You know, I binged on John Steinbeck back when I was entering seminary and loved it. Nowadays I can’t read a thing by him. Too sentimental in his progressive assumptions.

I’ve written mostly free verse because the writers that drew me back to poetry were Kooser, Oliver, Bly, Kinnell, etc. I’ve experimented with some forms. Did ok with the triolet and some villanelle attempts, but abominable at sonnets. Form is something Wilbur, Justice, Jarman, and others are inspiring me to spend more time on, though.

As for the direct link, I plan to leave the main page link to the issue while it’s current so people might read more of or the whole issue, not just mine. After they archive it, I’ll probably go with the direct link.

I like it all, some very memorable lines and figures, except Bailout which defied me. Do you do more formal verse and not publish it, or just stick to the wild and free which grows like the uninhibited woods of the USA?

By the way, there is a straight link to New Year’s Day at RHP.

https://sites.google.com/site/47rhpissue/david-oestreich

Joel, you’re not helping with my literary Russophobia.

Don Quixote is a book the language of which apparently does not matter–so said Borges and he said it a lot.

You know, Neal Stephenson is one one reads about a lot on the SF blogs. I am almost at the point of trying him myself.

I remember when I would read through Book of Martyrs that it was mostly for the “no way!” factor. Somewhere amongst the boilings, broilings, and other creative means of killing and maiming I lost sight of the “they suffered this for Christ” part of it. Sobering to consider it now.