Tag Archives: language

Middlesex Praise God, Texas View

Posted on November 13, 2025 by JMN

Imagine Middlesex — it must exist — a town, maybe a “village,” not a city. It’s in The Shires — wherever that is — an English village situated on a stream whose name is sufficiently spelt with three letters. The … Continue reading →

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Time’s Wingèd Hotrod Tailgates Our Patoots*

Posted on November 11, 2025 by JMN

 “It’s easier to turn an aquarium into fish soup than to turn fish soup into an aquarium.” (Russian saying) Time’s wingèd hotrod tailgates our patoots.The piper that denies it is pie-eyed.Rosin up the bow and lick a toad!Time’s wingèd hotrod … Continue reading →

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Review of ‘Infinite Jest’ (Don’t Worry, I’m Jesting!)

Posted on November 9, 2025 by JMN

I haven’t finished listening to the novel on my new Audible subscription, but I see no reason not to review it. It’s twenty-seven Titanics of insanity steaming with breakneck slowness over an eternity of pages towards a who-knows-what species of … Continue reading →

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Enshittified* Cadence of the Unitaries

Posted on November 6, 2025 by JMN

“When she says, ‘We have failed you,’ she means ‘We, the Democrats,’ okay?”— Speaker Mike Johnson(Say What? Archive) We.Other. Smother. Blight. Slight. Smite.Are.Invert. Divert. Revert. Subvert. Pervert.Not.Condemn. Conflate. Confuse. Concoct. Conspire.Them.Suck. Wreck. Mock. Block. Duck.They.Judge. Fudge. Dredge. Dodge. Purge.Are.Garble. Wrangle. … Continue reading →

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Oh Besity! (Anthem)

Posted on November 4, 2025 by JMN

Oh Besity! With tendernessOur country stands for thee,Staunch rampart against slendernessFrom sea to shining sea. Oh Besity! Forsake us not,No di-et shrink our girth.Caloric excess be our lot,Our destiny from birth. Ours the fat and ours the cream,All exercise to … Continue reading →

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The Buck Stops… There (CAGA)

Posted on November 2, 2025 by JMN

“My message to America is, first, the fact that your government is failing you, right now. Poverty is not red or blue, is not a Republican or Democrat issue. If you are in a position that you can’t feed your … Continue reading →

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Amanuensis

Posted on October 28, 2025 by JMN

…chanting in unison, a mobof flightless birds, one timelesscomplicated psalmafter another…(From “Transfiguration” by Michael Dumanis, Poetry, September 2025) A poem reminded me of you, old friend.Judy, Judy, Judy.You came back from a summer’s Italyspeaking of the Italian boysthronging street corners,half … Continue reading →

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How Translations ‘Fail’

Posted on October 27, 2025 by JMN

(Update, Oct. 26, 2025. Some time after writing what’s below I’ve encountered Mitch Teemley’s citation of Psalm 37:23. What’s a good word for how the Quran and the Bible interact? I’ve no expertise in either, but I see signs of … Continue reading →

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Quickness, Sureness, Deep Intelligence

Posted on October 24, 2025 by JMN

Nothing we do has the quickness, the sureness, the deep intelligence living at peace would have. (Denise Levertov) I had the unique experience of being exposed to a poem orally, recited by the poet no less, and of understanding her … Continue reading →

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What’s Rebarbative and Nugatory and Quacks Like a Duck?

Posted on October 20, 2025 by JMN

Ice BreakerKnock knock.Who’s there?Rebarbative and Nugatory.Rebarbative and Nugatory who?I know you are, but what about me? Quiz: Which is which?(A) Causing annoyance, irritation or aversion; repellent(B) Trifling, inconsequential, having no force, inoperative Follow the Instructions:(A) __________(B) ___________ AssessmentHow’d you do? … Continue reading →

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