Del Martin, 1921-2008

Lesbian rights activist Del Martin, who co-founded the Daughters of Bilitis with Phyllis Lyon and finally got to marry Phyllis (after 55 years together) this past June in San Francisco, passed away this morning. She was 87.

Associated Press article

"The Girl's Will; or Optimism" by Judith Hall

I like this poem, posted a week or so ago on the Best American Poetry blog. A cento, I assume? Been meaning to re-post it here. After Hillary's speech feels like a good time to do it.


The Girl's Will; or Optimism

After Alice, Lolita, Candy, Candide, and Alice Again

"Curiouser and curiouser!" cried —
Half-naked, kneeling, turning about on
"Darn Daddy anyway!" she said
Once upon a time.
Something interesting is sure to

Grow large again, for really
The sex interests of children
The heavy breathing of the
Best. For I am infinitely
Growing and growing, and very soon

With a yelp of delight
Stirring in a little girl
Her terrible selfishness, how it
Was an indispensable part of
Thinking I should be free.

"Please mind what you're doing!"
"This is a free country."
The girl was quite excited,
The best of all possible
Riddles that have no answers.

--Judith Hall


More Hall:
"The God that Took the Place of Pleasure" in The Boston Review
"White Bottom Blues" (BAP blog again)
"Poem for the Wheat Penny (1909-1958)"
Three Poems in Inertia Magazine

Joshua Callaghan's graph sculptures

These strike me as better-than-gimmicky--Joshua Callaghan's smart, simple graph sculptures. Could make a great grade/high school assignment, too--students each contribute a sculpture graph--let's say they're doing a unit on a certain war, or Native American history, or labor, or something--and create a sculpture garden-like exhibit for parents to walk through on back-to-school night (or to keep as an installation in the school). Via Waxy.



Military Spending by Nation, painted wood



Consumer Confidence, 2006-07, brass, wood



Very Concerned, Somewhat concerned, Not at All Concerned
wood, paint, 4"x12"x50"

Nele Azevedo ice installation

Ooh, these are great. Via Neatorama, photos of an installation by Brazilian artist Nele Azevedo from October 2006. The piece uninstalls itself, when the last ice guy melts--reminiscent of Laurie Anderson's Duets on Ice.

Breaking Dawn Blood Drives

Via Publisher's Weekly, this is pretty great: some of the book stores holding midnight release parties for Breaking Dawn, the conclusion to Stephenie Meyer's wildly popular teen vampire series, are combining them with late-night blood drives. Powell's is offering blood donors preferential treatment in the book line.