Ben Purkert

Donated! Appreciated this post, Garth

Last week, the State Department cut funding for the International Writing Program, which brings writers from around the world to Iowa City. I wrote about why the IWP is precious, & how crucial it was for my education as a writer. Free post; no paywall.

garthgreenwell.substack.com/p/a-city-of-...

Ms. Sharon lives near here. I met her last year. She’s been fighting this for a long time. She can’t sit on her porch midday and read her bible because of the stench from the plants. She can’t have a garden because the soil is poison. Her grandchildren can’t play in the grass. She’s exhausted.

Why the Second Trump Presidency Is So Much Worse for Democrats The first time around, the party had a plausible endgame for Trump’s reign. Today, that’s entirely absent.

I wrote about the Democrats, who are bad at this newrepublic.com/article/1921...

In life I’m no longer capable of love, of that old feeling of being / in love, such a rusty / feeling, rusty,

OMG the new poem by Diane Seuss crushed me. Now maybe let it crush you? poets.org/poem/life-im...

It’s my 40th bday today and so I ate this WHOLE DAMN CAKE except the me part, boooom

Jeff Bezos is muzzling the Washington Post’s opinion section. That’s a death knell | Margaret Sullivan ‘I couldn’t be more sad and disgusted,’ says former top editor Martin Baron

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Freedom is when the boss tells you what to write and think. bsky.app/profile/maxt...

currently reading an MFA student’s writing that is so staple-in-my-brain fucking brilliant I am wholly radioactive with delight, that is all, just needed you 2 know bye

I studied with Joseph Brodsky the great Russian poet and how do I say this, he thought we were lazy American students. We had to memorize 500 lines a week and come in and write them out for him. He said, you Americans are so naive. He said, you think that evil is going to come into your houses wearing big black boots and climb up the stairs-it begins in the language. Look to the language. He said, in the Soviet Union, nothing is permitted and everything is important. In the United States, everything is permitted and nothing is important.

“He said, you Americans are so naive. He said, you think that evil is going to come into your houses wearing big black boots and climb up the stairs—it begins in the language. Look to the language.”

-Joseph Brodsky, as recounted by Marie Howe themillions.com/2018/01/tk-t...

One thing Democratic leadership could do right now is to name an alternate HHS secretary--someone to provide ongoing public updates and health information. And do it for other departments too. Start showing voters what a Democratic government would look like--press conferences, speeches, all of it.

AWP panel: the poets are writing novels

YEAH WE ARE, see u there 😵🙃🥂💫 @ruthmadievsky.bsky.social @sallywenmao.bsky.social @mobrowne.bsky.social

i am the cranky old luddite writer i've always aspired to be 😍

A man chased leaves down an urban street. The leaves moved fast. He ran and ran. A young boy stopped him. "Sir, why are you chasing leaves?" "I'm a starving artist, I haven't eaten in days!" the man said. "Have some oatmeal cookies," the boy said. "I only eat leaves!" the man said, running down the street. "I only eat leaves!" (Jose Hernandez Diaz)

“I only eat leaves” is gonna be my new artist statement

Donate to Support Liz, Ray, and Saeyu After Home Loss from Eaton Fire, organized by Liz Oh Hi everyone, it’s Liz, Ray, and Saeyu~ We just learned that… Liz Oh needs your support for Support Liz, Ray, and Saeyu After Home Loss from Eaton Fire

very dear pal lost everything, please join me in helping if you can 💙

www.gofundme.com/f/support-li...

you are toasting with champagne for NYE, I am raising a glass of tap water for the midnight initiation of congestion pricing, WE ARE NOT THE SAME

entering 2025 with dark clouds and lightning bolts, cool cool cool

I was like YOU FOOLS, THIS OPPORTUNITY WONT COME AROUND FOR ANOTHER :: checks calendar :: 110 YEARS

incredibly important that you all know in 2002 I proposed “palindrome” as my senior year prom theme and it was soundly rejected, can you BELIEVE

Glad to hear it!!

submitted a letter of recommendation last night at 11:58pm before a midnight deadline, I've never felt more ALIVE

actual photo of me staring at this book cover and feeling my soul scurry off into the dark recesses of some other plane of existence

why does NYRB insist on absolutely fucking up my peace

THE STRING Night the black bead a string running through it with the sound of a breath lights are still there from long ago when they were not seen in the morning it was explained to me that the one we call the morning star and the evening star are the same

Night the black beard
a string running through it
with the sound of a breath

- W. S. Merwin, “The String”

say what you want, Kafka was a mensch

pinning my entire identity and self-worth on not being Yet Another Dude Who Shows Up with the Target Gift Card

firmly cementing my reputation as The Guy Who Buys His Kid’s Kindergarten Teacher a Generous Gift Card for the Local Bookstore during the Holiday Season 💪

I stayed in the city where no one can afford a house. I made a vow. I spoke of the person I wanted to become. Then I became someone else.

some strong NYC vibes in these lines from Margaret Draft

bad poem bad poem, whatcha gonna do, whatcha gonna do now that I've written you