Christmas in Texas is full of single panel cartoons like his one.
Comfort and joy
In the December 23 entry from Tape For The Turn of the Year, A.R. Ammons writes, “release us from mental / prisons / into the actual / fact, the mere / occurrence—the touched, tasted, heard, seen.” For many, Christmas is a spiritual time, but it’s also a sensual time, of food, music, lights. It’s a mistake, I think, to elevate one over the other. The spirit and the senses are not disconnected. They are a two-way street.
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
This was a fun one. The top half is from an article about an opera singer. The bottom half is about the box office (“Transporter,” “Milk,” etc.).
Merry Christmas! Hope everybody gets what they want.
UPDATE: the poem as originally posted didn’t make any sense. I’ve updated it!
ON THE CHRISTMAS LEGEND
If we focus on Joseph, as Matthew does, and make this a legend of salvation, then Joseph becomes the second Adam. He is given a second chance, as we all are, constantly, a chance to reenact a life drama that we have wretchedly botched at least once before, and to do it right this time.
—Stephen Mitchell
Happy Christmas to everyone: here’s Stephen Mitchell from his book, The Gospel According to Jesus, on the Christmas Legend, Joseph, and the true meaning of Christmas: forgiveness.
Today I hope you’ll forgive yourself, and then forgive those who have wronged you.
Peace on earth!
WHEN THE DUST FINALLY SETTLED
After only a few weeks, I’ve decided to shut down the Newspaper Blackout Poems blog. With work, three different comics I’m working on, and doing my own poems, I just don’t have time for any other project. (I’ll still be posting some on this site now and then.) Thanks to everyone who sent me their poems, and I hope that those interested will go on doing their own.