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| Intro Poetry & Politics |
Tonight 10:00 |
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key: Culture / Arts |
| Poetry & Politics |
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| Hello |
Founders |
| Intro Poetry & Politics |
Tonight 10:00 |
| Part 2 of intro |
key: Culture / Arts |
| Poetry & Politics |
WEB PROMO |
| Tag |
Web Pointer |
| Goodnight |
Tomorrow |
| Hello Return to index of stories... |
Hello and welcome to New Hampshire Outlook. I'm Chip Neal. |
| Intro Poetry & Politics Return to index of stories... |
Not long ago, I reported on an historic event in the world of poetry. New Hampshire hosted the first gathering of state poets laureate - ever. Now, I learned that not every state has one. Only 33 states have a poet laureate but 15 of them were here. |
| Part 2 of intro Return to index of stories... |
The poets came together to explore New Hampshire - which is no slouch in the world of poetry. After all Robert Frost's boyhood home is here in Derry.- They also came to explore the role of poetry in contemporary life. The idea for this event came from our very own Poet Laureate Marie Harris. IT OCCURRED TO ME WHAT I NEEDED TO DO BECAUSE THIS JOB HAD NO DESCRIPTION WAS TO DO SOMETHING PUBLIC. AND IT OCCURRED TO ME IN RYE RESEARCH OF OTHER STATES' POETS LAUREATE THAT THE BEST THING MIGHT BE TO BRING ALL OF US TOGETHER TO MEET WON ANOTHER AND TO DISCUSS THE ROLE OF THE POET IN THE PUBLIC ARENA. I GOT MY EAR FROM COUNTRY MUSIC. I LISTENED AS A CHILD TO THOSE GREAT LINES COMING OUT OF NASHVILLE TENNESSEE. I CALLED THEM THE RHYMING REIMERS, PEOPLE LIKE HANK WILLIAMS AND SO ON. SO WHAT I TRIED TO DO OF THE POEMS THAT I'VE WRITTEN CALLED THE POET, I TRIED TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY, OUR COUNTRY ROADS AND LANGUAGE INTO THE BIG CITIES AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO SIT ON A FRONT PORCH, THUMP A WATERMELON OR GO TO AN OLD COUNTRY STORE. THIS IS CALLED A POET. THE GRIT I CRACKED ON THE AVENUE CAME FROM THE RUTS IN THE ROAD. THE CROSSOVER WAS NOT EASY. THE AVENUE KNEW NOT THE HUM OF MY SONG BUT THE SONG I'D HUM WILL DIE IF I DON'T SO I HUM IT. THE WORD ON THE AVENUE CAME FROM THE LANGUAGE ON THE HILL. THE CROSSOVER WAS NOT EASY FOR THE WORD NOT SAID WILL GO UNREAD SO I SPEAK IT. Reporter: THE POETS WERE HERE TWO DAYS. ON FRIDAY THEY SHARED THEIR POETRY IN SCHOOLS, LIBRARIES AND MU SEMS ALL OVER THE STATE. DR. CARVER SMOOTHS THE PAGE AND CLOSES THE BOOK ON HIS OWNLY LINK WITH HIS MOTHER. ONE OF THEM REPEATS AN ASSERTION, REPHRASES IT FOR EMPHASIS. NO GROWS EX-AS PRAYED AND NOTES IT'S VERY LATE. THE WOODS OUTSIDE ARE SILENT AS BATS SUGGESTING PRESENCES. THIS WOULD BE THE PERFECT TIME TO SLEEP IN FAMILIAR EMBRACE AND LET DREAMS UNTIE THE KNOTS THEY'VE MADE. BUT THEY PASS ACROSS THAT TIME. IN THE MORNING, THE EVIDENCE IS SO PLAIN, SO MUNDANE, THE LITTLE TURKEYS ARE ALL IN THE PEN, ONLY THE HEADS HAVE DISAPPEARED. AFTER A DAY OF TRAVELING AROUND THE STATE AND GIVING READINGS IN VARIOUS VENUES, THE POETS LAUREATE GATHERED BACK HERE FOR A SERIES OF PANEL DISCUSSIONS. COVERING EVERYTHING FROM POETRY AND EDUCATION TO POETRY IN THE MEDIA, COMMUNITY AND POLITICS. THE GENERAL PUBLIC NEITHER PAYS ATTENTION TO POLITICS IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD IN BECOMING INFORMED NOR DO THEY READ POETRY. IF WE ARE SEEN AS THE ADVOCATES FOR SETTING THE DIRECTION OF POLICY OF OUR COUNTRY, I THINK THE CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US TODAY IS HOW DO WE GET HEARD? Reporter: ALSO IN ATTENDANT WAS DANA GOIIA THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL ENDONT FOR THE ARTS. EVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NEW MILLENNIUM, POETRY REPRESENTS THE MOST CONCISE EXPRESS I HAVE AND MEMORABLE WAY WE HAVE OF USING WORDS TO DESCRIBE OUR EXISTENCE TO ONE ANOTHER AND EVEN TO OURSELVES SO AS LONG AS HUMAN BEINGS USE LANGUAGE TO ARTICULATE THEIR EXISTENCE, POETRY AT LEAST IN POTENTIAL REMAINS THE MOST POWERFUL MEDIUM THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT. Reporter: WE ALSO MANAGED TO GET 12 OF THE POETS LAUREATE TO SIT DOWN WITH US AND TALK ABOUT SEVERAL TOPICS CONCERNING THE ROLE OF POETRY IN OUR SOCIETY. I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS BUT I KNOW IT WHEN I SEE IT. SIMILAR TO THE SUPREME COURT'S DECISION ON PORNOGRAPHY. POETRY IS IN THE EAR OF THE BEHOLDER. PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO MAY THINK I'M ROBERT FROST AND I JUST LET THEM BELIEVE IT. BUT WHAT ARE POEMS TO SOME AND POETRY TO ONE EAR IS DIFFERENT FROM ANOTHER. WE SHOULD NEVER MAKE FUN OF ANYONE'S EAR. THE COMMERCIALS ON RADIO AND TELEVISION ARE BAD POETRY. THEY'RE POETRY MERELY TO SELL SOMETHING AND THEY'RE TAKEN FROM REAL POETRY. POETRY USES CON SITUATION OF LANGUAGE, RHYTHMS AND SOMETIMES RHYME TO SAY SOMETHING IN A SMALL SPACE THAT WOULD CATCH SOMEBODY'S ATTENTION. POETRY IS ANYTHING ANYONE WANTS TO CALL POETRY. WOULD YOU LIKE TO SIMPLY SAY THAT D.H.LAWRENCE'S DEFINITION WORKS, THAT A POEM IS AN ACT OF ATTENTION, THAT THE FOCUS AS LONG AS THERE'S THAT KIND OF FOCUS, THAT KIND OF ATTENTION THAT WE CAN CALL IT A POEM. YES, I WOULD SAY WHAT I SAY TO MY UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS THAT POETRY IS SHAPED LANGUAGE AND THAT MOST AMERICANS DO KNOW WHAT POETRY IS BECAUSE WHEN THEY ARE IN A CRISIS SITUATION OR FEEL THE SPONTUS OVERFLOW OF-- WHAT IS IT? -- POWERFUL FEELINGS, THEY TRY TO SHAPE LANGUAGE. IT'S LANGUAGE THAT'S AWARE OF ITSELF IN SOME REALLY DEEP WAY. I THINK POETRY IS MINDFUL LANGUAGE. IT'S LANGUAGE THAT WE PAY ATTENTION TO. I THINK THAT PEOPLE KNOW WHAT POETRY IS BECAUSE IT'S WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY GET MARRIED. IT'S WHAT THEY WANT WHEN THEY HAVE TO DELIVER SOMETHING AT THEIR FATHER'S FUNERAL. SO WE ALL WANT THAT KIND OF SPECIAL LANGUAGE ON SPECIAL OCCASIONS OF OUR LIVES. FATHERS. FATHERS ARE MORE FATHERING THESE DAYS. THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS BY BEING MORE MOTHERING. WHAT LUCK FOR THEM THAT WOMEN'S LIB HAPPENED THEN THE DREAM OF NEW FATHERING BEGAN TO SHINE IN THE EYES OF FREE WOMEN AND WAS IRRESISTIBLE. ON THE NEW YORK SUBWAY AND THE MASS TRANSIT OF THE OTHER CITIES ONE MAY SEE FATHERINGS OF MANY COLORS WITH THEIR ROUND BABIES ON THEIR LAPS. THIS MAY ALSO HAPPEN IN THE COUNTRYSIDE. THESE SCENES WERE BRAND NEW, EXCITING FOR AN OLD WOMAN WHO HAD WATCHED THE OLD FATHERS GATHERING ONCE AGAIN IN FAMILIAR ARMY CAMPS AND COMFORTABLE WAR ROOMS TO CONSIDER THE NECESSARY ERADICATION OF THE NEW FATHERING FATHERS WHO ARE THEIR SONS AS WELL AS THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN WHO WILL SURELY BE IN THE WAY. OF COURSE, I CAN'T PRESUME TO TRACK THE GENOME OF POETRY BUT I THINK POETRY ORIGINATES IN OUR NEED TO CONTACT SOMETHING SACRED, THAT POETRY IS AN ATTEMPT TO NAME SOMETHING WHICH IS BEYOND LANGUAGE AND THAT THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE AS A SPECIES-- THIS FEELING THAT THERE'S SOMETHING BEYOND US THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE A LANGUAGE FOR BUT THAT WE HAVE A LANGUAGE THAT CAN REACH TOWARD. AND I THINK POETRY IS THAT REACHING, THAT LANGUAGE REACHING FOR SOMETHING BEYOND LANGUAGE. ONE OF THE DEFINITIONS OF POETRY IS THAT IT'S. A FOOT OF POETRY COMES FROM PROBABLY ANGLO-SAXON TIME BECAUSE THEY WOULD STOMP THEIR FEET AND THEN THE POET WOULD HAVE TO MATCH HIS SPEAKING TO THAT RHYTHM WHICH IS THE SAME AS THE HEARTBEAT. SO WE ALL CARRY THE ESSENCE OF POETRY IN US. THE EASIEST PHRASE TO MAKE IS EYE A.M. BIC PEN TAM TER FIVE OF THOSE BEATS. I THINK POETRY IS KIND OF A FROZEN MUSIC. I THINK ITS BASIC NATURE IS THAT IT'S COMMEMORATIVE AND A CHANCE TO COMMEMORATE THE HAPPY MOMENTS IN OUR LIVES AND THE TRAGEDY IN OUR LIVES BOTH INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A COUNTRY. THE TROUBADOURS WERE DOING IT YEARS AND YEARS AND YEARS AGO WITH INSTRUMENTS AND SO WE TURNED ON IT FROM THERE. THEN WE GREW UP ON NURSERY RHYMES. AND WE TRAINED OUR EARS TO THAT. I DON'T KNOW THAT IT HAS ANY BIRTH PLACE BUT I WOULD SAY THE TROUBADOURS WERE VERY INSTRUMENTAL. I THINK POETRY IS BORN FROM ANXIETY. I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE ARTIST-- IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE PAIN NECESSARILY-- BUT IT COMES FROM SOME SORT OF ANXIETY AND THIS URGE TO CREATE I DON'T THINK IS A DAILY URGE FOR MOST PEOPLE. I CAN'T IMAGINE LIVING MY LIFE WITHOUT WRITING POETRY BUT SOMETIMES I FEEL CURSED BY IT. THIS SOUNDS TRITE BUT I THINK POETRY IS THE ONLY THING THAT IMPROVES ON SILENCE. SILENCE IS ULTIMATE POETRY. WHEN YOU'RE WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU REALLY LOVE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO SAY MUCH. BECAUSE IT'S UNDERSTOOD. I THINK EZRA POUND SAID A POET IS SOMEONE WHO BELIEVING IN SILENCE COULD NOT REFRAIN FROM SPEAKING SO IT'S RELATED NOT SO MUCH TO CONSCIOUS WRITING OR CONSCIOUS SPEAKING BUT TO UTTERANCE. IT'S LIKE THE SCREAM OR A GRUNT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT IT'S IN THAT GENRE. IT'S ALMOST INVOLUNTARY. MANY PEOPLE HERE WHO WRITE POEMS WILL TELL YOU THAT A POEM IS WRITTEN OUT OF A KIND OF NECESSITY THAT THEY CAN'T CAN'T GET OUT OF IT. THE TITLE THIS POEM IS "WHATEVER HAPPENED TO DEFIANCE." PEOPLE YOU WILL NEVER WANT TO KNOW ARE TELLING YOU TO VOTE, ENLIST, INVEST, TRAVEL TO AL PULL POLE CO-, BUY NOW, PAY LATER, SMOKE, STOP SMOKING, CURB YOUR DOG, REMEMBER THE WHALE AND PRAISE THE LORD. LIKE WINDSHIELD WIPERS THEY REPEAT THEMSELVES. BECAUSE THEY TELL BUT NEVER ASK, YOU LEARN TO LIVE AROUND THEM JUST TO LIVE. YOU UNDERSTAND WHY SOMEONE PREFERRED TO HATE THE BURJ WASY OF FRANCE BUT THEN TAHITI IS NOT THE ANSWER ANYMORE AND FRANKLY NEVER WAS. THIS LEAVES YOU WAYING SHUL WATERFRONT PHILOSOPHY. YOU DO IT TO HIM BEFORE HE DOES IT TO YOU. REACTIONARY, YOU ADMIT BUT NATURE'S WAY, THE WAY OF THIS WORLD, OR HE WHO WINS IS HE WHO LOSES LEAST AND LAST. BUT IF YOU'RE BORED BY TRIUMPH TRUE ATTRITION IMITATION YOU MAY THE STRATEGY OF PUCK. LISTEN CAREFULLY TO ALL SOLICITATIONS, SMILE AND RESPOND IN CLASSICAL GREEK. DEVIOUS BUT THEN IT LEAVES YOU TIME TO SMELL THE ALWAYS BREATHING FLOWERS OR TO WATCH DISSOLVE INTO THE MYSTERY OF COFFEE THE FACESS DICE OF SUGAR CUBES OR TO SAY HOW TOTALLY REMARKABLE IT IS THAT EVERY EVENING SOMEWHERE IN THIS WORLD A PLAY OF SHAKESPEARE IS BEING STAGED WITH NOTHING TO BE WON BUT EXCELLENCE. Reporter: THE POETS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR LOSING THEIR AUDIENCE NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. PEOPLE STILL LIKE POETRY. THEY'LL STILL COME TO HEAR IT AS WE SAW TODAY. BUT DIFFICULT ACADEMIC PROGRAM MAKES OR POETRY MAKES PEOPLE FEEL STUPID AND THEY DON'T LIKE TO FEEL THAT WAY. THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND IT. SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS. YEARS AGO PROFESSOR STARTED WRITING FOR EACH OTHER SO THEY COULD GET TENURE. I'M GOING TO MAKE SOME PEOPLE MAD. GO RIGHT AHEAD. THEY WENT TO THE BLACK HOLES OF THEIR MINDS AND PULLED OUT SOMETHING SO THEY COULD BE. IMPRESS EACH OTHER LIKE LSU WOULD PUBLISH VANDERBILT AND VANDERBILT WOULD PUBLISH UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA AND VIRGINIA WOULD DO GEORGIA. IT WAS ALL A LITTLE CLIQUE. AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS PEOPLE QUIT READING IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND IT. BOOKSTORES QUIT CARRYING IT BECAUSE PEOPLE QUIT BUYING IT. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED. IT'S COMING BACK TO THE PEOPLE. I WOULD AGREE. I WAS JUST TALKING TO AN OLD FRIEND WHO'S A TEACHER. SHE WAS SAYING HOW CHILDREN LOVE TO WRITE POETRY. NOW AT SOME POINT THEY STOP LOVING TO WRITE POETRY. WHAT IS THAT POINT? I DON'T KNOW. ONE OF THE THINGS I THINK ABOUT POETRY AND THE WAY IT'S BEING TAUGHT IS THAT IT'S NOT BEING TAUGHT WELL. IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AT ALL. TEACHERS ARE SCARED TO DEATH OF IT. I GET INTO A LOT OF SCHOOLS AND THE TEACHERS ARE SO GRATEFUL WHEN I COME BECAUSE THEY ADMIT, THEY SAY, WHEN I HAVE TO TEACH THE POETRY UNIT, I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. ALL I CAN DO IS TRY TO PULL SOMETHING OUT OF A BOOK. SO I THINK IT STARTS EARLY THAT KIDS SHOULD BE GETTING TAUGHT IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT THEY SHOULD LEARN TO LOVE POETRY AND NOT HATE IT. |
| Poetry & Politics Return to index of stories... |
HER POINT IS WELL TAKEN. SHE SAID CHILDREN BY NATURE LOVE POETRY. THEN SHE ADDED BUT WHEN DO THEY GROW OUT OF IT? THEY DON'T GROW OUT OF IT. THEY'RE EDUCATED OUT OF IT. I MEAN, KIDS WHEN THEY SEE SOMETHING THAT THEY, FOR EXAMPLE, I HAVE A NIECE, SHE CALLEDA NAPKIN A LAPKIN. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECT HER. SHE CALLS A TOOTHBRUSH A TEETH BRUSH WHICH HAPPENS TO BE CORRECT, AND WE CORRECT HER BUT THE POINT ISAT AT A CERTAIN POINT WE MAKE THEM CORRECT AND GRAMMCAL AND DULL LIKE THE REST OF US SO THEY FORGET TO SEE WITH THEIR FEELINGS AND THEY BEGIN SEEING WITH THEIR. FROM HERE UP, FROM THE EYEBROWS UP. THAT'S THE WAY THEY GROW UP. I MEAN HALF THE PROSE, HALF THE LANGUAGE THAT YOU HEAR DURING THE DAY IS THE LANGUAGE OF INFORMATIONAL PROSE. YOU DON'T HEAR THE LANGUAGE OF POETRY EXCEPT RARELY. I MEAN JUST TO ECHO WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SAYING WHEN ROBERT PINSKY DECIDED TO INITIAL TAF THE FAVORITE POEM PROJECT PEOPLE CAME OUT OF THE WOODWORK TO RECITE, TO READ THEIR POEMS IN VENUES ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. HE NEVER LACKED FOR ANYONE TO TELL THEIR FAVORITE POEM. I DON'T THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE AFRAID OF POETRY OR TURNED OFF TO IT. AS LONG AS IT'S IN A CONTEXT THAT, AS JIM SAID, DOESN'T MAKE THEM FEEL STUPID. I THINK REALLY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PINSKY'S FAVORITE POEMS IS VERY IMPORTANT. I THINK IT'S HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THIS CONVERSATION OR WE WOULDN'T EVEN REALLY BE HERE EXCEPT ALSO LAURA BUSH HELPED US TOO. SO WE HAVE TWO THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR. THE GUY IN MY POST OFFICE OVER THERE IN THE VILLAGE, I MEAN,E WANTS TO HAVE A FAVORITE POEM OCCASION. I SAID, WELL, LET'S GO OVER TO THE LIBRARY AND TALK TO PETER OVER THERE. HE SAYS, NO, NO, I WANT IT IN THE POST OFFICE. THAT COMES FROM PINSKY, YEAH. I THINK IN SOME SENSE IT'S ALMOST GENERATIONAL, SORT OF LIKE CHILD ABUSE. IF SOMEONE ABUSES A CHILD, CHANCES ARE THEY WERE ABUSED WHEN THEY WERE CHILDREN. I THINK THAT BY THE TIME KIDS GET TO HIGH SCHOOL, OFTEN TIMES THEY ARE TAUGHT BY TEACHERS WHO WERE TAUGHT NOT TO LIKE POETRY. SO THEY COME TO US IN COLLEGE AND THEY'VE ALREADY. IT'S INGRAINED IN THEM THAT IT'S SOMETHING THEY'RE PROBABLY NOT SUPPOSED TO LIKE. I THINK WE NEED TO REMIND THEM THAT ALL TYPES OF POETRY ARE POETRY AND IT'S A GREAT BIG WORLD AND THERE'S ROOM IN IT FOR EVERY SINGLE KIND. I THINK THE POETRY ANXIETY WHICH A LARGE PART OF THE AMERICAN POPULATION SUFFERS FROM WAS CREATED, AS SOMEONE SAID EARLIER, BY POUND AND ELLIOTT, BY THEIR GENERATION. THEY CREATED A POETRY WHICH NEEDED A TRANSLATOR FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC. BECAUSE OF THAT, THEIR GREW AN INDUSTRY OF TRANSLATORS. I TEACH ENGLISH AT A UNIVERSITY, AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE MEDIATORS BETWEEN THE LITERATURE AND THE PEOPLE. IT WASN'T ALWAYS THIS WAY. AND IT ISN'T THIS WAY EVERYWHERE. IT ISN'T THIS WAY IN OTHER COUNTRIES. I'M CONVINCED TODAY IF ROBERT FROST WAS STARTING TODAY AND HIS POEM CAME ACROSS AN EDITOR'S DESK. WHOSE WOODS THESE ARE, I THINK I KNOW. HIS HOUSE WAS IN THE VILLAGE THOUGH. THEY WOULD NOT READ BEYOND THOSE TWO LINES. IT WOULD BE RIGHT IN THE TRASH. THE INTERESTING THING IS THAT OVER THE LAST TEN, 15 YEARS, WE'VE SEEB. SEEN WHAT REALLY AMOUNTS TO A SEA CHANGE IN AMERICA'S ATTITUDE TOWARDS POETRY. IT HAS GONE FROM AN ART WHICH WAS REALLY DECLARED ALMOST UNANIMOUSLY BY INTELLECTUAL EXPERTS TO BE MARGINAL AND DECLINING TO AN ART THAT WE NOW SEE AS QUITE VIVID, GROWING AND POPULAR IN WAYS WHICH WERE REALLY ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PREDICT A QUARTER OF A CENTURY AGO. SO WHAT I WOULD SAY IS THAT WE'RE LEAVING. LIVING AT A PARTICULARLY INTERESTING MOMENT AND IT HAS MUCH BROADER IMPLICATIONS BEYOND POETRY WHICH I'LL BE HAPPY TO TALK ABOUT IN WHICH POETRY IS AGAIN BECOMING A CENTRAL ART MUCH IN THE WAY IT WAS IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE 19th CENTURY. SLEEPLESSNESS, SLEEPLESSNESS, DRAW YOUR EYE DOWN NOW IN SIM PAIN. . SIM PAIN. PRY IT THERE. CARRYING COTTON WOODS ALL ACROSS THE SEA. BEFORE TOMORROW SLEEPLESSNESS SLEEPS INSIDE IMPERFECT MEMORY, A QUOTIENT OPPOSE, A ROCK THAT'S A TURTLE RACING TOWARDS SLEEP AND ITS NEIGHBORING CONTRARY SLEEPLESSNESS SLEEPLESSNESS, PRINCE IN THE NIGHT, PASS OVER MY DAUGHTER AND DIE HERE IN ME. AFTER 9/11 WHEN YOU THINK OF HOW MUCH POETRY FLEW ACROSS THE INTERNET AND WAS BEING PUT UP ON FENCES IN NEW YORK AND IT WASN'T PROSE THAT PEOPLE WERE SENDING TO ONE ANOTHER. IT WAS POETRY. SO I THINK POETRY FEEDS A HUNGER. I THINK IT'S THE RITUAL NATURE OF POETRY THAT'S SO IMPORTANT. I THINK IF YOU. AND IT'S WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 9/11. I THINK THAT IF YOU ISOLATE-- AGAIN I'M COMING BACK TO THAT NAMING THINGS-- IFYOU ISOLATE SOMETHING AND SEPARATE IT OUT AND Y I'M LOOKING AT THIS ONLY AND NOT EVERYTHING AROUND IT FOR A MINUTE, THIS IS WHAT CREATES RITUAL, AND I THINK THE RITUAL. THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE ANY RITUAL AT ALL. POETRY, IF IT'S RHYTHMICAL, IT'S ONE OF RITUAL. IF IT'S NOT RHYTHMICAL BUT SIMPLY CONDENSED INTO A PARTICULAR SHAPE IT'S ONE OF RITUAL. THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO CREATE RITUAL BUT I THINK IN TIMES THAT ARE REALLY TIMES THAT NEED SOMETHING MORE THAN THE ORDINARY, THEN GENERALLY WHAT WE DO IS CREATE SOME RITUAL TO FEEL WITH THOSE. TALKING ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER 9/11, I WRITE RA POETRY COLUMN FOR THE PROVIDENCE JOURNAL. I WAS ABSOLUTELY FLOODED WITH SUBMISSIONS AFTER 9/11. MOST OF THE FOLKS THAT SENT IN POEMS WERE OBVIOUSLY NOT POETS BUT THEY ALL FELT THE NEED TO COMMEMORATE AND TO TRY TO EXPLAIN WITH LANGUAGE TO THEMSELVES AND TO OTHERS WHAT HAD HAPPENED. EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS IN OUR DAILY LIVES IS NOT ALWAYS IN THE KEY OF C. SUDDENLY YOU HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS EVENT IN SEPTEMBER TWO YEARS AGO OR YOU HAVE A TOAST OR A WAY TO SAY THANK YOU TO SOMEBODY OR A WAY TO EXPRESS YOUR CONDOLENCES OR EVEN TO CURSE, YOU KNOW, THE LANGUAGE OF BLASPHEMY IS SO LIMITED IN THE UNITED STATES THAT IT BECOMES TRITE. I READ A POEM, I'M GOING TO SAY IT. IT'S ONLY TWO LINES LONG BY ROBERT DESNOSE. THIS IS A CURSE THAT TOOK SOME IMAGINATION. CURSED BE THE FATHER OF THE BRIDE OF THE BLACK SMITH WHO FORGED THE IRON FOR THE AX WITH WHICH THE TREE WAS FELLED FROM WHICH THE BED WAS CARVED IN WHICH WAS CONCEIVED THE GREAT GRANDFATHER OF THE MAN WHO WAS DRIVING THE CARRIAGE IN WHICH YOUR MOTHER MET YOUR FATHER. I MEAN THAT SHOWS THAT WHEN THE IMAGINATION IS UP TO SOMETHING-- AND IT COULD BE ANYTHING-- THAT WHAT RESULTS IS SOMETHING THAT STOPS US COLD. I MEAN, YOU HAVE ON NEWSCASTS AFTER A CERTAIN BROADCAST OF NEWS USUALLY IN THE DESCENDING ORDER OF DISASTER, THEY'LL STOP AND SAY, MORE AFTER THIS. YOU GET A COMMERCIAL FOR DEODORANT OR WHATEVER IT IS. BUT WITH POEMS, THERE IS NO MORE AFTER THIS. I MEAN ONCE YOU HEAR IT, THAT'S IT. YOU GET OVER IT. FROM THAT POINT ON. THAT'S WHAT THE POEM IS SAYING. GET OVER IT. GET OVER ME IF YOU CAN AND YOU CAN'T. PEOPLE DON'T FEEL MUCH CONTROL OVER THEIR LIVES ANYMORE. MANY PEOPLE'S LIVES HAVE SPUN OUT OF CONTROL. TECHNOLOGY HAS GOTTEN TOO TECHNICAL. PEOPLE WILL ALWAYS SEEK HAND MADE STUFF. WHETHER IT'S A PAIR OF SHOES OR A POEM, PEOPLE LIKE HAND MADE STUFF. I WAS RECENTLY WORKING WITH A GROUP OF FOURTH GRADERS. WE WERE NOT TALKING ABOUT POLITICS FOR HEAVEN'S SAKES OR THE WAR, BUT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT OUR INNER POET AND THE FACT THAT EACH OF US HAS AN INNER POET. I ALWAYS TELL THEM IT'S LIKE HAVING A SHADOW THAT GOES WITH YOU EVERYWHERE. SO YOUR INNER POET GOES WITH YOU TOO EVERYWHERE AND SO YOU HAVE TO GET AQAPTED WITH YOUR INNER POET. SO THAT'S WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT. THIS YOUNG MAN WROTE A VERY SHORT POEM, AND THE POEM WAS, MY INNER POET WEARS ARMY CLOTHES AND HE FLIES A BLACK HAWK. HIS NAME IS MAJOR PAYNE AND HE'S AFRAID TO GO ON THE BATTLEFIELD. THAT WAS JUST LIKE A KICK IN THE STOMACH. AND THE TEACHER TOLD ME AFTERWARDS THIS IS AN L.D. STUDENT, A LANGUAGE DISABLED CHILD THAT DOES NOT WRITE AND YET SOMETHING THAT INNER POET THING STRUCK HIM SO STRONGLY AND HE TURNED IT TO THE WAR IMMEDIATELY. THE NATURE OF POETRY IS SUCH, IT'S LIKE THE WORLD. PEOPLE SAY WHERE IS THE WORLD GOING? THE ANSWER IS IT'S NOT GOING ANYWHERE. IT'S BEEN HERE ALL THE TIME. POETRY I THINK REQUIRES THE SAME ANSWER THAT THE NATURE OF IT IS SUCH THAT IT COMES OUT AND MANIFESTS ITSELF IN DIFFERENT WAYS BUT WHEN YOU HEAR A POEM THAT STOPS YOU LIKE THE ONE YOU JUST QUOTED, YOU'RE STOP. I MEAN, IT SUDDENLY TELLS YOU SOMETHING THAT YOU OUGHT TO BE REMEMBERING, SOMETHING THAT YOU KNEW ALL THE TIME BUT YOU FORGOT YOU KNEW IT. THAT'S ITS PURPOSE. I MEAN IT'S NOT GOING TO EVOLVE BEYOND THAT MISSION. I THINK THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF POETRY IN BEGINNING. WHEN I WAS A YOUNG GIRL, WE WOULD STOP PLAYING IN THE BACKYARD AND SIT ON THE ST. ONE TIME MRS. BARRETT SAID I DON'T THINK THE GRASS WILL EVER GROW IN OUR BACKYARD. SHE SAID YES IT WILL COME BACK FOR THE. WHEN THE CHILDREN ARE GONE. YEARS LATER I RETURNED TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE GRASS HAD COME BACK. I PULLED MRS. KENNEDY'S VOICE FROM THE BACK OF MY HEAD AND WROTE THE GRASS CAME BACK. THE GRASS CAME BACK TO THE DIRT WHERE KNUCKLES HARD TO THE GROUND AND SQUINTED EYES AIMED AT THE CIRCLE DRAWN WITH A STICK. THE GRASS CAME BACK TO THE DIRT WHERE BILLY'S CLUBHOUSE HELD SECRETS OF TREASURES AND BURIED AGGIE. RUN FROM THE CIRCLE DRAWN WITH THE STICK. THE GRASS CAME BACK TO THE STUMP WHERE BUBA PULLED HIS SHORT PANTS AND PREACHED TO WIDE-EYED FACES WHO LICKED POPSICLES AND STOOD NEAR THE CIRCLE DRAWN WITH THE STICK. BILLY'S MAMA SAID IT WOULD COME BACK. IT ALWAYS COMES BACK WHEN THERE'S NO CHILDREN PLAYING BAREFOOT AND GAMES THAT BAREFOOT CHILDREN PLAY. BILLY'S MAMA'S GONE BUT SHE WAS RIGHT. THE GRASS CAME BACK. NO SIGN WE WERE EVER THERE EXCEPT FOR THE. THAT CLUNG TO THE OAK THAT SHADED THE CIRCLE DRAWN WITH THE STICK. I HAVE A PHRASE I LOVE WHO WON THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE. VERY SHORT AND SIMPLE. I WOULD LOVE BY MOVING ON. I THINK YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT. BUT YOU SOMETIMES YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED. I GUESS I ALWAYS THINK OF WILLIAM BLAKE'S PROVERBS OF HELL. THOSE HELP ME GET THROUGH THE DAY QUITE FREQUENTLY AND THE PROVERBS OF HELL. ONE OF THEM IS THE EAGLE NEVER LOST SO MUCH TIME AS WHEN HE ASKED THE CROW HOW TO FLY. THAT'S ONE THAT ALWAYS KEEPS ME GOING. ANOTHER ONE IS DRIVE YOUR CART AND PLOW THE BONES OF THE DEAD. I ALWAYS THINK OF WILLIAM STAFFORD WHO SAID YOU LEARN MORE BY WRITING A BAD POEM THAN A GOOD ONE. IT'S A GREATER TEACHER. SO THAT GIVES ME PERMISSION TO WRITE ANYTHING I WANT IN ANY AMOUNT OF TIME THAT I WANT. WHAT I SEE MYSELF TRYING TO DO IN WASHINGTON IS TO INSIST THAT SUPPORT OF THE ARTS IS NOT A DIVISIVE ISSUE. IT IS NOT LEFT VERSUS RIGHT. IT IS NOT REPUBLICAN VERSUS DEMOCRAT. IT IS MAINSTREAM COMMON AMERICAN SENSE. AMERICANS WANT TO SEE ART WHERE THEY LIVE. THEY WANT TO SEE IT IN THE SCHOOLS TO WHICH THEIR CHILDREN ATTEND. I EAT MY PEAS WITH HONEY. I'VE DONE IT ALL MY LIFE. IT MAY SEEM RATHER FUNNY BUT IT KEEPS THEM ON MY KNIFE. |
| Tag Return to index of stories... |
As I did this story I could feel the energy around the event. I think the poets were surprised by how much they gained from spending time with each other. And they were amazed by the amount of press coverage and attention they got. Poets are not used to that kind of attention - I think they liked it. In fact rumor has it that the poet laureate from North Dakota has already offered to host the next gathering. So, I don't think we have heard the last of the poets laureate. |
| Goodnight Return to index of stories... |
We'll see you next time. I'm Chip Neal. Thanks for watching. |
| Founders Return to index of stories... |
Thanks to our founding sponsors who have provided major funding for the production of New Hampshire Outlook: New Hampshire Charitable Foundation Public Service of New Hampshire Stratford Foundation |
| Tonight 10:00 Return to index of stories... |
Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. Poets, poets, and more poets. Find out why they're gathering here in the Granite State. Join us tonight at 10:00 on New Hampshire Outlook. |
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NEW HAMPSHIRE OUTLOOK Air Date/Time: 12/26/03 22:00 HOST: Chip Neal Length: 26:46 minutes In this edition of New Hampshire Outlook, NHPTV's nightly news magazine, not long ago, I reported on an historic event in the world of poetry. New Hampshire hosted the first gathering of state poets laureate - ever. Now, I learned that not every state has one. Only 33 states have a poet laureate but 15 of them were here. The poets came together to explore New Hampshire - which is no slouch in the world of poetry. After all Robert Frost's boyhood home is here in Derry. They also came to explore the role of poetry in contemporary life. The idea for this event came from our very own Poet Laureate Marie Harris. PRODUCER/REPORTER: Chip Neal NAME OF PARTICIPANTS: Marie Harris\Poet Laureate New Hampshire, Maggi Vaughn\Poet Laureate Tennessee, Marilyn Nelson\Poet Laureate Connecticut, Martha Fuller Clark\Former State Representative, Dana Gioia\Chair, Nat'l Endowment For The Arts, Larry Woiwode\Poet Laureate North Dakota, Mary Crow\Poet Laureate Colorado, Fleda Brown\Poet Laureate Delaware, Anne Hanley\State Writer Alaska, Grace Paley\Poet Laureate Vermont, Larry Woiwode\North Dakota, Tom Chandler\Poet Laureate Rhode Island, Jim Irons\Poet Laureate Idaho, Samuel Hazo\Poet Laureate Pennsylvania, Jim Irons\Poet Laureate Idaho, Ellen Kort\Poet Laureate Wisconsin, Grace Paley\Vermont |
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Tonight on New Hampshire Outlook. . Tonight at 10pm on New Hampshire Public Television. |
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