This is an older Slate.com article from 2004, discussing Sylvia Plath's book, Ariel and Other Poems, and how the manuscript was altered before publication. I knew some alteration took place, and was probably necessary, after her suicide in 1963 (the book was originally released in 1965), but I didn't realize the extent of the alteration. Anyway, this is a pretty level-headed (and fair to Hughes) comparison of the original with the restored edition by Meghan O'Rourke. Link below, if you're interested.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Poem on Yellow Mama
One of my poems, just published in the Valentine's Day issue of Yellow Mama. A bit more sentimental than my usual fare, but I can't help it~I get mushy when I write about the people I love. Dedicated to my mother, and late stepfather, at the link below:
Check out the other offerings on Yellow Mama if you get a chance! And once again, thank you to editor Cindy Rosmus.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Goodbye, Szymborska
Sad news today, that Poland's 1996 Nobel Prize-winning poet, Wislawa Szymborska, has passed away at the age of 88. Here's a link to the NY Times article:
I studied some of her work during my days at VCFA, and always appreciated her sense of humor. Here's a poem of hers I always liked, called "In Praise of Feeling Bad About Yourself", from 1976:
The buzzard never says it is to blame.
The panther wouldn't know what scruples mean.
When the piranha strikes, it feels no shame.
If snakes had hands, they'd claim their hands were clean.
A jackal doesn't understand remorse.
Lions and lice don't waver in their course.
Why should they, when they know they're right?
Though hearts of killer whales may weigh a ton,
in every other way they're light.
On this third planet of the sun
among the signs of bestiality
a clear conscience is Number One.
Good stuff, and a whole body of stellar work left behind. RIP, lady.
Friday, January 27, 2012
USPS to Issue Poet Stamps in 2012
Link below to the philly.com article about stamps dedicated to American poets of the 20th century, set to be released March 3, 2012. This is cool! I remember a previous set of stamps, and had a few of them. This time, I think I'll get the whole set. Poets to be featured are: Elizabeth Bishop, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, E.E. Cummings, Robert Hayden, Denise Levertov, Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens, and William Carlos Williams. A great lineup, for sure, but it also seems some important poets are missing~Anne Sexton, for one, and as mentioned in the article, what of Allen Ginsberg? Frank O'Hara? At any rate, I'm pleased that the postal service deems poetry culturally important enough to include another set of poet stamps.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Graves of the Famous
Just some random photos of artists' graves I've visited over the years, whether they be musicians, writers, etc. Perhaps this could be considered a rather morbid pastime, but I like to think of it as "paying my respects".
Jack Kerouac's grave, in my hometown~I've visited about five times.
Edson Cemetery, Lowell, MA.
Bench at Conrad Aiken's grave. I love the inscriptions: "Cosmos Mariner, Destination Unknown", and "Give My Love to the World". Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GA.
Oscar Wilde's wild headstone. All the spots on the bottom portion are from kisses (they've since put up a Plexiglas barrier to stop the practice~but I read that people just began to kiss the glass instead).
Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Family plot of poet Celia Thaxter. Laid to rest on her beloved island.
Appledore Island, Isles of Shoals (off the coast of Portsmouth, NH).
Guillaume Apollinaire's grave. I was hoping they'd have fashioned the names like one of his calligrams!
Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Jim Morrison's grave. The thing, as a whole, looks (rather ironically) like a shallow bathtub. Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Moliere's impressive box. Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Abelard and Heloise. Apparently, there's still some discussion as to whether they're actually buried here (records show their remains were moved here in 1817). Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Famous lovers, Abelard and Heloise (he was a fairly decent philosopher, to boot, and she was no slouch, either). Read
The Love Letters of Abelard and Heloise if you get a chance.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Marcel Proust's grave; sleek, shiny, and black.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
American author Richard Wright's final resting place.
His book Native Son really had an impact on me.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Colette's grave, covered in chrysanthemums.
Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Chopin's beautiful grave. Pere Lachaise Cemetery, Paris, France.
Bench at songwriter Johnny Mercer's grave:
"Buddy, I'm a kind of poet, and I've gotta lotta things to say".
Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GA.
Zora Neale Hurston's grave. Cemetery was a little tricky to find.
Nice plaque here though, and the spot is very lovingly tended.
Garden of Heavenly Rest, Fort Pierce, FL.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A Visit to the Master of the Macabre
Just wanted to share some photos from a visit to Edgar Allan Poe's house and grave, taken about three years ago. We were driving from the Northeast down to Florida, and decided to stop here. I must say, it was one of the highlights of that trip, especially for me, as I've always loved Poe's work. These sites are definitely worth a visit for any Poe fan!
Gates to Westminster Burying Ground, 519 West Fayette Street, Baltimore, MD.
Interior of the Westminster Burying Ground. A wee bit spooky!
Westminster Hall.
Poe's resting site. The ground actually slopes underneath, but I straightened this photo out. This memorial stone is located just inside the gates to the cemetery.
Gift left by a fan on Poe's grave.
Plaque discussing Walt Whitman's attendance at Poe's funeral.
Poe's house, 203 Amity Street, Baltimore, MD. Just a short walk away from Westminster Burying Ground.
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