Since the beginning of March, the first thing Akram does when he wakes up is to reach for his sketchbook and pens and with the first sip of coffee—First thought, best thought—he begins. Here are a few of his morning … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: March 2023
Walking Blues
When Robert Johnson recorded “Walking Blues” in 1936, he was working from a version Son House, not the Devil, had taught him. And the great Son House himself was borrowing from a Blues tradition that began after the Civil War … Continue reading
“Bird of Paradise, Bird of Destruction” by Neddi Heller
I have been enjoying the work of Neddi Heller for many years. There is always something there. Her painting, “Bird of Paradise, Bird of Destruction,” is twenty years old. It was recently shown, for the first time, in a show. … Continue reading
Fame
On Valentine’s Day, I handed out my haiku postcard to my High Beginner ESL class at LaGuardia Community College. I had been teaching the class since October, and this being the second semester, some new students were added. Jing Yi, … Continue reading
Dipika Mukherjee reads from Dialect of Distant Harbors
At KGB in NYC not too long ago, I enjoyed hearing Dipika Mukherjee read from her newest book, Dialect of Distant Harbors, and wanted to get her on the blog. She had just flown in from Chicago and was flying … Continue reading
With Susan Bee: Apocalypse Paintings
I’ve been wanting to have Susan Bee on the blog. Her upcoming show at A.I.R. Gallery was perfect timing. On Tuesday, I visited her Brooklyn studio to see her latest paintings, adventures in color and imagination via, at this … Continue reading