Lamentations

W.H. Auden said ”poetry makes nothing happen,” and one might equally argue that history doesn’t cure the present or stop the change in changing times, but knowing both may provide perspective, consolation or fair warning. Especially in times like ours, … Continue reading

When The Center Fails To Hold

In “Our Towns,” excerpted in “The Atlantic,” James and Deborah Fallows describe a five-year odyssey visiting the American outback — places like Sioux Falls, S.D., Holland,Michigan, Bend, Oregon, Greenville, S.C., Duluth, Minn., Dodge City, Kansas, Allentown, PA., and a dozen … Continue reading

Old Civilizations Put To The Sword

I am off to investigate the largest island in the Mediterranean, Sicily. I anticipate sleeplessness, crippling injuries to back, knees, neck and psyche. That is, I’m flying coach for ten hours or more. I hope the horrors of the air … Continue reading