Monday Links to Launch the Week

53º ~ still no rain, a promise of rain is all, brush fires surround us, highs in the mid to upper 80’s, the leaves fall brown and crisp, no color at all, summer when will you go?
I’m slowly getting back in sync after traveling last week.  I know, Dear Reader, it’s not like I went to the moon and back; however, I’m a homebody at heart and love the rhythms of my days here at the desk of the Kangaroo.  It takes me days to re-adjust after even a short trip.  This is a minor inconvenience given all the joys I experienced last week.
A golden pheasant from our trip to the St. Louis Zoo
This morning, I offer you a bit of color in the photograph above and a set of links that moved me as I read my way through the poetry blogosphere.
May you meet him there, the same age as you.
May the meeting take place in a small, locked room.

A chilling beginning.  You must read this poem ASAP.

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Forming a natural connection to this is Robert Peake’s post “Why They Are Called the Humanities,” which offers a wonderful defense of this much attacked discipline in academia.  I love that Peake sees beyond the normal, surface-level arguments for the humanities and digs a bit deeper.  I agree and plan to spread the news more loudly when we come under the gun budget-wise at my school.

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And then, I read Nancy Devine’s thoughts about Tim O’Brien’s visit to her school and how he reminded her of why writing is important.  While you can’t see me, Dear Reader, rest assured that I am a bit green-tinged with jealousy about this visit, O’Brien being one of my touchstone writers, one who has been with me during my entire journey.

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Finally, I offer a wonderful piece from Jake Adam York about the publication of his new book, Persons Unknown, with thanks to Ruth Ellen Kocher for posting it on her blog, About a Word.  Jake is one of my new touchstones, a poet I admire desperately (well, maybe ‘desperately’ is a bit strong, Dear Readers, but I do admire him as a poet and as a person…all depth and heart.)

So, it’s Monday and we are off to the races with a new week of meetings, stacks of papers to grade, advising panels to organize and present on campus, and of course, class days with students, which always offer the possibility of success.

Posted by Sandy Longhorn

11 comments

Nancy Devine
October 18, 2010

thanks for the mention.
wow that poem. i did read it asap. i've got to take a break, think a bit and read it again.

Sandy Longhorn
October 18, 2010

Any time, Nancy. Yes, that poem!

Molly
October 18, 2010

Thanks for the great links. I think Robert Peake's epigraph from Winston Churchill says it all….

Sandy Longhorn
October 18, 2010

Molly, exactly. It's too bad so many people have forgotten. I plan to remind them!

Karen J. Weyant
October 18, 2010

I just order Jake Adam York's new book! It should be in my mailbox by the end of the week!

Sandy Longhorn
October 18, 2010

Yay, Karen!!

Jessie Carty
October 19, 2010

I'm looking forward to teaching some Tim O'brien in my Intro to Lit class in the spring 🙂

Sandy Longhorn
October 19, 2010

Thanks for stopping by, Jessie. Good luck with the class!

Brian Campbell
October 20, 2010

Hi Sandy,

It's fine to make your acquaintance in blog land. That is quite a poem — raised the hair on my neck and made my blood run cold. That's why I posted it. BTW, how did you come across it?

Thanks to the link to Peake's Why They are Called the Humanities. I just printed it out, and read it to my partner. She loved it too.

You're on my blogroll.

Best,

Brian

Sandy Longhorn
October 20, 2010

Hi, Brian, glad to meet you here as well. I'm not sure where I first came across your blog, but you've been in my Google Reader for quite a while now. Thanks for being out there in blog land for me to find.

Robert
November 4, 2010

Molly, I love that Churchill quote, too!