Missouri
Latest work from mid-Missouri poet Elijah Burrell conveys needed messages
A holy wink opens “Skies of Blur,” the third and latest collection from mid-Missouri poet Elijah Burrell.
The wink travels from Jesus to the future St. Peter, but also from the poet to his reader across these initial lines: “In Simon Peter’s native tongue, / I wonder if boat and doubt sound slant.”
Here, Burrell raises questions of what a poem — what our language — can be, and how we locate ourselves in relationship. Should we take words, passed from one soul to another, so serious? Not really. Do we ever take our words seriously enough? Again, no echoes in our ears.
Over the course of these poems and pages, Burrell reveals an in-plain-sight mystery: We are always translating. Our experiences, someone’s pigeon-carried letters, the low brass hum of everyday life — each needs to be massaged and manifest in ways we might understand, if not act upon.
In “Skies of Blur,” the poet takes his turn putting his hand to the plow of translation, making our world make at least a few percentage points more sense. Burrell, a longtime professor at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, will continue this act of translation live when he reads from “Skies of Blur” at Skylark Bookshop Tuesday.
How the poet learns to listen — and models listening for us
Burrell reinforces this mission in the book’s second poem “Doing My Best to Listen.” Here, beneath the carbon-copy shelter of a gas station, he tunes his antennae to “a dozen voices calling—coyotes frenzied beneath a moon / they couldn’t see for the clouds.”
These are not simply wild, wordless voices, Burrell comes to understand, but sound and wonder, a fulfillment of the atmosphere around him, just one way of relaying “a message in transit to me my whole life.”
These messages, of what should and shouldn’t be, of simple glories and the stretch into oneness, face unsound barriers. The strangeness of the American dream labors to stop, or at least strain, them. Under his “American Umbrella,” Burrell slips into the guise of a cross-eyed dreamer who sees better than most.
“I spin plates every moment of my life. / I see nothing but yard sale pianos with songs inside them. / I have what they call a can-do attitude,” the poet writes in opening lines that, again, both wink and lament through the white spaces.
By poem’s end, in light of our national reliance on the almighty gun, the narrator’s plates crash, their umbrella ruptures.
Stories we can’t personally approach slow our understanding — until we tell them to each other, as Burrell’s narrator does in “Death and the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll.” Following the voluminous fill, then fade of an Elvis radio song, he shares the King’s life with his daughter, noticing how absences near and far call out in antiphon:
After Elvis has filled our car with a song,
my youngest daughter asks if he’s still
alive. “No, baby,” I say. “He died the year
Grandma had me.” In the rearview mirror
her faint flinch at the mention of mom.
Subtraction. I sense the math fill her mind.
Another domestic scene unspools through “In a World Gone Mad,” exhibiting the noise of our lives, and the need to listen between the lines.
“October in Missouri, / and I wake up to mass murder out west, / my daughter humming ‘Yer So Bad’ / while spoon-plinking the well of her / white bowl of Cheerios,” Burrell writes.
Poems of memories and messages
As we commit ourselves to translate, and to listen, messages break the noise — and conspicuous silences — in sundry, surprising ways.
Memories collide, then convey their kindnesses, through “the little symphonies from childhood synesthesia” (“Do Not Drive Into Smoke”); distant friends broadcast fragments of speech across “opposite ends / of quiet woods” (“Hailing Old Ghosts from My Silo on the Moon”); and, when everything fails, we keep sitting down to silent pianos, straining our ears for hushed voices, making music until the music comes back (“Unable to Sing”).
Words and their meanings come together, links in an imperfect, exquisite chain; they articulate our blessed smallness in a world of social-media dopamine and ancient weather (“Life in the Gush of Boats”); set us in motion to reconcile all our tenses (“Midlife”); bring our definitions of prayer and belonging into sad relief, so we might see ourselves as we are (“I Was Old When I Left Home”).
And, in one of the book’s late, great poems, we learn the power of exhausting the language for glorious synonyms. “Never Say Love In a Poem” captures the poet at work, trying to evade conventional sincerity and stumbling into something better.
“Listen: The small of her back / is drift, her mouth supermax,” Burrell writes.
And, in two of his finest poems, Burrell pays staggering tribute to his fellow translators, offering hope that we will keep at this work, keep breaking through.
Perhaps my favorite poem of the young year, “This is That Song by Alex Chilton (‘Thirteen’)” honors too-good-for-this-world troubadour Elliott Smith, tracing the passage of sound and “Arizona silence” from a 1997 live show to where the rock bard felt safest.
He closes his eyes. He’s back in Portland,
alone in bed, headphones on, and the birch-
white limbs inside him tremble and bend
from the weight of something cold and falling.
Five lines, “Postlude/Grace” ends the collection and begins something else entirely as the poet hands a guitar and his “indistinct” music to his daughter, whose “miraculous fingers / move down the neck like a surgeon closing a wound / that’s lain open too long.”
These words picture what we are always doing for one another. Here, Burrell writes out his translations, then passes them down to us that we might keep going, keep healing wounds borne alone and shared with others.
Burrell will read at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday; learn more about the evening at https://www.skylarkbookshop.com/new-events.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He’s on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.
Missouri’s attorney general has revealed which Chinese assets the state will be targeting in a $50 billion legal row.
The Show Me State’s legal battle with China has intensified as both sides pursue multibillion-dollar claims related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
And now, Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has explained what is on the table in terms of what assets will be targeted in the litigation.
“China caused extraordinary harm to our citizens and our economy,” she told Newsweek. “We are committed to holding them accountable and recovering every dollar we can. I’ve been asked if we will seize the pandas at the National Zoo. The answer is no, we are looking at other Chinese-owned assets, including farmland.”
Why It Matters
The confrontation highlights ongoing diplomatic rifts between the United States and China and raises complex questions about international law, sovereign immunity, and the ability of U.S. states to seize foreign-owned property. The outcome could set precedents for future pandemic-related litigation and diplomatic engagement between the two countries.
What To Know
China recently filed a lawsuit in a Wuhan court against Missouri and several state officials, seeking more than $50 billion in damages and public apologies.
In response, Missouri is advancing efforts to enforce a $24 billion U.S. court judgment against the Chinese government and affiliated entities—by targeting certain Chinese-owned assets within the United States.
The current dispute stems from a 2020 lawsuit filed by Missouri, which alleged that China exacerbated the coronavirus pandemic by hoarding personal protective equipment (PPE) and failing to provide timely warnings regarding the virus.
Earlier this year, the Missouri Attorney General’s Office obtained a $24–$25 billion judgment against the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Communist Party, and related entities after Chinese officials declined to participate in the U.S. court process.
In response to Missouri’s legal success, China has now filed a $50.5 billion (356.4 billion yuan) lawsuit in the Intermediate People’s Court of Wuhan.
The complaint, jointly submitted by the Chinese government, Wuhan’s municipal government, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Wuhan Institute of Virology, names the state of Missouri, Governor Mike Kehoe, U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, and former Attorney General Andrew Bailey as defendants.
The Chinese lawsuit claims Missouri and its officials engaged in “fabricating enormous disinformation, and spreading stigmatizing and discriminating slanders” that impaired China’s economic interests and reputation.
Alongside financial compensation, China seeks public apologies in prominent American and Chinese media outlets, recovery of legal costs, and the right to claim further damages.
What People Are Saying
Hanaway said: “I find it extremely telling that the Chinese blame our great state for ‘belittling the social evaluation’ of The Wuhan Institute of Virology… We stand undeterred in our mission to collect on our $24 billion judgment that was lawfully handed down in federal court.”
U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt, who initiated Missouri’s original lawsuit, said: “I’ve been banned from Communist China, and now I am being sued and targeted by Communist China in a $50 Billion lawfare campaign, and I’ll wear it like a badge of honor… This novel lawsuit is factually baseless, legally meritless, and any fake judgment a Chinese court issues in this lawsuit we will easily beat back and keep from being enforced against the people of Missouri or me.”
Liu Pengyu, spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington, described the Missouri lawsuit as “a purely politically motivated maneuver [and] China firmly opposes it, will never accept it, and reserves the right to take strong countermeasures.”
What Happens Next
Missouri is in the process of seeking certification of its federal court judgment—a legal prerequisite for initiating asset seizures under U.S. law. If certification is granted, the state may move forward with efforts to identify and seize Chinese-owned assets, particularly farmland and financial interests connected to the Chinese government or its proxies.
Simultaneously, Chinese legal action in Wuhan courts is ongoing, with the plaintiffs demanding significant damages and public apologies.
FRISCO, TX — Missouri State football ended a historic season, in which it qualified for a bowl game in its first season as an FBS program, with a loss in the Xbox Bowl.
The Bears made a late push, but came up short in a 34-28 loss to Arkansas State on Thursday, Dec. 18, in the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
Thus ends one of the best years in Bears football history, their first in Conference USA, where they went 7-6 and had their first six wins over FBS programs since 1990. Mo State won five one-score games, while reaching feats that were once thought impossible for a once-disastrous program.
Thursday night marked the end of the six-year Petrino family era for Missouri State, as news broke earlier in the day that the school was finalizing the hire of SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods as its next head coach. Woods will replace Ryan Beard, who didn’t coach in the Xbox Bowl after accepting the head coaching position at Coastal Carolina. Woods’ hiring is expected to be announced on Dec. 19.
The Springfield News-Leader is bringing you live updates from Frisco, Texas. Follow for live updates.
Watch Missouri State vs Arkansas State on ESPN+
Missouri State vs Arkansas State in Xbox Bowl live score
This section will be updated throughout the game
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
| Arkansas State | 14 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 34 |
| Missouri State | 7 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 28 |
Final — Arkansas State 34, Missouri State 28
Jacob Clark to Jmariyae Robinson for a touchdown
Clark to Robinson for a 16-yard score with 1:54 left. Bears have to get the onside kick.
Missouri State has first-and-goal at the 16
A 59-yard pass to Dash Luke has the Bears in position to strike at the two-minute warning. Bears at the ASU 16.
Arkansas State misses field goal
The Bears have a pulse again? MSU ball at its 20 with 3:20 left.
Missouri State muffs punt when it just got a pulse
Dash Luke muffs a punt with 3:50 left, and the Red Wolves recover. Dang.
Jacob Clark throws pretty TD to Dash Luke
A dime down the middle of the field to Dash Luke goes for a 47-yard touchdown. Luke has 110 yards and two touchdowns on six receptions. Clark is up to 23-31 for 274 yards and three scores. Two-point conversion ruled short.
Missouri State forces Arkansas State punt
Bears ball at their own 48.
Arkansas State recovers strip-sack
From the ASU 34, Clark is hit and he fumbles. Red Wolves ball with 9:01 left and this one is ovah.
Arkansas State knocks in field goal
A 32-yard field goal with 12:43 left extends the Red Wolves’ lead back up to three scores.
Jacob Clark hits Ramone Green for TD to open fourth quarter
A beautiful ball from Jacob Clark to Ramone Green for a 15-yard touchdown pass. Bears cut Arkansas State’s lead to 31-15 with 14:52 left in the game. The Bears go for two and get it. It’s suddenly a two-score game.
Missouri State in scoring position
The Bears are at the Red Wolves’ 15, facing third-and-11, to begin the fourth quarter.
Missouri State takes over at its own 10
This game is sloooooooow. Bears need to make this score respectable or something on this drive.
Devin Spencer runs for 25-yard touchdown
Arkansas State went 65 yards in less than two minutes. Devin Spencer runs in a touchdown from 25 yards out. Bears down 31-7 with 10:23 left in the third.
Arkansas State, Missouri State trade punts
Red Wolves ball at their own 35.
Arkansas State takes 24-7 lead into halftime
Jacob Clark is 13-16 for 115 yards and a touchdown, but he’s been sacked four times, and there have been a pair of untimely penalties. Red Wolves have eight tackles for a loss. Defense is struggling to get stops and has been giving up big plays, allowing four passes of 21 yards or more.
Missouri State, Arkansas State trade punts
Bears ball at their own 24 with 69 seconds left in the half.
Arkansas State back in the endzone
This game is in danger of getting away from the Bears. Jaylen Raynor hit Hunter Summers for a 39-yard diving completion. The Wolves score two plays later on a four-yard touchdown pass. It’s 24-7 Wolves with 6:14 left in the half.
Missouri State penalty, sack allowed kills another drive
Jacob Clark scrambled for 15, but it was called back because of a hold. He was sacked for the second time right after. Arkansas State returns the punt 35 yards to the MSU 44.
Arkansas State boots 54-yard field goal
The Bears kept the Wolves out of the endzone for the first time tonight, but Clune Van Andel boots a 54-yard field goal. Wolves up 17-7 with 12:40 left in the half.
Jacob Clark to Dash Luke for a Missouri State TD
Jacob Clark rolls out to his left, gets a corner to bite and throws a 39-yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Dash Luke to get the Bears on the board. Arkansas State up 14-7 with 17 seconds left in the quarter.
Arkansas State strikes with deep touchdown
A deep ball from Jaylen Raynor to Corey Rucker is perfect, and he goes 71 yards to the house. The Bears’ defense isn’t looking good. It’s 14-0 with 2:51 left in the first quarter.
Missouri State moved the ball, but Arkansas State got to Jacob Clark again
The Bears got to the Red Wolves’ 36, but were flagged for holding. Their drive stalls after Jacob Clark was sacked. Wolves ball at their five.
Arkansas State quickly drives down the field for a score
The Bears struggled to tackle, and the Red Wolves took advantage. They go 55 yards in five plays to take an early 7-0 lead just four minutes in.
Missouri State goes three-and-out to start the game
The pass rush is getting after Jacob Clark with his makeshift offensive line. They’re immediately forced to punt. Wolves ball at their 45.
Missouri State vs Arkansas State pregame notes
8:03 p.m. — Missouri State will receive the opening kick.
7:56 p.m. — Nick Petrino’s offensive line is expected to be pretty thin tonight. Cash Hudson is playing, despite it looking like he’s portal-bound. But they could be down a couple more with Ebubedike Nnabugwu and others expected to be out.
7:34 p.m. — Here’s your next Missouri State football coach, which I was able to confirm. SMU offensive coordinator Casey Woods will be announced as head coach on Friday morning after a Missouri State Board of Governors meeting.
7:29 p.m. — Hello, Springfield. Nice to talk to you again. What a moment for Missouri State as it participates in its first bowl game. The joy on the supporters’ faces has already made this a special night.
What time does Missouri State vs Arkansas State start?
- Date: Thursday, Dec. 18
- Time: 8 p.m. CT
- Location: Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Texas
The Bears and Red Wolves are scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 18, from the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas.
What TV channel is Missouri State vs Arkansas State on today?
- TV channel: ESPN2
- Streaming: ESPN+
Missouri State will take on Arkansas State on ESPN2 with Jorge Sedano, Rodney McCloud and Victoria Arlen on the call. Streaming options for the game include ESPN+.
Watch Missouri State vs Arkansas State on ESPN+
Missouri State vs Arkansas State predictions in Xbox Bowl
- Wyatt Wheeler: Missouri State over Arkansas State
- Matt Hayes: Missouri State over Arkansas State
- Jordan Mendoza: Missouri State over Arkansas State
- Paul Meyerberg: Arkansas State over Missouri State
- Erick Smith: Arkansas State over Missouri State
- Eddie Timanus: Arkansas State over Missouri State
- Blake Toppmeyer: Missouri State over Arkansas State
Missouri State vs Arkansas State odds, spread for Xbox Bowl
Odds courtesy of BetMGM on the morning of Monday, Dec. 15
- Spread: Arkansas State -1 1/2
- Over/under: 56 1/2
- Moneyline: ARST -115, MOST -105
College Football Playoff schedule 2025-26
- First round: Dec. 19 and 20
- Quarterfinals: Dec. 31 and Jan. 2
- Semifinals: Jan. 8 and 9
- National championship: Jan. 19
Wyatt D. Wheeler covers Kansas State athletics for the USA TODAY Network and Topeka Capital-Journal. You can follow him on X at @WyattWheeler_, contact him at 417-371-6987 or email him at wwheeler@usatodayco.com
On Thursday, December 18, 2025, the momentum of BetMGM Sportsbook’s official launch in Missouri continues to build. As the legal sports betting era takes hold across the Show-Me State, new users can capitalize on BetMGM Missouri’s premier welcome promotion: the BetMGM bonus code CUSE unlocks a $1,500 First Bet Offer in MO, providing one of the most significant safety nets available in the national market.
This launch-specific offer represents a major deviation from the standard promotions typically found in established markets. By activating the BetMGM bonus code CUSE today, Missouri bettors secure insurance on their very first wager, allowing them to explore the platform’s extensive markets with peace of mind, as their initial bet will be refunded in bonus bets if it loses.
BetMGM Bonus Code CUSE Sets a High Bar for Missouri:
The timing of this rollout is perfect for local fans, as the St. Louis Blues continue their season and the NFL enters the critical Week 16 stretch. While some sportsbooks offer small, fixed-sum “bet and get” deals, the BetMGM Missouri structure is designed for a high-ceiling play. If your first bet up to $1,500 loses, BetMGM will refund your entire stake in bonus bets.
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- Launch Date: December 2025 (Live Now).
Thursday Night Football: Rams vs. Seahawks Matchup Details (NFL Week 16):
The biggest stage for Missouri bettors tonight is Thursday Night Football, featuring a pivotal NFC West clash between the Los Angeles Rams and the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.
Betting Odds:
- Spread: Seahawks -1.5
- Over/Under: 42.5
- Moneyline: Rams +110 | Seahawks -120
- All odds above subject to change.
Xbox Bowl: Missouri State vs. Arkansas State Matchup Details:
Adding to the excitement is the Xbox Bowl at the Ford Center at The Star. This game marks a historic milestone as the Missouri State Bears make their FBS bowl debut against the Arkansas State Red Wolves.
Betting Odds:
- Spread: Arkansas State -1
- Over/Under: 54.5
- Moneyline: Missouri State -104 | Arkansas State -105
- All odds above subject to change.
By using the BetMGM bonus code CUSE to wager on any of these markets—whether backing the Rams (+110) or taking the Bears (-104) in their bowl debut—your first bet is protected. If your pick hits, you keep the cash; if it falls short, your stake returns as bonus bets.
How to Activate the BetMGM Bonus Code CUSE:
- Sign Up: Click through to the BetMGM app or site and register your new account in Missouri.
- Enter Code: Ensure the BetMGM bonus code CUSE is entered in the designated field during registration.
- Deposit: Fund your account with a minimum deposit of $10.
- Place Your First Bet: Wager on any market, such as Rams vs. Seahawks or the Xbox Bowl.
- Get Your Bonus: If your first bet loses, BetMGM will refund your stake (up to $1,500) in bonus bets!
Conclusion: BetMGM Missouri Delivers a Premier Launch Offer!
The arrival of BetMGM in Missouri brings a top-tier betting experience to the state. By engaging the BetMGM bonus code CUSE during this launch week, sports fans can lock in a massive $1,500 safety net, ensuring the strongest possible start to the legal betting era in Missouri.
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