Eagle When She Flies

Dolly Parton died, and damnit, why? Today, the day after she died, I put on the important songs for my first hour class to listen to. My assistant and I talked about how great she was, after he had reminded me about “Islands in the Stream,” which I can’t believe I forgot. It was day […]

So Educated

I read online that Spike Lee was having people over because Prince had died. I found my way over and there were a bunch of people standing around, slowly closing the street like an artery plaquing. People had cameras, there were trucks with satellites on them, and one big light. I had kind of thought […]

Distance

When I was zipping through a practice exam to use with my students, I slowed way down to read Ralph Ellison. I don’t really know anything about him. I’ve never read Invisible Man. Strange as it seemed, I was enjoying reading a passage on a test. I immediately went back and ordered it from Amazon, […]

Circles

Everyone was as still for Bach as they were bouncy for Al Green. As rabidly as I’d danced to the Jackson 5 Saturday night, I sat still for Bach on Sunday. I closed my eyes, even. Pop music goes forward, neatly, in a way you expect, and it reinforces what you want and where you […]