Archive for the ‘OPW’ category

OPW: “Man Writes Poem”

May 27th, 2008 | In OPW 

I like this one by Jay Leeming, not least of all because it reminds me of something I wrote.
This just in a man has begun writing a poem
in a small room in Brooklyn. His curtains
are apparently blowing in the breeze. We go now
to our man Harry on the scene, what’s
the story down there Harry? “Well […]

OPW: Stephen Colbert’s Knox Commencement

May 16th, 2008 | In OPW 

Since it’s that time of year, and I wanted to avoid another day like this, some word’s from Stephen Colbert’s 2006 Address to the graduates of Knox College.
But you seem nice enough, so I’ll try to give you some advice. First of all, when you go to apply for your first job, don’t wear these […]

OPW: Harry Chapin on Tiredness

May 12th, 2008 | In OPW 

I recently stumbled upon a spoken track by the folk singer Harry Chapin called “My Grandfather,” and was pleasantly surprised by how much it resonated.
My grandfather was a painter. He died at age 88. He illustrated Robert Frost’s first two books of poetry. And he was looking at me and he said, “Harry, there’s two […]

OPW: Assignment #1

May 7th, 2008 | In OPW, poetry 

Today’s Other People’s Words was selected mostly because I’m a sucker for clever titles. It’s not that I don’t like Philip Burnham’s poem, it’s that I wouldn’t have payed attention if not for that title.
Assignment #1: Write a poem about Baseball and God
And on the ninth day, God
In His infinite playfulness
Grass green grass, sky blue […]

OPW: Reallocating Social Surplus

April 28th, 2008 | In OPW 

Clay Shirky, author of Here Comes Everybody, has some very interesting ideas about how the internet’s changing society and why. So on today’s “Other People’s Words,” a selection from a recent speech he gave on the topic. Video of the speech is available, as is the full transcript.
He begins by describing the role gin played […]