Author Archives: Lani Huft

The repetition of Cunningham and Whitman

Posted on November 17, 2010 by Lani Huft

Michael Cunningham emphasizes television’s compulsion to repeat.  Walt Whitman emphasizes his own compulsion to repeat. Whitman’s listing, or cataloging, and use of repetition draw the reader in to try and discover the true meaning behind his words. Cunningham’s angle may … Continue reading →

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Uplifting Spahr

Posted on November 3, 2010 by Lani Huft

Our reading took an exciting twist this week. We read “This Connection of Everyone With Lungs,” by Juliana Spahr. She is a lovely writer that I really enjoyed reading. Her use of cataloguing and repetition let us know right off … Continue reading →

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Surrounded by Death: Oppen and Whitman

Posted on October 20, 2010 by Lani Huft

The death and sadness that plagued George Oppen’s life is entirely too much for one person to tolerate.  His mother committed suicide when he was only four years old.  To have his mother not only die when he was at … Continue reading →

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Sunflowers

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Lani Huft

The strong, ever-resiliant sunflower that Allen Ginsberg writes of in his poem, “Sunflower Sutra,” is the perfect representation of the resilience that was showing up in the spirit of America during the 1950s.   He did not choose a flower … Continue reading →

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Twenty Love Poems…#1

Posted on September 29, 2010 by Lani Huft

Pablo Neruda Body of a woman, white hills, white thighs, when you surrender, you stretch out like the world. My body, savage and pleasant, undermines you and makes a son leap in the bottom of the earth. I was lonely … Continue reading →

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Pound’s Pact

Posted on September 15, 2010 by Lani Huft

At first read, Ezra Pound’s, “The Pact,” is a spicy poem. It sounds like a student that has been studying Whitman way too much in his past and is trying to make amends with this irritating poet, Whitman. However, as … Continue reading →

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Old General Whitman

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Lani Huft

I saw Old General at Bay I SAW old General at bay; (Old as he was, his grey eyes yet shone out in battle like stars;) His small force was now completely hemm’d in, in his works; He call’d for … Continue reading →

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“Never date a guy that doesn’t own a library card.”

Posted on September 1, 2010 by Lani Huft

My yoga instructor this morning said, “Never date a guy that doesn’t own a library card,” and as the class chuckled I was reminded of Walt Whitman’s “Inscriptions.” “Shut Not Your Doors” Shut not your doors to me proud libraries, … Continue reading →

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