Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Favorite Favorite Poem Project
To be honest, I don't really have a favorite one because I find the videos cheesy. However, I've found one that I don't mind as much as the other ones: "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks, read by John Ulrich. I had studied this poem in middle school, but I always thought that some of the vibe of the poem was lost when it was read by my young, blonde, well to do english teacher with the high, feminine voice. To hear it instead from the mouth of a young man from Boston with a scratchy, low voice to boot, it made it all the more poignant. I found his family structure fascinating and cannot fathom what it must be like to grow up with seven siblings, all a year apart. I also wonder what it would be like to live at home while I go to college. On that note, I wonder what it would be like to go to art school instead of this one.
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4 comments:
Ah, yes. The days of Mrs. Moore. I'm sure the reading of the poem does significantly alter the conveyed meaning. As far as art school goes--you could go to Pratt. Like that girl on The Office.
I agree, I sometimes find the favorite poem project videos a little cheesy and sometimes a bit too sentimental. However, much like your experience, I find that, sometimes, listening to a poem in a different voice and having some different and new and strange explain what it means to them can be touching and thought provoking (right about here I had to email Jenn for the other words that meant thought provoking. unfortunately, i couldn't really come up with anything that sounded better.). Mostly the listening, because sometimes I don't really care what the stranger has to say because I have already made up my mind.
Poetry takes on such different meanings when read aloud by different people. I think all poets should record themselves reading their poems aloud, for posterity's sake.
Sorry you found the videos mostly cheesy. For more on South Boston, read the memoir All Souls.
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