1. Gunter Grass  I suppose. I knew my own abysses, knew how hard it is to keep the lid on. Do my best to remain non-committal, generally present myself as neutral. Crabwalk

2. Iris Murdoch  She shivered again as at the light touch of some image, some thought. What was it? Then she realized that it was, absent from her for so long, the idea of happiness. No wonder she had not recognized it.  An Accidental Rose

3. Thomas Bernhard  After all, there is nothing but failure. If at least we have the will to fail we make progress…We must at least have the will to fail unless the wish to perish at a very early stage, which of course cannot be the intention behind our existence. Yes.  If we give up each time before we have started we eventually find ourselves in desperation, and finally and ultimately we no longer get out of that desperation and are lost.

4. Poets and Poetry a.k.a. 50 ways to make your parents cry

5. Is Poetry Important? What can it do?

6. Ted Koozer  his hands fluttered like birds, each with fancy silk ribbon to weave into their nest, as he stood at the mirror dressing for work, waving hello to himself with both hands.

7. Resources  Fram, Alan. (2007, August 21) One in Four Read No Books Last Year. Washington Post. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2007/08/21/AR2007082101045. html http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2007/08/21/AR2007082101045. html  Thompson, Bob. (2009, January 12) Unexpected Twist: Fiction Reading is Up. Washington Post.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2009/01/11/AR2009011102337. htmlhttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp- dyn/content/article/2009/01/11/AR2009011102337. html  Maugham, W. Somerset. (2000) Cakes and Ale. New York, NY: Vintage.