I Hear America SingingWalt Whitman I hear America singing, the varied carols I hear,Those of mechanics, each one singing his as it should be blithe and strong,The carpenter singing his as he measures his plank or beam,The mason singing his as he makes ready for work, or leaves off work,The boatman singing what belongs to … More A Happy 4th of July–Really!
For most of my 20s and 30s, I lived in Dupont Circle in the center of Washington DC. I participated in most of the big progressive protests or demonstrations of support during those days, and I saw my share of social unrest. If I were still living there and especially if I were still that … More How Could I Have Not Known?
Today is the 243rd anniversary of this great American experiment we call democracy, but I was having a hard time getting into a celebratory mood this year. I was not happy with the state of our union. I have been disturbed by how our current President is disrupting the lives and the traditions of the … More My Lessons of July 4, 2019
Not only is April host to Earth Day, but it also National Poetry Month here in the US. Those two events intersected yesterday in a program that Academy of American Poets Chancellor Jane Hirshfield developed called “Poets for Science.” Hirshfield is one of the most accomplished contemporary American poets, and environmental awareness has long been … More Poets for Science
