POETICA - DECEMBER 2024

Poetry - Books - Literature - Music - Culture

We are what we read - more or less

Photo by Ilze on Unsplash

I’ve grown up around books. I wasn’t a good reader early on an that likely is due to undiagnosed AHDH as a child. Those were the days of “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” and the likes of “Green Eggs and Ham”.

I went through a period in adolescence where my go to books were mostly non-fiction. They would include a good number of biographies, history, and political related material.

I moved from that to almost exclusively poetry. I don’t now how other people do this but I’m thinking I more of the exception to the rule. I did sandwich some Laura Inga Wilder books, Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books in there before going blowout poetry. I almost forgot them.

By this time I am way into my adult years and I pretty much feasted on poetry. In fact, it has only been in the last two years that I have decided I need to read broader and so in brought fiction into my diet. I continue to enjoy poetry for the most part, but I have been enjoying the diversity. Another favorite of mine has become memoirs.

To prove to you that I have really taken to heart this diversification of material, I am sharing with you my 2024 reading list. It is with some degree of pride that I met my goal of number of books and I still have a tiny bet of year left.

Here they are in the order of my completion. In some instances I was reading two or more books at the same time.

1. Frida Kahlo: The Paintings - by Hayden Herrera NOTE: If you were a F.K. fan - read this book!

2. The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah NOTE; I recommend.

3. The Teacher - Freida McFadden

4. Tom Lake - by Ann Patchett NOTE: this book reminded me of Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town”

5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone - J.K. Rowling

6. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets - J.K. Realing

7. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire - J.K. Rawling

8. Light in Gaza: Writings Boen of Fire - Jehad Abusalim

9. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - J.K. Rawling

10. Afreeka Brass - by Mwatabu S. Okantah

11. Enough - Cassidy Hutchinson

12. The Idea of You - Robinne Lee

13. The Grip of Grace by Marianne Mersereau NOTE: Recommended

14. Educated - by Tara Westover NOTE: A memoir and one of the best books I read this year

15. Nothing Lasts Forever - Sidney Sheldon

16. American Melancholy: Poems - by Joyce Carol Oates

17. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - J.K. Rowling

18. Little Fires Everywhere - Celeste Ng

19. Halt Houses - Hala Alyan -Note extraordinary work

20. The Things We Cannot Say - Kelly Rimmer - NOTE: I recmend

21. Upstream: Selected Essays - Mary Oliver

22. Reading Lolita in Tehran: A memoir in Books - Azar Nafisi NOTE: Recommend

23. This Is How We Lose thhe Time War - Amal El-Mohtar NOTE: Uniquely fascinating. Lyrical writing, part fantasy or since fiction - Two Birds one red and one blue as we approach the end of civilization.

24. Look Alive Out There - Sloane Crosley

25. Unlikable Female Characters: The Women Pop Culture Wants You To Hate - Anna Bogutskaya

26. Grief is For People - Sloane Crosley

27. The Republic of Imagination: America in Three Books - Azar Nafisi

28. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine - Iian Pappe’

29. The War Outside - Monica Hesse

Share with us what you have been reading this past you - Anything you Recommend?

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TWO POEMS OF MINE IN NOVEMBER NEW ENGLISH REVIEW

One of my poems was perfect for November as it toyed with passing time in a voting line.

Photo Credit SDI Productions

Thoughts From a Long Voting Line *

Here is the thing about love.
No one knows it’s size.
For some it is immeasurable.
To Infinity and beyond!

He asked, “Do you carry
lint in your pocket?” I Just
shrugged as said, “Where
else you going to put it?”

There are those who say
size matters, and those
who disagree. I suspect
both have a personal bias.

Life isn’t all cozy in
corduroys. Sometimes
cotton will give you
just what you need.

People have fought wars
over land, over love,
over religion, and pride,
but someone shaking
your etch-a-sketch?

As you get older you
move the goal posts
of what constitutes old,
until you get called on
it and see the yellow flag.

I remember when
Styrofoam was just
a novelty and then
it became pollution.

There was a time
when we had party
lines on telephones.
You probably thought
those days were over.
Ever heard of NSA?



The Designer*

Perhaps she was a theatrical interloper
Or a shapeshifter by design.
An elementary crafter of all things
wooden and stone.

Maybe the masses know her by her talent
or surely one day will. They will ask
for her work only by her first name.
A name synonymous with only the most

masterful artistry. Others will attempt
to duplicate her work but without
the passion it will fall flat against
a single dimension.

* First appeared in New English Review November Edition.

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Anthology of poems inspired by Taylor Swift lyrics is creating a buzz. I’d love to name contributors but they are 113, but they are most names thay you might likely recognize. Some of my friends are among those, but if I start naming names, I’m going to risk missing someone. Suffice to say if you are in here, Congratulations! There are so many that I love. Maybe next time I can talk more about this.

If you know a Swiftie out there - this is a good Christmas gift

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