Tag Archives: Kafka

Dream Song Strategy 310: Henry, monstrous bug, laid himself down

Posted on February 28, 2024 by Mark Kerstetter

We learned in looking at Song 25 that Berryman felt the writing of the Songs at times a burden that he had imposed on himself and yet could not lay down. Part of the burden, perhaps the most terrible part, … Continue reading →

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Michael Brodsky: Writing as Exposure

Posted on April 25, 2018 by Mark Kerstetter

The individual who has not risked his life may well be recognized as a person, but he has not attained to the truth of this recognition as an independent self-consciousness. —Hegel …. if you go on struggling to name…. you … Continue reading →

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Out of the Shadows with Maldoror

Posted on July 29, 2016 by Mark Kerstetter

Parle, et, puisque, d’après tes vœux les plus chers, l’on ne souffrirait pas, dis en quoi consisterait alors la vertu, idéal que chacun s’efforce d’atteindre, si ta langue est faite comme celle des autres hommes. —Lautréamont, Les Chants de Maldoror … Continue reading →

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The Writing of the Disaster and Lucky

Posted on May 23, 2016 by Mark Kerstetter

Where power does not reign—nor initiative, nor the cutting edge of a decision—there, dying is living. There dying is the passivity of life—of life escaped from itself and confounded with the disaster of a time without present which we endure … Continue reading →

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Sometimes You’re the Bug

Posted on November 24, 2015 by Mark Kerstetter

I’ve been singing The Bug while I do my work lately. It started with needing to replace a piece of trim on the carriage house (fancy word for garage). Uncovering one piece of wasted wood revealed another, and then others. … Continue reading →

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Jerry Lewis as Mockingbird

Posted on March 17, 2015 by Mark Kerstetter

The Lewis character is always potentially anybody —Chris Fujiwara There is no easy way to shake that schmuck you sleep with at night. No matter how you toss and turn he’s always there. —Jerry Lewis Jerry Lewis, love him or … Continue reading →

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My Favorite Short Story Collections

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Mark Kerstetter

I just found out that the 22nd of this month is International Flash Fiction Day. Who knew? I’m not sure how I’m going to celebrate this event, other than read some stories. But it gives me an excuse to list, … Continue reading →

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