Happy May Day, I woke up thinking it was all a dream. But spending last night facing off the police at Columbia University will haunt me for the rest of my life

Paul Auster was a kind, brilliant soul who took the time to write a young writer who got this note in the mail and always treasured it. Safe travels friend RIP #PaulAuster

At Columbia University now the arrest vans are coming in. Come out and support National Students for Justice in Palestine

Columbia University right now BROADWAY at 114th

Suji Kwock Kim

In order for me to write poetry that isn’t political
I must listen to the birds
and in order to hear the birds
the warplanes must be silent.
– Marwan Makhoul

Without tenderness, we are all in hell.

—Adrienne Rich

My students at The New School are setting up encampments tonight. Here is our statement of support as faculty for Justice in Palestine

This is what university life SHOULD be. What more could we want for our students? That instead of us just lecturing them into repeating our mistakes, we empower them to teach other, care deeply, experiment, and to play w making the society they want to bring into being?

Scissored clouds with light snaking / through.

— J. Mae Barizo, from her collection Tender Machines

Waking up to Anne Carson & thinking, oh dear god, yes. “People should just quit that stuff.”

note to self: less reactive, more reflective, less tunnel vision, more kaleidoscope, less pellet-of-affection-pellet-of-rage, more time-taking, more timekeeping, more meter, multisyllabic, more rivers, more—in every way—like this:

poets.org/poem/you-are-w…

'The city, however, does not tell its past, but contains it like the lines of a hand.'

Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities, translated by William Weaver

As of this morning 29 writers & translators nominated for PEN Awards have withdrawn - including 9 of 10 fellow Jein/Stein nominees, who asked to no longer be considered for PEN’s most lucrative prize. We sent a letter to leadership today explaining why:
lithub.com/the-pen-awards…

USC has canceled the commencement speech of 2024 valedictorian Asna Tabassum, citing safety concerns. Asna says USC gave no evidence of threats but noted that 'anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian voices' have subjected her to 'racist hatred.' Her statement: bit.ly/3xNd9WA