In front of the John Lennon Wall in Prague.
The day after President Obama's second inauguration, I read an article from The Washington Post titled Is Poetry Dead?. The author of this post, Alexandra Petri, based her argument on the allegedly dismal state of American poetry on the inaugural poem "One Today" written and read by Richard Blanco. Ms. Petri took great offense to some of Blanco's language, stating that his poem, and American poetry in general, weren't "loud enough."
Petri criticized the poem in question for not being radical - "yowling"
was the word she used. Just what did she think Blanco should say -- that we
are a nation of gunslingers who kill little children? That the rich keep
getting rich while the majority of us suffer for it? That there are
still people in this country who make racist remarks
about our elected President? Did she really think that the inauguration was the time
and place for such poetry?
Personally, I feel sympathetic about Blanco's assignment since I have a little experience in writing a poem for a special occasion. Ten years ago, when my sister got married, she asked me to write a poem to read as part of her wedding ceremony. I was quite touched - until I started trying to figure out what to write. Now I am not putting myself forward as a poet of the same caliber as Blanco, nor was my sister's wedding broadcast on national television. But I do imagine that Blanco faced similar issues: the topic of such a poem has to be related to the ceremony and can't be controversial. At a wedding, like an inauguration, everyone wants to come away moved by the poet's words, but still feeling good.
In her blog, Petri went on to criticize poetry readings, MFA programs and just about everything else to do with poetry today. I'm not sure what her beef with MFA programs are unless she is saying they are responsible for killing poetry. However, I need to ask, are there no master's programs in journalism that pump out bad writers? She rather quickly pointed out the connection between the supposed death of poetry and the death of newspapers, but just as quickly posits that journalists don't have to worry as much as poets since people will always want news. I see a bit of a problem with her argument. Just as there are good poems and bad poems, there is good journalism and bad journalism. I doubt she would like poets to say journalism is dead because People Magazine exists.
I read this article just as I was preparing for a poetry reading shared with my friend Casey FitzSimons at Florey's Books in Pacifica, CA. Florey's is a tiny independent bookstore probably kept afloat by loyal local fans. (I know whenever I go there for a poetry reading, I always make sure to buy at least one book.) I wondered, if poetry is dead, should I even bother going?
Well, I'm happy to report that, unlike Petri's idea of poetry readings, there were about 30 people at the event - and not all of them were my friends and family. During the evening, poems on several topics were read - and surprise, surprise, some of them were even controversial. I heard poets' words on growing up gay, schizophrenia, the school massacre in Sandy Hook. I heard enough anger - and a few tears - to make even Petri happy.
Obviously Petri thinks she is amusing, since she uses the subtitle "Alexandra Petri puts the "pun" in pundrity." Like all writers, she wants people to read her words and respond - and at least with this post she succeeded. At last count she has garnered 377 comments. Of course, some are from those who agree with her, but even more from those who protest her words; those who, according to her, should despair for poetry today.
I don't know if Blanco's poem will be considered great enough to be read through the ages. Certainly Petri doesn't think so. However, unlike her, I enjoyed this poem because, while not an angry rant, it did touch on sensitive topics: poverty and racism, the death of children and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I have a dream" that has still not come to full fruition. I enjoyed Blanco's poem because it spoke of the aspiration that our country someday will be a safe place for us all. While the words he ended with were quiet, I found them powerful because he spoke of the hope for change, the kind of hope that can be the most radical idea of all. Sometimes a quiet poem can make a loud noise.
A few years ago, "Buttons," a poem about my grandparents was included in an anthology titled From the Porch Swing published by Silver Boomer Books. I even got paid $5.00 for my submission - my first money ever as a writer. At the time, I had no idea this sweet little book would be read by very many people. Then a few months ago, an email arrived asking for my permission to include my poem in the e-book version of From the Porch Swing on Amazon. Of course I jumped at the chance.
Today is the first day it is available, and until Saturday, January 5th you can download it for free. Go on, I know you want to read "Buttons."
Happy New Year!
Today I came across a website listing the Wonders of the World. The list is divided into categories: eight lists with seven
wonders in each as well as a final catch-all ninth list with 13
wonders from all over the world. Being one of those people who love lists, and feeling cocky about my traveling credentials, I eagerly counted those I have visited. Imagine my dismay at how many of the world's wonders I have yet to see.
Here is my own personal list:
List 1 - The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World
Of these, only one exists today, but it is an important one: the Great Pyramid of Giza. I can't quite forgive myself for missing out on that one, and need a plan to remedy this.
I do give myself some credit for visiting Olympia last summer where I read about the legendary statue of Zeus which was once there - and a Wonder of the Ancient World.
List 2 - The Seven Wonders of the Medieval Mind
I did much better with this one, having been to the Colosseum, Hagia Sophia in Istanbul and the Leaning Tower of Pisa. However, there are four locations I have never visited.
List 3 - The Seven Natural Wonders of the World
For this category, I can only claim two wonders: the Grand Canyon and the Northern Lights. I've actually been to the Grand Canyon more than once and seen the Northern Lights twice, so do those count as four?
List 4 - The Seven Underwater Wonders
of the World
I did even worse here since the only location on the list I've been to is the Galapagos Islands.
Since I snorkeled for the first time in the Galapagos only five years ago, I guess this isn't so bad.
List 5 - The Seven Wonders of the Modern
World
I was surprised that out of this list, I've only been to the Empire State Building and the Golden Gate Bridge. Five more to go.
Lists 6, 7, 8 and 9 detail what they call the "Forgotten" Wonders
I was unable to determine just what constituted a wonder being forgotten, so I can only surmise that there wasn't room for these places on the "A" lists. As they include some of what I consider extremely important buildings and beautiful natural locations, it is hard for me to see how they could have been outvoted. However, since there are also many stunning places that weren't mentioned at all, I have to wonder who could have possibly forgotten those as well. Since the 9th list comprised 13 forlorn wonders, what would a few more hurt?
From these four lists, I have collected Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, Mount Rushmore, the Parthenon, the Statue of Liberty and Gateway Arch in St. Louis (listed with the Eiffel Tower and the Parthenon? Really?). How strange that the "forgotten wonders" are the ones I've been to the most.
As for one more from this list, last summer when I visited Tanzania, I was very close to Mount Kilimanjaro. However, since it was night when I arrived, and the mountain was shrouded
in mist during the day, I never actually saw it. That will be my
excuse to go back.
So, of the 63 wonders listed, I've only seen 14. Obviously I've got some traveling to do.
For the full lists, visit Wonder Club.
Today on this second day of winter in Northern California, a steady rain falls from a gloomy sky. Contrary to the Mayan calendar predictions, the world still exists and we are still left to muddle through our muddly human lives.
When I woke this morning to the chilly gloom, I went around turning on the Christmas lights strung throughout the house. Although I was raised in a Christian household, I know that there are many other spiritual traditions that center around light at this time of the year. Today it is easy to understand why.
As I pack my suitcase to visit my family in even gloomier Portland, I am cheered by the promise of more lights, including the light of love. Isn't that all any of us can really count on?
So, everyone, let your own light shine - in whatever form that takes for you.
This year my birthday is 12/12/12, the last time in this century that such a triple digit date will occur, and according to the ancient Mayans, it is supposed to be a day that begins a complete spiritual transformation. While not expecting any miracles today, I do find it interesting that in the last few days before my numerically special birthday I've gathered a few seeds of that could grow into something significant.
About a month ago I wrote about one of my writing quandaries: what can I consider "real" writing? Should I count the writing I do for my teaching job as part of my writing regimen? I received loads of advice from people who all basically told me that I should change the way I view the place writing takes in my life. Of course, being a stubborn first-born I didn't really listen to them. Or maybe like many people, I needed to hear this lesson over and over before I could figure out how to listen to them. So now I've been hit over head a few more times -- and finally the message has gotten through.
First I received a post from one of the blogs I follow: Writing Through Life by Amber Lea Starfire. Titled Blogtalk: A Writer's Attitude this post discussed the same issue I have been struggling with: should all the writing I do that is not "creative" count as part of my writing life. Ms. Starfire says yes! Her advice has encouraged me to pay more attention to all the writing I do thoughout my days and make sure that I work to craft everything I write with attention and care.
Then I found a link to a beautiful video created by David Shiyang Liu that is based on a lecture by Ira Glass: Ira Glass on Storytelling. Glass discussed the dilemma that a beginner in any field faces: that the craft she produces cannot come close to her aspirations. Instead, the beginner artist must persevere in spite of the disparity between her ability and the ideal to which she aspires. While not technically a beginner in the writing field, like most writers I know, I do suffer from writer-doubt. So it was good to hear encouragement - once again - about not letting imperfections stifle my writing. While I know all this, sometimes I need to be reminded.
And the final piece to the puzzle came together when a friend shared an article on Facebook:
The Art of Being Still by Silas House published in the NYTimes.com Opinion Pages. In this article, House offered advice on learning to cultivate what he calls a stillness of mind that would enable me to go through the day observing the world from a writer's point of view. By doing this, writers can consider themselves as writing everyday even when not physically putting words to paper. While it would be tempting to take advantage of this technique to the exclusion of actual writing, I decided to try it that very day. While driving to a friend's house, I practiced my stillness of mind. During that 30 minute drive, I thought about several new ideas for a memoir piece I've started including some inspired on the weather I contemplated that day.
I also got the idea for this blog post. So happy birthday to me.
