Read this fantastic article on Lewis Hyde, author of The Gift, that appeared in this past weeks NYTimes. A primer for thoughts on gift economy in the arts and an understanding why we poor ourselves over poetry. I haven't yet read the book (I will) but it seems a belief system I could get behind.

In the article the author talks about Hyde's refutation to Emerson's "Self Reliance," prompting me to got back and read the entire essay this afternoon. Man, there is some shit in there.