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November is almost over, and we would be remiss if we failed to note the passing of the composer Elliot Carter on the 5th. Before he was a composer, he was an English Major at Harvard, and later in life set music to many poets, such as Elizabeth Bishop, Robert Lowell, and Wallace Stevens. Carter’s music sounds like a lot of other 20th century music (as Bach sounds like a lot of other early 18th century music), in that it is typically atonal and rhythmically complex. The Concerto for Orchestra is considered by many to be his finest work; in the comments you’ll even see comments “this is indeed the greatest musical composition ever.” Ever! It is great, but it is also fairly tough going for the uninitiated—much, much more difficult than even Bartok’s great concerto, or Lutoslawski’s. As Carter himself says about harmonic patterns in his work, “a chord, a vertical group of pitches either simultaneously sounded or arpeggiated, like a motif, is a combination to be more or less clearly remem...

When they write the history of Korrektiv Press, the Kollektiv’s involvement with the Walker Percy Center will surely occupy a pivotal position. From the never-written memoir of our visit to the opening of the Center, to our grand entrance upon the Percy landscape at the Center’s first conference , to what really ought to be the Kollektiv’s first-ever universal convocation , the fortunes of the one have been rather fancifully intertwined with those of the other. Gerasene ’13 in New Orleans. Rally, Kollektiv, rally!

Lickona missed this one as well, and Webb must be off smoking a cigar somewhere. So today the task falls to me: A porcupine’s main defense against predators consists of keeping its backside to a predator. Get too close and you’ll snag 500 quills engineered to embed themselves deeper and deeper into flesh. A mouth full of these painful pins has caused many an animal to starve to death. In fact, the porcupine is so well-respected, it wanders the forest day or night without much hurry or fear. Few animals are clever enough to successfully hunt porcupines, though mountain lions, fishers, and Chevy Impalas have the most success. That mess of quills is equally effective against its own kind. Whatever you do, do not follow the echidna link. And I don’t mean that in a ‘Ha! ha! Now that I’ve said something you won’t be able to resist following anyway!’ sort of way. This porcupine story contains enough sex and violence for the day.

The Afterlife of Moose

…but diamonds are forever.

Finally! The third book from Korrektiv Press is now available. I hit the “publish” button a few days ago, and was told the page would be up later this week. My brother called to tell me he’d manage to find it at Amazon today. You can all also get it at CreateSpace (the printing division of Korrektiv Press). Here’s the description: Diana tends bar at Queequeg’s Tavern, where she meets Pete, a recent retiree always ready with a joke, and Jeb, a homeless student driven by a poet’s Romantic aspirations. Tangled up in a history of the family blues, she sometimes takes refuge in a church she can’t decide to join for good. Tom, the manager of a video store near the tavern, is settling into a new marriage with Helen, an adult film producer wealthy enough to save Tom’s store from impending doom. But when a figure from his past walks through the door, who will save his marriage? Who will help whom as this nest of birds unravels? Bird’s Nest in Your Hair : a novel a...

I don’t mind you doing my job , but  you forgot the graphic:

“O pomo che maturo solo prodotto fosti, o padre antico…” – Paradiso, XXVI, 91-92 When Adam found his voice, the wilderness Was ready: “Washed in meaning made complete By Eden’s living stream, what names confess Our roots commune in fruitful vine and wheat…” Confirmed in nature, called by name, each word Collects the truth as branches bearing fruit. Our father, first in faith and doubt, had heard And seen the ripe and raw, the soft and brute – The babbling minaret’s catastrophe Ordained his words to plant in thorns – he reaped The wind, though not alone, since unity Betrothed distinctions love alone has kept Since Adam’s tongue anointed everything With rites that verbalized the wilderness – Each blade and leaf, each paw and fin and wing That Adam’s ripened apple strained to bless.

… or Up from the Comments. Angelico is on board. Here’s how it went down. My dear Mr. Nguyen, I’ve talked it over with my Korrektiv brethren and sister(en?) and we’re all in agreement that you is one of us. Can we make it official and add you to the Kollektiv, give you a spot on the blog, have Mitsui do you up an avatar? Six is an evil number, we need you to make us seven so we can go to heaven. What say you? Potter My dear Mr Potter, Blessed be God. My gratitude to you Six, and to the good Lord, for this unexpected honor is matched only by my sorrow at the decline in standards it evinces. But churlish second-guessing and cowardly refusal are training for that despair which is blasphemy against the Spirit — and I’ll be damned if I train for that. If yall think the shoe fits, I shall wear it, and proudly. Please convey my immense gratitude to anyone who put in a good word for me. Thank you yourself. The Korrektiv is a wonderful place, project, and gro...