Prophetic Persistence
My friend Pat Geier gave this homily to the Loretto Community. Palm Sunday 2021Isaiah 50:4-7Phil. 2:6-11Mark 11:1-10 The story of that first Palm Sunday as told by Mark would have made for good optics. If…
Author: Mark J. Chmiel
An Anti-Defamation League unto Himself
I’ve read half of Philip Roth’s books, a few more than once. Recently I returned to the novel Operation Shylock and was struck by this testimonial outburst of one of the characters— “‘Grant me that…
The Art of Living: Lights from Asia–A Spring-Summer-Fall Class 2021
Instead of going out of your way to seek the extraordinary, what if you could live in a more carefree way, just by subtly changing your regular, everyday life? —Shunmyo Masuno, Japan Sometimes I feel…
Doing Poetic Battle with the United States of Amnesia
Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Time of Useful Consciousness* (Americus, Book II) New Directions, 2012 This is Larry’s next installment of pastiche… of his own work, as he continues the Americus odyssey through U.S. history. I wonder what…
Ho-hum
William Carlos Williams/Selected Poems New Directions, 1968 See Also Reznikoff, Complete Poems; Thursday 26 May 2011 Someone please tell me the big deal about WCW, I’m halfway through this book and am not astounded, inspired,…
What Sarah’s Been Reading with Gusto
I emailed Saran McNeal, and wrote: “Tell me something you’ve been reading lately that jazzes you up! Here’s how she responded… Hi Mark, Good to hear from you. Sorry for being so quiet these last weeks….
Undeclinable
Emmanuel Levinas, Difficult Freedom Emmanuel Levinas, Ethics and Infinity: Conversations With Phillippe Nemo Emmanuel Levinas and Jill Robbins, Is It Righteous to Be? Interviews with Emmanuel Levinas A person dear to me is finishing her…
An Emerging New World Ethic
Hans Küng Global Responsibility: In Search of a New World Ethic Crossroad, 1991 There can be no ongoing human society without a world ethic for the nations. There can be no peace among the nations…
Share the Wealth with Magan Wiles: Surprise! No One is Coming to Help, So It’s Up To Us, Or, My Limited Experience With the Power of Mutual Aid
Last summer I joined the WP4BL Sandwich Squad and started delivering PB&J sandwiches to a community of unhoused people living on the street in Santa Monica, a few miles down the street from where I…
Share the Wealth: Lawrence Ferlinghetti (1919-2021)
#1 Welcome What are your associations about and/or experiences with Lawrence Ferlinghetti? #2 Owner of a Bookstore City Lights Spend five minutes browsing the site and notice what you notice. #3 A Publisher Allen…