Atavistic Sonnet Atavistic Sonnet
Shadow of the gull on the airport wall, lunging as the fuselage vaults above the meadow. Hollow in the cornrow where the hobo slept, then a backhoe filling up the furrow. Misery of clocks in neon glare, whereabouts of warblers and island foxes, an old flame googled from the dead letter office, simple as the still-warm bench at dusk. Typing or sewing, or bringing down a fever through a length of knotted string and a rusted staple gun. Here comes the tattooed witch with her drum while the royals wait by the limousine grinning. Shadow of the gull on the airport wall, shallows in the stairs where we fell and stepped, hollow in the cornrow where the hobo slept, a backhoe filling the furrow.
Oct 8, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Susan Stewart
Weightless Burdens Weightless Burdens
Gravity and the three-dimensional tears of Sandra Bullock.
Oct 8, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Stuart Klawans
Presidents and Libraries Presidents and Libraries
A blueprint for the Barack Obama presidential library.
Oct 8, 2013 / Books & the Arts / Michael Sorkin
What Should Democrats Demand in the Budget Showdown? What Should Democrats Demand in the Budget Showdown?
If Republicans feel entitled to push pet projects in exchange for opening the government or avoiding default, Democrats should call them on it—and detail their own demands.
Oct 8, 2013 / Bryce Covert
Puzzle No. 3298 Puzzle No. 3298
And don’t miss Kosman and Picciotto’s crossword blog, Word Salad.
Oct 8, 2013 / Joshua Kosman and Henri Picciotto
Letters Letters
Stop the rot!… run over on the runway… diapers: the new luxury… students always come last… ditch the bells & whistles
Oct 8, 2013 / Our Readers
Like Jon Stewart, Joe Lhota Aids the Tea Party ‘Crazies’ on Obamacare Like Jon Stewart, Joe Lhota Aids the Tea Party ‘Crazies’ on Obamacare
Stewart and Lohota both find the individual mandate so confusing, they're willing to forestall some of the ACA’s most potent policy.
Oct 8, 2013 / Leslie Savan
The Normalization of Violence Against Black Women The Normalization of Violence Against Black Women
The House stood and applauded the shooting death of Miriam Carey, further perpetuating the idea that black women’s lives are not worth as much as others.
Oct 8, 2013 / Mychal Denzel Smith
Karzai Lashes Out Over Civilian Deaths Karzai Lashes Out Over Civilian Deaths
The United States and Afghanistan may face the “zero option”: no American forces after 2014.
Oct 8, 2013 / Bob Dreyfuss
Mitch McConnell’s Moneyocracy Mitch McConnell’s Moneyocracy
McConnell will ask the Supreme Court to scrap campaign contribution limits today in the McCutcheon v. FEC case—if they agree, it will be a massive setback to campaign finance refor...
Oct 8, 2013 / Katrina vanden Heuvel