Colleen Taylor

This marks my second annual posting of poetry around Valentine's Day.

You might notice that the flowery, "read at your wedding" types of poems are never my favorites. This was actually a problem recently, when I was looking for material to be read my own nuptials-- all the literary things I truly like are melancholy!  (We ended up not having any readings at all.)

But, I can only hope that the stripped-down expressions I favor resonate with those who are weary of all the lovey-dovey stuff that abounds at this time of year.

Tonight I'm sharing a longtime favorite from Mark Strand, first published in the October 20, 1997 issue of the New Yorker. Maybe it'll encourage one of you dear readers to make a much-needed move (romantically, socially, career-wise, whatever) well before "the moment it serves no purpose at all."

Untitled
by Mark Strand

As for the poem the Adorable One slipped into your pocket,
Which began, "I think continually about us, the superhuman, how
We fly around saying, 'Hi. I'm So-and-So, and who are you?'"
It has been years since you bothered to read it. But now
In this lavender light under the shade of the pines the time
Seems right. The dust of a passion, the dark crumble of images
Down the page are all that remain. And she was beautiful,
And the poem, you thought at the time, was equally so.
The lavender turns to ash. The clouds disappear. Where
Is she now? And where is that boy who stood for hours
Outside her house, learning too late that something is always
About to happen just at the moment it serves no purpose at all?

Last night after dinner we caught up on a couple of episodes of the Colbert Report.  I have to say, I scoffed when Peter Cove, a somewhat too nattily dressed man (bow tie, pocket square) with a huge handlebar moustache, was introduced as an "expert" on employment. I thought, "How could someone who looks so ridiculous have any practical advice on anything?"

As soon as he started talking, though, I realized I was wrong to have written him off so quickly. The guy had some great insights! Just another lesson to not judge a book by its cover.

His first piece of advice to people seeking work:
"I'd recommend they get off their computers, and go out and talk to people they know. Use their networks."

His advice to recent college graduates deciding between grad school and the workforce:
"I think it's a good idea to get out there and start working, even as an intern."

On how to work your acquaintances for job leads:
"Absolutely, you should nag friends! And ask their friends to nag other friends."

His top two interview tips:
"Ask the person about themselves. Second, give them eye contact."

"My mother had a theory about Englishmen: They are permanently all two gin and tonics under par. They need two gin and tonics to become human. I’ve got a nasty feeling that’s absolutely true."

-- Hugh Grant in the January 2010 issue of Elle Magazine

"In any case, they have to figure it out in their own way just as we do, in private. No matter how many interviews we read or see, how many pictures or videos get published, how many tell-alls get written, we will never see into the private circumstances of the Edwardses, the Sanfords, or the Spitzers, nor should we.

We have enough to do trying to understand and know ourselves, if we could only stop bellowing about other people long enough to try."

-From a very good Elle Magazine article by Mary Gaitskill, on the recent spate of adultery "scandals"


One of my New Years' resolutions was to stop visiting media/gossip websites. I'd always justified the time spent reading them with the fact that I'm in the media industry-- but if I'm going to be honest with myself, none of the information on sites like Gawker has anything to do with my life. At some point, I realized that my attention is not an infinite resource.

To my surprise, since January 1st I haven't even been tempted to sneak them back on to my RSS reader. Turns out I actually have a lot of things in my own, real world that have filled in to occupy my attention quite nicely.