For the End of Summer
Temptation to hold malice
at the taking of summer.
Found such fruit
found so temporary
found true love
found out. [Read more…] about Poetry: For the End of Summer
Poetry
Painters, Poets, A Manhattan Museum, and the Nazis
In April 2009, the heirs of Berlin-born George Grosz filed a restitution lawsuit against New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) claiming that three paintings by the artist held in the museum’s collection rightfully belong to the family.
The trustees resisted the call. [Read more…] about Painters, Poets, A Manhattan Museum, and the Nazis
The Dutch & Flemish Roots of Yankee Doodle Dandy
Yankee Doodle went to town
A-riding on a pony,
Stuck a feather in his cap
And called it macaroni.
Macaroni Craze
During the third quarter of the eighteenth century, Londoners saw the bizarre spectacle of the so-called “macaroni craze.” Young aristocratic men who had returned home from their educational Grand Tour through Continental Europe to Italy, displayed a liking for pasta. [Read more…] about The Dutch & Flemish Roots of Yankee Doodle Dandy
Poetry: Be Prepared
Be Prepared
Train before the contest
Rehearse before the concert
Study before the test
Warm-up before the game
No matter the challenge
The rule remains the same
Be prepared
Poetry: It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
It Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over
With 4.3 seconds left on the clock
And down by one point
Brunson fires a long trey and misses
But outta of nowhere OG Anunoby
Skies and tips in the rebound to win the game
Capping off an improbable comeback by
The NY Knicks to recover
From being 29-points under
It ain’t over til’ it’s over
Poetry: The Weakest Link in the Chain
The Weakest Link in the Chain
Engineering a project from
Design through construction
Requires careful reflection
At each step in the process to
Ensure system quality and cohesion [Read more…] about Poetry: The Weakest Link in the Chain
Poetry: The Devil is in the Details
The Devil is in the Details
He had it all figured out
His plan was airtight
Or so he thought
Until a small oversight
Caused his scheme to derail
Thus he learned in hindsight
The devil is in the details
Poetry: Deep in Thought and Alone
Deep in Thought and Alone
A cleric bows his head
And thumbs his prayer beads
A man tilts his head forward
And thumbs his smartphone
In silhouette they look alike
Deep in thought and alone
Poetry: Nurtured by the Two Bridges Community
Nurtured by the Two Bridges Community
The neighborhood located between the
Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges
On NYC’s Lower East Side was the
Final destination for countless immigrants
Whose hard labor helped build America so
Future generations could prosper and grow
Enjoying our land of abundant opportunity
Nurtured by the Two Bridges community
In Memory of Frank Mosco, founder of the Two Bridges Neighborhood Council, and his son Vincent.
Poetry: But For Thoughtless Manspreading
But For Thoughtless Manspreading
When the young man sat down
With his legs wide apart
On a crowded subway train
There was no room left for
The elderly woman standing
Before him to have a seat
But for thoughtless manspreading
Poetry: The Damage Had Been Done
The Damage Had Been Done
The findings of the investigation
Into the cause of the accident
Were inconclusive
But it didn’t matter to anyone
The damage had been done
Emma Lazarus, Nativism & The Gates of Immigration
Poet Emma Lazarus was active from the mid-1860s until her death in 1887. She descended from a well-established Sephardic family in Manhattan. Her presence coincided with the arrival of waves of Ashkenazi refugees from Eastern Europe. Their customs, Yiddish language, and political activism were distinct from the assimilated Sephardic community.
Emma created two contrasting sonnets on immigration, both dated 1883. Set against the socio-political background of their time of publication, these poems highlight some of the historical and continuous controversies surrounding the issue. [Read more…] about Emma Lazarus, Nativism & The Gates of Immigration
Poetry: Confused with the Facts
Confused with the Facts
When colleagues pointed out
Problems with his proposal
He was insulted by their
Constructive criticism which
He viewed as personal attacks
He refused to let himself get
Confused with the facts
Poetry: Just a Matter of Time
Just a Matter of Time
It was on his to-do list so
He wouldn’t forget about it
He would take care of it later
As soon as he gets the chance
But later never came
For him it was always
Just a matter of time
Poetry: Italian Rainbow Cookies
Italian Rainbow Cookies
Chocolate covered
Layers of red white and green
With raspberry jam in between
The colors pop
Inside the pastry shop
Inviting you to take them home
Along with the cannoli
Delicious and hard to resist are
Italian Rainbow Cookies
Poetry: If There Were a 4-Point Play in the NBA
If there were a 4-Point Play in the NBA
With 3 seconds left in the game
And down by 3 points
The ball is thrown-in to a player
At the far end of the court well
Beyond the half-court line who
Heaves up a Hail Mary shot that finds
The bottom of the net and wins the game
Spectators rise and roar in disbelief
If there were a 4-point play in the NBA
Poetry: False Casting
False Casting
Fishes Eddie
mile marker 89
one white birch
and a two-day old blood stain
beneath the soft shoulder sign. [Read more…] about Poetry: False Casting
Poetry: It Was A Close Call
It Was A Close Call
When the accident occurred
And the car spun out of control
Everything seemed to
Happen in slow motion
Strangely time and space contracted
Producing a heightened perception
Fortunately no one was injured but
It was a close call
Poetry: Tax
Tax
It’s a provocative little word
Having only three letters
Whether it is preceded by
Income Property or Sales
People dislike paying it
As certain as death is a
Tax
Poetry: A Good Idea at the Time
A Good Idea at the Time
What he did was so crazy
That people he met afterward
Would always bring it up
They wanted to know
What he was thinking
All he could say in retrospect
Is that he thought it was
A good idea at the time