Clarissa's Blog

The NY TIMES always knows how to make one collapse with laughter: 

Yevgeny Yevtushenko, an internationally acclaimed poet with the charisma of an actor and the instincts of a politician whose defiant verse inspired a generation of young Russians in their fight against Stalinism during the Cold War, died on Saturday.

The fellow died, it’s sad. He was very talented. But “the fight against Stalinism” is too funny. Not only was there never any fight but Yevtushnko was a kid when Stalin was alive. He wasn’t likely to inspire anyone. Not that anybody was in search of such inspiration because Stalin was worshipped. 

Clichés are very dangerous. You get distracted for a moment, and a cliché pops out.