Category Archives: Poetry

October 24, 2012

Cardboard boxes rule

The cardboard box was inducted into the Toy Hall of Fame in 2005. The idea of a Toy Hall of Fame is fairly stupid, but if there has to be one, the cardboard box most certainly belongs there. I wrote … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Tagged , , | 2 Comments
September 20, 2012

That man from Nantucket is seriously profane.

For twenty years or more, I have listened to people in movies and on television begin reciting the limerick “There Once Was a Man from Nantucket” and then stop after the first line and laugh, acknowledging that the next lines … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 3 Comments
August 22, 2012

Forgetfulness

At last night’s book launch, I read a poem by Billy Collins while recommending one of this books of poetry. I also spoke about the importance of listening to Collins read his own poems and the remarkable visuals that have … Continue reading →

Posted in Appearances, Books, Poetry, Recommended Reading/Viewing | Tagged , | 1 Comment
June 1, 2012

What’s in a name? Several literary references.

It’s a boy! In case you haven’t heard, my wife gave birth to a beautiful baby boy yesterday named Charles Wallace Dicks. Charlie was born at 3:09 PM. He is 7 pounds, 1 ounce and 18 inches long. We chose … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Family, Poetry, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 29 Comments
December 5, 2011

A reminder that some of the best gifts come in cheap packages. And in some case,the best gifts are actually cheap packaging.

This insightful and amusing post on the five best gifts of all time (stick, box, string, cardboard tube, and dirt) reminds me of a poem that I wrote years ago that won a contest in the now-defunct magazine Beginnings. It … Continue reading →

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March 1, 2011

Poetry collection continued

Thanks so much for the gracious response to the first poem posted yesterday.  Your emails, comments and Facebook messages were much appreciated. Here’s another, completely the opposite of yesterday’s short and silly poem: _________________________________________________ April 20, 1999 I’m eating baked … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 2 Comments
February 27, 2011

My future poetry collection begins here

I’m thinking of assembling the poems that I have written over the years into a collection that my agent can then sell for millions of dollars because poetry i s super popular and exceptionally profitable and super sexy. Sounds good.  … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | 2 Comments
February 2, 2011

The headline should read: 99-year old Japanese poet finally gets off her ass

I know there are people who will hear about the 99-year old Japanese woman whose self-published book of poetry has become a bestseller and think that this is a heartwarming and inspiring story. I guess that anytime you sell 1.5 … Continue reading →

Posted in Critic, Poetry, SOMETHING MISSING | Leave a comment
January 9, 2011

iCarly trumps Robert Frost and Val Kilmer

I am reading Shakespeare’s Richard II to my students.  On Friday we came across the phrase “rue the day” in the text.  I was prepared to tell them all about Frost’s poem Dust of Snow: The way a crow Shook … Continue reading →

Posted in Film, Poetry, Quandry, Teaching, Television | Leave a comment
December 21, 2010

First time I was paid to write

The Chronicle of Higher Education posted a fascinating story about a man who makes his living writing papers for college students. Reading it reminded me that this was how I was first paid to write. Back in high school, I … Continue reading →

Posted in Autobiography, Poetry | Leave a comment