeare and Chekhov, no dramatist has shown us how to face emotional disaster with the verve of Tennessee Williams. That's the subtext of this lovely essay on Williams, who turns 100Continue reading “Tennessee Williams: How to live (and love) past despair”
Metaphor watch: Cliches get Obama in trouble again
As Matt Iglesias (channeling Paul Krugman) points out, the fact that the Obama administration used misleading, overused metaphors to describe the problems afflicting the American economy has a lot to do with the wide-spread but false perception that their efforts to revive the economy made it worse. Here's Krugman: I still don’t know why theContinue reading “Metaphor watch: Cliches get Obama in trouble again”
When Tennessee met Christopher (Isherwood, that is)
We need a break from all this disaster, don't we? Well, I do. To clear our minds, here's a note about the encounter of a couple of famous writers, who maybe should have gotten along, but didn't. In the l940's, while working for M-G-M on a Lana Turner picture that never happened, young TennesseeContinue reading “When Tennessee met Christopher (Isherwood, that is)”
Snow falling and night falling oh so fast…in Yosemite
From the Yosemite Ranger's lovely Twitter feed. A picture: And a poem… Snow falling and night falling fast, oh, fastIn a field I looked into going past,And the ground almost covered smooth in snow,But a few weeds and stubble showing last. The woods around it have it—it is theirs.All animals are smothered in their lairs.IContinue reading “Snow falling and night falling oh so fast…in Yosemite”
Poetry: the difference between objective and verifiable
Verifiable — which is also popularly characterized, imprecisely, as "objective" –doesn't necessarily mean numerical, as Belle Randall reminds us in a great letter to Poetry. To put it another way, judging poetry (or writing, or human beings, for that matter) is not purely a matter of opinion. Not if the points can be proven. Mathematics isContinue reading “Poetry: the difference between objective and verifiable”
Most beautiful “to the reader” ever
Last time Patti Smith came through town, she was in her rock star mode, and put on an un-freaking-believable show at the Ventura Theater, chatting with fans in line, going on to play all her hits, her clarinet, a Blue Oyster Song, and just generally being a totally giving person and sweetheart. At one pointContinue reading “Most beautiful “to the reader” ever”
Kit Stolz 