Happy 2015

Words Of Wisdom

There is creative reading as well as creative writing.


~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Review of 2014

There were a number of accomplishments is year. I wrote poems, read two books per month (crazy), improved my writing. My major accomplishment was reading five books by Jack Kerouac. The titles were: Beat Reader
          Jack's Book- Oral Biography
          Dharma Bums-liked this book the best
          Big Sur
          Atop an Underwood  

I am a big fan of the Beat Generation. I learned much more about Kerouac from many different perspectives. To me he was the best of them. He lived life rather than intellectualize what life is and should be. Kerouac has more more that I will read in 2015. 

Another achievement is that my interest in horror stories. I read Bram Stoker's (of Dracula Fame) horror stories and found them very creative and the type of horror that I hope to write about. It's funny but several years I thought that horror stories were junk. Edgar Allan Poe changed my thoughts about the genre when I read The Fall Of The House Of Usher.

I didn't write as much as the previous year but looked at ways to improve the poems I've already written. It's an ongoing process. Overall, 2014 was a productive year.  

Found This Poem Interesting And Appropriate

Christmas Trees

Robert Frost, 1874 - 1963

A Christmas circular letter
  
  
The city had withdrawn into itself  
And left at last the country to the country;  
When between whirls of snow not come to lie  
And whirls of foliage not yet laid, there drove  
A stranger to our yard, who looked the city,   
Yet did in country fashion in that there  
He sat and waited till he drew us out,  
A-buttoning coats, to ask him who he was.  
He proved to be the city come again  
To look for something it had left behind   
And could not do without and keep its Christmas.  
He asked if I would sell my Christmas trees;  
My woods—the young fir balsams like a place  
Where houses all are churches and have spires.  
I hadn’t thought of them as Christmas trees.    
I doubt if I was tempted for a moment  
To sell them off their feet to go in cars  
And leave the slope behind the house all bare,  
Where the sun shines now no warmer than the moon.  
I’d hate to have them know it if I was.      
Yet more I’d hate to hold my trees, except  
As others hold theirs or refuse for them,  
Beyond the time of profitable growth—  
The trial by market everything must come to.  
I dallied so much with the thought of selling.      
Then whether from mistaken courtesy  
And fear of seeming short of speech, or whether  
From hope of hearing good of what was mine,  
I said, “There aren’t enough to be worth while.”
  
“I could soon tell how many they would cut,     
You let me look them over.”  
 
                                    “You could look.  
But don’t expect I’m going to let you have them.”  
Pasture they spring in, some in clumps too close  
That lop each other of boughs, but not a few     
Quite solitary and having equal boughs  
All round and round. The latter he nodded “Yes” to,  
Or paused to say beneath some lovelier one,  
With a buyer’s moderation, “That would do.”  
I thought so too, but wasn’t there to say so.   
We climbed the pasture on the south, crossed over,  
And came down on the north. 
 
                                    He said, “A thousand.”  
  
“A thousand Christmas trees!—at what apiece?”  
  
He felt some need of softening that to me:       
“A thousand trees would come to thirty dollars.”  
  
Then I was certain I had never meant  
To let him have them. Never show surprise!  
But thirty dollars seemed so small beside  
The extent of pasture I should strip, three cents    
(For that was all they figured out apiece)—   
Three cents so small beside the dollar friends  
I should be writing to within the hour  
Would pay in cities for good trees like those,  
Regular vestry-trees whole Sunday Schools     
Could hang enough on to pick off enough.
  
A thousand Christmas trees I didn’t know I had!  
Worth three cents more to give away than sell,  
As may be shown by a simple calculation.  
Too bad I couldn’t lay one in a letter.       
I can’t help wishing I could send you one,  
In wishing you herewith a Merry Christmas.

Christmas Wish

Words Of Wisdom

Poetry and beauty are always making peace. When you read something beautiful you find coexistence; it breaks walls down. 

~Mahmoud Darwish,Palestinian poet (1941-2008)

The Shining

This horror thriller will be shown at the IFC Center on 6th Avenue and West 3rd Street in Greenwich Village.

Dec. 25-27 @ 11:30pm.

I saw this film many years ago. It's was a weird movie but I enjoyed it.  

Mary Poppins

This classic musical will be shown at the Film Forum on Sunday December 28th at 11 AM. For further info go to 

www.filmforum.com

Words Of Wisdom

Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.

~John Keats, Poet (1795-1821) 

Poem

He left behind everything he ever knew
Gone were the reminders of his former life 
Couldn't go back! Wouldn't go back!
The farther he journeyed, the fetters of his
Former life broke.
The anchor of the ship was hoisted 
He set sail on the open sea of life.

Poetry Marathon

The 41st Annual New Year's Day Poetry Marathon will be here in sixteen days. I have attended many times and enjoy the many form of poetry from poets both famous and not so famous. It will be at St. Marks Church In The Bowery at 131 East 10th Street (near Second Avenue). 

For further info go to:

 www.poetryproject.org

The Postman

Here is a '40s noir classic playing at the Film Forum today and tomorrow.


www.filmforum.com

Words Of Wisdom

The poet doesn't invent. He listens.

~Jean Cocteau, Director (1889-1963)

Books And More Books

I went to the bookstore yesterday with my wife. She purchased a couple of books while decided not to. I look at my bookcase and see all the books that I have to read. It's amazing that I have all these books and have yet to read them. I've read a lot of books this year. Goes to show you that there's a lot of quality (and not so quality) literature out there.   

I've fallen a little behind because of some personal issues but I'm back at it now. There are times I wonder if I'm a little wacky for reading so much and there are other times where I feel the need to know more. I don't know if there will ever be a happy medium but I do enjoy the challenge.