I have organized my days now according to a syllabus, while I search for work and engage in various other of my activities. I have finished the Divine Comedy, finally, after a year and a half of somewhat lukewarm attention -- in the last two days of my reading, I completed more per day than I had in weeks or months of the work. I am also reading a book of poetry called Western Wind and, while I like the poems included in the anthology and occasionally find the book illuminating, I find the author is far too hasty to insert into what he believes are the "components" of poetry his judgements of what separates good poetry from bad. All the more frustrating is that the author includes examples of bad poetry -- I would prefer to be exposed to good poems for demonstrations of the elements rather than given an example of a bad poem and expected to confirm, silently, the author's own opinion of the inferior quality of the verse. In addition to these, I have been reading the Bible. I went to the library and checked out the New Revised Standard Edition in the Oxford Annotated Bible and also the Oxford Bible Commentary; they are good, unbiased, secular commentaries, but they hardly make reading the Bible an exciting experience. If I want mysticism, I suppose I shall have to turn to the Kabbalah.

There is an essay writing contest on war, whether or not it is justified. I may or may not enter, but if I do, I plan to cite (one is required to cite a primary source) Helen in Egypt by H.D., which, infuriatingly, isn't carried by the local library NOR any of the tributary libraries that severally feed into it; so I am forced to seek it out in either the Denver Public Library (wherein I would have diverse works checked out on diverse cards, which could easily lead to overdue penalties) or online / at the Tattered Cover (which thankfully does have it). About the book: it is wonderful. It is an account stiched together from the fragments of an epic of Stesichorus of Helen in Egypt (appropriately). But the poetic posturing, the symbolism, and the echos of the Trojan War, the manner in which she has manipulated the story, such clever language, and the wonderful use of arguments parallel to the each of the choral odes making up the work, all of this creates a unique experience for the reader; a rewarding reading for anyone interested in history or the classics and the manner in which our era interacts with the past.

Socially, I've slipped off of the horizon. I'm approaching event horizon, being sucked ceaselessly back into the academic world. But I don't mind. I'd been limiting much social interaction to the pursuit of a boyfriend -- an aim that only depresses me, that causes more pain and discomfort than pleasure. Still, I have been going out occasionally. Yesterday, I went to the library (suppressed smile) WITH A FRIEND. So that is some small token of sociability. And then I've been hanging out with Brit and Chris a lot. Just this weekend I went to a party. Had a Rum and Coke. Had a boy (:-P). It was good.

Ah well. At least I'm reading a lot. I feel very glad for that. Very scholarly. I like that world. Bury myself in it. My poetry will provide the contrast; I flesh myself in words.

Oh, speaking of poetry -- read Kenneth Fearing. He's good. He's very, very good.