Monthly Archives: June 2007

The Music That Isn’t: On Emily Dickinson’s "The Earth Has Many Keys…"

The Earth has many keys… Emily Dickinson The earth has many keys, Where melody is not Is the unknown peninsula. Beauty is nature’s fact. But witness for her land, And witness for her sea, The cricket is her utmost Of elegy to me. Commentary: The diversity of keys means a diversity of melodies, and one …

June 8, 2007 – 6:33 am | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Free From Pain? On Dickinson’s "The Heart Asks Pleasure First…"

The heart asks pleasure first… Emily Dickinson The heart asks pleasure first, And then, excuse from pain; And then, those little anodynes That deaden suffering; And then, to go to sleep; And then, if it should be The will of its Inquisitor, The liberty to die. Commentary: Finally, a woman whose maturity I can respect. …

June 7, 2007 – 2:22 am | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

One Way To Assess A School’s Efficiency Is To Consider the Internet As Educative

The state, under a court order, has poured billions of dollars into the city’s schools, so that Newark now spends nearly $17,000 per pupil a year—about 75 percent more than the national average.Yet the money has done little good, since the state has pursued few educational innovations and hasn’t taken on entrenched educational interests (above …

June 5, 2007 – 9:48 pm | By ashok | Posted in education, politics | Comments (0)

Notes On Frost’s "Hyla Brook"

Hyla Brook Robert Frost By June our brook’s run out of song and speed. Sought for much after that, it will be found Either to have gone groping underground (And taken with it all the Hyla breed That shouted in the mist a month ago, Like ghost of sleigh-bells in a ghost of snow)— Or …

June 5, 2007 – 1:11 am | By ashok | Posted in frost, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Waiting To Watch The Water Clear: On Robert Frost’s "The Pasture"

The Pasture Robert Frost I’m going out to clean the pasture spring; I’ll only stop to rake the leaves away (And wait to watch the water clear, I may): I sha’n’t be gone long.—You come too. I’m going out to fetch the little calf That’s standing by the mother. It’s so young, It totters when …

June 4, 2007 – 2:38 am | By ashok | Posted in frost, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

Over at Josh’s Blog, A Discussion About Evelyn Waugh’s "Decline and Fall"

“Decline and Fall” is my second favorite book and I must have read it 9284379279347827 times by now. I highly encourage you to contribute to the discussion at Josh’s blog if you’ve read it, or read it and then start contributing.I should say that putting the book in the genre of “satire” tends to marginalize …

June 3, 2007 – 10:13 pm | By ashok | Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments (1)

The Trial That Is Action: On Emily Dickinson’s "What I can do – I will"

“What I can do – I will” Emily Dickinson What I can do — I will – Though it be little as a Daffodil – That I cannot — must be Unknown to possibility – Commentary: The third line of this poem ought to begin with “what” instead of “that,” if it is to be …

June 3, 2007 – 3:50 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (4)

Upon Glancing a Very Familiar Face in the Street

Dear N.,I thought I saw you on the street the other night, in a pink dress with small white dots. That face was unmistakably yours; the only thing that bugs me is the hair, because I always think of yours as straight and dark. Still, it was only a glance, and we passed and did …

June 3, 2007 – 5:38 am | By ashok | Posted in personal | Comments (1)

Arbitrary Vocabulary Lists Do No One Any Good – Help Find the Context for these Words

Words I should know and yet still have to look up (h/t genpink – don’t ask me what I was doing on the site)Let me be clear: it is worth knowing more words. “Abjure,” which is to reject something officially or solemnly, like as if or if one were actually under oath, is a great …

June 2, 2007 – 3:52 pm | By ashok | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (1)

Embraced by Darkness: On Dickinson’s "When Night Is Almost Done…"

Originally published 2006-02-23. When Night Is Almost Done… Emily Dickinson When Night is almost done – And Sunrise grows so near That we can touch the Spaces – It’s time to smooth the Hair – And get the Dimples ready – And wonder we could care For that old – faded Midnight – That frightened …

June 2, 2007 – 2:12 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , | Comments (1)