Canaan Morse 莫楷
@canaanmorse.bsky.social
Postdoc @UVA 明清文学
‘21 National Book Award Finalist
scholar poet translator farm boy
Poetry oral traditions DnD China
‘21 National Book Award Finalist
scholar poet translator farm boy
Poetry oral traditions DnD China
Pinned
Canaan Morse 莫楷
@canaanmorse.bsky.social
· Mar 19
Current: The Invisibility Cloak (novel by Ge Fei 格非, NYRB Classics)
Peach Blossom Paradise (ditto)
Upcoming: The Moon Sets Over the Temple That Was (ditto)
Guide to Recollecting the Future (poems by Yang Xiaobin 杨小滨, Zephyr Press)
Peach Blossom Paradise (ditto)
Upcoming: The Moon Sets Over the Temple That Was (ditto)
Guide to Recollecting the Future (poems by Yang Xiaobin 杨小滨, Zephyr Press)
Grateful for the comma on Derek Guy’s blog heading. Up till now, I had been pronouncing it like “Die Werkwehr” in my head
December 1, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Grateful for the comma on Derek Guy’s blog heading. Up till now, I had been pronouncing it like “Die Werkwehr” in my head
Touch the heart to show you’re lichen it.
…I’ll see myself out
…I’ll see myself out
i moss you
December 1, 2025 at 10:49 AM
Touch the heart to show you’re lichen it.
…I’ll see myself out
…I’ll see myself out
Yes because my career literally depends on it.
starting Dec 1st! ie tomorrow!
for structure to eke out pages at a bonkers time of year (that is also a precious writing-est time):
you can do 250 words a day! books get written that way! if more, amazing! if not when grading or festive-ing, that's ok!
check in daily at #acadecawriteathon
for structure to eke out pages at a bonkers time of year (that is also a precious writing-est time):
you can do 250 words a day! books get written that way! if more, amazing! if not when grading or festive-ing, that's ok!
check in daily at #acadecawriteathon
is there a NaNoWriMo but for December and academic/ nonfiction? Should we start it?
December 1, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Yes because my career literally depends on it.
Reposted by Canaan Morse 莫楷
Two of our giants of poetry--Charles Wright & Mark Strand,conferring in,& toasting,the late light. Masters of the line,masters of the image--(& if Merwin & Simic had been there that Oct 9,2014,you'd basically have the corner on the"deep image"in the mid 20th C).We miss Mark, gone 11 years. Read him.
November 30, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Two of our giants of poetry--Charles Wright & Mark Strand,conferring in,& toasting,the late light. Masters of the line,masters of the image--(& if Merwin & Simic had been there that Oct 9,2014,you'd basically have the corner on the"deep image"in the mid 20th C).We miss Mark, gone 11 years. Read him.
Never once in my career as a teacher will I allow the “Speaking as an [XYZ]” prefatory clause to go unchallenged.
It dangles, distracts, and masquerades as substance, a nervous wheel-spin before the writer says what they want to say. Cut it and start after the cut.
It dangles, distracts, and masquerades as substance, a nervous wheel-spin before the writer says what they want to say. Cut it and start after the cut.
November 30, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Never once in my career as a teacher will I allow the “Speaking as an [XYZ]” prefatory clause to go unchallenged.
It dangles, distracts, and masquerades as substance, a nervous wheel-spin before the writer says what they want to say. Cut it and start after the cut.
It dangles, distracts, and masquerades as substance, a nervous wheel-spin before the writer says what they want to say. Cut it and start after the cut.
Reposted by Canaan Morse 莫楷
the Social Network film is really funny now. Apart from the idea of Zuckerberg being fast-talking and quick-witted, every cameo character is in the Epstein emails
November 28, 2025 at 3:48 PM
the Social Network film is really funny now. Apart from the idea of Zuckerberg being fast-talking and quick-witted, every cameo character is in the Epstein emails
Reposted by Canaan Morse 莫楷
"Mustafa served alongside the United States military in Afghanistan. Like so many other Afghans who helped American forces, he later came to the US for its promise of refuge. When I met him recently, though, he had only just left an ICE detention center after months behind bars."
The US Let Afghanistan Fall. Now It's Deporting Afghans.
As the Trump administration escalates deportations, tens of thousands of Afghans are in the US without permanent legal protections.
inkstickmedia.com
November 28, 2025 at 2:34 PM
"Mustafa served alongside the United States military in Afghanistan. Like so many other Afghans who helped American forces, he later came to the US for its promise of refuge. When I met him recently, though, he had only just left an ICE detention center after months behind bars."
“Dangit I hate gift shopping for my family, they’re so hard to buy f—“
"The perfect mug does not exist."
The perfect mug:
The perfect mug:
November 27, 2025 at 7:22 PM
“Dangit I hate gift shopping for my family, they’re so hard to buy f—“
What’s “your dish” this Thanksgiving? Mine’s an improved version of David Tanis’ haricot verts and olives
November 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
What’s “your dish” this Thanksgiving? Mine’s an improved version of David Tanis’ haricot verts and olives
MARKEY PICKS UP A BARSTOOL
Wow — Senators Van Hollen, Smith, Murphy, Sanders, Warren, Markey, Merkley, Heinrich have created an official internal "Fight Club."
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
They're challenging Schumer & Gillibrand's leadership, arguing the party is using an old, corporate-friendly playbook insufficient to take on Trump or win elections.
Chuck Schumer Faces Pushback From a ‘Fight Club’ of Senate Democrats
www.nytimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 4:24 PM
MARKEY PICKS UP A BARSTOOL
I no longer watch football (or any other professional sport), but I still think we should gift the Detroit Lions a Super Bowl win for free.
November 24, 2025 at 10:36 AM
I no longer watch football (or any other professional sport), but I still think we should gift the Detroit Lions a Super Bowl win for free.
I read this article, and I almost wish I hadn’t. Preferential treatment toward the ultrarich has allowed them to develop lifestyles that escape all sense of being a part of this country. If pressed, they’ll defend their comfort above all else.
November 24, 2025 at 10:24 AM
I read this article, and I almost wish I hadn’t. Preferential treatment toward the ultrarich has allowed them to develop lifestyles that escape all sense of being a part of this country. If pressed, they’ll defend their comfort above all else.
Mr Hulot’s Holiday was my introduction to comedy cinema, which should tell you EXACTLY how old my father was
I love the bit in Mr Hulot’s Holiday where the lunch bell goes and the whole beach empties.
November 23, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Mr Hulot’s Holiday was my introduction to comedy cinema, which should tell you EXACTLY how old my father was
Every year I forget how much I loathe The Little Drummer Boy
November 23, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Every year I forget how much I loathe The Little Drummer Boy
Finished writing one new talk, currently retooling a second one, got a month or so until I have to produce a third. What a beautiful Sunday for PowerPoint.
November 23, 2025 at 4:29 PM
Finished writing one new talk, currently retooling a second one, got a month or so until I have to produce a third. What a beautiful Sunday for PowerPoint.
Everyone in my life, starting when I was eight: “You’re an academician.”
Me for decades: I’ll try literally anything else
Me for decades: I’ll try literally anything else
November 23, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Everyone in my life, starting when I was eight: “You’re an academician.”
Me for decades: I’ll try literally anything else
Me for decades: I’ll try literally anything else
Gawd DAMN I make good coffee
November 22, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Gawd DAMN I make good coffee
After translating two novels about audiophilia, I know just enough to want to hear about the equipment!
November 22, 2025 at 2:51 PM
After translating two novels about audiophilia, I know just enough to want to hear about the equipment!
We’re about to find out the extent to which the price of Bitcoin affects sentiment re: the economy
November 22, 2025 at 1:49 PM
We’re about to find out the extent to which the price of Bitcoin affects sentiment re: the economy
This is very probably not true, but if it gives someone an idea, then hey
November 22, 2025 at 1:23 PM
This is very probably not true, but if it gives someone an idea, then hey
Reposted by Canaan Morse 莫楷
It turns out “[my country] first“ and “why are we giving money to [slur] instead of our people” is pretty universal. Some americans thinking those sentiments are bad is more of an exception
November 21, 2025 at 5:21 PM
It turns out “[my country] first“ and “why are we giving money to [slur] instead of our people” is pretty universal. Some americans thinking those sentiments are bad is more of an exception
I believe I already blocked the white-guy China journo who would hate this argument the most
Unpopular opinion: I'd like journalists to go back to doing reporting, and leave the big "think pieces" to people who have PhDs and can distinguish between historical/scientific fact and a bumper-sticker.
This is an Ezra Klein subtweet not limited at all to Ezra Klein.
This is an Ezra Klein subtweet not limited at all to Ezra Klein.
November 21, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I believe I already blocked the white-guy China journo who would hate this argument the most
One of my students told me today that my premodern Chinese lit class has been his favorite class in four years at UVA 🥰
November 20, 2025 at 4:30 AM
One of my students told me today that my premodern Chinese lit class has been his favorite class in four years at UVA 🥰
I love how many of these late-Qing popular songs are basically, “This random guy jumped over the garden wall while I was picking veggies, begged me on his knees to sleep with him, and now I’m *really* hoping we get married.”
November 18, 2025 at 11:36 PM
I love how many of these late-Qing popular songs are basically, “This random guy jumped over the garden wall while I was picking veggies, begged me on his knees to sleep with him, and now I’m *really* hoping we get married.”