Don Yorty

La Primavera by Pablo Neruda

… El pájaro ha venido a dar la luz: de cada trino suyo nace el agua. Y entre agua y luz que el aire desarrollan ya está la primavera inaugurada, ya sabe la semilla que ha crecido, la raíz se … Continue reading →

In my words, April 15 – 21

21 Apr ’13

… When I got home from work Monday afternoon, the news from Boston came over the Internet and spread so quickly that when I went to teach my evening class at PS 188, the security guards were talking about it. … Continue reading →

Three Lovely Poems with Rotting Carcasses in Them: Baudelaire, Eberhart & Yorty

20 Apr ’13

… Charles Baudelaire wrote Une Charogne to his lover, Jeanne Duval, a Haitian actress, who met him when she left Haiti for France in 1842. Whether she died sooner or lived longer than the poet is in dispute, though both … Continue reading →

In my words, April 8 – 14

14 Apr ’13

… On Friday, as I walked down 2nd Avenue in the rain coming back from the gym—after some laps in the pool (my crawl is getting better, less pain in the muscles in my left arm each time I move), … Continue reading →

In my words, April 1 – 7

7 Apr ’13

…. On April Fool’s Day, a friend, Dustin Kelly, who has become a berry farmer and producer of jellies, announced on Facebook: “Hey everybody, great news! It was kind of a back up plan, but I got an acceptance letter … Continue reading →

In my words, March 25 – 31

31 Mar ’13

… Here with Dad for a week in the South Mountain. For two days it snowed and drizzled. Akram and I slept, slowed down from New York. Thursday we walked up Fire Tower Road—we still call it that although no … Continue reading →

In my words, March 18 – 24

24 Mar ’13

… Sorting clothes before washing, putting them into piles, pulling out the socks so they aren’t balled up, making sure it’s not all been twisted into clumps, but loose and free to move and be cleaned; I never stuff a … Continue reading →

In my words, March 11 – 17

17 Mar ’13

… Observing Children Yesterday afternoon, after school, I approached a group of children, teacher in front, the kids straggling behind but together like ducks, all excitedly talking (quacking) at once. I overheard some boys. One of them said: “I catched … Continue reading →

Sonnets 61 – 90

16 Mar ’13

61 Things are often more beautiful at a distance, but not you. The closer the more inevitable you become. Before I thought beauty was what I saw, that the superficial awed but I was wrong. Your skin is really you … Continue reading →

In my words, March 4 – 10

10 Mar ’13

… Thursday after class as I walked down Fourteenth Street in the cold drizzling rain, I stopped at the Duane Reade on Third Avenue and asked, “Do you have an enema bag?” “Enema?” the Bengali fellow asked. “Enema,” I repeated. … Continue reading →

In my words, February 25 – March 3

3 Mar ’13

… Walking down Grand Street after class, looking to buy some fish, Talapia to be exact, I stood before some huge carp and huger catfish sprawled out in tubs, gills slowly moving in and out, quietly resigned. As I remembered … Continue reading →

In my words, February 18 – 24

24 Feb ’13

… I met my friend Bill Kushner on Friday at 9th Avenue and 23rd Street. It was high noon. I jumped off the bus and there was Bill, hood of his parka up over his head carrying his bag with … Continue reading →