I daydreamed of outing them: Uncle Bob Nelson; the nameless teenage boy; Paul Palmer, the family doctor. I dreamed of my father beating them, of me taking a baseball bat to them, of doors with metal bars locking them away forever, the key lost. I Read More …
Black Out I remember walking home alone from Shady Lane. I was in “Brownies” and our leader sent us home early. I was wearing the uniform and the sash. No one was on the streets. But it couldn’t have been later than 5 or 6 Read More …
It began, those many years ago, with a brother lost at sea….a boy the selkies never returned. That set our girl on uneven ground, forever in jeopardy of falling, of failing. ************** When the local feudal lord noticed our girl’s tendency to wander, to dream, Read More …
Silence rode in the car with them, like a passenger. He parked in the clinic lot. Lit a cigarette. Stared out the open window. She looked at him. Opened her mouth, said nothing. It was 11:00 in the morning. The sun high, hot. He popped Read More …
Agamemnon to Joyce The hardest part of being here in Hades’ far reaching shadow is not recognizing the dead. When life goes, memory wanders also. My one hope, as my wife tightened the rope around my robe and Aegisthus played his knife across my neck, Read More …
Before my columns are published each Sunday, my editor, Ladan Osman, reads them with a generous and critical eye, offering suggestions, clarification, and revision ideas to assist in complicating my arguments. I am deeply grateful for her insight. Recently Ladan was curious how I choose Read More …
Well, white women did it again. This time in Alabama. 63% of white women voted for Moore. I’ve read articles and Facebook posts with white women thanking black women for their votes. But is that enough? Is that anywhere near adequate? How are we white Read More …
A. My List Like many others this week, I was moved and grateful for the Time magazine “Person of the Year.” Many brave voices shook the chains of silence in 2017. That these women were recognized in such fashion is a huge step forward. And Read More …
Reading an article on harassment at ravishly this week, I was reminded of a similar situation in my own life. I knew a guy from grad school. He was married, a poet, and at one of our residencies, he handed out copies of a book Read More …
I know I’m a dreamer, but I still believe stories will save us. I still believe stories are the ultimate teacher. I still believe stories are the most effective way to convey truth and empathy and understanding. As I was preparing this week’s column, I Read More …