For several years I have celebrated Day of the Dead by writing “calaveras literarias.” Some people write poems for loved ones, but another tradition is to write humorous “tombstones.” I write the latter–or try to. Hope you enjoy! Here Lies McClurg (2013) He grabbed a second warm cider– An excuse to sit down beside her. … Continue reading Tradition!
Originally posted on Eunoia Solstice:
I rarely get asked to write commemorative poems, but when I do I feel like I’m connecting to ancient traditions, to times when the bard’s song was a monument as important as any statuary. There’s also an interesting challenge in pleasing a specific audience rather than the imaginary, amorphous readers or… Continue reading He was not of an age, but for that one time!
I started the year with the intention of writing in this space more. I even had outlined topics through February. Obviously that didn’t happen. But here’s some of what did: Baby still can’t walk, but—like her dear old dad—has taken to climbing on couches, chairs, and tables. She likes to awkwardly bounce and shriek like … Continue reading Do I dare disturb the universe?
If there’s ever been a constant in my life, it’s been books. My grandparents had a massive collection and my mother and grandmother regularly took me to the library. I remember the day I was finally old enough to get my own card. It was exciting, particularly for such a shy and nerdy kid. Right … Continue reading I like big books and I cannot lie…
I think I’ve said in an earlier post how much I love the artwork of this holiday. Every year I swear I am going to decorate and every year I fail and instead offer up a morbid epitaph. The “calaveras literarias” are becoming a tradition for me. And, yes, tonight is grocery night. And, yes, … Continue reading Happy Days of the Dead
Poe invented or re-envisioned several genres including horror, detective, and science fiction (Poe possibly supplied Jules Verne the idea for all those hot air balloon fictions!). While not discussed as much, he was also a purveyor of the hoax. Our story for this assignment, “The Facts In the Case of M. Valdemar,” is one of … Continue reading Poe’s Hoaxes: “The Facts In the Case of M. Valdemar” Assignment
You can read a recent short story of mine here. The story started as a dream script that I would present to Jan Svankmajer, one of my favorite directors. In a way, my attempt was to give an interior monologue to a puppet or character in a stop-motion film. Much of Svankmajer’s work has no … Continue reading A Failure to Communicate
Losing my zen when I complain of rain. Atonement: A haiku for my grandmother who said I would be a teacher, but never saw me become one. I miss her homemade bread, soup, and pasta and the way she laughed. And, really, she’s one of the reasons that I have very little to complain about. … Continue reading Haiku Humpday
Of course, it was an English teacher. We’ll call her Ms. G. Oh, what a crush I had on her in sixth grade. All it took was for her to talk about a book in class and I would go read it. One day she happened to mention a book by Stephen King. I knew … Continue reading Happy Halloween
Stephen McClurg 