A new poem for my brother in @poetrylondon.bsky.social โ with thanks to editor Niall Campbell ๐๐ป poetrylondon.co.uk
A new poem for my brother in @poetrylondon.bsky.social โ with thanks to editor Niall Campbell ๐๐ป poetrylondon.co.uk
Statement from Rep. Ilhan Omar on Trumpโs Illegal War on Iran โPresident Trump is unilaterally dragging this nation into an illegal and unjustified war with Iran without congressional authorization, without a clear objective, and without any imminent threat to the United States. This is a reckless abuse of power that puts both innocent civilians and American lives on the line for a conflict the American people do not want. โAs someone who has survived the horrors of war, I know that bombs do not build peace or create stability. Military strikes will not make us safer; they will inflame tensions and push the region further into chaos. When we abandon diplomacy, we choose destruction.
โWe know who will bear the cost of this decision: innocent civilians caught in the crossfire and our young service members sent into harmโs way. This is the devastating human toll of another regime-change war. Already, children and families are paying with their lives. There is no moral or strategic justification for this bloodshed. โThe American people are exhausted by endless wars built on false promises and paid for with American and foreign lives. Congress must reassert its constitutional authority. We must vote immediately on the War Powers resolution authored by Reps. Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie. This unlawful operation must end immediately."
Two poems in America Magazine
In print. Two for my brother. With thanks to Joe Hoover & America Magazine ๐๐ป
Please help Nano Tagg & Natalie Young (of Sugar House Review) through this incredibly difficult time if you can gofund.me/e134b5acb @sugarhousereview.bsky.social
Chat w/ Chad & Vince about Dermot Healy's plays: fearlessly inventive language and theatricality, yet tied to the voice and experience of those he wrote about. The wit and poetry is pure him, and pure Irish. Mining the @dalkeyarchive.bsky.social podcast: dalkeyarchive.substack.com/p/dermot-hea...
Acre author @bydanobrien.bsky.social is returning faculty this summer at @sewaneewriters.bsky.social! Apply, apply! ๐๏ธ๐
Applications through March 1 โ๏ธ
CB editions February newsletter - it's been a bad month - as archived on the blog: sonofabook.blogspot.com/2026/02/cbe-...
Congratulations to Michael Laskey who was awarded the King's Medal For Poetry at the weekend. Here's a fine appraisal of his work by Matthew Stewart @roguestrands.bsky.social
thefridaypoem.com/michael-lask...
Another from America Magazine for my brother, on the 40th anniversary of his first suicide attempt, and what may be the third anniversary of his suicide. Thinking of him and all those who struggle with depression.
Thanks so much, Penny. Iโm so sorry for your loss
A poem for my late brother in the January issue of America Magazine โ with my thanks to editor Joe Hoover ๐๐ป www.americamagazine.org/poetry/2025/...
Every photo from Minneapolis looks like this. Cops decked out with guns and full tac gear facing off against people in bathrobes, parkas, and sweatpants armed only with whistles and cell phones.
Yet every verified MAGA chode on X dutifully calls it a riot or violent insurrection.
And here is my story: โAbsolute hellโ: Irishman with valid US work permit held by Ice since September
www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
Bad Bunny, Lady Gaga, & Ricky Martin repping ALL of the AMERICAS! Best Super Bowl halftime performanceโฆmaybe ever! ๐ ๐จ๐ฆ ๐บ๐ธ ๐ฒ๐ฝ ๐ง๐ฟ ๐ฌ๐น ๐ญ๐ณ ๐ธ๐ป ๐ณ๐ฎ ๐จ๐ท ๐ต๐ฆ ๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ง๐ธ ๐ง๐ง ๐จ๐บ ๐ฉ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ด ๐ฌ๐ฉ ๐ญ๐น ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ณ ๐ฑ๐จ ๐ป๐จ ๐น๐น ๐ฆ๐ท ๐ง๐ด ๐ง๐ท ๐จ๐ฑ ๐จ๐ด ๐ช๐จ ๐ฌ๐พ ๐ต๐พ ๐ต๐ช ๐ธ๐ท ๐บ๐พ ๐ป๐ช
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeareโs Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
here in free on demand new play reading: Australian playwright Sunny Drake's fiery comedy of catastrophe APOCALYPSE: A LOVE STORY. online at @lorteltheatre.bsky.social . (runs through Feb 16)
I remember our meeting fondly, Penny. But alas this time I'm visiting the Birmingham in Alabama
Birmingham โ See you next month, on Saint Paddyโs no less โ๏ธ
calendar.uab.edu/event/dan-ob...
holy shit they finally canceled Shear Madness
Trump's awful post about Alex Pretti am confirms this point -- he's not sorry, he's not pivoting, and he'll use the same playbook as ever to survive yet another scandal that would have destroyed any other politician
my new column: www.newyorker.com/news/letter-...
Acre poet @bydanobrien.bsky.social at @kenyonreview.bsky.social! ๐๐๐
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. Itโs dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Truth is / I'm sane: I'm just sad
I recorded "For My Brother: A Heroic Crown" for The Kenyon Review, if you feel like a listen: soundcloud.com/the-kenyon-r... @kenyonreview.bsky.social
The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara: "People have had enough. This is the third shooting in less than 3 weeks. The MPD went the entire year last year recovering about 900 guns from the street, arresting hundreds of violent offenders, and we didn't shoot anyone ... this is not sustainable."
It's time to abolish Trumpโs ICE.
Sayre: "My background is in international humanitarian response in conflict zones in Yemen, Haiti, Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine. What I've seen here is what I've seen there. A powerful entity violently and intentionally terrorizing people."
Superb reportage on Minneapolis from one of the all time greats.