Power Branding, American Style
Early morning walk on Naperville-Wheaton Road I see this collection of signs: – One caught my eye Power Yoga Power Yoga? Of course Power Yoga! This is branding, American-Style What’s next? What else is out…
Nocturnal Thoughts after Reading Julia Esquivel, A Guatemalan Poet in Exile
Dear Bella Levenshteyn Remember how last January You read all the Yiddish works you could find Of Yankev Glatshteyn for almost all of three weeks? Rob Renaud S.J. is on a similar binge — Nicaraguan,…
A Short Digression While Discussing a Tolstoy Story (Why I Love Siobhán)
At McGurks I asked Siobhán, “Did I ever tell you about the ‘Meanwhiles?’” “I don’t think so.” “Back in the days and nights When The Book of Mev wasn’t The Book of Mev (I was…
LA Woman
Dear Bella Levenshteyn Got galleys for book and cover proofs. Going to a cafe early tomorrow morning and see how it looks. I’d like to be handcuffed to you for six hours, at a bar,…
Living in Belize City
Carolina and Tatiana have been participating in the Be in Love with Yr Life writing course from Belize City. I sent them my “It’s About” (on what Dear Layla Welcome to Palestine is about) which…
Just This
Your great-uncle who was connected to the KKK You righteous indignation at this Your bodhisattva compassion for him, for yourself Hold it all In this present moment –from novel-in-progress, Our Heroic and Ceaseless 24/7 Struggle against…
Compromismo (Touching a Nerve)
On a summer day in 1944 My mother was herded from a cattle car Along with the rest of its human cargo Which had been transported from Belgrade To the concentration camp at Bergen-Belsen She…
Don’t Say I Never Gave You 22 Reasons for Hope
Thich Nhat Hanh is made of non-Thich Nhat Hanh elements. Jennifer Ying-Burgoyne is made of non-Jennifer Ying-Burgoyne elements. Dr. Suess is made of non-Dr. Suess elements. Maude is made of non-Maude elements. Victor Jara is made…
All Power To the Imagination
Have you ever tried to email chicken soup?Diane di Prima The Poetry Deal—It’s only 109 pages. But Diane di Prima—poet, printer, feminist, Buddhist, anarchist, pacifist, cultural revolutionary— packs a lot of life into those pages….
Powerhouse
Carol Becherer Wright sent me this notecard in the mail, said it reminded her of our writing classes, and how they’ve “made me who I am.” Notecard by Janice Scherer www.janicescherer.com