It’s hard to imagine a world without Clarence Clemons. His music, as a solo artist and as part of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, have always had a prominent place in my life. Clemons was a saxophonist of the highest order. He could make that sultry instrument weep and laugh. His stunning and unforgettable solo [...]

It was one of those remarkable experiences. One of those experiences you know is pregnant with meaning and learning, that you need to reflect on over time. This morning at the Montgomery County Correctional Facility in Boyds, Maryland, was just that. Poet Ethelbert Miller and I were picked up at the Bethesda Metro Station by [...]

Nicaraguan poet and priest, Ernesto Cardenal has released a new book of poems and it is a gem. Cardenal, in some American circles, is known more for his political connections to the first Sandinista government in Nicaragua than for his poetry. Yet, he is highly regarded as a poet in Latin America. Some consider him [...]