(image by David Shapiro ©2010) “Three coyotes turned up on the Columbia University campus on Sunday morning, prompting an e-mail alert to students and faculty.” A coyote is sweetness itself compared to a professor— and a professor is selfless compared to a poet— even the meanest sculptor is not as stupid as a University— a wild animal is gentle and tame compared to a critic— a bobcat is meek and mild compared to any Intellectual— the zoo containing all is a garden compared to a Department no architecture is as fragile as friendship as vicious as love No stepmother is as horrible as the one you are stuck with No poem looks as good as the one you will find out is nothing when a mother calls you up you are lucky When a teacher calls you up you must always take out the revolver when you see a sick [...]
Let’s begin with a recording of Ode on a Grecian Urn recited by Richard Howard, which was taken on 2/12/2010 through my iPhone. Ode on a Grecian Urn Thou still unravished bride of quietness, Thou foster child of silence and slow time, Sylvan historian, who canst thus express A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme: What leaf-fringed legend haunts about thy shape Of deities or mortals, or of both, In Tempe or the dales of Arcady? What men or gods are these? What maidens loath? What mad pursuit? What struggle to escape? What pipes and timbrels? What wild ecstasy? Heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard Are sweeter; therefore, ye soft pipes, play on; Not to the sensual ear, but, more endeared, Pipe to the spirit dities of no tone. Fair youth, beneath the trees, thou canst not leave Thy song, nor ever can those trees be bare; Bold [...]