Tag Archives: language

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 →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged doggerel, language | 1 Comment

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 →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged language, music, style | Leave a comment

There Is No ‘I’ in ‘Poet’

Posted on July 24, 2026 by JMN

Posted in Anthology | Tagged doggerel, language | 2 Comments

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 →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged doggerel, language | 4 Comments

‘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 →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, reading, Spanish-English, translation | 13 Comments

Morning Norther, Hill County, Texas

Posted on July 3, 2026 by JMN

… Mr. Trump [promised] that this year’s fireworks display will break a Guinness World Record by exploding more than 860,000 shells. MORNING NORTHER, HILL COUNTY, TEXASThe wind trees up,rousing leaf rabble,a scramble of squirrel.Water kettled, coffee ground, storm brewing. Clouds … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged doggerel, language | 2 Comments

On Being Groped by a Bottom Feeder

Posted on June 29, 2026 by JMN

— To the Bro’hood of Silicon Gulch, la Fraternidad del Pinche Cabrón.No es lo mismo la cómoda de tu hermana que acomódame a tu hermana. Scat, lollapaloozer, vile binary stud!This crotch don’t cash your crypto crud. Shamelord sonnyboy, sleaze disease,Take … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged A.I., doggerel, language | 3 Comments

Blood and Dirt

Posted on June 26, 2026 by JMN

Dagger. The Bible has the story of a fellow who fashioned himself a dagger, fetched it hidden into the chambers of an unsuspecting portly man, and plunged it into the man’s belly so deep that it disappeared, unextractable. The King … Continue reading →

Posted in Commentary | Tagged language, miscellaneous | 4 Comments

Sadness on the Wing: A Celebration

Posted on June 24, 2026 by JMN

Diction front-loaded with shopworn sparkle (destiny adamantine jade infinite sunset horizon blossom heart gaze…) can reek of prefabricated verse, whereas speech treading on the heels of the quotidian can light your pants on fire. I ask myself what’s up with … Continue reading →

Posted in Anthology | Tagged language, poetry, reading | 2 Comments

Discard ‘OUGH,’ Replace with ‘UF’: That’s ENUF!

Posted on June 22, 2026 by JMN

“I said, ‘He’s a dumb guy. Wait a minute — he’s a Dumocrat.’ That’s how I got the name. You take the ‘E’ out, you don’t use the ‘B’ — a lot of people don’t know ‘dumb’ has a ‘B’ … Continue reading →

Posted in Quotations | Tagged doggerel, language | 4 Comments