This folk song by Sydney Carter (1915-2004) has been making its way around the web lately, thanks in part to that ‘Sixties rebel N.T. Wright (see my post of May 12th). I won’t play the video of Bishop Wright singing it (there comes a time when, as one realizes that YouTube is half one’s act, [...]
Archive for the ‘Poetry’ Category
An exercise in irony
Posted in Music, Poetry, Religion, Visual art on May 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment »
O Canada
Posted in Joni Mitchell, Music, Poetry, Visual art on July 1, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
In the “any excuse for Joni Mitchell” category, Canada Day will do nicely. Here are the lyrics to “A Case of You” followed by a black-and-white slide show of my favorite Canadian singing this classic from her “Blue” album. It’s not clear whom she wrote this song about, who it was that got into her blood like [...]
We will all go together when we go
Posted in Humor, Music, Poetry, Religion on May 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
While I was growing up The Bomb hung over our heads like the Sword of Damocles. Or like that Pendulum in a story by Poe (it’s still hanging over us, but by now we’re used to it). And Khrushchev said that he’d bury us, but I know he meant it affectionately. It was a cheerful time [...]
From offshore to the blogosphere: one year on
Posted in Literature, Maritime, Poetry, Religion on April 11, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It’s been one year today. One hundred thirty-one posts, no death threats (but no job offers either), not too much spam, an encouraging number of hits (6300, with the daily average climbing) and just enough positive feedback to fool me into thinking I’m not wasting my time. So far so good. My first blogpost, Dylan Thomas’s poem [...]
Islesford Poetry Workshop, Day Two
Posted in Cartoons, Humor, Local, Poetry on March 20, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Islesford Poetry Workshop, Day One
Posted in Cartoons, Humor, Local, Poetry on March 19, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
Sorry I can’t be there, guys! But I’ve set this to post automatically while I’m gone. Have a great weekend. .
The Joy of Poetry
Posted in Local, Poetry on February 4, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
If you have never heard of Edna St. Vincent Millay you know at least one of her poems: My candle burns at both ends; It will not last the night; But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends— It gives a lovely light!” And now that you can place a name with [...]
“a big ol’ loser’s convention”
Posted in Poetry, Religion, Visual art on January 31, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
The Beatitudes — Matthew 5:1-12 Untitled poem by Mike Mercer (“Chaplain Mike” at internetmonk.com) so many people here to hear him from everywhere, of every kind no religious crowd this one! check out that bloke over there “loser” if i’ve ever seen one not an ounce of righteousness in him wouldn’t know a tithe from [...]
Semester abroad
Posted in Italy, Literature, Local, Poetry, Religion, Visual art on January 21, 2011 | Leave a Comment »
It’s official. After a paperwork mixup, Daughter Number Three finally made it to Italy, the first of our family since her great-grandparents emigrated from there a hundred years ago. We hadn’t heard from her since Tuesday after she cleared airport security in Boston. But, unless she had been wandering around the airport like Tom Hanks in [...]
“Isn’t there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about???”
Posted in Cartoons, Poetry, Religion on December 21, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
“Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you what Christmas is all about.” And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore [...]
Still time to skate away…
Posted in Joni Mitchell, Literature, Music, Poetry, Religion on December 19, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
If you’ve had enough of the commercialism already, and with Christmas yet a week away, be assured that you’re not the only one. Try to keep your cool. Keep it simple. Sing traditional carols with family and friends. Eat some chocolate, pour whipped cream with cinnamon into your fair-trade coffee, and read the nativity stories [...]
A Psalm of Thanksgiving
Posted in Poetry, Religion on November 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Psalm 100, King James Version: 1Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. [...]
Four Simple Tunes: #1, “Suzanne” by Leonard Cohen
Posted in Four Simple Tunes, Music, Poetry on November 22, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Among other simple ideas rattling around in the head, I’ve become fascinated by certain tunes, tunes that simply won’t go away. I have no idea why some music delights and fascinates and some doesn’t, except to prove Duke Ellington’s proverb: “If it sounds good, it IS good.” In this two-week series, I’ll post four songs, [...]
Another excuse to hear Joni Mitchell
Posted in Joni Mitchell, Music, Poetry, Visual art on November 7, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Well, really, we never need an excuse to hear Joni. But today is her birthday and this is as good as any. How old? Not sayin’. She’s timeless. So, join the party and “Come on down to the Mermaid Café and I will buy you a bottle of wine; And we’ll laugh and toast to nothing [...]
What has happened down here?
Posted in Maritime, Music, Poetry on August 26, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline. Louisiana, Louisiana, They’re tryin’ to wash us away. They’re tryin’ to wash us away. Louisiana, Louisiana, They’re tryin’ to wash us away. They’re tryin’ to wash us away.” Since Hurricane Katrina, they say that Randy Newman’s 1974 song “Louisiana 1927” has become the unofficial state song down there. [...]
