This continues the series of columns that highlight a much-loved poem and presents other poems that speak to, or resonate with, that poem. In this column I’m reacting to a nearby tragedy. A poet friend of mine has lost her husband in a bicycling accident, leaving her to finish raising two girls on her own. Because […]
Kevin’s Much-Loved Poems: “Lament,” “Holy Sonnet 10,” and “The Sick Rose.” Read More »
I’d previously excluded “The Lanyard” from these columns because of its length–it’s considerably longer than most of the poems I’ve included. But I was recently asked to read at a birthday party from a thankful daughter, and, after searching widely, I found and read one of my already-most-loved poems. It was so well received I’m giving it a column
Kevin’s Much-Loved Poems: “The Lanyard” by Billy Collins Read More »
This continues the series of columns that highlights a much-loved poem and presents other poems that speak to, or resonate with, that poem. This week features “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats, written in 1819, almost two hundred years ago. The two related poems are both by F. Scott Fitzgerald: “Thousand and First Ship,” and
Man Martin’s third novel will appear in May, 2017 from Unbridled Books. The book suggests a corollary to James A. Michener’s quote, “If your book doesn’t keep you up nights when you are writing it, it won’t keep anyone up nights reading it.” The corollary is that if your book doesn’t keep you chuckling writing it, don’t
The Shandean Spirit Lives on—Man Martin’s The Lemon Jell-o Syndrome Read More »
Gerry’s holy-roller father, a retired Navy Commander, demanded restraint, not his son’s talent and candor. But his son’s creative energy was impossible to suppress— He bounded from Yale to Hollywood, an overnight success. Assistant to the head of Columbia Studios at twenty-eight, Married to warm Annie. Father of two. Assumably straight. Much younger, I had
The Man Who Loved to Call Me Cuz Read More »
This continues the series of columns that highlights a much-loved poem and presents other poems that speak to, or resonate with, that poem. This week features “The Weary Blues,” crafted by Langston Hughes. The two related poems are “The Blues Don’t Change,” by Al Young and “Slow Drag Blues” by Kevin Young. (While they share the
Kevin’s Much-Loved Poems: “The Weary Blues” by Langston Hughes Read More »