Claudia’s Poetry Notebook, a rumination by Evelyn N. Alfred

I came across a blog post written by Evelyn N. Alfred in 2010 when Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye turned 40. Evelyn’s post is a beautiful and moving example of persona in poetry. I imagined what Claudia might write in a notebook about her experiences, if she felt that poetry was the only way she could express her … Continue reading →

there will always be new bodies

One to Watch, And One to Pray By Camille T. Dungy We passed the baby over the bed, and later we passed tissue, and her Bible with its onion skin pages, its highlighted lessons and dog-eared parables she kept handy with bookmarks whose tassels hung and swayed as her hair might have done when she … Continue reading →

The simple truth

Philip Levine gave a reading at the University of Texas at El Paso on March 12th, 2013. He took the stage wearing his ball cap and a sense of humor. The auditorium was packed. Many people sat with notebooks open and writing utensils in hand. Philip Levine read his poems and recounted stories. He talked about … Continue reading →

The atmosphere of your world

1. “You have the responsibility to alter the atmosphere of your world. Call out your friends, your family, your teachers, your co-workers. Refuse to tolerate willful ignorance. Educate yourself. Understand the power of language – every word holds a significant weight. Understand the power of art – every image is heavy in its own way, … Continue reading →

There’ll be days when it feels like there’s nothing to fear

I wasn’t ready to return to this blog. I want to read more than I want to write. I want to listen more than talk. But, then, I heard Tim Seibles read his poem “Zombie Blues Villanelle” during Quiddity’s most recent episode (8.1), and well, how could I not blog about it? Well, the poem … Continue reading →