Author: Mark J. Chmiel
Love Theme (NPM, 4.8.22)
Elizabeth I, When I Was Fair and Young When I was fair and young, then favor graced me. Of many was I sought their mistress for to be. But I did scorn them all and answered them…
Share the Wealth: It’s National Poetry Month
On Sunday 10 April I invite you to share a favorite poem or two with us, whether by a poet you love or one of your own poems. Or you can tell us a story involving poetry, as you…
Szym and Rez (NPM, 4.6.22)
Wislawa SzymborskaABC I’ll never find out nowWhat A. thought of me.If B. ever forgave me in the end.Why C. pretended everything was fine.What part D. played in E.’s silence.What F. had been expecting, if anything.Why…
4.4.22, National Poetry Month
Contemporary war is a bureaucratic and capitalistic enterprise that requires its bored clerks, soulless administrators, ignorant taxpayers, contradictory priests, and encouraging families. If we understood that a war machine is a pervasive system of complicity…
You Can Write Poetry!
Diane di PrimaOLD AGE: The Dilemma most of what I’m writing not that interesting but the act of writing itself more compelling than ever ********* Dear Siobhan Thank you for your snail-mail, but I…
The Prescient and Prophetic Allen Ginsberg, 1956
America you don’t really want to go to war.America its them bad Russians.Them Russians them Russians and them Chinamen. And them Russians. The Russia wants to eat us alive. The Russia’s power mad. She wants to…
Emily Dickinson Writes a Poem for Assange, Snowden, & Greenwald
Much Madness is divinest Sense –To a discerning Eye –Much Sense – the starkest Madness –‘Tis the MajorityIn This, as All, prevail – Assent – and you are sane –Demur – you’re straightaway dangerous – And handled…
Share the Wealth with Caro and Johnny Dolan-Dominguez: One Mile Per Hour
In July 2019, we got engaged, quit our jobs, and loaded our bicycles and camping gear onto an Amtrak headed west. For the next four months we rode 4,000 miles through the Sierra Cascade mountains…
A Great Form of Self-Care
For those who have access to Facebook, check out my student Rosie’s project on Meditation in College!