Author Archives: Editor

Los Angeles Times Newspaper Died on Thursday

by Editor

On Thursday, April 9, 2009, The Los Angeles Times newspaper placed an advertisement disguised as a column of news on its front page!  A major American newspaper cannot do this.  It is totally unacceptable.  The cheapening of the LA Times over the past year due to financial problems and poor management has gradually gutted the paper.  It’s once high-quality book review section on Sundays is now part of another section and has become a smattering of generalized culture articles.

As soon as I found out about the disguised ad on Thursday I ran to the phone and cancelled my 12-year subscription to the paper.  The woman on the phone asked what my reason was and I told her I was disgusted by the ad placement.  Perhaps someone in the paper’s management will realize that the end has arrived and save us all some trees by shutting down the presses and letting the reporters go work for an internet news organization.

Newspapers are in trouble.  It’s imbeciles like the ones running the LA Times that make a recovery impossible for them.

Rest in peace, Los Angeles Times.

Doña Josefina Counsels Doña Concepción Before Entering Sears

by Editor

Our roll of poetry for National Poetry Month continues with an animated poem by Maurice Kilwein Guevara.  His poem has two Spanish-speaking women planning to speak only English as they enter a Sears store.  It’s funny on the surface but it’s also a serious look at how people try to avoid being themselves in order to convince others that they are not stereotypes to be feared.

Tornado Child: A Kwame Dawes Poem

by Editor | 2 Comments

Here’s another animated poem. This one is by Kwame Dawes who grew up in Jamaica and now lives in South Carolina. I like the way the poet is unafraid to show pleasure in the language of the poem. This seems to be a happy poet.

I Started Early: A Poem by Emily Dickinson

by Editor

For National Poetry Month, here’s an Emily Dickinson poem rendered as a beautiful animation with a reading by actress Blair Brown. This is part of the Poetry Foundation’s series of videos known as Poetry Everywhere.
Here is the complete poem for you to read:

I started Early – Took my Dog –
And visited the Sea –
The Mermaids in the Basement
Came out to look at me –

And Frigates – in the Upper Floor
Extended Hempen Hands –
Presuming Me to be a Mouse –
Aground – upon the Sands –

But no Man moved Me – till the Tide
Went past my simple Shoe –
And past my Apron – and my Belt
And past my Bodice – too –

And made as He would eat me up –
As wholly as a Dew
Upon a Dandelion’s Sleeve –
And then – I started – too –

And He – He followed – close behind –
I felt His Silver Heel
Upon my Ankle – Then my Shoes
Would overflow with Pearl –

Until We met the Solid Town –
No One He seemed to know
And bowing – with a Mighty look –
At me – The Sea withdrew –

Podcast Novel: A Princess of Mars (Chapter 2)

by Editor | 1 Comment

DOWNLOAD MP3 AUDIO

A Princess of Mars

This is the first John Carter of Mars novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the author of the Tarzan books. It was his first novel, published in 1917 and it’s a work of rip-roaring science fiction that has inspired many of the great writers in the genre.

Chapter 2: John Carter tells how he awoke inside the cave in danger of losing his life to his pursuers or possibly to the thing making strange noises behind him.  Our pulp sci-fi novel makes its first reach for the stars in this chapter.

You’ll find regular podcasts of all the chapters over the next couple of months. Subscribe to our feed.

Duration: 00:10:32
Read by Alessandro Cima

All audio stories are Copyright © Candlelight Stories, Inc., All Rights Reserved.

Poet John Ashbery Gives Interesting Answers

by Editor

Poet John Ashbery sat down to answer questions on a program called Open Book. He’s fascinating. I’m not sure why he is not running away from the questions, but whatever his infirmity might be, he is interesting in spite of the interviewers.

One thing in particular caught my attention: I don’t have any hidden meanings in my poems.

I think that’s an astounding thing to hear from one of the most difficult and impenetrable poets I have ever read.

Vetiver
by John Ashbery

Ages passed slowly, like a load of hay,
As the flowers recited their lines
And pike stirred at the bottom of the pond.
The pen was cool to the touch.

Read the rest of the poem…