so many hungry years after

Why not a meadow? 

Why not a little clearing and a stream 

to wade in? Why not take our pants off, 

a little respite from our partners 

who couldn’t see us, who’d never see us 

no matter what we did? What we did was wrong, 

the way we did it. It was miraculous, 

it took hold long after 

we trudged back to our spouses. 

So many years harboring a secret. 

Thank you for telling me 

about growing up in Queens, daddy’s 

milk truck skittering about Northern Boulevard 

looking for your favorite ice cream. 

And the darkness: how shades were drawn, 

how your mother would never recover 

from your father. How many of us 

have been stymied by those early dramas 

until we married them? So many years, 

so many hungry years after. 

Thank you for the apricots in the mail, 

thank you more for appearing at my door 

with so little time left: no going back 

to field our regrets. Old 

as we are, you are here and now, 

why not a meadow and a clearing? 

 

[Ira Sadoff {1945- } 'Thank you', originally published in Poem-a-Day on December 1, 2023]

a good night sleep, or a ten minute bawl, or a pint of chocolate ice cream, or all three together, is good medicine

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

🍨 Mindplay Friday: Which Ice Cream Topping Are You? 🍦 

 

Some people are classic hot fudge. Others are rainbow sprinkles chaos. 

Answer these five questions to discover which ice cream topping best matches your personality!

---

1. You have a free Saturday afternoon. What sounds best?

A. Visiting a favorite place you've loved for years
B. Trying something adventurous and unexpected
C. Spending time with friends and family
D. Curling up with a book, movie, or hobby

2. Which quality do people most appreciate about you?

A. Reliability
B. Creativity
C. Warmth
D. Thoughtfulness

3. Your ideal vacation involves:

A. A well-planned itinerary
B. Exploring somewhere new
C. Sharing experiences with others
D. Quiet beauty and reflection

4. Which animal appeals to you most?

A. Horse
B. Parrot
C. Dog
D. Owl

5. Pick a color:

A. Rich brown
B. Rainbow mix
C. Bright red
D. Deep blue

Results in the comments!

 

[quiz generated by chatGPT; the title quotation is by Ray Bradbury, from Dandelion Wine]

you can always start over, saddle a fresh horse and take another trail

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

🤠 Mindplay Friday: Which Western Hero Are You? 🤠 

The frontier can be a lonely place. Some heroes rely on grit, some on wisdom, some on courage, and some on sheer stubbornness. Answer these five questions to discover which Western hero rides closest to your trail.

---

1. A stranger arrives in town with trouble following behind. What do you do?

A. Hear them out before deciding anything
B. Keep an eye on them and gather information
C. Offer help immediately
D. Tell them trouble follows people for a reason

2. Which quality matters most?

A. Integrity
B. Competence
C. Courage
D. Independence

3. Your ideal horse would be:

A. Dependable and steady
B. Smart and responsive
C. Fast and fearless
D. Tough enough to survive anything

4. How do you handle conflict?

A. Try to prevent it if possible
B. Study the situation before acting
C. Face it directly
D. Let others underestimate you

5. Which landscape appeals most?

A. Open grasslands
B. Rolling hills and hidden valleys
C. Rugged mountains
D. Desert country stretching to the horizon

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is by Louis L'Amour, from The Proving Trail]

living in reverse

It’s autumn, and we’re getting rid 

of books, getting ready to retire, 

to move some place smaller, more 

manageable. We’re living in reverse, 

age-proofing the new house, nothing 

on the floors to trip over, no hindrances 

to the slowed mechanisms of our bodies, 

a small table for two. Our world is 

shrinking, our closets mostly empty, 

gone the tight skirts and dancing shoes, 

the bells and whistles. Now, when 

someone comes to visit and admires 

our complete works of Shakespeare, 

the hawk feather in the open dictionary, 

the iron angel on a shelf, we say 

take them. This is the most important 

time of all, the age of divestment, 

knowing what we leave behind is 

like the fragrance of blossoming trees 

that grows stronger after 

you’ve passed them, breathing 

them in for a moment before 

breathing them out. An ordinary 

Tuesday when one of you says 

I dare you, and the other one just laughs. 

 

[Dorianne Laux {1952- } 'I Dare You'; originally published in Poem-a-Day on April 4, 2023]

as close as we're ever likely to get

        Somewhere between what it feels like, to be at 

one with the sea, and to understand the sea as 

mere context for the boat whose engine refuses 

finally to turn over: yeah, I know the place—

stumbled into it myself, once; twice, almost. All 

around and in between the two trees that 

grow there, tree of compassion and—much taller—

tree of pity, its bark more bronze, the snow 

        settled as if an openness of any kind meant, as well, 

a woundedness that, by filling it, the snow 

might heal.... You know what I think? I think if we're 

lost, you should know exactly where, by now; I've 

watched you stare long and hard enough at the map 

already... I'm beginning to think I may never 

not be undecided, about all sorts of things: whether 

snow really does resemble the broken laughter 

        of the long abandoned when what left comes back 

big-time; whether gratitude's just a haunted 

space like any other. This place sounds daily 

more like a theater of war, each time I listen to it—

loss, surprise, victory, being only three of the countless 

fates, if you want to call them that, that we don't 

so much live with, it seems, as live for now among. If as 

close as we're ever likely to get, you and I, is this—this close—  

 

[Carl Phillips {1959- } 'The Way One Animal Trusts Another', from Wild is the Wind]

a foraging wild creature, intent above all upon survival, is as strong as the grass

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

🐾 Which Wild Creature Calls to You? 🐾

 

Some animals embody quiet depth, others fierce independence, others playful curiosity or soaring freedom. The natural world reflects many ways of being. Which wild creature resonates most with your spirit? Take this quiz to find out which call you hear most clearly.  

---

1. The landscape that feels most like home is: 

    A. Vast open ocean under a wide sky. 

    B. Dense jungle where every movement matters. 

    C. Rocky cliffs where the wind carries you forward. 

    D. Wide grasslands full of motion and life. 

 

2. Your natural approach to challenges is: 

    A. Move with patience and deep awareness. 

    B. Focus intensely and strike decisively. 

    C. Rise above the situation and see the whole picture. 

    D. Adapt quickly and keep moving. 

 

3. Others tend to see you as: 

    A. Calm, deep, and quietly powerful. 

    B. Intense and fiercely independent. 

    C. Observant and free-spirited. 

    D. Curious and energetic. 

 

4. Your energy in the world feels most like: 

    A. A deep current moving beneath the surface. 

    B. A focused presence that commands respect. 

    C. A soaring sense of perspective. 

    D. A lively spark that keeps things in motion. 

 

5. The feeling that resonates most with you is: 

    A. The vast mystery of the deep. 

    B. The thrill of quiet strength. 

    C. The freedom of open skies. 

    D. The joy of movement and discovery. 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is by Richard Adams, from Watership Down]

excuse me

I go down to the shore in the morning

and depending on the hour the waves

are rolling in or moving out,

and I say, oh, I am miserable,

what shall—

what should I do? And the sea says

in its lovely voice:

Excuse me, I have work to do. 

 

[Mary Oliver {1935-2019}, 'I Go Down to the Shore', from A Thousand Mornings]

go beyond the restrictions of your era, forget about purpose or meaning, separate yourself from historical limitations

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

⏳ Which Historical Era Are You From? ⏳

 

Every era of history carries its own spirit—times of exploration, invention, elegance, and dramatic change. Some people feel drawn to quiet intellectual ages, others to bold periods of discovery or creativity. If your personality belonged to another century, when might you feel most at home? Take this quiz to discover your historical era.  

---

1. Your ideal way to spend an afternoon would be: 

    A. Debating ideas with thoughtful people. 

    B. Exploring somewhere new and unfamiliar. 

    C. Creating art, music, or literature. 

    D. Enjoying a refined social gathering. 

 

2. The kind of story you enjoy most is: 

    A. Philosophical or intellectual journeys. 

    B. Adventures across unknown lands. 

    C. Dramatic artistic movements. 

    D. Intricate social relationships. 

 

3. The atmosphere you’re most drawn to is: 

    A. Libraries, academies, and lively debate. 

    B. Ships, maps, and distant horizons. 

    C. Studios, cafés, and creative circles. 

    D. Ballrooms, gardens, and elegant conversation. 

 

4. Your friends might say you are: 

    A. Thoughtful and intellectually curious. 

    B. Bold and adventurous. 

    C. Creative and expressive. 

    D. Graceful and socially perceptive. 

 

5. If you could witness one historical scene, it would be: 

    A. Philosophers exchanging ideas. 

    B. Explorers setting sail into the unknown. 

    C. Artists unveiling bold new works. 

    D. A refined gathering full of wit and conversation. 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is from Santoka Taneda, in Mountain Tasting: Haiku and Journals of Santoka Taneda]

the world won't last. What are You? What am I?

    This is the newest in a recurring series called The Interview Game, the first of which was conducted by Michael and posted here, and the most recent of which was conducted by The Onion and posted here. These questions were posed by my mysterious friend Elliott.     

    Questions are always welcome, to appear in future posts. Add in the comments or send them directly to me by private message.

---

1. You inherit a perfectly ordinary house from a mysterious relative. In the attic, you discover one locked trunk. Inside can be anything except money. What do you hope is in it, and why? 

    a novel, handwritten, never published. Preferably hand-illustrated as well. To be able to read something that is essentially secret until that moment would be amazing. Even if it's not the best work ever written, it would be an honor and a gift. 

 

2. You've written before about films, books, objects, places, and even rooms that seem to gather emotional weight over time. What's something you own that has become far more important to you than it had any right to be when you first acquired it? 

    putting aside the obvious things like letters from friends who've died... the first thing that comes to mind is my wedding ring. I've long since traded away the engagement ring (for the diamond earrings I'm wearing right this moment, in fact). The wedding band, I had made smaller so it fits my pinkie, and also had the inscription buffed out. I wear it on a chain with some other charms. The ring seems to stand for affection and loyalty, and the idea that I was once the kind of person who could be so loving, and so loved. 

 

3. You have one free day, no obligations, no errands, no guilt, and a modest amount of spending money. What does the day actually look like from waking up to going to bed? 

    sleep, eat, read, sleep, eat, movies, sleep. My desires are simple.

    If it had to involve going out, I'd wander the downtown bookstore near the financial company where I used to work, then get red beans & rice from the BBQ place. I'd come home, eat spicy food, and read - probably poetry. 

 

4. What's a belief or assumption you held at twenty that you now find charming, misguided, incomplete, or surprisingly correct?

    charming: love wins in the end

    misguided: "I deserve it" is sufficient reason for whatever indulgence appeals at the moment

    incomplete: any phrase starting education is..., education will..., or education justifies...

    surprisingly correct: living away, at least for a while, is the right thing for me to do 

 
5. Suppose a friend who knows you very well is asked to describe you in one paragraph. What's the thing you hope they mention, and what's the thing you suspect they'd mention instead?

    I would hope they would mention sometimes-surprising thoughtfulness, e.g. well-chosen cards. I would suspect they would mention organization or detail (which I consider a thing that I do, but not necessarily a thing that I am).

 

6. What's the most beautiful thing you've ever bought for a completely impractical reason?

    this photo print ("Couples, Princes Street Gardens, Edinburgh (1966)") by Robert Blomfield, upon which I splurged—big time—and that I never, ever regretted. It hangs in my bedroom (now with a tiny watering can and an even tinier glass cat perched on the frame) and always, always brings me peace and joy to see. (Read this post for more on the subject.) Owning something purely for the feelings it gives to look at it is highly impractical, but by no means irrational. 

 

7. What subject could someone accidentally get you talking about for three hours?

    houseplant care

8. What's something you've become better at letting go of?

   tangible evidence of affection. Sometimes it's better to appreciate a memory as a memory and not by way of a thing.

 

9. Which movie scene would you most like to step into and inhabit for one hour?

    the ending scene of This is Not What I Expected (2017). Quiet sunset,
congenial company. Possibility. 

10. If future historians were reconstructing your life from the contents of your home, what conclusion would they get spectacularly wrong?

    it seems like my eBay inventory might give the idea that I'm a scholar, a tech geek, and maybe a machinist. And that I wear an extremely strange array of clothing and shoes.

[the title quotation is by Yunus Emre, from The Drop That Became the Sea: Lyric Poems]

there was never any substitute for those friendships of childhood that survive into adult years

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

🛝 What Kind of Childhood Friend Were You? 🛝

 

Childhood friendships had their own special magic. Some kids organized grand backyard adventures, some provided steady loyalty, some were the creative dreamers, and some were the quiet companions who made everything feel easier. Looking back, what role did you play in your childhood friend group? Take this quiz to find out.  

---

1. On a free afternoon as a kid, you were most likely to: 

    A. Invent a big game or adventure for everyone to play. 

    B. Hang out and chat while doing something simple together. 

    C. Build or draw something imaginative. 

    D. Be the dependable one who showed up every time. 

 

2. Your friends probably counted on you to: 

    A. Come up with fun ideas when everyone was bored. 

    B. Listen and keep conversations going. 

    C. Add creativity and imagination to everything. 

    D. Stick by them no matter what. 

 

3. Your ideal childhood hangout spot was: 

    A. A big yard or park where games could unfold. 

    B. A quiet corner where friends could talk for hours. 

    C. Somewhere that sparked imagination—treehouse, art table, blanket fort. 

    D. Wherever your closest friends happened to be. 

 

4. When a problem came up in your group, you usually: 

    A. Turned it into part of the game. 

    B. Talked it through calmly. 

    C. Found a creative solution. 

    D. Stayed loyal and supportive. 

 

5. Looking back, your friendship style was: 

    A. The adventurous ringleader. 

    B. The thoughtful conversationalist. 

    C. The imaginative creator. 

    D. The loyal best friend. 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is Alexander McCall Smith, from The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency]

you don't. give FIRE. to a kitten!

Average rating: 7.25

My Blueberry Nights (2007) - "After a painful breakup, a young woman leaves New York and drifts across America, forming fleeting connections with wounded strangers while searching for a way to heal her heart and rediscover herself. The question isn't 'Where is she going?' but 'How does a person become open to love again after being hurt?'"

length: 1h, 35m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Wong Kar-wai  |  why I watched: I'm working through the director's films

IMDb: 6.6/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 45% / 61% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: melancholic, lush & romantic

notable quote: "'You know, I didn't even think you'd still be here.'

    'Why'd you come?' 

    'I guess I just wanted to see if I could remember what it felt like."

my notes: gorgeous, charming, contemplative. It falls somewhere between Romantic Drama and Philosophical Exploration/Indie, despite the well-known cast. Norah Jones, in her cinematic debut, blew me away as Elizabeth. She really does seem to be a natural actress. I also particularly enjoyed Jude Law (Jeremy) and David Strathairn (Arnie). 

themes: transformation, loss, love

overall: highly recommended

 

RED 2 (2013) - "Former CIA black-ops agent Frank Moses and his old partner, Marvin Boggs, are caught in the grip of retirement—but that soon changes when a powerful Cold War weapon known as Nightshade resurfaces decades after its disappearance. With assassins hot on their trail, Frank and his team set out to find the one scientist who can unravel the mystery of Nightshade and help them save themselves—and the world." 

length: 1h, 56m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Dean Parisot  |  why I watched: I've seen it before, but have not reviewed it

IMDb: 6.6/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 44% / 63% Audience  |  my IMDb: 6/10  |  MPAA: PG-13

tone & texture: playful, hyper-glossy action

notable quote: "'She has talents you and I will never have.'

    'What talents?' 

    'People like her.' 

    'If she lives, this'll be good for your relationship. You're right.' 

    'And if there's one thing I know, it's women and covert ops.'

    'That's two things.'

    'No, grasshopper. It is not.'"

my notes: kiss of death for an action movie: it's boring, and I didn't really care how it turned out. I think that Catherine Zeta-Jones killed this one for me, as she did for Ocean's Twelve (2004, reviewed here); her characters are all surface, no substance. 

    I love the interplay between Bruce Willis and Mary-Louise Parker, and even more I love that between Willis and John Malkovich; their grumpy, reluctant affection is completely adorable. And I understand that this film, even more than the original, is about the effects of aging on one's abilities and perceptions. And I really dig Lee Byung-hun. But.... 

themes: loyalty

overall: weakly recommended

War {Rogue Assassin} (2007) - "John Crawford spends years chasing Rogue, the assassin responsible for murdering his partner Tom Lone  and Lone's family. The hunt drags Crawford deep into obsession, hollowing out his marriage and turning every criminal operation into personal theater. Rogue resurfaces in San Francisco and engineers escalating warfare between Chinese Triads and Japanese Yakuza syndicates, exploiting greed, pride, and ritual loyalty to destabilize both empires. As bodies accumulate and alliances fracture, Crawford closes in on the assassin while unknowingly circling the collapse of his own moral identity. Every confrontation tightens around concealed guilt, damaged masculinity, and the unbearable weight of unfinished grief." 

length: 1h, 43m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Philip G. Atwell  |  why I watched: I've seen it many times, but never reviewed it

IMDb: 6.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: 14% / 51% Audience  |  my IMDb: 7/10  |  MPAA: R

tone & texture: gritty, hyper-glossy action

notable quote: "Pain can be a weapon, if you so choose."

my notes: it's not the best film Jet Li or Jason Statham has ever made, but it's for sure the best of the five they've done together (also including the first 3 'Expendables' and The One, {2001, reviewed here}). And there's a moment (49:55) that makes the entire thing worthwhile, where the exquisitely controlled, precise, and withholding Rogue, watching through a window as a woman plays with her child, lets loose the emotions. It is startling and beautiful, perfectly lit and shot and acted. 

themes: revenge, identity, loss

overall:  recommended

The Major {Mayor} (2013) - "On a cold winter’s day Sergey Sobolev, a major at the local police office, is driving to the hospital where his wife is about to give birth to their child. High from happiness, he’s driving too fast and runs down a boy on a passage walk, who dies. Now the major has only two options: go to prison or conceal the crime. Sobolev decides to compromise with his conscience and calls on a colleague to help him out. But the case turns out to be messy and when Sobolev finally changes his mind and tries to make up for his deed, it might already be too late." 

length: 1h, 39m  |  source: my DVD  |  directed by Yuriy Bykov  |  why I watched: I found a listing a catalog of movies, and it caught my eye

IMDb: 7.2/10  |  Rotten Tomatoes: NA% / 70% Audience  |  my IMDb: 8/10  |  MPAA: not rated

tone & texture: bleak, grit & grain

notable quote: "Stop sniveling."

my notes: this is the most grim movie I've ever seen. I couldn't watch it all in one sitting, but had to keep stopping it to clear my head. 

themes: moral ambiguity

overall:  recommended only to someone who is fully prepared for dark. 

 

[the title quotation is from RED 2]

we brighten in a blaze of rhymes

Such figures if they succeed are beautiful 

because for a moment we brighten in a blaze of rhymes 

and yet they always fail and must fail 

and give way to other poems 

in the endless approximations of what we feel 

Hopeless it is hopeless     Only the wheel 

endures     It spins and spins winding 

the was the is the willbe out of nothing 

and thus we are     Thus on the wheel we touch 

each to each a part 

of the great determining reality     How much 

we give to one another     Perhaps our art 

succeeds after all our small song done in the faith 

of lovers who endlessly change heart for heart. 

as the gift of being     Come let us sing against death. 

 

 [Hayden Carruth {1921-2008}, 'The Wheel of Being II', from Last Poems]

I have seen the dark universe yawning Where the black planets roll without aim

More accurate than a Buzzfeed quiz; less accurate than your therapist’s raised eyebrow.🤨

 

🪐 Which Planet Is Your Spiritual Home? 🌏

 

Some people feel most themselves in places of warmth and brightness, others in quiet mystery, and others where wonder and possibility stretch to the horizon. If you could claim a cosmic home somewhere in the solar system, which world would feel most like you? Take this quiz to discover the planet that matches your spirit.  

---

1. Your ideal environment feels: 

    A. Warm, vibrant, and full of life. 

    B. Bright and energetic, always in motion. 

    C. Calm, spacious, and quietly majestic. 

    D. Mysterious and reflective. 

 

2. When facing something unknown, you usually: 

    A. Approach it with curiosity and optimism. 

    B. Dive in quickly and see what happens. 

    C. Step back and take in the bigger picture. 

    D. Reflect quietly before acting. 

 

3. The view you’d most like to wake up to is: 

    A. Oceans and clouds swirling with color. 

    B. A blazing sunrise over a rocky horizon. 

    C. Vast rings stretching across the sky. 

    D. Quiet moons drifting through deep space. 

 

4. Your personality is closest to: 

    A. Balanced and nurturing. 

    B. Bold and adventurous. 

    C. Wise and expansive. 

    D. Thoughtful and introspective. 

 

5. Your guiding feeling about the universe is: 

    A. Life is precious and interconnected. 

    B. Adventure is waiting everywhere. 

    C. There is grandeur in the vastness. 

    D. Mystery gives life its depth. 

 

Results in the comments! 

 

[the title quotation is by H. P. Lovecraft, from Nemesis]