David Rosenthal

@davidrosenthalpoet

Poet and Teacher (he/him) Berkeley, CA (Ohlone territory) You can read some poems here:

996 Following1,875 Followers4,483 Posts

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David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jul 15

Proper bookstore.

Interior picture of a bookstore with layers of full shelves.

Interior picture of a bookstore with milk crates full of books stacked up.

Interior picture of a bookstore with a full bookcase on top of another full bookcase blocking another full bookcase.

Interior picture of a bookstore with significantly bowing shelves.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jul 14

A couple days ago, I stood this close to the base of a 250-foot waterfall. It was pretty cool.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jul 12

Thirty-four years ago now.

The poster, David Rosenthal, and his wife, Lisa, at the altar during their wedding ceremony.

The poster, David Rosenthal, and his wife, Lisa, kissing on a tree-lined walkway minutes after their wedding ceremony.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jul 1

The Who’s iconic album cover for Who’s Next depicting a large stone monolith with four urination stains while the four members of the band are zipping up their pants, except with Trump’s planned arch interposed for the stone monolith so that it appears the band as urinated on Trump’s arch.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jun 30

In all the Mel Brooks appreciations I don’t see anyone mentioning Silent Movie (1976). It’s one of my faves. Check it out.

Movie poster for Mel Brooks’ 1976 film, “Silent Movie,” featuring Brooks in a yachting hat making a shh gesture, and pictures of vp-stars Marty Feldman and Dom DeLuise in the lower corners.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· May 30

Just got home from seeing @alabamashakes.com at the Greek Theater in my hometown, Berkeley. Outstanding as always.

Picture of Alabama Shakes on stage at the Berkeley Greek Theater.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Apr 7

The things you find in a little free library. The title page and copyright page are ripped out for some reason, but get a load of that table of contents.

Photo of a plain cream cover of a pamphlet with brown lettering thst says “May Sarton” in a script font on top and”Writing on Writing Below.”

Black lettering on a cream background, reading:
Contents
The School of Babylon page 5
The Design of a Novel page 25
The Writing of a Poem page 39
Revision as Creation page 59
On Growth and Change page 67

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Mar 29

If you see this, post a concert photo you took.

Photo of David Rawlings and Gillian Welch performing live, playing guitars and singing.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Mar 28

Just finished “Hope in the Dark,” by @rebeccasolnit.bsky.social. This is the 10 year old update of a 20 year old book, but reads as fresh and prescient, and even more so as inspirational. We have a need for a real & critical practice of hope, and she is one of the best guides on that path.

Book cover of Rebecca Solnit’s “Hope in the Darkness: Untold Histories, Wild Possibilities,” with white typeface on a plain, solid black background.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Mar 11

Just finished reading “Said No One Ever” by @monostich.bsky.social. Great variety and deft use of form. Manages to incorporate many salient pop culture and political references without sacrificing an ounce of music. Highly recommend.

The cover of Gregory Crosby’s poetry collection, “Said No One Ever,” which depicts a skeleton sitting in a chair next to an old time phonograph record player.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Mar 1

Here’s a poem I had in @cosmicdaffodil.bsky.social a couple years ago. Just because I’ve been thinking about it lately.

The Way by David Rosenthal

on a line from Wang Wei

This is the way I do things now:
I grimace through the sudden gripping pains
that always take me by surprise somehow,

and minimize whatever fleeting gains
I manage day to day. The simple lunch
I pack with care the night before contains

low sodium, low fat, whole grains, a bunch
of apple slices that have slightly browned
by one o'clock, but still provide a crunch

that pleases me - the tartness and the sound
redeem the chalky rattle of the pills
I swallow for my breakfast. I have found

a fragile string of minor gifts fulfills
me most these days - one of midlife's clichés,
though less so than a vain pursuit of thrills.

Some years from now, I'll run across the phrase,
"in middle age I came to love the tao,"
and laugh, and while away my latter days.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Feb 14

Happy Valentine’s Day from the SFMOMA.

A selfie of my wife and I (a bespectacled, late middle-aged couple) standing in front of the famous Robert Indiana Love sculpture at the SFMOMA.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 27

After our professional development day today, hundreds of Berkeley teachers and staff spread ourselves down two long stretches of MLK Jr. Way in solidarity with MN and in support of our students and their families. (Video show a short sample.) #IceOut

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 27

It was after a Professional Development Day, not a day off, but yeah we did this.

Screenshot of a Threads post from “matthewraifman” with a picture of demonstrators holding signs and this caption:

Today, in response to ICE actions in Minnesota, Berkeley teachers on their day off (and some students and neighbors) made a human chain along Martin Luther King Jr Road today with the goal of stretching one mile, physically linking a nearby elementary school to the high school. This was particularly powerful for me becuase my son is part of this community as a kindergartener. Proud to live here and to have my kids learn from such committed and caring teachers.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 27

Here’s my first and only baseball poem ever, in the latest issue of Aethlon: The Journal of Sport Literature.

Screen shot of a poem by David Rosenthal:

Poor Man's Season Tickets

We'd buy the cheapest tickets that they had.
The promo was "Two-Dollar Tuesday Nights," and for that price, the seats were not half bad.

Sometimes we would lose sight of a ball
beneath our section, deep in center field,
and listen for the crowd to make the call,

but we could buy a dozen games that way,
and take the girls, and sometimes bring their friends -
it was a way to make some small amends

for things there were no "poor-man's" versions of.
We'd huddle under blankets in the chill
of weeknight fog that wisped down from above

the lights. We'd dine on hot dogs that we'd wrap
in foil at home, but still turned out lukewarm.
When bleacher diehards played the drums, we'd clap

and chant along, and stand on two-strike counts,
and cry out baseball things into the air,
and feel the present pause while we were there.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 24

Due to overuse, this meme is losing its charm.

Man standing up image from a series of paintings by Norman Rockwell depicting American freedoms. This one is the freedom of speech, depicting a man standing up and saying something unpopular, but being allowed to do so.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 8

This is good. IYKYK

Screen shot of a phone calendar highlighting today’s date (January 6, 2026), and in the field where meetings and appointments are usually listed, it reads: No Events

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 2

Hi, I’m my left anterior descending artery and stress.

Screenshot of a post saying, “Introduce yourself with what almost killed you.

Hi, I’m swimming pool.”

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 1

Several times a day I think of this post from @thisone0verhere.bsky.social:

Screenshot of a BlueSky post by post from @thisone0verhere.bsky.social that says:

My cat has two and only two settings and they are:

1) awww look at the sleepy little baby

-or-

2) I swear to god if this motherf…

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Jan 1

Why should this year be different from all other years?

Screen shot of a BlueSky post from Merriam-Webster with caption: Take a screenshot of this GIF, and whichever new word you land on is YOUR word for 2026. In the frozen GIF field this word appears: melancholic.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Dec 16

Rob Reiner’s first seven films not only represented a broad range of genres, but were among the best (in some cases arguably *the* best) in each genre. Remarkable.

Screenshot from Rob Reiner’s wikipedia filmography showing his first seven films:

This is Spinal Tap
The Sure Thing
Stand By Me
The Princess Bride
When Harry Met Sally…
Misery
A Few Good Men

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Dec 16

Post a pic from your device

Picture of a tall replica of a werewolf wearing a red plaid shirt and blue jeans, standing hunched over in a colorfully decorated room.

David Rosenthal@davidrosenthalpoet· Dec 13

TODAY!!!! DON’T MISS IT!!!! Join us for live literature, and help raise funds for @translifeline.org It’s FREE and ONLINE so anyone can join from anywhere! REGISTER NOW at: beardedbardsofbluesky.weebly.com