Author Archives: JMN

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About JMN

I live in Texas and devote much of my time to easel painting on an amateur basis. I stream a lot of music, mostly jazz, throughout the day. I like to read and memorize poetry.

Confession

Posted on August 5, 2026 by JMN

I confess to a proclivity (morbid?) for depicting faces in various states of contortion. A face at rest, unless it’s grizzled or reflective of a corrupt soul, has bland contours. States of agitation are what lay bare the deserts, mountains … Continue reading →

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How to Positively Cry

Posted on August 3, 2026 by JMN

No matter where life takes me,I carry this love. I carry my part. This ending to Aaiún Nin’s long-ish discursive poem “McDonald’s Money” made me cry. Not from sadness, but because it crowns a fine writing with the keen point … Continue reading →

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A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Future

Posted on August 1, 2026 by JMN

On June 24, 2026, the academic summit on the topic of “Extreme Heat” scheduled to be held in London, England at the London School of Economics Shore Library was canceled due to extreme heat. (c) 2026 JMN — EthicalDative. All … Continue reading →

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The Unary That Hogs Validity

Posted on July 30, 2026 by JMN

— Which inscrutable monad is the Valid? Who doesn’t court surmise there could be None?Beings unconceived with wings strongly matterTo the hotly spooked who swing a prophet’s hammer. Say a godspell ambushed seers in Bronze Age lands:“Unmoving Mover placed us … Continue reading →

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The Guitars and Drums Do Most of the Talking

Posted on July 26, 2026 by JMN

Since I fancy myself poetry curious, I’m ashamed that the lyrics of most rock songs constitute for me so little of the listening experience. I rarely register more than the odd phrase that penetrates the instrumental layer. The frontpersons (I … Continue reading →

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There Is No ‘I’ in ‘Poet’

Posted on July 24, 2026 by JMN

Verse in the pen of the writer.Poetry in the mind of the reader.Words the strike.Mind the flint.Fire the poem. (c) 2026 JMN — EthicalDative. All rights reserved

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Trumpetss Ssound, End Timess Hiss

Posted on July 20, 2026 by JMN

An overt latent sshiftiness, both andss,Neither norss, never alwayss the ssame;Sslithering duness, conssisstent sshifting ssands,Familiar, sscarcely recognissable;Crucible, crux, ssacrifice, ssuffering, sshame. F-150’s rifle rack naked, gunBaked. Cup of staggering fisted. SonNailed, lanced, bled, mocked, screwed.In car nato birthed, hanged from … Continue reading →

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Paul Thek, Practitioner of ‘Crude Figuration’

Posted on July 16, 2026 by JMN

Although Thek possessed impressive skills as a draftsman and painter, he was an early practitioner of the crude figuration of “bad painting” (a term coined by Marcia Tucker, the founder of the New Museum). I don’t know how seriously to … Continue reading →

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My Dog

Posted on July 14, 2026 by JMN

My doggy pets herself with my bare foot.The foot is there, she thinks, idle appendage.Why not let it do rewarding work?My foot responds unthinkingly to her command.It fetches the affection she has thrown,And she extols me with her lavish wag. … Continue reading →

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‘There dwells in the glance an ancient hunger…’

Posted on July 10, 2026 by JMN

Translation to English of a poem in Spanish titled “Únicas/Únicos” by Azurea20 published at La Bancarrota del Circo on July 6, 2026. ONE / ONLYThere dwells in the glancean ancient hunger;a buzzing ofbees crownscogitationas one’s own lighttries to take rootin … Continue reading →

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