The insane birds in “Almost Forty”, by the always eloquent and emotionally generous poet, Ada Limón, seem to be warning of the coming of winter, but it is time, really, and its passing, that they anthem.

Yet, Limón finds strained but necessary comfort in the defiance that comes from desiring a long life and good health.

Almost Forty An Old Story
By Ada Limón

The birds were being so bizarre today,
we stood static and listened to them insane

in their winter shock of sweet gum and ash.
We swallow what we won’t say: Maybe

it’s a warning. Maybe they’re screaming
for us to take cover. Inside, your father

seems angry, and the soup’s grown cold
on the stove. I’ve never been someone

to wish for too much, but now I say,
I want to live a long time. You look up

from your work and nod. Yes, but
in good health. We turn up the stove

again and eat what we’ve made together,
each bite an ordinary weapon we wield

against the shrinking of mouths.


American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2018 by Ada Limón, "Almost Forty" from The Carrying, (Milkweed Editions, 2018). Poem reprinted by permission of Permissions Company, LLC and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2021 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Kwame Dawes, is George W. Holmes Professor of English and Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska.

‘HACKS’ ON HBO MAX

Remembering the late comedian Joan Rivers, known for an acerbic persona and self-deprecating humor, might be the best option for understanding the modus operandi of Jean Smart’s aging comic Deborah Vance in the HBO Max series “Hacks.”

In this 10-episode series, Deborah has thrived in a long career as a headliner in Las Vegas, the main draw at the Palmetto Casino where smug owner Marty (Christopher McDonald) now decides to give her coveted weekend nights to a youth-oriented pop group.

Softening the blow to her ego for losing the prime spot, the casino boss tells Deborah that Las Vegas will be designating a street in her name, to which she replies that it will “probably be a dead-end with an abortion clinic on it.”

A savvy businesswoman, Deborah, who once was the first female host of a late night TV show much like Joan Rivers, shares other similarities beyond stand-up routines, such as hawking merchandise on the QVC shopping channel. Deborah even shills for a pizzeria chain at a grand opening.

Meanwhile in Los Angeles, millennial comedy writer Ava (Hannah Einbinder) may also be facing the sunset of a once budding career when she gets “canceled” for a joke tweet about the hypocrisy of a closeted senator.

Feeling entitled like so many of her peers, the self-absorbed Ava embarks on self-destructive behavior that includes an awkward intrusion into a former colleague’s lunch meeting to ask for work and a later gratuitous hookup with a delivery man.

Ava shares the same agent Jimmy (Paul W. Downs) with the Vegas diva, and he comes up with the bright idea to send his young client on a trip to Sin City for a meeting with Deborah, which doesn’t go well at all.

And yet, after barbs and insults are hurled between two comedians with an obvious generational gap, Deborah comes to realize in a moment of pragmatism that some tired old material might need a jolt of new energy.

Thus, with Ava taking up residency at a casino, the two disparate comedians on the opposite ends of a work ethic (Deborah had to fight to reach the pinnacle of success, while Ava feels the reward should come easy) embark on a rollercoaster journey.

Above all else, “Hacks,” an insightful comedy with biting sarcasm and a touch of humanity, is a showcase for the talents of its leading ladies, with Jean Smart especially shining more brightly than the Vegas neon.



‘MIKE TYSON: THE KNOCKOUT’ ON ABC

What do we know about former heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson that might draw our interest to a four-hour documentary series over two nights in “Mike Tyson: The Knockout,” scheduled for May 25 and June 1 on ABC?

For one, you wouldn’t want to get in the ring with him, even now at his ripe middle age. We may learn how this ferocious fighter who won his first 19 professional fights by knockout acquired the reputation of “The Baddest Man on the Planet.”

We may remember many things that cast an unfavorable light on his character, including a nasty split with Robin Givens with an allegation of spousal abuse, a conviction of rape resulting in a prison stint, and biting off a piece of boxer Evander Holyfield’s ear.

The first episode begins with Tyson’s youth and his transition from a bullied kid who discovers his true power, which becomes the basis for the icon’s standing for knockout power and intimidation of opponents.

Former trainers describe Tyson’s time in and out of juvenile detention during the time legendary trainer Cus D’Amato guided the young boy from Brooklyn to the edge of his boxing dream of heavyweight champion of the world.

Erstwhile opponents Michael Spinks and Buster Douglas sit down for interviews and discuss their fights against Tyson, including Tyson’s win over Sparks to become the undisputed champion and Tyson’s shocking first professional loss to Douglas who was a 42-to-1 underdog.

The second episode continues with Tyson’s conviction and prison sentence for raping 18-year-old Desiree Washington, reviewing the cultural conversation that ensued throughout the trial as the public grappled with ideas of victimization and the fall of a hero.

Tyson’s defense attorney James Voyles and special prosecutor Greg Garrison reflect on the trial nearly 20 years later. Tyson’s release from prison and his highly anticipated and celebrated reentry into society are examined.

“Mike Tyson: The Knockout” puts viewers ringside for a main event that chronicles the former champion’s climb, crash and comeback, and an ABC press release touts that this primetime event “will examine some of the most pressing questions about resilience and reinvention.”

Executive producer Geoffrey Fletcher claims that “in addition to being an inspiring story of the perseverance and hard-won growth of one extraordinary person, Mike Tyson’s life and career are also relevant to the important collective self-reflection finally occurring in America.”

A bit of puffery may seep into the production team’s assessment of this documentary’s import, and so any final judgment must rest until we see for ourselves.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.

The 17th Annual Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest is welcoming entries.

The theme of this year’s contest is “If Life Were A Game Show, What Would Poets Say?”

The five new contest categories, selected from the names of popular TV game shows, include the following: “Let’s Make A Deal,” “To Tell The Truth,” “The Price Is Right,” “Family Feud” and “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.”

Poets may submit a maximum of three poems, no more than one in each of three of the five contest categories.

Everyone is encouraged to enter the contest. Poets do not have to live in Lincoln, California, to be eligible. There is no entry fee.

Young poets, 18 years of age or under, are encouraged to submit poems and will compete in a special “Young Poets” category.

Last year's contest attracted 104 poets from 66 cities in 14 states and five countries — the United States, England, Germany, Ghana, and Ireland.

Poets submitted 255 poems. Twenty-one young poets submitted 54 poems.

This year they are aiming to reach an even greater audience of poets. They invite all to enter the contest.

The rules and entry form can be downloaded from https://friendsofthelincolnlibrary.org/voices-of-lincoln-poetry-contest/ or https://slolowe44.blogspot.com/2021/03/2021-voices-of-lincoln-poetry-contest.html.

All poems must be received no later than Tuesday, July 20, at the address on the entry form.

Winners will read their poems on Sunday, Oct. 10, at the Voices of Lincoln Special Event to be held at the Lincoln Library if health conditions allow the event to be held.

Those who are unable to attend the event will have their poem(s) read by a member of the Poets Club of Lincoln. Winners will receive a commemorative chapbook of the winning poems.

The Voices of Lincoln Poetry Contest is presented by the Poets Club of Lincoln and is sponsored by the Lincoln Library and the Friends of the Lincoln Library.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Come one, come all to audition for the Shakespeare at the Lake 2021 online production of “All’s Well That Ends Well.”

Zoom auditions are scheduled on May 27 starting at 6 p.m. and May 29 starting at 2 p.m.

Audition sides are available at lctc.us.

To sign up for an audition time slot or to get more information, email director John Tomlinson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Rehearsals and performances (scheduled for July 23 to 25) will all take place online.

Actors must enroll in Theater 220 through Mendocino College in order to participate; scholarships are available.

No experience is required, and we welcome actors from out of the county to participate.

As a California Community College production, out-of-state tuition applies to nonresidents.

Actors must be entering high school or older to participate.

Shakespeare at the Lake is a joint effort between the Lake County Theatre Co. and Mendocino College, with generous support from the Friends of Mendocino College.

Tracy K. Smith, former poet Laureate, has a wonderful way with strange and haunting images, that still manage to tell a resonant story.

I think of the old story she tells here – how future generations must contend with the grand absence that comes with the passing of time.

Yet, there is hope, there is hope in art, in song, and one imagines, in this poem. “An Old Story” is a beautiful anthem to the singing.

An Old Story
By Tracy K. Smith

We were made to understand it would be
Terrible. Every small want, every niggling urge,
Every hate swollen to a kind of epic wind,

Livid, the land, and ravaged, like a rageful
Dream. The worst in us having taken over
And broken the rest utterly down.

A long age
Passed. When at last we knew how little
Would survive us—how little we had mended

Or built that was not now lost—something
Large and old awoke. And then our singing
Brought on a different manner of weather.

Then animals long believed gone crept down
From trees. We took new stock of one another.
We wept to be reminded of such color.

American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2018 by Tracy K. Smith, "An Old Story" from Wade in the Water, (Graywolf Press, 2018). Poem reprinted by permission of Permissions Company, LLC and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2021 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Kwame Dawes, is George W. Holmes Professor of English and Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska.

‘WRATH OF MAN’ RATED R

Action fans should be cognizant of the history of groundbreaking filmmaker Guy Ritchie and action superstar Jason Statham, going back to their fast-paced, anarchic 1990s hits “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch.”

Both of them return to their roots with “Wrath of Man,” an explosive revenge thriller based on the 2004 French film “Le Convoyeur,” which few on this side of the Atlantic have ever seen or even heard about.

While there is no ambiguity about the type of character Jason Statham inhabits with ruthless abandon, his character of Patrick Hill harbors a secret agenda with a set of deadly skills not readily apparent when he takes a job with a Los Angeles armored vehicle company.

Coming onboard as a security guard at Fortico Security and riding shotgun, Hill learns the ropes from partner Bullet (Colt McCallany). Becoming known as simply “H,” the newbie proves his worth during an attempted robbery of the truck.

Appearing to be a quiet, keep-to-yourself person just trying to do a job, foiling the robbery reveals H’s formidable skills as an expert marksman who’s also adept at hand-to-hand combat.

While hailed as a hero at the armored car depot, H raises suspicion with office manager Terry (Eddie Marsan). After all, H scored only a passing grade in the fitness and shooting skill test required to be hired.

Obviously, H has a backstory which only deepens the mystery of his connections to other enigmatic players. Why is he keen on taking a dangerous job for entry-level pay? Revenge is the motivating factor for H, and the reason for that is best left for the viewer to discover.

In his single-minded quest for justice, H has interesting links to the underworld and to FBI agent King (Andy Garcia) that stir curiosity about whether these connections are red herrings or just reasons for flashbacks that muddle the plot.

In the end, the storyline takes a back seat to the heavy action scenes that come into sharp focus when a group of Afghanistan war ex-soldiers led by former sergeant Jackson (Jeffrey Donovan) overcome civilian ennui by robbing armored trucks.

Jackson’s band of brothers, including the hotheaded psycho Jan (Scott Eastwood), scheme for a criminal career-ending payday of a brazen robbery of Fortico’s depot on Black Friday, the day of their largest collection of cash.

The climactic day of the big heist is not without intrigue (is it an inside job?) as well as a showdown with more firepower unleashed than all the action scenes combined ahead of this culmination.

“Wrath of Man” is the kind of diverting action film one would expect when reuniting Guy Ritchie and his stellar protégé Jason Statham for a formula that has worked before. Yes, it’s a notable crime thriller, but it may not remain as memorable as the earlier collaborations.

Nevertheless, Ritchie and Statham are already at work on their next project, a spy thriller that will include some of the actors from “Wrath of Man.” Sign me up to be one of the first in the audience.



‘REBEL’ ON ABC NETWORK

Inspired by the life of Erin Brockovich, ABC’s new series “Rebel” stars Katey Sagal as Annie Flynn Ray Bello, otherwise called “Rebel” if only because the last names of multiple marriages may prove confusing.

As a blue-collar legal advocate without a law degree, Rebel is relentless and undeterred in a fight for justice, and as such was described at the winter press tour as one, like Erin, who “inspires everyone she meets to become their own heroes.”

That Rebel is unafraid to challenge adversaries in a manner that might prove embarrassing for others is made clear in the first episode when she crashes a corporate party to confront the CEO (Adam Arkin) of a medical company producing defective heart valves.

Even an unflattering picture of Rebel’s stunt is not enough to cause discomfort for the activist. Current husband Grady Bello (John Corbett) at one point complains that Rebel “cares more about getting on the news than getting home to cook me dinner.”

Audible groans may come from female viewers, especially considering that Rebel seems to be the breadwinner and Grady’s job is somewhat nebulous. Apparently, he spends time restoring vintage cars.

Meanwhile, aside from helping an abused woman or a male professor harassed by a university for a possible bogus assault charge, Rebel is motivated by Helen (Mary McDonnell) to pursue a class action suit against Stonemore Medical, makers of the heart valve.

With dogged determination, Rebel pushes hotshot lawyer Julian Cruz (Andy Garcia), still grieving over the loss of his wife, to take the case of penurious plaintiffs to fight the deep-pockets corporation in a protracted court battle.

Add to the mix that one of Rebel ex-husbands, Benji Ray (James Lesure), lures away their daughter Cassidy (Lex Scott Davis) to represent Stonemore in the lawsuit.

On the strength of Sagal’s tenacious advocate, “Rebel” merits a look to see if it delivers on a cause worth the effort.

Tim Riley writes film and television reviews for Lake County News.