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The Catbird Seat
Author Archives: catbird2
MFAin’t gonna skip it after all
In which Katie makes peace with an acceptance letter As you may remember, gentle readers, a little over a year ago when this blog began, I had just received a slew of rejection letters from full time MFA programs, and … Continue reading
Odysseus into the 21st century
This post, gentle readers, will wrap up my theoretical anti-theory discussion about how books continue each other. In this previous post, I looked at how in the 1st century BC Roman poet Virgil continued the stories that Homer told in … Continue reading
Posted in reading, teaching, writing
Tagged books continue each other, comparative literature, poetry, reading
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In a flash
For you. You know who you are. he reads me, but not like a book. books levy their slow tax on time: exacting a split second per word, a half minute for half a page, a quarter hour to sketch … Continue reading
Dante takes Homer’s torch to the Inferno
Don’t think me unaware, dear readers. I know that literary history is not quite as interesting as a tale of being a foreigner or of dropping the f-bomb on my mother. But I just can’t seem to help myself. I’ve … Continue reading
Homer’s torch
A litero-historical tale of books continuing each other As you may remember, gentle readers, I’ve been working my way through some thoughts on how books continue each other. I use the word “books” in the loosest possible sense, because my … Continue reading
Posted in reading, teaching, writing
Tagged books continue each other, comparative literature, fiction, poetry, reading
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What teachers make
A poem by slam poet Taylor Mali, with a little help from YouTube. I wonder how I had never heard of this guy before a week ago.
I, Too, Sing America
In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a poem by Langston Hughes I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes, But I laugh, And eat well, And … Continue reading
Last minute letter to Santa
Dear Santa, I have not believed in you for many years, so please forgive the hurried and inexpert tone of this letter. I am, let’s say, over 29 years old and I have been relatively good this year, if you’ll … Continue reading
Books continue each other, part 2
Continuation distinguished from thematic contents and adaptation To begin, I must confess that I likely overstated my case in the previous post, when I claimed the idea that books continue each other is somehow an “anti-theory.” Though I think the … Continue reading
Posted in reading, writing
Tagged books continue each other, comparative literature, fiction, writing
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The poet lights the light and fades away. But the light goes on and on. — Emily Dickinson, quoted in The Sun
The Catbird Seat 