Revenge, a Poem by Taha Muhammad Ali
For some time Taha Muhammad Ali, a Palestinian from Jerusalem, has been my go-to poet for unexpected images and rare …
Author Archives: Will Kirkland
The Prison of Belief
“Just because you believe it doesn’t make it true,” reads a bumper sticker I’ve recently seen. It’s not a popular …
The Canal Bridge — Irishmen in WW I
The Great War: A Photographic Narrative
Photography in this day of iPhone snaps and YouTube video is such a part of the fabric of the world …
The First Casualty – A WW I Conscientious Objector as Sleuth
Ben Elton’s 2012 mystery, The First Casualty, is a fine combination of two popular literary genres: men at war and …
America’s Wars by Charles Simic
Charles Simic, if known at all is usually known as a poet. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, then part of Yugoslavia, …
Thinking About Good-bye
It’s been a week of saying good-bye, to those I’ve admired for work done and lives lived, most of whom …
Swing Vote – For Political Junkies of all Persuasions
By pure happenstance last night a few friends spun up the DVD of Swing Vote, the 2008 send-up of political …
Oh What a Lovely War! — Irony and WW I
When Richard Attenborough’s movie, Oh What A Lovely War! appeared in October, 1969 I didn’t see it. Regardless of his …
A Most Violent Year: A Man Without Guns Prevails
One of the season’s offerings tries a point of view not often found in American movies — a guy who …
American Sniper: A Veteran Has His Say
From Waging Nonviolence via Salon,an excellent look at American Sniper, its protagonist and the culture that creates him. Chris Kyle …
Parade’s End — Benedict Cumberbatch as England’s Last Tory
The 5 hour HBO/BBC mini-series, Parade’s End, (2012) with Benedict Cumberbatch as Christopher Tietjens, is a miracle of lossless compression, …