…or not. That’s the question today. I’ve been studying modern British poetry (this poem is my favorite from this week) for the past month and a half, and this week we focused on the unusual belief system of William Butler Yeats. The whole system is interesting, in the way it gave Yeats a foundation for his poetry. The many references to his system infuse the works he produced. Of course, whether he fully believed the system isn’t really something I worry about, afterall, he produced what he intended to produce (poems) by producing a system within which to produce it. If that makes any sense. We make sense of what we can I suppose.

…the jar of salsa (sorry, no picture here will satisfy the intense craving one will feel upon seeing the delicious condiment–so I thought I’d spare you), and I’ve burned a copy of the Klazz Brothers Cuba Percussion (this band happens to be playing in Vienna when we are there :-)).
I’m retiring from my duties as an SWG Board member, sad but true; I’ll miss the Friday line-up of events, so I’ll be expecting a full low-down from whoever goes, but hopefully I’ll be arriving in town in time to catch some of the Saturday afternoon readings, and, of course, in time ultimately to amuse some people.

I’m looking forward to the John V. Hicks Award Dinner, and congrats to Barbara Sapergia, Gordon Portman, and Geoffrey Ursell on the wins.

And don’t forget to visit the rockstarpoet‘s new blogosphere. It seems every day is a new blog template. Or not.

…I haven’t been sleeping much, and now I’m slightly behind on my school reading. I think its all just a byproduct of the weather, but nonetheless, it has laid me up with a nasty chest cold. I think the necessary remedy is to pick up one of the “real” books I keep staring at (I’m thinking of Lynn Coady’s short story collection Play the Monster Blind)–I’m sure I could read a few stories before I must cook.

The turkey is under my wing today, so Happy Thanksgiving. Eat lots of pie–some of you stop eating so much pie.

…and in the words of someone I know, good grief!

So, they were $2.99 for softcover, and $5.99 for hardcover. Here is my new list (which is kind of weird because I never finished reading the last basket of books before the school semester started, and I’m not likely to get to these until Christmas–but I’d like to think I’m ambitious about my reading lists–or not).

The Falls–Joyce Carol Oates

Wild Dogs–Helen Humphreys

Deafening–Frances Itani

Gilead–Marilynne Robinson

Due Preparations for the Plague–Janette Turner Hospital

Thieves–Janice Kulyk Keefer

Beyond Good and Evil–Nietzche

Slouching Toward Nirvana: New Poems–Charles Bukowski

…tagged. This is a good thing. This is interesting. I’m going to define 5 things (tough) feminism has given me.

Well, number 1: Choice. What this means is I don’t feel beholden to anyone for my choices in life. Period.

Number 2: Community. There are many women out there with similar situations, similar experience. We find each other, someway, somehow. This is good.

Number 3: A chance to express individuality. Until recently this was unrealized by women.

Number 4: The ability to be. Period.

Number 5: The ability to have control over myself, over my body, over my situation, over my life. This is key to being a woman in today’s feminist experience.

…a poem for fall. So much of what was swept away in the wind’s autumn arm. So much of what is slipping past our eyes.