A Cottony Fate

"A Cottony Fate"

Long ago, someone
told me: avoid or. 

It troubles the mind
as a held-out piece of meat disturbs a dog. 

Now I too am sixty.
There was no other life.

- by Jane Hirshfield, from The Paris Review (Summer 2014)

Shorter Days

So long, summer

Cool Cat

A lot of people would say that Queen's music wasn't as good in the '80's. That they shouldn't have explored disco; that they shouldn't have used synths. While I'd agree that Hot Space isn't their best album, this song is catchy as all get-out.

A few extra tidbits:

1. David Bowie contributed vocals to a demo, but later asked for his contribution to be removed before the album's release. Apparently, he didn't much like the song.
2. Michael Jackson allegedly cited this album as an inspiration for Thriller (though, to be honest, I don't have a reliable Internet source for this one).
3. One of my adolescent bedroom walls might have been covered with posters of Queen, and I might have spent too many lost dollars on VHS tapes, DVDs, and books about their work.
 

- "Cool Cat" by Queen, from Hot Space (1982)

A.D.D.

- "A.D.D." by Yannis Pappas, from Let Me Be Yannis (2016)

Dream Variations

The below poem is by Langston Hughes, a fellow Missourian.

Langston Hughes, February 1959

"Dream Variations"

To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
     Dark like me—
That is my dream!
To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening . . .
A tall, slim tree . . .
Night coming tenderly
     Black like me.

- by Langston Hughes, from The Weary Blues (1926)

Little Love #3: Wool Socks

Little Love Number Three: Warm wool socks

As the weather gets colder, I'm increasingly impatient for the heat to come on in my apartment building. The whole place relies on a basement boiler; and my neglected, dusty radiator is itching to come alive again. Until that day, I'll be drinking lots of warm liquids and wearing only my coziest socks. My favorite pair is covered in constellations. They were a gift from my friend Hayley during our first year of college. She and I were on the crew team together, and those socks kept my toes warm through many cold mornings on the Charles.

As a kid, I used to think that socks were the worst gift a person could give. Now, I would be overjoyed to get some. It's funny how those things change.

Common People

If an alien beamed onto our planet and asked me to describe 1996, I would show it this music video.

-"Common People" by Blur, from Different Class (1995)

Once More to See You

- "Once More to See You" by Mitski, from Puberty 2 (2016)

Behind; Above

Looking up; the National Portrait Gallery (January 2017)