jamesdmacdonald

When First I Came to Town; or, Some Families are Like That

Originally posted on Dr. Doyle's Blog:
One of my favorite folk songs is “Katy Cruel,” a cheerful ditty from the point of view of a young lady who has run completely out of [bleeps] to give: Our Ms. Cruel comes from a distinguished (or maybe the right word is “notorious”) folkloric lineage. There’s the…

Marching in Lancaster

Originally posted on Dr. Doyle's Blog:
A couple of scenes from the Lancaster NH March For Our Lives (let it be noted that Lancaster, while the county seat for Coös County, only has a population of 3,507): “More Bears, Less Arms’ “What Can You Hunt With an AR-15?” Be it noted:? I’m not against…

A Sonnet

While streaking in my rocket ship through space, Galactic empires seeking to destroy, Subsonic signals hailed me with “Ahoy! O spaceman launched from secret lunar base! Turn back your craft at once!” Sour was my face. Switched off the signal; turned then to deploy My proton missiles. With those I’d annoy The surreptitious foes who’dContinue reading “A Sonnet”

Today’s Bit of Linguistic Amusement

Originally posted on Dr. Doyle's Blog:
From Texas Monthly online, a discussion of the phrase “fair to middlin’” (as in, “How’re you doin’?” “Oh, fair to middlin’ – can’t complain”), which wanders through the Texas cotton patch, the Texas oil patch, cotton-grading systems in Liverpool and cotton mills in Lancashire, the rivalry between Midland…

‘Tis the Season

Originally posted on Dr. Doyle's Blog:
December 21st — nineteen minutes old as I type this – is the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, and then the sun comes back. At least, it always has so far,† and we celebrate its return with gifts and lights and feasting in multiple traditions. This is also the…