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Arts & Life
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- Written by: Ted Kooser
We reprint poems by living Americans, about American life, but sometimes we need to remind ourselves of the many beautiful and moving poems written by American poets no longer with us.
Robert Francis has been gone for thirty years but I turn to his poems again and again.
Here's a favorite of mine from his “Collected Poems: 1936-1976” from University of Massachusetts Press.
The Sound I Listened For
What I remember is the ebb and flow of sound
That summer morning as the mower came and went
And came again, crescendo and diminuendo,
And always when the sound was loudest how it ceased
A moment while he backed the horses for the turn,
The rapid clatter giving place to the slow click
And the mower's voice. That was the sound I listened for,
The voice did what the horses did. It shared the action
As sympathetic magic does or incantation.
The voice hauled and the horses hauled. The strength of one
Was in the other and in the strength was impatience.
Over and over as the mower made his rounds
I heard his voice and only once or twice he backed
And turned and went ahead and spoke no word at all.
American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright ©1985 by Robert Francis, "The Sound I Listened For," from Collected Poems: 1936-1976, (University of Massachusetts Press, 1985). Poem reprinted by permission of the publisher. Introduction copyright @2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – This Saturday, Sept. 7, Middletown Art Center hosts a double header of art and culture.
First, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., you can enjoy the closing reception for the “Nature” exhibit in the main gallery, as well as a collection of Alana Clearlake’s work in the small gallery. Artists will be on hand to discuss their work.
Then at 7:30 p.m. the MAC Film Club will screen “Rocketman.” Visitors are encouraged to dress in glam rock attire,
The “Nature” exhibit features work by local artists and includes Alana Clearlake’s newest painting, “Hard Rain.” The piece is a 13-panel dramatic progression of climate conditions and intensity that spans just over 16 feet. A collection of Clearlake’s sculptures and paintings in enamel, felt and mixed media “Sneak Peek” is on view in the small gallery.
Both exhibits will close Sunday, Sept. 8, at 5 p.m., and are well worth the visit to downtown Middletown.
The exhibits can also be seen this Friday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. as part of First Friday in Middletown (from 6 to 9 p.m.), this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The next exhibit, “All That Is Now,” the fourth Fire Anniversary commemoration, opens Friday, Sept. 13, from 6 to 9 p.m., with an exhibition reception, spoken word, dance and music. Those wishing to perform a fire/recovery related piece may contact
Middletown Art Center is located at 21456 State Highway 175 at the junction of Highway 29 in the heart of Middletown.
Stay up to date on all classes, exhibits and events, and consider a membership to support this valuable Lake County arts and culture resource at www.middletownartcenter.org.
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- Written by: Ted Kooser
I once wrote of Marge Saiser's poetry that she writes better poems about love than anyone I know. In this poem the love is standing off to the side, looking on, but it's there.
Marge Saiser lives in Nebraska, and her most recent book of poetry is The Woman in the Moon (The Backwaters Press, 2018).
He Taught Me to Drive
The road wasn't a proper road; it was
two ruts across a pasture and down
into a dry creek bed and up
the other side, a cow path really,
soft sand up to the hub caps.
You didn't gun it at the right time,
he said. I knew that before he
said it, but I didn't know how to get
the old Chevrolet out of the crevice
I had wedged it into. You'll figure it out,
he said, and then he took a walk,
left me to my own devices, which until
that moment had included tears.
My face remained nearly dry,
as was the gas tank when he finally
returned, took a shovel out of the trunk,
and moved enough sand from around
the rear tires so he could rock
back and forth and get a little traction.
That country had very little traction;
it had mourning doves, which lay their eggs
on the ground, a few twigs for a nest,
no fluff. Mourning dove. Even the name
sounds soft. Even the notes they coo,
perched on a fence wire. But they are
hatched on the dirt. When they leave the shell,
the wind is already blowing their feathers dry.
American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln. Poem copyright (c) 2018 by Marjorie Saiser, "He Taught Me to Drive," from Bosque, (Issue 8, 2018). Poem reprinted by permission of Majorie Saiser and the publisher. Introduction copyright @2019 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Ted Kooser, served as United States Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 2004-2006.
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- Written by: Tim Riley
At this year’s US Open tournament in New York’s Flushing Meadows, all four of these competitors are making a run to the Finals, but it’s a 15-year-old women’s player from Delray Beach, Florida who has captured, if not the limelight, at least plenty of attention.
Teenage sensation Coco Gauff made a thrilling run to the fourth round of this year’s Wimbledon, only to follow up with her main-draw debut at the US Open, winning the first two matches to advance to the third round.
The tennis fans are definitely getting behind Gauff, and at the press conference following her winning match in the first round, she remarked that the “crowd really helped me the whole match,” and playing on the second biggest court was a “really great atmosphere to play in.”
The future of women’s tennis most likely belongs to Gauff but reality set in during a third round straight-set loss to defending US Open champion Naomi Osaka, who came to the tournament ranked No. 1. Nevertheless, time should be on Gauff’s side in the coming years.
As is the case with Gauff, the thrill of the US Open is to witness emerging talent that will mature and develop over time before the debilitating accumulation of aches and injuries set in.
Even the almost invincible Federer has shown signs of strain as a 38-year-old player. On the main stage of Arthur Ashe Stadium, the Swiss pro lost the first sets of his first two winning matches, appearing to be sluggish before regaining his form in the third round.
Serena Williams, who last won the US Open title in 2014, is nearing her 38th birthday and still going strong. She was featured on the opening night stage in an easily victorious match with Maria Sharapova, who incidentally last won a Grand Slam at the French Open in 2014.
While the American women are performing well, the men are another story. The drought continues as the American men haven’t won a Grand Slam since Andy Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003.
John Isner, from Greensboro, North Carolina, came into the tournament ranked N. 14, representing America’s best hope. After winning three straight-set matches in the first two rounds, he lost to Croatian Marin Cilic in the third round.
With Isner holding the highest ranking of the American men, his loss means that no American is in the men’s draw heading into the quarterfinals for only the third time since 1968 when Grand Slam tournaments allowed professionals to compete with amateurs in the Open era.
While the sports action is almost overwhelming, the US Open offers plenty of delights for foodies to enjoy. The culinary options keep expanding, and maybe this is driven by surveys indicating that millennials are foodies.
I have no idea of the demographics of the US Open crowd, but I would say the majority would be the 40-and-over crowd. Nonetheless, dining options are plentiful from the Food Village to the fancy restaurants.
The gourmet food stalls at the Food Village, which are accessible to everyone, appear to remain slow to offer the plant-based healthy options favored by vegans, or even vegetarian dishes. Yes, there’s a difference between the two.
Renowned chef David Burke, who has a sit-down restaurant with a menu of Cuban-Asian-American fusion dishes and cocktails, has upgraded his Fish Shack with new offerings but the cold Maine lobster roll remains the most popular.
Meanwhile, vegan options are limited to the organic tofu soy blend vegetable and rice or noodles at the Korilla BBQ stand or the vegan organic tofu with avocado, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, edamame, and black sesame seeds served with tofu Caesar at the Poke Yachty concession.
More celebrity chefs are opening up shop. “Top Chef” judge Tom Colicchio is serving sandwiches and salads at the Wichcraft stand, where the lobster BLT sandwich will set you back 29 bucks, which did not fit with my lunch budget.
James Beard Award winner chef Jose Andres is also a first timer with his Butterfly stands at the Food Village and inside the main stadium. A diner in the mood for tacos, tortas and the signature ceviche should grab a bite.
A sporting highlight at this year’s Open did not involve a match or even temper tantrums from some players. A long-awaited honor was bestowed on a trailblazing tennis player who broke the color barrier three years after Jackie Robinson did the same in baseball.
Althea Gibson made her 1950 debut at Forest Hills, the site of the then-U.S. National Championships, at the age of 23 and a year later she became the first black athlete to play at Wimbledon and won her first Grand Slam title at the French Open in 1956.
A giant sculpture bust of Gibson, created by sculptor Eric Goulder, resting on five granite blocks in front of Arthur Ashe Stadium is a fitting tribute.
Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.