“Make your soul grow” – Kurt Vonnegut’s advice to high schoolers
Back in 2006, an English teacher at Xavier High School in New York City gave her students an unusual assignment. Ms. Lockwood asked them to write letters to their favorite authors, inviting each to visit… Continue Reading
“Whatif” by Shel Silverstein
Whatif Last night, while I lay thinking here,Some Whatifs crawled inside my earAnd pranced and partied all night longAnd sang their same old Whatif song:Whatif I’m dumb in school?Whatif they’ve closed the swimming pool?Whatif I… Continue Reading
“Subterranean Homesick Blues” by Bob Dylan
Subterranean Homesick Blues Johnny’s in the basementMixing up the medicineI’m on the pavementThinking about the governmentThe man in the trench coatBadge out, laid offSays he’s got a bad coughWants to get it paid offLook out… Continue Reading
“The Geometry Blinked Ruin Unimaginable” by Patti Smith
The Geometry Blinked Ruin Unimaginable She clawed through the rubble of her worldhead covered a scrupulous maid searching for gemsa necklace mislaid by her mistress on the marble floorof a ballroom set against the battered… Continue Reading
“Last Snow” by Heid E. Erdrich
Last Snow Dumped wet and momentary on a dull groundthat’s been clear but clearly sleeping, for days.Last snow melts as it falls, piles up slush, runs in first lightmaking a music in the streets we… Continue Reading
“Indigenous Elvis at the Airport” by Heid E. Erdrich
Indigenous Elvis at the Airport Indigenous Elvis works security:Chief Joseph hair, blue-black and pomped,turquoise and shell dangling from one ear,silver chunks of rings on every bronze knuckle. Indigenous Elvis works security:X-ray glances at your backpacks,laptops,… Continue Reading
“The Puppet” by Johnny Welch
The Puppet If for a moment God would forget that I am a rag doll and give me a scrap of life, possibly I would not say everything that I think, but I would definitely… Continue Reading
“Stepping into the Sea” by Maria Lisella
Stepping into the Sea You let me, your stepmother, Take your hand to walk into the surf, let slippery seaweed wrap around your ankles like emerald ribbons. We step on the edge of lacey waves… Continue Reading
“Naima” for John Coltrane – by Kamau Brathwaite
"Naima" for John Coltrane Propped against the crowded barhe pours into the curved and silver hornhis old unhappy longing for a home the dancers twist and turnhe leans and wishes he could burnhis memories to… Continue Reading
“picasso laughing” by Patti Smith
picasso laughing notebookdivine love is so.invisible. notebookNovember 1. all souls day. rimbaud-o. goto hell. picasso knows. how he really fuckingknew knows. where can he go now. notebookpicasso hoax: don’t nobody tell when he dies.continue let… Continue Reading