Yes, they are that demanding.

And yes, of course we will feed them. We love them that much. Besides, if we don't feed them before we die, they will eat our eyeballs before the undertaker gets there. It's a well-known fact.

What is a Poem?

"[A] poem is a window that hangs between two or more human beings who otherwise live in darkened rooms."

--Stephen Dobyns

Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate

Carol Ann Duffy, Britain's first woman Poet Laureate, is a Scottish lesbian single Mom who is one of Britain's most accomplished and popular poets. She has won many prestigious poetry awards and is Director of Creative Writing at Manchester Metropolitan University.

I've only read one of her books -- The World's Wife (1999). Every sardonic (or occasionally angry) poem is written from the viewpoint of some famous man's wife or female relative. For example -- Mrs. Midas, Mrs. Aesop, Mrs. Faust, Queen Kong (!), Mrs. Lazarus, Frau Freud and Elvis's Twin Sister.

Here's one of the shorter poems in the book. In five apparently innocuous or even silly lines, it sums up every awful thing we know about women's historically overlooked contributions to, and devalued participation in, human intellectual progress:

Mrs. Darwin

7 April 1852.

Went to the Zoo.

Said to Him -- 

Something about that Chimpanzee over there reminds me of you.

Finally, a Woman Poet Laureate in Britain!

For nearly 500 years, Britain has appointed exclusively male Poets Laureate, starting with Ben Jonson in 1617. Some of the greatest British poets have been appointed to this post, including John Dryden, William Wordsworth, Alfred Lord Tennyson, John Masefield, Cecil Day-Lewis (father of the marvelous actor, Daniel Day-Lewis) and Ted Hughes (husband of Sylvia Plath).

But there has never been a female Poet Laureate. Elizabeth Barrett Browning was considered for the post, but in the end Alfred Lord Tennyson was chosen over her. And after Tennyson's death, the post was deliberately left vacant for years rather than appoint a woman poet. Eventually Alfred Austin (who?) was named Poet Laureate. Today he is reviled as the worst Laureate ever -- but better him than Christina Rossetti was the logic of the times.

But the long drought is finally over! At the beginning of May, Britain appointed Carol Ann Duffy as Poet Laureate. More about her tomorrow. In the meantime -- another glass ceiling broken! Hooray!

[This photo is Poet's Corner in Westminster Abbey where many of Britain's greatest poets are buried or memorialized by plaques, including some Poets Laureate of course.]

This Made Me Laugh

Yes, we are all humbled by the lego Stephen Hawking!

Duomo di Orvieto Infiltrated!

Secret Goddess Agent "L" has raised the bar for all of us who work in Her Divine Secret Service by infiltrating a second cathedral during her trip to Italy! The magnificent 14th century cathedral (duomo) in Orvieto (between Rome and Florence) now has a small figurine of the Great Goddess of Willendorf within its walls, making the entire church sacred to the Divine Feminine. In a daring act of infiltration, Secret Goddess Agent "L" placed the Goddess inside a sculpture of a house topped by Jesus wearing his crown of thorns.

Her work complete, Secret Goddess Agent "L" came home to Edmonton to well-deserved accolades and admiration for her stellar work. She is a true Daughter of the Goddess!

[photo courtesy of Secret Goddess Agent "L"]

Vatican Infiltrated Again!

With her masterful espionage skills, Secret Goddess Agent "L" had no difficulty evading detection as she infiltrated the Vatican. She made her way swiftly to the central bronze canopy under the dome of St. Peter's. A huge marble statue of Pope Leo X caught her eye, surrounded as it was by saintly female goddesses or goddessy female saints, depending on your interpretation. Either way, she knew it was the perfect spot! It was there that Secret Goddess Agent "L" hid a small figurine of the Great Goddess of Willendorf and successfully reclaimed the Vatican for the Divine Feminine.

And at that precise instant, the earth shifted ever so slightly on its axis and a cold chill ran down Pope Benedict's back . . . . 

But was Secret Goddess Agent "L's" mission finished? No, she was just getting started! Details tomorrow.

[photo courtesy of Secret Goddess Agent "L"]