Author Archives: Don Yorty

March Drawings by Akram

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 →

Walking Blues

13 Mar ’23

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

13 Mar ’23

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

12 Mar ’23

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

7 Mar ’23

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

2 Mar ’23

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 →

On Sketches by Matisse

26 Feb ’23

When I was eighteen, I saw a film of Matisse sketching his grandson. He did sketch after sketch, each time simpler. The portrait never became abstract, it simply became a face with fewer and fewer lines needed to give … Continue reading →

Alicia Ostriker reads “All That Year”

24 Feb ’23

… When Alicia Ostriker sent me a poem called “All That Year,” I asked if I could record her reading it, and she said, “Yes.” After we’d finished, I noticed that one line had changed. In the fifth line of … Continue reading →

Five Sonnets in the Dark and in the Light

19 Feb ’23

The poet and professor, Jamey Jones, asked me last summer if I would submit some poetry for publication in the magazine, Hurricane Review. It is always a task to decide on something, but finally I did, and Jamey kindly … Continue reading →

Arup Datta, Some Drawings from August 2022 – February 2023

18 Feb ’23

… The year 2022 contained a lot of strife, illness and death, not only in the world around, but in my own life as well. One of the good constant things that I came to rely on were the drawings … Continue reading →

Every Morning I Feed My Cat

3 Feb ’23

What follows is a lesson plan introducing High Beginner ESL students to the Present Tense, the simple present and the present progressive. The activities are for both group and individual work. And the answers are given for the exercises. There … Continue reading →

William Considine reads from Continent of Fire

30 Jan ’23

When I began to read William Considine’s new book, Continent of Fire, I was immediately drawn to a poem early on called “Library and Book Sale.” It made me want to read more. It is about falling in love with … Continue reading →