Shame and Capital
fall fresh sun beams on ceramic features of carved irony warm the deadened impulse to breathe green grass grows on the other side of the world we desensitize the cells until growth is abstract...
Month: March 2008
God, diabetes, and death in Wisconsin
A few days ago, in Wisconsin, 11-year-old Madeline Neumann died from undiagnosed diabetes. Her parents prayed over her as she deteriorated, instead of taking her to the hospital. According to most...
The Revenge: Witness to a Murder
Chloe Bradshaw is 13. She counts Darren Shan as one of her main writing influences. Her favourite subjects at school are Drama, History, and English. This is the first installment of "The Revenge,"...
Words from a Lame Man at his Pew
Here in GC land, we thought this poem was especially pertinent considering the recent brouhaha over Barack Obama's minister. Please remember to enjoy the genius of Sim Stafford responsibly....
God’s Crucible: A Review
This is a review of God's Crucible: Islam and the Making of Europe, 570-1215, by David Levering Lewis. W.W. Norton. 2008 Islamic presence in Spain between the 7th and 14th centuries has long been...
Dating advice from an expert
An awkward boy is talking to two pretty girls he met at a coffee shop: can you imagine a more flinch-worthy scene? Our hero wears a red shirt that marks him as a proponent of “AIDS Day” in no...
The Polygamist
Imam Idris Sultan was unmarried, and for this reason he approved of polygamy. He was a religious figure in "this irreligious society" where polygamy was looked down upon. His open advocacy of the...
Heartbreak Hill: will it be Clinton or Obama?
Around mile 20 of the 26 mile Boston Marathon, runners come upon an incline called Heartbreak Hill. They hit a fatigue point at a time when the course calls for some tough slogging before the stretch...
My Bee
Lalla M’Zouda took pride in the thicket of her burning bush. “Gardens are the scene of assignation,” she told Moulay Aly. “First, your tongue is to brush, barely brush, the dew from the outer...
48 hours in Warsaw
I arrived in Warsaw by train from Krakow. I forgot to take a book for my train ride, but this was a blessing in disguise, because Polish people have devised a wonderful system for book promotion:...