| Author | Message | ||
| M
Board Administrator Username: mjm Post Number: 34325 Registered: 11-1998 |
Dearest All -- this is a great story well worth the time to read: The Poetry Stand These kids really learned how to put it out there. I envy their courage and their willing hearts. Love, M | ||
| Lazarus
Senior Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 4981 Registered: 10-2005 |
I'm halfway through reading this but jsut had to share this: "So many of their heroes — often rap and spoken-word artists — are so flatly identifiable with one pervasive, unmodulated attitude. Too many contemporary poets, for that matter, have been writing essentially the same poem, book after book, with little emotional range. If “finding your voice” is the essence of becoming an artist, which is what most new writers are taught to believe, my exercises probably felt like detours on the road to their self-discovery. -Laz | ||
| Lazarus
Senior Member Username: lazarus Post Number: 4982 Registered: 10-2005 |
Now that I'm done reading and I want to share this quote too: "I wanted the Governor’s School poets to develop what Keats famously called negative capability: the capacity to dwell, and write, in the midst of doubt and uncertainty. Shakespeare, as Keats pointed out, had enormous negative capability, and I think of Shakespeare’s open-mindedness, his ability to move between all those different voices with such aptitude." I first heard about doing this in one of my poetry books. I think it was Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg. Now I know what kind of preparation is needed to pull it off. I'd love to find a group of people to try this. Thanks M for shareing this with us. I'm inspired. -Laz | ||
| Judy Thompson
Advanced Member Username: judyt54 Post Number: 1609 Registered: 11-2007 |
Doug Goetsch is an amazingly good teacher/poet, and this is great fun to read, to be able to visualize the kids, and learn how they progressed. I took a weekend course from him a few years back in Iowa, and it was well worth the extra two days. What I liked is the idea that he was working from their perspective, not from his own, or a preconceived one. He got them to do what he wanted, by letting them do what they wanted. Very cool. Afraid of the Dark | ||
| Teresa White
Advanced Member Username: teresa_white Post Number: 2057 Registered: 01-2005 |
Hi M, This article made me smile. Yes! Yes! A wonderful way to approach teaching these young students. Actually, I've been writing these "prompt" poems for friends and sometimes even people I've barely met as long as I can remember. I guess this began to "thrive" about jr. high when other kids got wind that Teresa wrote poems. The most recent time was about two years ago when a young woman from South Africa emailed me asking if I'd please write a "friendship" poem for her best friend as she was moving away several hundred miles. As for the "negative capability," of course, I'd never heard the term...but I would try to write a poem that wasn't TOO good (I insisted they sign their name as author) in order that the recipient wouldn't guess that the poem was ghost-written. Hey, nothing great...lots and lots of Hallmarky stuff...but it was fun. ~T | ||
| LJ Cohen
Moderator Username: ljc Post Number: 11132 Registered: 07-2002 |
M--this brought tears to my eyes. And a fire in my heart. I need to find a way to do more of this--this writing and working on craft with kids. I don't know how I'm going to figure it out, but I will. Thank you for sharing this. xo ljc Once in a Blue Muse Blog "Chop Wood, Carry Water" | ||
| Dan Tompsett
Intermediate Member Username: db_tompsett Post Number: 608 Registered: 07-2007 |
Great story. Thanks! "People who believe a lot of crap are better off." Charles Bukowski | ||
| Abraham de la Torre
Intermediate Member Username: ham8113 Post Number: 967 Registered: 02-2009 |
M, Lisa said it. I am sleepless (I assume like you) and this kept me up even more. Happily, however. I was able to relate to the Buddhist non-attachment and will have a problem now how to not keep my pieces. The article moved me so much I saved "Monkey Villanelle" (first I heard of the form) as a signpost to go back to each time I lack the inspiration. I will also search "After Life" for the same reason. The thing most certain is this: I will never leave this site nor poetry by my side. It will be my life now. Those kids are after my own heart I cannot be proud enough of them. I pray they shake the edge as they mature in the profundity of poetry. I have plenty of free time and would like to help if I may although you will have to show me the way. In gratitude, let me mention, without you I'm an interjection. Ham The unjust sinner can no more go to heaven than the justified sinner can go to hell. - A.W. Tozer |
