Poetry and About Poetry

Tradition by Daniel Khalastchi My rating: 2 of 5 stars In “Tradition,” Daniel Khalastchi does his best to fulfill the aesthetic of shock–that is, that the quality of the poetry depends on how shocked you can make the reader. Juxtaposing disconnected actions and images suggests that the world does not make sense, but also that, perhaps, the poet is trying too hard. … An hour passed before you asked if I was bleeding, and when I couldn’t answer you struck me again. Do you think, you said later, our air depleting while we shared the last throat lozenge, that male high school girls’ basketball coaches feel their athletes are the reason they have such distance in their marriages? I don’t know, I said. I do, you said, and you began to dig us a tunnel with your teeth… The collection is filled with death and copulation, suggesting I suppose, our lives. But it all seems overheated, strained. I respect the attempt at the 21st Century ve...

Tradition by Daniel Khalastchi My rating: 2 of 5 stars In "Tradition," Daniel Khalastchi does his best to fulfill the aesthetic of shock--that is, that the quality of the poetry depends on how shocked you can make the reader. Juxtaposing disconnected actions and images suggests that the world does not make sense, but also that, perhaps, the poet is trying too hard. ... An hour passed before you asked if I was bleeding, and when I couldn't answer you struck me again. Do you think, you said later, our air depleting while we shared the last throat lozenge, that male high school girls' basketball coaches feel their athletes are the reason they have such distance in their marriages? I don't know, I said. I do, you said, and you began to dig us a tunnel with your teeth... The collection is filled with death and copulation, suggesting I suppose, our lives. But it all seems overheated, strained. I respect the attempt at the 21st Cen...

Hansel & Gretel Get the Word on the Street by Al Ortolani My rating: 2 of 5 stars Bleeding with despair, dripping with contempt for himself, his students, his fellow teachers, and whimsically rich with snark, the protagonist of these poems is an unhappy man. There are a few gems herein, including “Game Prayer,” “Tough Cookies,” and Daddy’s Car.” View all my reviews

Hansel & Gretel Get the Word on the Street by Al Ortolani My rating: 2 of 5 stars Bleeding with despair, dripping with contempt for himself, his students, his fellow teachers, and whimsically rich with snark, the protagonist of these poems is an unhappy man. There are a few gems herein, including "Game Prayer," "Tough Cookies," and Daddy's Car." View all my reviews

Thank you Editor Glenn Lyvers of Poetry Quarterly for accepting 2 more of my poems for publication in the next issue.

Thank you Editor Glenn Lyvers of Poetry Quarterly for accepting 2 more of my poems for publication in the next issue.

Thank you Editor Glenn Lyvers of Poetry Quarterly for accepting 2 more of my poems for publication in the next issue.

“We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda, it is a form of truth.” John F. Kennedy

“We must never forget that art is not a form of propaganda, it is a form of truth.” John F. Kennedy

“We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. The may be the measure of our lives.” – Toni Morrison By that measure, her life will always be measured large. 

“We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. The may be the measure of our lives.” – Toni Morrison By that measure, her life will always be measured large. 

"We die. That may be the meaning of life. But we do language. The may be the measure of our lives." - Toni Morrison By that measure, her life will always be measured large.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Rereading this classic nearly 50 years after the first time I experienced it, I was impressedby two things: First, this is a wonderful book, a powerful book on love, friendship, sexuality and gender, politics and betrayal, and light and darkness. Second, when I first read it, I found it to be in some ways revolutionary in dealing with gender and sex roles, Time has passed. The world and I have changed. Now I see the masculine-oriented viewpoint of LeGuin, the condescension towards the female in many places that can’t be explained entirely by the point-of-view of the main character. LeGuin herself said that the criticism she received over the years was justified, that while she was a child of her times, that was no excuse, and that she would write in differently. For instance, she would not use the pronoun “he” for an androgynous people who are both male and female. But I still love the ...

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin My rating: 5 of 5 stars Rereading this classic nearly 50 years after the first time I experienced it, I was impressedby two things: First, this is a wonderful book, a powerful book on love, friendship, sexuality and gender, politics and betrayal, and light and darkness. Second, when I first read it, I found it to be in some ways revolutionary in dealing with gender and sex roles, Time has passed. The world and I have changed. Now I see the masculine-oriented viewpoint of LeGuin, the condescension towards the female in many places that can't be explained entirely by the point-of-view of the main character. LeGuin herself said that the criticism she received over the years was justified, that while she was a child of her times, that was no excuse, and that she would write in differently. For instance, she would not use the pronoun "he" for an androgynous people who are both male and female. But I still l...

Register for classes | Germanna Community College Students may register in person at Fredericksburg, Locust Grove, Stafford, Culpeper locations or online. All students are encouraged to register for classes as — Read on www.germanna.edu/admissions/register/

Register for classes | Germanna Community College Students may register in person at Fredericksburg, Locust Grove, Stafford, Culpeper locations or online. All students are encouraged to register for classes as — Read on www.germanna.edu/admissions/register/

Life on Mars: Poems  by  Tracy K. Smith My rating:  3 of 5 stars I wanted to like this collection more I wanted to like this collection more than I did. As is my practice, I read each poem at least twice. Some are good, but many do not stir me emotionally or awaken me with original or at least striking language. The poet likes simile, which many current poets seem to avoid along with any metaphor. Some of the similes ring with significance, but many fall flat. A competent collection, worth reading, but it may not reward rereading. View all my reviews

Black Book of Poems  by  Vincent K. Hunanyan My rating:  1 of 5 stars Earnest but outdated The author of Black Book of Poems tells us he want to write accessible and not pretentious poetry, a valid goal. However, as is the case with many earnest poets, he falls into the trap of writing with a poetic diction from the Victorian Era. The emotional experience seems honest, but the poetry fails to convey cognitive or affective depth. View all my reviews

Life on Mars: Poems by Tracy K. Smith My rating: 3 of 5 stars I wanted to like this collection more I wanted to like this collection more than I did. As is my practice, I read each poem at least twice. Some are good, but many do not stir me emotionally or awaken me with original or at least striking language. The poet likes simile, which many current poets seem to avoid along with any metaphor. Some of the similes ring with significance, but many fall flat. A competent collection, worth reading, but it may not reward rereading. View all my reviews

Black Book of Poems by Vincent K. Hunanyan My rating: 1 of 5 stars Earnest but outdated The author of Black Book of Poems tells us he want to write accessible and not pretentious poetry, a valid goal. However, as is the case with many earnest poets, he falls into the trap of writing with a poetic diction from the Victorian Era. The emotional experience seems honest, but the poetry fails to convey cognitive or affective depth. View all my reviews

Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the   2019 Homebound Publications Poetry Prize. My collection, Geographies of the Dead , was an Honorable Mention .     

Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the   2019 Homebound Publications Poetry Prize. My collection, Geographies of the Dead , was an Honorable Mention .     

Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2019 Homebound Publications Poetry Prize. My collection, Geographies of the Dead was an Honorable Mention .