John Baker’s Blog

Preparation (1986)
Still one more year of preparation.
Tomorrow at the latest I’ll start working on a great book
In which my century will appear as it really was.
The sun will rise over the righteous and the wicked.
Springs and autumns will unerringly return,
In a wet thicket a thrush will build his nest lined with clay
And foxes will learn [...]

A Confession (1985)
My Lord, I loved strawberry jam
And the dark sweetness of a woman’s body.
Also well-chilled vodka, herring in olive oil,
Scents, of cinnamon, of cloves.
So what kind of prophet am I? Why should the spirit
Have visited such a man? Many others
Were justly called, and trustworthy.
Who would have trusted me? For they saw
How I empty glasses, [...]

1. Why do you blog?
To express myself in an immediate way, and to communicate with others. Reflecting on daily life comes naturally to me, perhaps because I am a long-time journal-keeper and letter-writer. Blogging is a combination of the two. It’s a very satisfying medium for me.
2. Which author and/or book has most influenced [...]