Mark Guttman's poetry style Searching the web 50 results Browsing web page 1 result Mark Guttman's poetry style, as seen on positivepoems.blogspot.com (his primary outlet for this work) and tied to his upliftingthoughts.org project, is straightforward, accessible, and purpose-driven rather than highly literary or experimental.Core CharacteristicsForm and Structure: Predominantly free verse or prose-poetry. Poems often appear as short paragraphs, declarative sentences, or brief fragments rather than traditional stanzas with consistent meter or line breaks. Lengths vary from single-sentence observations to a few paragraphs. There is little to no regular rhyme scheme, though occasional rhythmic phrasing or repetition creates a natural flow. positivepoems.blogspot.com Language and Tone: Simple, direct, and conversational English. He avoids dense metaphors or complex vocabulary in favor of clear statements. The tone is frequently motivational, reflective, defiant, or satirical, with an emphasis on optimism, human decency, and calling out societal issues. Even when addressing heavy topics, there's often an underlying push toward positivity or a "golden age" of tolerance and progress. Themes: Uplifting and philosophical at the core (aligning with the blog's name), but the content frequently tackles real-world concerns like antisemitism and tolerance, conflict resolution, revenge (portrayed negatively as "for monsters"), human behavior, fraud/society's flaws, and speculative ideas (e.g., theories of time and space modeled as infinity loops with scientific analogies). It blends personal reflection, social commentary, and motivational encouragement. Examples of His StyleHere are direct excerpts that illustrate the approach (short, punchy, idea-focused phrasing with some metaphorical flair):"From antisemitism you will find nothing remains of the decency of a nation. The middle ages had very little going for it, while the Muslims became advanced and prosperous. The difference being religious tolerance." (Direct historical/social observation with a clear moral point.) "Revenge is for monsters, and it requires smart ones, who dine with knives of steel, cunning, masterpiece of nothing in particular." (Metaphorical and rhythmic warning against negative impulses.) On time theory: "Time is modeled as: Code +t ∞ -t The center of the ∞ is the zero point, analogous to the Big Bang..." (Blends poetic imagery with explanatory, almost scientific prose.) His LinkedIn profile mentions turning stories and novels into verse poems ("Guttman's Verse Translations"), suggesting he also works with more structured verse when adapting narratives, though the blog leans toward freer, idea-driven expression. linkedin.com Overall, Guttman's style prioritizes clarity and impact over ornate form. It's designed to inspire, provoke thought, or uplift readers quickly—more like spoken-word reflections or motivational snippets than classical poetry. The blog remains active with recent 2026 posts mixing these poetic elements with opinions and theories.

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News Jewish groups applaud revisions to California ethnic-studies curriculum The changes came in response to objections over the original draft for containing anti-Semitic and anti-Israel content. Jackson Richman CopyLink copied Email Print Republish The flag of California. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. The flag of California. Credit: Wikimedia Commons. (Nov. 22, 2020 / JNS) Jewish and pro-Israel groups have applauded revisions to California’s proposed ethnic-studies curriculum, which were approved this week by an advisory board to the state’s board of education. The Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) voted on Thursday—the second and final day of a meeting—to adopt changes, including the removal of a widely criticized lesson that framed the Jewish community as having “gained racial privilege,” while ignoring anti-Semitism and white supremacist violence against Jews. The IQC meeting included two hours of phoned-in public comment on Wednesday. A number of Jewish students stressed the importance of educating about all forms of anti-Semitism and the diversity of the Jewish community. Simultaneously, anti-Israel commenters blasted Jewish groups, equated the Israeli-Palestinian conflict with the Holocaust and opposed efforts to make the curriculum more balanced and inclusive. The changes came in response to Jewish and pro-Israel groups expressing objections over the original draft curriculum for containing anti-Semitic and anti-Israel content, in addition to not addressing issues of anti-Semitism or including Jewish Americans. “Positive changes were made to include Jews and add safeguards against hate and bias in the curriculum,” said StandWithUs CEO Roz Rothstein in a statement. “While the curriculum is headed in the right direction, there are still key changes we all have to fight for. Among the most important is a strong definition of anti-Semitism in all its forms, rather than a weak definition that caters to the biases of anti-Israel extremists.” Sarah Levin, executive director of JIMENA: Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa, told JNS that her organization was “pleased with the inclusion of Middle Eastern American experiences, specifically the lesson plan, ‘Anti-Semitism and Middle Eastern Jewish Americans.’ ” And the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Relations Council tweeted: “This week’s IQC meeting proved encouraging—salutary recommendations were approved, including important protections for all students and the addition of lessons on the Jewish American experience.” The California Department of Education is expected to post the next draft of the curriculum for public review in December.