Carefully crafted poems of imagery

Springfield professor debuts new book

Judging from his new book of poetry From Delancey West (forthcoming by BlazeVOX [books]), Springfield poet Brian Jackson will not be poetry slamming any time soon. This is no insult. This is just to s

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Books | Thursday, October 20,2011

Putting the story in history

The biography of an American farm where there’s “life as well as a living”

By Rodd Whelpley

The Beloit University Press has just released Volume One of Springfield writer Jacqueline Dougan Jackson’s planned three-volume opus The Round Barn – The Biography of an American Farm. It

Poetry | Thursday, December 2,2010

Friend’s Toothfairy Poem

By Rodd Whelpley

The most dangerous gameIs Tooth FairyA terrible bargainIn your moist palmA SacagaweaUnder his pillowA shard of boneAnd if, at the wrong moment,You coughOr a nightmare wakes himOr the dog growlsOr, or,

Books | Wednesday, June 4,2008

Booty call

Carol Manley’s struggling characters are painfully, wonderfully human

By Rodd Whelpley

Untitled Document You don’t expect a story that begins: “The brassiere is off, Louella” to gently break your heart, and that’s precisely what makes Spring

Feature | Wednesday, December 20,2006

Father Christmas

Wrapped and carried, like a long-ago hobo's treasures

By Rodd Whelpley

Green Christmas bulb. Blue Christmas bulb. Green bulb. Blue bulb. Green bulb. Blue bulb. When I was a boy, my mother — blue bulb — insisted that the tree — green bulb — always