Category Archives: Writing

“Thanx 4 Nothing”

Posted on December 15, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

I just discovered that the artist and Beat poet John Giorno died in October. You can be forgiven if you are not familiar with him, but in the 60s and 70s he was a prominent figure in the New York … Continue reading →

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Charles Dickens and the Marketing of Christmas

Posted on December 13, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Charles Dickens and his iconic story A Christmas Carol have become synonymous with Christmas celebrations, however a special holiday exhibition at  the Charles Dickens Museum in London demonstrates that his connection to the holiday season is not all candy canes … Continue reading →

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When Great Trees Fall

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Maya Angelou wrote the poem “When Great Trees Fall” when James Baldwin died in December of 1987, and read the poem at his funeral… “When Great Trees Fall” by Maya Angelou When great trees fall, rocks on distant hills shudder, … Continue reading →

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Alice Redux

Posted on November 26, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lewis Carroll – illustration by Sir John Tenniel London Macmillan and Co., Limited 1927

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The Lost Art of Paste Up

Posted on November 19, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

This month the London Review of Books celebrates its 40th anniversary. Over the years, the publication has been a cultural touchstone for literary thought and criticism. To recognize the milestone, the LRB released this wonderful video which demonstrates how the whole thing … Continue reading →

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the books were waiting

Posted on November 17, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 

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What Kind of Times Are These

Posted on November 15, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

“What Kind of Times Are These” by Adrienne Rich There’s a place between two stands of trees where the grass grows uphill and the old revolutionary road breaks off into shadows near a meeting-house abandoned by the persecuted who disappeared … Continue reading →

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Postcard from a volcano

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

“A Postcard from the Volcano” by Wallace Stevens Children picking up our bones Will never know that these were once As quick as foxes on the hill; And that in autumn, when the grapes Made sharp air sharper by their … Continue reading →

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Writer’s Supply Shelf

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

 

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To Any Reader

Posted on November 3, 2019 by Brian D. Butler

A Child’s Garden of Verse, Robert Louis Stevenson, illustrations by Brian Wildsmith  

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