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.

The Poem of as-Samau’al (Mid-6th Century AD): Verses 1-5

Posted on April 20, 2023 by JMN

The poem starts by positing traits that support a claim to being honorable and to merit good praise. Those traits are upstanding conduct and a capacity for resisting (enduring?) personal injury. Then, responding to provocation voiced by a woman, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Sharon Olds: ‘I Want You Hour and Hour in My Line of Sight’

Posted on April 18, 2023 by JMN

Sharon Olds’s poem is called “To You, from Your Secret Admirer,” and it’s part of the selection contained in Poetry April 2023. It’s the steamiest poem I’ve read since encountering Louise Labé in college French and learning the ramifications of … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Sharon Olds: ‘Nothing False Will Be Spoken’

Posted on April 16, 2023 by JMN

I traversed Sharon Olds’s selection of poems in Poetry (April 2023) fresh in the morning and they entered me fluently, with almost no friction. It’s a rare and wonderful reading experience where POMAG fare is concerned. This has happened to … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

‘All Good Writers Think They Suck’

Posted on April 14, 2023 by JMN

My title quotes a spicy remark by Harlan Coben on a British talk show aired on March 24th. He continued: “Only bad writers think they’re good. We all get beat up. We all have impostor syndrome.” Coben’s comments contrast pertly … Continue reading →

Posted in Quotations | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Foobar to Fix ‘They’

Posted on April 12, 2023 by JMN

To automate Spanish verb conjugation with Java code I created variables to hold the gamut of subject pronouns available to English and Spanish. Here were the varieties of “you”: String youS = null; // “you” singular familiar = “tú”String YouS … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged , , | 7 Comments

If You Believe in ‘Random’ Words, Reconsider

Posted on April 8, 2023 by JMN

Programming code as I understand it is language that tells a computer what to do. It has customarily been written by humans. I’ve written it. Code has to be very literal and deliberate.The machine, traditionally, is clueless as a stump. … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology, Commentary | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Teacher Gets Schooled

Posted on April 6, 2023 by JMN

I taught in a country high school in deep rural Texas. I was rubbish at it for 9 out of 10 years — mine is the discredit, I make no excuses. Teaching still gives me bad dreams: A roomful of … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Stand Tall for the Third Amendment!

Posted on April 3, 2023 by JMN

“I will defend my Second Amendment right to use my musket to defend my Third Amendment right to never, ever allow a British soldier to live in my house.” (Mark Russell, 1932-2023) (Robert D. McFadden, “Mark Russell, Piano-Playing Political Satirist, … Continue reading →

Posted in Quotations | Tagged | 5 Comments

A Jamaica in Texas

Posted on April 1, 2023 by JMN

Me gusta vivir donde se celebran fiestas de esta índole. ¡Viva la raza humana! ¡Viva la harmonía! ¡Viva la compaginación de los pueblos! ¡Vivan los tamales hechos en casa! San Luis Catholic Church in Yorktown will host its annual Jamaica … Continue reading →

Posted in Quotations | Tagged , | 1 Comment

‘I Am on the Side of Tears’

Posted on March 31, 2023 by JMN

“All we can do now is pray.” Famous last words. Prayer is the recourse of the desperate when there’s no recourse. It’s the last croak from the isthmus of the fauces before humanity lies facedown in the mud. When you … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary, Quotations | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments