This title is a little misleading. Last year one of my resolutions was to finish a book of poems on the Mississippi artist Walter Anderson. As is so often the case, it didn’t quite work out the way I planned. It worked out better. While I didn’t finish the manuscript of “Barrier Island Suite,” IContinue reading “New Year’s Resolution: A New Book of Poems”
Author Archives: Kendall Dunkelberg
Book Review: Approaching the Magic Hour by Anges Grinstead Anderson
Approaching the Magic Hour: Memories of Walter Anderson by Agnes Grinstead Anderson My rating: 4 of 5 stars A fascinating memoir for fans of Walter Anderson’s art from the perspective of his wife, this book tells the story of their marriage, his struggles with mental illness, and the times and places that inform his paintings,Continue reading “Book Review: Approaching the Magic Hour by Anges Grinstead Anderson”
2014 in review
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2014 annual report for this blog. Here’s an excerpt: The concert hall at the Sydney Opera House holds 2,700 people. This blog was viewed about 42,000 times in 2014. If it were a concert at Sydney Opera House, it would take about 16 sold-out performances for that manyContinue reading “2014 in review”
A Thought on Meter
I’m in the middle of grading poetry exam, and thinking about how difficult it is to teach writers about rhythm, especially meter. This group of students is doing pretty good discussing it, but this always reminds me of the challenges they have in actually scanning a poem or hearing stressed and unstressed syllables in aContinue reading “A Thought on Meter”
In Memoriam: Dorcas Dorow
This week a major force has passed. Dorcas Dorow wasn’t famous, though she was well known in my home town of Osage, Iowa, and half-way around the world in Lermontov, Russia, our sister city, a relationship she was the driving force behind. And her influence spread through her work at Waldorf and with the many choirsContinue reading “In Memoriam: Dorcas Dorow”
Low-Residency MFA Steps Closer To Reality
I’ve written a few posts about my ideas on a low-residency MFA in creative writing. Last week, those ideas became a lot closer to reality. You might say they’ve been realized at Mississippi University for Women, when our governing board voted to approve our proposal. But I’ll really believe it’s real when we have students.Continue reading “Low-Residency MFA Steps Closer To Reality”
Book Review: Sympathetic Magic by Amy Fleury
Sympathetic Magic by Amy Fleury My rating: 5 of 5 stars As the title poem announces, “Sometimes what is needed comes to hand.” These poems are both needed and close at hand. Amy Fleury’s voice is never overly intellectual, never too familiar. These poems are calm and contemplative, yet they bring necessary images to life,Continue reading “Book Review: Sympathetic Magic by Amy Fleury”
Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium Wrap-Up
It is hard to believe that two weeks ago today we at Mississippi University for Women were in the throes of another fabulous Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium. Hard to believe that two weeks have passed and hard to believe what a great weekend it was. Every year we say it was the best and couldn’tContinue reading “Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium Wrap-Up”
Book Review: The Last Days of California
The Last Days of California by Mary Miller My rating: 5 of 5 stars I loved the narrative voice given to Jess, and the immediacy of her story, where every moment is painted with vivid detail. Miller’s dry, sometimes sardonic sense of humor gives the story just enough of an edge, and the four familyContinue reading “Book Review: The Last Days of California”
Book Review: Fear and What Follows
Fear and What Follows: The Violent Education of a Christian Racist, A Memoir by Tim Parrish My rating: 5 of 5 stars Fear and What Follows, takes a chilling and at times difficult, even challenging look at America of the 1970’s, specifically the city of Baton Rouge and the school and neighborhood where Parrish grewContinue reading “Book Review: Fear and What Follows”
Kendall Dunkelberg 