Author Archives: sputterpub

Snubbin’ Cousins

Posted on July 25, 2011 by sputterpub

If you go back just a few generations in anybody’s family, the tree widens. Folks tended to have more babies last century, and even if fewer (percentage-wise) survived to adulthood, enough made it that everyone had cousins, and many came … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons | Leave a comment

Reveille

Posted on July 22, 2011 by sputterpub

I started this sonnet in 1998, saw it published in the online zine Cyclamens & Swords last August, and have just dallied with edits and played with line breaks, for here. I don’t know what breed of bird it was, … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons, Poetry | Leave a comment

The Truth about the Tortoise and the Hare

Posted on July 21, 2011 by sputterpub

It’s a great fable and it made a cute cartoon. But is it honest? We all get it: that to win the race one should stay focused and avoid cockiness. But under what circumstances, really, would the tortoise win? Clearly this … Continue reading →

Posted in Lessons, Question | Leave a comment

Blasphemers and Heretics

Posted on July 20, 2011 by sputterpub

Well it just goes to show you. A few weeks ago I thought it might be fun to look up blaspheme. And before I did that I knew I’d also have to check out heretic. But I expected blaspheme to … Continue reading →

Posted in Language | Leave a comment

Multitasking

Posted on July 19, 2011 by sputterpub

One day two years ago, Lisa asked why we think it’s good to multitask, and her question stopped me cold. I couldn’t come up with a good answer. I’ve given the subject more thought since, and I am boggled at … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Leave a comment

The BART Effect

Posted on July 18, 2011 by sputterpub

They don’t give out full information, but I just happened to ride the escalator with the responding emergency personnel, so I knew it was one septuagenarian who took our BART train out of service. “It’s her hip,” the station agent … Continue reading →

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Indelible

Posted on July 15, 2011 by sputterpub

I knew a man once who had a couple of sons, and he loved them with all his heart. But he viewed his boys as the sort of noble savages folks say Rousseau described – he figured that, left to … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Leave a comment

Tenants

Posted on July 14, 2011 by sputterpub

I was away from the Berkeley cottage for seven days a couple of weeks ago, and it appears there was a change in tenancy during my absence. Relocation is appropriate at this time of year in a college town. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Critters | Leave a comment

Tether

Posted on July 13, 2011 by sputterpub

I was editing a post recently, and I replaced the word “leash” with “tether.” The act made me conscious about the words in a way I’d never experienced. Offhand the difference is about direction. Both items are leads and both … Continue reading →

Posted in Language | Leave a comment

Condiments

Posted on July 12, 2011 by sputterpub

  They say variety’s a lively spice, but I think there are hotter condiments. A stress of any kind makes me feel twice as much as difference does. And for immense enlivening, anxiety’s the seed more mustardy, the pepper without … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Leave a comment