Small things by John Simon - The New Criterion

Poems

October 2009

Small things

by John Simon

Burke

was right!

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The thorn in Rilke’s finger,
The boil on Scriabin’s lip,
Were enough to wrest the singer
From his musicianship.

Airiest Isadora
Gave up her dancing breath
When motoring she wore a
Red scarf that caught on death.

Small things speed our departure:
A scarf, a boil, a thorn;
But were they any larger,
The things by which we are born?

John Simon's collections of film, theater, and music criticism are available from Applause.

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This article originally appeared in The New Criterion, Volume 28 October 2009, on page 29

http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/Small-things-4300

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November 24 2009

OPEN EVENT: Laura Jacobs reading

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December 02 2009

Friends Event: The Swallow Anthology Reading

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December 17 2009

Friends Event: New Criterion Holiday Party

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New Criterion-Social Affairs Unit Conference: Part 4
"The Criminalization of Making Money" by Lionel Shriver, Recorded 9/25/09

New Criterion-Social Affairs Unit Conference: Part 3
"The State and the Threat to Democracy" by Jeremy Black and "The Paradox of the Intellectual and the Future of Capitalism" by Tim Congdon, Recorded on 9/25/2009

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"Nice 'N' Easy: The Age of Micro Tyranny" by Mark Steyn, Recorded on 9/25/2009

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