David Anthony Sam's Blog, page 138
August 7, 2019
Review: Black Book of Poems
Black Book of Poems by Vincent K. Hunanyan
My rating: 1 of 5 stars
Earnest but outdated
The author of Black Book of Poems tells us he want to write accessible and not pretentious poetry, a valid goal. However, as is the case with many earnest poets, he falls into the trap of writing with a poetic diction from the Victorian Era. The emotional experience seems honest, but the poetry fails to convey cognitive or affective depth.
August 1, 2019
Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2019 Homebound Publications Poetry Prize. My collection, Geographies of the Dead was an Honorable Mention.
Congratulations to the winners and finalists of the 2019 Homebound Publications Poetry Prize. My collection, Geographies of the Dead, was an Honorable Mention.
July 25, 2019
My poem, “The Grace of Firstfall Last,” has been published by The Voices Project and can be read online.
My poem, “The Grace of Firstfall Last,” has been published by The Voices Project and can be read online.
July 20, 2019
Earthrise – When will we ever learn?
When this photo from Apollo 8 was revealed in 1968, we hoped it would change the way we see our world–and each other. Sadly, we have forgotten that we live on this tiny, blue island. We despoil its fragile envelope of air and water. We blame and vilify and murder each other. All as if we were not together on a small lifeboat in a sea of darkness. All as if something or someone out there will come and fix us, fix everything we’ve ruined.
There may still be time. On this 50th anniversary of the first human footprint on another world, let’s remember that the moon or any other known planet will not support life. No one or thing is coming to save us.
Gandhi did not actually say, “Be the change you want to see in the world.” But he would likely have agreed with that quotation. And it does describe where we will find our only solutions. There may still be time….
July 18, 2019
“Moonscaped” a published poem of mine was written to honor Buzz Aldrin.
A published poem of mine was written to honor Buzz Aldrin. You can read “Moonscaped” at the Summerset Review.
July 17, 2019
The 2019 issue of Artemis contains my poem “Nejma- Last Passage”
The 2019 issue of Artemis
(“Women hold up half the sky”) contains my poem “Nejma- Last
Passage”–a poem about visiting the grave of my father’s mother. Nejma
Daoud came to the US as a teenager to be married to Elias, her name then
changed to Starr Sam.
This poem is included in my unpublished collect, Geographies of the Dead.
July 16, 2019
One of my favorite moments–the honor of meeting and fist-bumping Buzz Aldrin!
One of my favorite moments–the honor of meeting and fist-bumping Buzz Aldrin!
July 15, 2019
The latest issue of The Magnolia Review includes six of my poems.
The latest issue of The Magnolia Review (vol.5 issue 2) includes six of my poems.
Thank you Editor, Suzanna Anderson, for continuing to give my work a place to be read.
Campus at night by Riku Ylönen
July 14, 2019
Review: Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt
Love Your Enemies: How Decent People Can Save America from the Culture of Contempt by Arthur C. Brooks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Arthur Brooks writes a much-needed and
accessible book for the individual seeking to be part of the solution to
the canyons of mutual disregard that divide us, canyons widened by and
for the powerful in media, politics, and anger.
I
recommend it heartily. Brooks is a business conservative, a religious
man, a humanist, and a rebel. In sum, he is a man in full who takes his
own medicine.
He offers the following:
How each person can help make national healing happen:
1. Find a friendship with someone you can have productive, respectful disagreements.
2. “Don’t attack or insult. Don’t even try to win.”
3. “Never assume the motives of another person.”
4. “Use your values as a gift, not a weapon.”
P. 185-199
Five rules to subvert the culture of contempt:
1.
”Stand up to the Man. Refuse to be used by the powerful…. [B]e the
person who gently defends those who aren’t represented, even if you
disagree with them.”
2. “Escape the bubble. Go where you’re not invited, and say things people don’t expect.” Seek common ground. Tell your story.
3. “Say no to contempt. Treat others with love and respect, even when it’s difficult.”
4. “Disagree better. Be part of a healthy competition of ideas.”
5.
“Tune out: Disconnect more from the unproductive debates….Obliterate
your silos by listening, reading, and watching media on the ‘other
side.’ Get rid of your curated social media feeds….Resolve to pay
attention to ideas, not just politics.” P. 201-212
July 10, 2019
My poem is included in Issue #63 of Haiku Journal, available now.
My poem is included in Issue #63 of Haiku Journal, available now.
