Porter Shreve
@portershreve.bsky.social
Novelist at HarperCollins and LSU Press; articles and book reviews in NYT, WaPo, SFChron, ChiTrib; Director of Creative Writing at University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Sad and happy and sad, but true: “Life has taught me / to understand books.”
Learning To Read
www.newyorker.com
September 10, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Sad and happy and sad, but true: “Life has taught me / to understand books.”
Reposted by Porter Shreve
This is what democracy looks like! A people united will never be defeated. We want federal forces out of DC NOW! #WeAreAllDC #FreeDC
September 6, 2025 at 5:16 PM
This is what democracy looks like! A people united will never be defeated. We want federal forces out of DC NOW! #WeAreAllDC #FreeDC
I love these two very different approaches to writing a poem about a public figure, one by Rita Dove about Billie Holiday and the other by Sasha Debevec-McKenney more glancingly about Colin Kaepernick. Is the public figure poem a subgenre? If so or if not so, I’m on the lookout for more examples.
September 6, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I love these two very different approaches to writing a poem about a public figure, one by Rita Dove about Billie Holiday and the other by Sasha Debevec-McKenney more glancingly about Colin Kaepernick. Is the public figure poem a subgenre? If so or if not so, I’m on the lookout for more examples.
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Illinois Gov. Pritzker ahead of Trump National Guard deployment:
"To Chicagoans... Look out for your communities and your neighbours. Know your rights. Film things that you see happening... Authoritarians thrive on your silence. Be loud for America."
"To Chicagoans... Look out for your communities and your neighbours. Know your rights. Film things that you see happening... Authoritarians thrive on your silence. Be loud for America."
September 2, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Illinois Gov. Pritzker ahead of Trump National Guard deployment:
"To Chicagoans... Look out for your communities and your neighbours. Know your rights. Film things that you see happening... Authoritarians thrive on your silence. Be loud for America."
"To Chicagoans... Look out for your communities and your neighbours. Know your rights. Film things that you see happening... Authoritarians thrive on your silence. Be loud for America."
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Hi, it's Deaf Awareness month! When I teach my Intro to Deaf Studies course I always start out with an ask me anything session where no question is too embarrassing, and it's usually pretty fun... If you want to join, hit me with a question here and I'll try to get to it.
September 2, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Hi, it's Deaf Awareness month! When I teach my Intro to Deaf Studies course I always start out with an ask me anything session where no question is too embarrassing, and it's usually pretty fun... If you want to join, hit me with a question here and I'll try to get to it.
Reposted by Porter Shreve
There comes a day when the trees
refuse to let you pass
until you name them.
-Lisel Mueller, from "Your Tired, Your Poor"
#everynightapoem #fragment
refuse to let you pass
until you name them.
-Lisel Mueller, from "Your Tired, Your Poor"
#everynightapoem #fragment
September 1, 2025 at 8:59 PM
There comes a day when the trees
refuse to let you pass
until you name them.
-Lisel Mueller, from "Your Tired, Your Poor"
#everynightapoem #fragment
refuse to let you pass
until you name them.
-Lisel Mueller, from "Your Tired, Your Poor"
#everynightapoem #fragment
Reading about David Bowie and his friendship with John Lennon. “I’ll never forget something Lennon told me,” he said. “We were talking about writing and I had always admired the way he used to cut through so much of the bullshit, just come straight to the point with what he wanted to say.”
September 2, 2025 at 3:05 PM
Reading about David Bowie and his friendship with John Lennon. “I’ll never forget something Lennon told me,” he said. “We were talking about writing and I had always admired the way he used to cut through so much of the bullshit, just come straight to the point with what he wanted to say.”
“The words start over again
hold no terror for them.”
hold no terror for them.”
September 1, 2025 at 6:24 PM
“The words start over again
hold no terror for them.”
hold no terror for them.”
Why am I sweating week one prep? I should go full Zen on the first day of class and just open a window.
August 30, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Why am I sweating week one prep? I should go full Zen on the first day of class and just open a window.
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Something is shifting. They are still breaking things and stealing things. And they will keep trying to break and to steal. But the propaganda magic around the oligarchical coup is fading. (1/2)
February 22, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Something is shifting. They are still breaking things and stealing things. And they will keep trying to break and to steal. But the propaganda magic around the oligarchical coup is fading. (1/2)
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Rep Raskin has been great. Rep Ocasio-Cortez has been great. And Rep Frost and Rep Crockett. Senator Murphy. Maybe no one knew exactly what to do. But such people laid down a clear marker. Let’s respect these and other elected federal representatives who stood out these first few weeks.
February 21, 2025 at 11:18 PM
Rep Raskin has been great. Rep Ocasio-Cortez has been great. And Rep Frost and Rep Crockett. Senator Murphy. Maybe no one knew exactly what to do. But such people laid down a clear marker. Let’s respect these and other elected federal representatives who stood out these first few weeks.
Reposted by Porter Shreve
“Make good trouble.”
~ John Lewis
~ John Lewis
January 22, 2025 at 7:37 PM
“Make good trouble.”
~ John Lewis
~ John Lewis
Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples are getting me through this week:
“You are not alone
Every night
I stand in your place
Every tear
On every face
Tastes the same”
“You are not alone
Every night
I stand in your place
Every tear
On every face
Tastes the same”
You Are Not Alone
YouTube video by Mavis Staples - Topic
www.youtube.com
January 23, 2025 at 2:15 AM
Jeff Tweedy and Mavis Staples are getting me through this week:
“You are not alone
Every night
I stand in your place
Every tear
On every face
Tastes the same”
“You are not alone
Every night
I stand in your place
Every tear
On every face
Tastes the same”
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Have been on Bluesky quite a bit the last two days (for info & resources) & it’s not social media that’s broken. I think it’s us that’s broken now. I’ll post about places ppl can donate because LA is in bad shape & my replies are full of “ummmm sounds like somebody’s never heard of Pompeii.”
January 9, 2025 at 9:35 PM
Have been on Bluesky quite a bit the last two days (for info & resources) & it’s not social media that’s broken. I think it’s us that’s broken now. I’ll post about places ppl can donate because LA is in bad shape & my replies are full of “ummmm sounds like somebody’s never heard of Pompeii.”
Reposted by Porter Shreve
A reminder that Los Angeles had its hottest summer in history last year. Southern California has received just 2% of "normal" rainfall during the current "rainy" season.
These fires are a direct result of a warming & drying atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels.
We are in a climate emergency.
These fires are a direct result of a warming & drying atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels.
We are in a climate emergency.
January 8, 2025 at 6:08 PM
A reminder that Los Angeles had its hottest summer in history last year. Southern California has received just 2% of "normal" rainfall during the current "rainy" season.
These fires are a direct result of a warming & drying atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels.
We are in a climate emergency.
These fires are a direct result of a warming & drying atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels.
We are in a climate emergency.
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Los Angeles received just 0.16 inches of rain since May 2024, the second-driest period on record.
Wildfires are now engulfing the city in January.
But some politicians still claim the climate crisis is a "hoax" as they do the bidding of Big Oil.
What planet are they living on?
Wildfires are now engulfing the city in January.
But some politicians still claim the climate crisis is a "hoax" as they do the bidding of Big Oil.
What planet are they living on?
LA's wildfires sparked by rare collision of climate factors
Extremely dry conditions and an hurricane force winds are overlapping unusually late in the year.
www.axios.com
January 8, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Los Angeles received just 0.16 inches of rain since May 2024, the second-driest period on record.
Wildfires are now engulfing the city in January.
But some politicians still claim the climate crisis is a "hoax" as they do the bidding of Big Oil.
What planet are they living on?
Wildfires are now engulfing the city in January.
But some politicians still claim the climate crisis is a "hoax" as they do the bidding of Big Oil.
What planet are they living on?
Vivian Maier
Chicago 1976
Chicago 1976
January 7, 2025 at 9:24 PM
Vivian Maier
Chicago 1976
Chicago 1976
Reposted by Porter Shreve
The irresistible case for eco-populism, beautifully made by @aldasky.bsky.social and @triofrancos.bsky.social in the NYT! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/07/o...
Opinion | Biden Left Us With a ‘Prius Economy.’ It’s Time for Something Different. (Gift Article)
Climate impacts are fueling the cost-of-living crisis, especially for the poor and working class.
www.nytimes.com
January 7, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The irresistible case for eco-populism, beautifully made by @aldasky.bsky.social and @triofrancos.bsky.social in the NYT! www.nytimes.com/2025/01/07/o...
From Yoko Ono’s GRAPEFRUIT: A Book of Instruction and Drawings
January 5, 2025 at 9:11 PM
From Yoko Ono’s GRAPEFRUIT: A Book of Instruction and Drawings
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Insects make up about 40 per cent of living species, and we tend to kill them without pause. New research explores the possibility that they are sentient.
Do Insects Feel Pain?
Insects make up about forty per cent of living species, and we tend to kill them without pause. New research explores the possibility that they are sentient.
www.newyorker.com
January 5, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Insects make up about 40 per cent of living species, and we tend to kill them without pause. New research explores the possibility that they are sentient.
Reposted by Porter Shreve
Oh wow, they rang a farm bell 39 times at Carter’s funeral because you ring the bell at the end of the day as a way of saying “your work is done, it’s time to rest.” That’s so beautiful!
January 4, 2025 at 11:13 PM
Oh wow, they rang a farm bell 39 times at Carter’s funeral because you ring the bell at the end of the day as a way of saying “your work is done, it’s time to rest.” That’s so beautiful!
I Am Not I
By Juan Ramón Jiménez
Translated by Robert Bly
By Juan Ramón Jiménez
Translated by Robert Bly
January 4, 2025 at 2:40 AM
I Am Not I
By Juan Ramón Jiménez
Translated by Robert Bly
By Juan Ramón Jiménez
Translated by Robert Bly
Trying to start off my reading year with a little quiet beauty and tenderness before the world comes crashing in, and this book (mosaic novel? prose poem? unclassifiable enchantment?), about a melancholy man wandering the Andalusian countryside with his beloved donkey, is just what I needed.
January 2, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Trying to start off my reading year with a little quiet beauty and tenderness before the world comes crashing in, and this book (mosaic novel? prose poem? unclassifiable enchantment?), about a melancholy man wandering the Andalusian countryside with his beloved donkey, is just what I needed.
HBD Patti Smith
December 30, 2024 at 8:29 PM
HBD Patti Smith