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6th Century BCE
Jim Culleny continues his ongoing service to poetry by posting a wonderful poem over at 3 Quarks Daily, drawn (he says) from a book entitled Adaptations of the Tao Te Ching. (I can’t find the book mentioned anywhere on the ‘Net. Could he be reading—gulp!—an out-of-print paper-based object?) As I remarked in the comment stream, I don’t ordinarily care for “adaptations,” but this one is amazing. Here’s how it opens: The world’s naturally sacred—a holy cup. Its way is blessed.To sip its yield is best. Read the rest here.Read More
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God The Unbeliever
Nazih Abou Afach Many thanks to Jim Culleny for posting this extraordinary poem by Syrian poet Nazih Abou Afach, who is new to me but whose work I’ll certainly be looking for.Read More
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Weary-Hearted
Among my very first blog posts here was this one regarding Howard Nemerov. I was reminded of him again by Jim Culleny’s posting of Nemerov’s weary-hearted poem “The Life Cycle of the Common Man,” over at 3 Quarks Daily. It is a fine example of what Captain Ron would call “quietude.” I happen to like it. Why? Well, at least in part because it is anti-heroic, and for almost a decade we Americans have been operating in Heroic Mode–the jingoistic, charge-up-San-Juan-Hill mentality that not infrequently leads us to elect stupid leaders who lead us into stupid wars.Read More
Joseph Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate 2014-2019, has published 20 collections of poems and edited or co-edited three poetry anthologies. He currently directs two master’s-level programs for University College at the University of Denver: Professional Creative Writing and Arts & Culture Management. Joe lives with his wife, Melody Madonna, in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado, the city where he was born. 
