Category Archives: Writing

Richard Wright: Hurling Words into the Darkness

Constantly criticized for being too ideological, too sociological, too sensational, and controversial for both the bluntness of his literary style, as well as the directness with which he confronted racism and injustice, Richard Wright (1908-1960) nonetheless became a towering figure … Continue reading

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Raja and Milosz and Me

Sometimes I think it’s my favorite book in the world: Czeslaw Milosz’s poetry anthology titled A Book of Luminous Things.  Subtitled “An International Anthology of Poetry,” it ranges over continents and centuries giving us mostly short poems from Wang Wei, … Continue reading

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SLAMS: Poetry and Applause Meters

Is it?  Is it unhealthy to hook poetry up to an applause meter?  Is it healthier to keep it locked up in university ivory towers, like so much of it is these days?  Marc Kelly Smith was thinking about all … Continue reading

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