Author: WildlyLived

Creating | Photographing | Reading | Traveling | Writing

National Poetry Month: Galway Kinnell

In honor of my co-worker, Nieves, who loves turkeys:Turkeysby Galway KinnellSometimes we saw shadows of gods in the trees; silenced, we went on.Sometimes the dog would bound offover the snow, into the forest.Sometimes a tree had twenty or more black turkeys in it, each seeming the size of a small black bear.We remember them for … Continue reading National Poetry Month: Galway Kinnell

Scrabble Sacrilege

Some disturbing news concerning the game Scrabble was released today. Matel, the toy company who holds rights to Scrabble in the UK, has announced that they will be releasing a new form of the game in which proper nouns will count for points (there has been no news as to whether Hasbro, the toy company … Continue reading Scrabble Sacrilege

National Poetry Month: Sherman Alexie

Congratulations to Sherman Alexie for winning the 2010 Pen/Faulkner Fiction prize for his latest book War Dances (9780802119193, $23, Grove Press) (out in paperback in August). Always multi-faceted and multi-talented, Alexie's latest book brings his penchant for unique book design and content, began in his National Book Award-winning YA novel The Absolutely True Diary of … Continue reading National Poetry Month: Sherman Alexie

National Poetry Month: Nikki Giovanni

Last year's poetry month post also included Nikki Giovanni, and in fact, this same book, though a different poem. Now in paperback, I highly recommend running out and picking up a copy of Bicycles: Love Poems (9780061726491, $11.99, Harper). Here's a taste of a new favorite:Another Day (Revisited)Librarians do it but they do it by … Continue reading National Poetry Month: Nikki Giovanni

National Poetry Month: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

As spring so often brings a little rain into our lives, I thought I'd share my favorite rain poem with you. In particular the last line is something I often repeat to myself. The Rainy DayThe day is cold, and dark, and dreary;It rains, and the wind is never weary;The vine still clings to the … Continue reading National Poetry Month: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

National Poetry Month: B is for Bad Poetry by Pamela August Russell

How did I miss the beginning of National Poetry Month?Maybe because April 1st is April Fool's Day and though I've never been astoundingly pranked, I always live April 1st with a nervous tension as if someone is going to play a colossal prank on me.Regardless, it's now in full swing and I'll be sharing bits … Continue reading National Poetry Month: B is for Bad Poetry by Pamela August Russell

Happy Birthday Hans Christian Andersen

Thank you to Google for reminding me that today is the 205th birthday of Hans Christian Andersen. Google has a five-image series of Andersen's  Thumbelina surrounding their logo today.Andersen was a Danish writer and paper-cut artist who not only recorded tales from the oral storytelling tradition (in the style of the Brothers Grimm), but who … Continue reading Happy Birthday Hans Christian Andersen

Recognize that voice? Part 2

For the second time in as many years, you are now able to access my voice over the airwaves!I had the pleasure of returning to the WAMC radio studio in Albany, NY last week, along with Joan Grenier, one of the Odyssey Bookshop's co-owners.To listen to us talk about books (Joan about adult fiction and … Continue reading Recognize that voice? Part 2

Speaking of Libraries…

I seem to be on a library kick this week, as I found this fantastic article via a new favorite Out of Print blog.The article is all about Britain's Smallest Library - a library housed in an old red telephone booth! I can't help but be wildly jealous as I don't think red telephone booths … Continue reading Speaking of Libraries…