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Derek Walcott: Poet of Twilight, Poet of the Caribbean

Gabrielle Bellot Literary Hub
Derek Walcott, one of the finest poets of our times, died March 17 in St. Lucia, where he was born. He was 87 years old. His poetry helped illuminate the interconnections between the natural and the social worlds. Gabrielle Bellot, a staff writer for Literary Hub who grew up in the Commonwealth of Dominica, offers this appreciation.

What Would Woody Do?

Ron Briley History News Network
Woody Guthrie reminds progressive citizens of a radical tradition upon which they might draw in the contemporary fight for social justice.

We Need Popular Participation, Not Populism

Hilary Wainwright Red Pepper (UK)
What we need is a form of political leadership that frees democracy from liberalism through supporting citizens in asserting their popular sovereignty over the conditions of material daily life by getting organised as workers, as hospital users, as teachers, as students, as parents – and as citizens capable of mutual self-government.

Will the Gig Economy Make the Office Obsolete?

Diane Mulcahy Harvard Business Review
Study after study after study demonstrate that independent, remote workers are more productive, satisfied, and engaged than their office-bound colleagues. Recent surveys find that workers, freed from the constraints of office life, report higher levels of satisfaction and greater productivity. These results aren’t surprising since remote work eliminates the wasted time of commuting and the stress of constant exposure to office politics, interruptions and meetings.

How Immigrants Became Criminals

Alan A. Aja and Alejandra Marchevsky Boston Review
By focusing on the mistreatment of “good” immigrants, advocates miss the bigger point that everyone should have the right to due process.

Why Progressives Should Care About US Agricultural Policy

Mark Willsey Truthout
For the progressive movement to make inroads in communities like mine, it needs to put forward a serious plan for how the US government can stop subsidizing corporate farms and instead return the land to small family farmers who work the land. Farmers should not have to farm 20,000 acres of rented land just to make a living.

'There’s a Smell of Treason in the Air'

Michael Winship Common Dreams
Not only did Comey verify that the FBI was actively investigating Trump and his associates, he also flatly denied on behalf of his agency and the Justice Department that prior to January’s inauguration now-former President Obama had ordered eavesdropping on Trump Tower. As presidential historian Douglas Brinkley told The Washington Post, “There’s a smell of treason in the air."