The Fingerwrecker

It is the weekend, so we must sing! This is Jim Hession on J. R. Morton’s “Fingerwrecker.” I am in the Bywater, sitting on the back porch. I cut the banana palms down to waist height, as one does, two days ago. They have already grown five inches. Axé.

Faroese

April Fool! I am not really in Haiti, but I am dreaming of it and of the Faroes. In Haiti one speaks Kreyòl, and in the Faroes, Faroese. I can partly understand both of these languages, which makes the islands upon which they are spoken very tantalizing. And I have no serious interest in Sweden, … More Faroese

En Haiti

I am in Haiti, having flown here from New Orleans this morning. I left at 8:30, I arrived at 12:30, and I paid $432. It is less beautiful than this film, which makes me wonder — has it deteriorated to so great a degree, or does the film idealize? Did they clean the streets before … More En Haiti

“The Day You Were Born, All the Flowers Bloomed”

EL DÍA EN QUE TU NACISTE / NACIERON TODAS LAS FLORES / Y EN LA PILA DEL BAUTISMO CANTARON LOS RUISEÑORES. “…and nightingales sang around the baptismal font.” Today, which as it dawns dresses the fields in new colors, we have the mañanitas, and De colores, and many videos. Our friend César Chávez, one of … More “The Day You Were Born, All the Flowers Bloomed”

Regin Dahl

Regin Dahl died in Copenhagen on this day in 2007. His life marked several. Tín er degningur handan líkdampsins flókar. Dit er morgengryet hinsides ligdunstens tåger. Yours is the daybreak beyond the corpse-reek’s mists. His father is on a stamp and I would be curious to know more about this man than is known. When … More Regin Dahl

Baba Ghanoush

This baba ganoush is really good and note — you do not need a blender to make baba ghanoush. I had always thought you did, forgetting that blenders are new and baba ghanoush, old. Axé.

21st Century

Are you used to writing of the twentieth century in the past tense yet? I mean, using was instead of has been? Are you used to the idea that we are now standing outside the twentieth century? Axé.