Tag Archives: commentary

Notes on Dickinson’s “Hope is the thing with feathers…” (254)

“Hope” is the thing with feathers… (254) Emily Dickinson “Hope” is the thing with feathers – That perches in the soul – And sings the tune without the words – And never stops – at all – And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard – And sore must be the storm – That …

November 13, 2008 – 5:52 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (4)

Jersey Girls Find Poetic Justification: On Sylvia Plath’s “Fever 103″

Fever 103 Sylvia Plath (copied from the NEA’s Poetry Out Loud site) Pure? What does it mean? The tongues of hell Are dull, dull as the triple Tongues of dull, fat Cerberus Who wheezes at the gate. Incapable Of licking clean The aguey tendon, the sin, the sin. The tinder cries. The indelible smell Of …

October 11, 2008 – 6:56 pm | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Does Memory Necessitate Pain? On Dickinson’s “Such is the Force of Happiness” (787)

“Such is the Force of Happiness…” (787) Emily Dickinson Such is the Force of Happiness – The Least – can lift a Ton Assisted by its stimulus – Who Misery – sustain – No Sinew can afford – The Cargo of Themselves – Too infinite for Consciousness’ Slow capabilities. Comment: “Consciousness” does not occur in …

October 6, 2008 – 11:36 am | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

In America: On Katia Kapovich’s “Apartment 75″

Apartment 75 Katia Kapovich (thank you to Ario; poem originally from here) The obese woman who used to wake up our whole house by starting her Subaru at 6 a.m. has committed suicide. Snow hangs like a set of unlaundered sheets in the windows. When I walked into her seventh floor studio, the standard lamp …

October 1, 2008 – 6:57 am | By ashok | Posted in poetry | Tagged , , , | Comments (1)

Entry 600: Love Letters

1. There’s a strange feeling I get when looking over old love letters. The strangeness is precisely the lack of feeling. I’m not regretful or saddened when reading them, despite the prayers then mumbled to myself, the agonizing over every word, the attempt to influence a heart with some scribblings. The intensity is gone completely. …

September 22, 2008 – 4:30 am | By ashok | Posted in personal, politics | Tagged , , | Comments (2)

The Greatest Pain: On Dickinson’s “I sometimes drop it, for a Quick” (708)

“I sometimes drop it, for a Quick…” (708) Emily Dickinson I sometimes drop it, for a Quick – The Thought to be alive – Anonymous Delight to know – And Madder – to conceive – Consoles a Woe so monstrous That did it tear all Day, Without an instant’s Respite – ‘Twould look too far …

September 22, 2008 – 1:08 am | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Is Love Possible? On Dickinson’s “I could suffice for Him, I knew…” (643)

“I could suffice for Him, I knew…” (643) Emily Dickinson I could suffice for Him, I knew – He – could suffice for Me – Yet Hesitating Fractions – Both Surveyed Infinity – “Would I be Whole” He sudden broached – My syllable rebelled – ‘Twas face to face with Nature – forced – ‘Twas …

August 26, 2008 – 8:31 pm | By ashok | Posted in dickinson, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (33)

Christianity and Modernity: Reflections on Blake’s “The Human Abstract”

for Kristine Lowe, because she asked The Human Abstract William Blake Pity would be no more If we did not make somebody Poor; And Mercy no more could be If all were as happy as we. And mutual fear brings peace, Till the selfish loves increase: Then Cruelty knits a snare, And spreads his baits …

August 3, 2008 – 8:17 pm | By ashok | Posted in Blake, poetry | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Towards a Nietzschean Understanding of Politics: Notes on "The Case of Wagner" (Part 3)

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 II. Music, Art and Politics for Nancy Ruggeri 1. A fellow student in graduate school remarked that after reading Nietzsche, his love for the band Cursive fell away – the nihilism in their lyrics and their overly emotional tropes struck him as decadent and he couldn’t take …

July 19, 2008 – 2:59 am | By ashok | Posted in nietzsche, philosophy, politics | Tagged , , | Comments (1)

Towards a Nietzschean Understanding of Politics: Notes on "The Case of Wagner" (Part 2)

part 1 | part 2 | part 3 In the first part, we went through the Preface of this work very carefully in order to discuss how Nietzsche sets up possible personae for the sake of delivering both an effective teaching and a more difficult teaching. Now I want to achieve two things: outline the …

July 18, 2008 – 12:16 pm | By ashok | Posted in nietzsche, philosophy, politics | Tagged , , | Comments (0)