Do you ever have trouble sleeping at night? Judging from ads on TV, this must be a common problem. Ambling toward the far side of seventy I occasional wake up and can’t fall back into the arms of Morpheus. Generally it’s not a problem thanks to a few meditations and prayers that usually bring calm. […]
Prayers Around the Body Read More »
I got to know Joan at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Kentucky. To me and a lot of others, especially on the East coast, she’s one of the best playwrights around. More theaters need to produce her plays. Everyone, look for her work! I was never a theater goer until my
At Joan Ackermann’s in the Berkshires Read More »
Later Cameron Powers did well as a highway construction contractor, but his real love was playing music. He and his partner Kristina Sophia traveled in a big RV for several years sharing with various groups Middle Eastern music they’d learned on the road in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and elsewhere. “The secret is limiting stops for
Driving Advice from the Pros Read More »
Has our poet of overgrown fields flown the coop to become some exotic creature? Maybe a crow? Lots of critters inhabit Robert Bly. Can his work have wings into the future? He died a few days ago, Nov. 21, 2021, at 94. I helped organize a reading for him way back in 1964. His first
Birdwatching from Madison, MN, to Subiaco, AR Read More »
Best burger on the road: Kewpee Drive-inn, Lima, Ohio. A giant angelic baby stands atop the roof of the historic eatery. More dolls on the inside and a sign proclaiming, “Your grandparents probably ate here,” which may be true, as they were all frisky in the 1930s. This was near the end of our trip,
Selected Scenes from a Delta-Variant Summer Road Trip Read More »
This day of remembrance recalls twelve years ago when the Ozarks suffered a derecho. This squally system with dozens of tornadoes toppled millions of trees, smashed property, totaled our car and destroyed our solar collectors but thankfully took just one human life. In my forthcoming Ozark Voices: Oral Histories from the Heartland I write about
Biscuits & Gravy with Screaming Pope Read More »
OHA has an active webpage and blog that’s steadily updated. I try to keep up with news in the field, but good intentions often take me elsewhere. Nevertheless, I was honored the group chose a part of one chapter from my upcoming book, Ozark Voices: Oral History from the Heartland, to be their blog post for the
Post for the Oral History Association Read More »
Did some hiking in Shannon County to escape bad news. Seeing the January 6 scenes of destruction of our Capitol in Washington caused eerie deja vu. Fifty years ago I was part of a group of 1,000+ Vietnam veterans who “invaded the country of Congress,” as we described our operation to protest an ongoing war.
Another Capitol Demonstration Read More »
Let’s start with a first cousin, Joseph Coffino, who came all the way from Los Angles to be in St. Louis for Michael. “We always loved baseball,” Mr. Coffino said. “When we were growing up in New York City I remember once we went to a Dodgers-Giants game and sat behind a guy with a
Hot Poetry and Deep Freeze in Ol’ Mound City Read More »
