Rules:
1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)
2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)
3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.
The Prompt-
Describe yourself writing, from the point of view of a nearby animal. (A pet, perhaps. Or a familiar squirrel.)
Rules:
1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)
2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)
3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.
The Prompt-
You’ve just seen something impossible. Justify it to yourself.
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A year ago I visited Paris on a free work trip, learning how to chaperone student travel, and was given three hours to explore the Louvre. Yes, three hours. Yes, the Louvre.
(pause for scoffs and three hours?? you could spend three days and not see everything…)
Yes, that is an impossibly short time to spend inside one of the largest museums in the world.
I spent the first hour plus in the Medieval and Renaissance painting wings taking picture of amazing works of art. I have a picture of
The Madonna on the Rocks with several people’s heads in the way, I have a picture of a painting I can neither remember the name nor find on the internet that shows a large montage containing the entire life of Jesus including the ascension –though I originally took the picture because the ascension portion reminded me of the spaceship in the crapfest that was the 4th Indiana Jones film-, and I have a series of pictures of myself standing in line for the Mona Lisa then a picture of me as close as you are allowed to get to this amazing work of art. Yes, a picture of a picture. A picture of a picture I’ve seen pictures of hundreds or more times
What’s the point?.
Do you go to the Louvre to see what the Mona Lisa looks like? Honestly, your view there is worse than if you were to Google Image search Mona Lisa right now.
Anyone who has been to a major collegiate or professional sporting event can tell you that not only is your view often worse inside the stadium or arena, it is often confusing what is going on during TV timeouts and Instant Replay breaks. Yet we go. Why?
We should go for the experience. To walk in the footsteps of history –whether ancient history of history in the making. I have very few pictures inside the castle of Versailles because the stories of the history around me were so engrossing. The painting of Marie Antoinette, Louis, and their children encompassed a beautiful story of the human beings, not the image. The Coronation of Napoleon (French: Le Sacre de Napoléon) is such an amazing piece of history because it is NOT a picture of the event it depicts. It is not a photograph taken during this historical ceremony. It is a reconstruction of the moment that capture truth much more truthfully than a photo could, especially by including portrayals of people who were not actually in attendance (I strongly recommend typing the title into the google machine and reading up on it – Wikipedia has a nice succinct run down of the characters).
We should go places to experience them, to live in the moment. Not to capture it.
I used to say people went places and did things so they could tell people they did. While I still feel that is true, I find that with the advent of a pocket-sized 20 megapixel camera in everyone’s pocket, we go places to take pictures of us being places. A story is no longer good enough. Instead we forget the story and keep only the evidence. Proof of attendance? Proof of life?
How was your trip? It was awesome- look at all these pictures. This is this, this is this, this is this, this is this, look how neat that looks. Look that’s me there and me there and me there. Look at me look at me look at me look at me…
This phenomenon was painfully prevalent on this year’s trip to London. I took 6 students from my high school and we were grouped with students from Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania. Forty total students, none of whom had travelled outside the United States, taking picture of London and the English countryside. Standing at Picadilly Circus at night, surrounded by lights, sounds, and street performers, I saw students taking picture of students taking pictures of the real life that was happening around them. That’s not meta. That’s not art. That is a missed opportunity.
The girl with the click-click-click five pics per second Nikkon said she was looking for the perfect picture to capture the moment. The moment was fleeting. Fleeing. Gone. Free and uncpatured.
As we took our charter bus from London to Stratford-Upon-Avon several students slept, but even more were too excited by seeing what they had never seen before. Great, right? Almost. Once we were outside the city the conversation shifted to things like, look at those sheep, what a cute little cottage, oh my gosh, look it’s just like Doctor Who (even though it REALLY didn’t) and faces were glued to the glass. But it wasn’t the glass of the window pane, it was the screen of their phones—taking pictures, taking videos. Watching the reality around them through the virtual device stitched to their hands. Capturing the moment.
I almost punched a lady.
Not a student. Not on the bus. Not even in Stratford.
I am also using the term “almost” very generously. I did, however, give a horribly dirty look in her direction.
This was at Shakespeare Globe, the proper name of the current Globe Theatre in London. I had planned ahead to purchase tickets to watch A Midsummer Night’s Dream for myself and my students in the yard for an afternoon performance. (If you are unfamiliar, the yard = standing. We were the groundlings)
Here’s a little architectural hint, your best view is from the ground. No tricky angles. No poles in your way. We were (even the most anemic) stone’s throw away from the stage and only semi-crowded. There were plenty of people packed into the yard, but it was certainly not the proverbial arses-to-elbows. It was comfortable. It was amazing.
Fifteen(ish) minutes into the show I found myself moved to tears. I was introduced to acting at a young age, but Theatre became a part of my life when I needed it most. It allowed escape; it allowed life. Theatre allowed me to be someone else when I least wanted to be myself. I enjoy acting in all forms, I enjoy many forms of art, I love live theatre. I live for theatre. Not only is theatre life, life is theatre.
Unfortunately, this scene was interrupted by a woman about seven feet diagonally from me taking pictures on her cell phone. Other than common sense and basic theatre etiquette telling us photography of a live performance is not permitted, we had all been explicitly told before the performance that once performers were on stage all photography was prohibited—yet it still took an usher walking directly to the lady and whispering in a harsh tone that she needed to put her camera away for her to stop snapping photos (including leaving the shutter sound on, AYFKM?). Missing the moment, spoiling the moment.*
It could not have been more than twenty minutes later that this woman’s phone rang. While she did not answer the phone, she did respond via text. Multiple times. Wasting the moment.
We need to stop trying to capture the moment and exist in the moment. Appreciate the moment. Enjoy the moment. Own the moment.
Moments are temporary, life is fleeting, every second that passes will never exist again, and that is beautiful.
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* If you need an explanation of why it is rude to use your phone during a live performance or to take photos of, or record, a live performance here is the super short version: Theatre is a live experience that not only exists in the moment, but requires a covenant between the audience and the performers that the action taking place on stage is REALITY and is happening in a place separate from the audience, separated by the invisible, intangible fourth wall**. As an audience member you do not and should not exist other than to laugh, clap, or cry. When audience members breaks this covenant they have ceased to be an audience and instead become a distraction turning the play’s reality into an illusion.
**In plays that break the fourth wall (actors interact directly with the audience, often times pulling them into the performance), the audience is now part of the performance and is bound by the same covenant of reality as the performers. It is truly a shared show and a shared experience that will cannot be replicated or duplicated. An attempt to capture that moment is to disrespect that moment.
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Rules:
1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)
2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)
3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.
The Prompt:
He should have listened. He could see that now.
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“I’m An Art Critic, So Watch Out”: NYC Art World Takes On Jay-Z
Via http://www.refinery29.com/
Unless you have been living in a cold, dark hole with no Internet the last 24 hours, you may have heard about an impromptu performance given by one of music’s most important men at the Pace Gallery in New York City. Jay-Z showed up at the space with a bunch of handpicked art-scene notables — think Ryan McNamara, Jim Jarmusch, and, most notably, Marina Abramović. Jay’s people called forth both known commodities and fans, creating a sort of weird, pop-meets-art performance. Alanna Heiss, founder of MoMA’s PS1 and Arts International Radio motored around on a broken leg. Conceptual artist Lawrence Weiner sat unmoved. And Jerry Saltz, one of New York’s most formidable art critics, found himself absolutely enthralled with the proceedings.
Initially non-plussed, Saltz showed up suspicious and slightly confused. But as Jay-Z kept his commitment to performance and energy, Saltz found himself taken by Hova. He writes for NY Mag, “Jay stepped down from the platform and stood right in front of me … and the instant before the music started, I heard these words come out of my mouth.
‘I’m an art critic … so watch out.’”
Jay-Z, the man who has performed in front of millions, didn’t seem phased by one of New York’s most recognizable critics. As Saltz admits, he doesn’t know much about rap music, but performance art? Well, he has a thought or two about that. However, it doesn’t mean that the human, the one who feels excited by celebrity, senses the crowd’s emotional response, and understands the power of a man like Jay-Z, can’t get swept away a bit. He writes:
“He started dancing. So did I, or at any rate what passes for an older balding Jewish man trying to bust some moves. When he got to Koons, I said, ‘Yes, even though he really is annoying.’ At George Condo I went, ‘Eh, okay.’ I gave a big no to Art Basel; at Christie’s I said, ‘I hate auctions.’ By then, somehow, he’d taken me around my waist, and we were strutting around the room. My hands were ice cold. I was shaking. My reactions were shot. The entire time we’re together, there was no doubt in my mind that he was controlling me, taking my energy and giving it back, manipulating the space around us. I felt like my internal ship was on fire and useless. I loved it. And him. And this.”
Being a part of the art community in New York City is tough and filled with egos. But the idea of Jerry Saltz dancing with Jay-Z, just like a regular fan (of which there were many — Saltz snuck in a security guard who also happened to be a big fan), feels both positive and populist. One commenter writes, “In other words, here is a man who so desperately wants to sound erudite and cultured, but really, he’s just traveling down the artistic path of least resistance.” Then another says, “Jay-Z name drops the great masters! Genius! Is there anything he can’t do?” Perhaps by inviting art-world impresarios, Jay-Z implicitly admitted that he has some sort of “insider knowledge” of the art world, but by rapping to them, and encouraging singalongs, partnering Heiss up with dancers, or making Jerry Saltz boogie, he managed to infuse the “low” with the “high” — and force people who believed in such distinctions to rethink their approach to music. Which is enough for Saltz.
Check out the whole piece for a delightful read. (NY Mag)
Photo: Remy Pearce, Vine/Cedar
At first, I kind of thought someone would make me happen. If I could just network enough and make enough friends and attach myself to the right people, then someone would make ME happen. People would read my poetry and my blog and buy my CDs and it would all just fall together like a perfectly arranged combination move in Candy Crush. I wouldn’t have to try.
And in some sense, it’s partially luck of the draw. Who you know and don’t know matters, and a lot of times you can’t control that. JUST LIKE YOU CAN’T CONTROL WHEN CANDY CRUSH RELEASES THE NEXT LITTLE APPLE OR CHERRY UGH.
But in another sense, it’s about dedication. It’s about choices, and it’s about choosing to romance your craft over going out for the night, over watching America’s Got Talent for four hours, over buying a car that doesn’t make terrifying noises all the time because you’re trying to save up for your next EP, over everything else that seems like it matters in the moment but doesn’t actually when you’re laying in bed at night wondering why you’ve done nothing that day to contribute to the sum total of beauty in the world. Kind of like how when you’re playing Candy Crush, you just have to ignore everything around you (other people, other vehicles, etc.) and FOCUS.
And sometimes you get stuck for DAYS. And sometimes the process is painstakingly slow (QUESTS, anybody?!). And sometimes it’s really easy and you’re impressed at your own writing/candy-swiping skills and you wonder why you ever doubted yourself. And sometimes you wallow in the depths of despair because it seems like you’ll be on that level forever and there’s no possible way to win.
But the thing is that THERE IS. And if you just keep trying, eventually you’ll get the right combination of luck and dedication and the little candy fishies will swim all over your screen and give you bonus points and YOU WIN and I think my analogy is breaking down now.
The point is, nobody is going to beat Candy Crush for me. And nobody is going to make me happen for me. Nobody ever could. The thing that’s holding me back the most is not anything or anybody outside of myself and my own fears and insecurities and utter laziness. AND THOSE DAMNED LICORICE CAGES.
One thing I’ve learned in life is that if someone says they want to be with you, and they’re not with you, what that really means is that maybe they do want to be with you, but they actually want something else more. I think the same goes for our writing. We say that we want it, that we value it more than anything, that it’s what we were born to do, and yet every day, consistently, we choose other things over it.
And I, for one, would like to call all of us—writers, artists, bloggers, poets, beautiful creative minds—to something higher. Enough of that. We’re better than that and life is too short.
Nobody is going to make me happen.
Nobody is going to make you happen.
The only thing to do is work hard, with passion and dedication, with a sober mind and an unwavering heart. Speak for yourself, speak for others, speak because the universe demands it of you and do not back down.
And if you get one of those sparkly disco ball thingies, that should help, too.
Rules:
1. Use the prompt in the way it’s intended (starting a sentence, the title of the piece, theme, etc)
2. You may write in any format you see fit (fiction, non-fiction, poem, song, script, etc.)
3. Post your piece of writing in the comments section of the website to be considered for the ‘Best Of’ section.
The Prompt:
“I’m so glad you stopped. It seems like I’ve been out here for ages.”
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Stephen Kellogg has long since been one of the most well-spoken singer / songwriters, and with his latest solo album, he also becomes one of the most honest, taking his listeners deep inside his own world. He wears his heart and influences on his sleeve on Blunderstone Rookery, and The Poetry Question had a chance to speak with him about this latest venture.
**As a side note, Stephen talks about Bird by Bird, and Margolin happens to have a full sleeve tattoo inspired by that same book **
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TPQ: Set the scene for us. Where do you do the majority of your writing? What does it look like?
SK: I WRITE ANYWHERE…ON NAPKINS, CELL PHONE MEMOS, NOTEBOOKS, COMPUTERS, JOURNALS…AS TOM PETTY ONCE SAID, “IF THE MUSE COMES KNOCKING AND YOU DON’T WRITE IT DOWN…THAT’S JUST RUDE” (-= I WRITE IN AN EXTREMELY UNFILTERED WAY AND THEN USUALLY WHEN IT’S TIME TO MAKE A RECORD, IDEALLY I CAN BE EDITING AT HOME BECAUSE THAT’S A LITTLE MORE BRAIN WORK (AS OPPOSED TO HEART WORK).
TPQ: To me, this is your most personal album to date. I feel like you truly opened up to your listeners instead of hiding behind character based songs. In your biography, you talk about 2012 being the year of change where your house was under construction, your band decides to take a major hiatus, you lose immensely important family members, and you start out on the trek toward a solo career. How did all of this effect the way you went about the album?
SK: MY FAVORITE BOOK ON WRITING IS ANNE LAMMOTT’S “BIRD BY BIRD” AND HER POINT IS ‘PUT IT IN THE ART’. IF YOU BREAK YOUR LEG, ‘PUT IT IN THE ART’. APPROACHING THINGS THIS WAY, GIVES A POTENTIAL UPSIDE TO EVEN THE MOST TRYING OF EXPERIENCES AND I THINK I EXPERIENCED A LOT OF THAT LAST YEAR. I LOST A LOT OF PEOPLE AND THINGS I LOVED AND THIS ALBUM WAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE SOME SENSE OF THAT. I ALSO DIDN’T HAVE TO SPEAK FOR A WHOLE BAND ON THIS RECORD, JUST MYSELF, AND THAT ALLOWED ME TO PUSH A LITTLE FURTHER TOWARDS THINGS THAT I BELIEVE-I’M GLAD IT WORKS FOR YOU. (-=
TPQ: The production on this album is incredible. I can hear your influences shine through in almost every track. From The Clash to Petty to Croce to a bit of Alison Krauss. Was it a conscious decision to allow those influences to shine through more on this album than previous ones?
SK: THANKS! THE GOAL ON THIS RECORD PRODUCTION WISE WAS TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT I WAS ‘FEELIN IT’ WHEN I LISTENED BACK. KIT KARLSON (WHO CO-PRODUCED THE RECORD WITH ME) AND CHIP JOHNSON (WHO PLAYED ABOUT EVERY INSTRUMENT), AND MYSELF WOULD LISTEN BACK AND JUST TRY TO DECIDE IF THE AESTHETIC ON EACH TUNE WAS DOING JUSTICE TO THE SONG. THAT WAS REALLY THE ONLY CRITERION. SOME OF THE AMERICANA LEANINGS WERE MY CALL BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT I LIKE…AGAIN HAVING IT BE ONE PERSONS ‘TASTE’ KIND OF GIVES IT A SLIGHTLY MORE PURE DIRECTION (FOR BETTER OR WORSE).
TPQ: What the major difference for you between writing on your own and writing with The Sixers?
SK: IRONICALLY I WROTE WITH KIT AND CHIP (BOTH SIXERS) MORE ON THIS RECORD THAN ANY OTHER RECORD. THE CHIEF DIFFERENCE HERE IS THAT, THERE WAS NO AMBIGUITY ABOUT WHOSE OR WHAT CORE WE WERE TRYING TO GET TO. FOR THIS RECORD, I WOULD BRING IN IDEAS AND ASK TRUSTED ASSOCIATES WHAT THEY THOUGHT. WHEN YOU’RE PART OF A BAND THOUGH, YOU HAVE TO REALLY LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYONE THINKS AND HONOR THAT. WHEREAS WHEN YOU’RE SOLO AND WRITING FOR YOURSELF, YOU LISTEN TO WHAT EVERYONE SAYS AND THEN YOU DO WHATEVER THE HELL YOU THINK IS BEST (-= NOT TO BE SNARKY IN ANYWAY, BUT MY THEORY HAS ALWAYS BEEN ‘MAY THE BEST IDEA WIN’ WHETHER IT’S MINE OR NOT, AND IT’S NICE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT WITHOUT FEELING LIKE YOU’RE BUMMING ANYONE OUT.
TPQ: You are one of the very few singer/songwriters who, on your website, lists the causes you support – namely St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and CLIF Bar GreenNotes. Can you talk to us about these organizations, why you’ve chosen to support them, and your more philanthropic side?
SK: WELL THE THING IS, ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL AND PEDIATRIC CANCER IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST UNIVERSAL CAUSES IN THE WORLD. IF THAT’S NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN SUPPORT YOU’RE IN A STAUNCH MINORITY. FRANKLY, I LOVE THAT. I LOVE THAT IT’S SOMETHING WE CAN ALL AGREE ON IN A WORLD WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH TO DISAGREE ABOUT. I WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW I’M INVOLVED BECAUSE I WANT TO KEEP THOSE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE CONSCIOUSNESS OF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LISTENING TO MY MUSIC. WHEN I DO FUND DRIVES, I WANT THEM TO GIVE. IT’S PART OF THE ROCK N ROLL TRADITION TO TRY AND USE YOUR MUSICAL ABILITIES FOR SOMETHING ABOVE AND BEYOND ONES GIANT SIZE EGOS (-= WHEN YOU’RE HAVING A PITY PARTY FOR THE FESTIVAL THAT YOU DIDN’T GET AN OFFER FOR, OR THE RADIO STATION THAT WON’T PLAY YOUR SONG, OR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVEN’T PURCHASED YOUR RECORD-IT’S GREAT TO HAVE BUILT IN REMINDERS THAT THESE ARE NOT TRAGEDY’S AND THERE ARE MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THINGS IN THE WORLD.
TPQ: Given that we are The Poetry Question, our goal is to show the relevance of words on the 21st Century. On your bio you say you play music in order to “[Use] words and intention in the hopes of a positive legacy for my family.” Can you explain this a bit more?
SK: WHEN I THINK ABOUT WHY I DO WHAT I DO FOR A LIVING. I’D SAY AT THIS POINT I HAVE TWO AIMS. #1 TO PROVIDE FOR MY FAMILY. MY WIFE AND DAUGHTERS ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IN THE WORLD TO ME AND I WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE TAKEN CARE OF AND THAT I LIVE IN A WAY THAT THEY CAN BE PROUD OF. IT’S A HIGH MOTIVATOR. #2 I ENJOY WORDS, PERFORMANCE AND THOUGHT. THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT HAVE EXCITED ME IN MY LIFE AND I’M TRYING TO PLAY THE ACES I’VE BEEN DEALT.
TPQ: As a high school English teacher, I always tell my students that it’s less my job to teach them about the importance of grammar, and more my job to allow them to learn one thing about themselves, because after all, grammar and syntax will only get us so far in life. What have you learned about yourself from creating Blunderstone Rookery?
SK: THAT’S A GREAT APPROACH TO TEACHING ENGLISH. IT’S AN IMPORTANT JOB AND I HAVE A LOT OF RESPECT FOR YOU FOR DOING IT. MAKING THIS RECORD, HERE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I LEARNED… 1)IT’S IMPORTANT TO LET THINGS STAND OUT, IF YOU SMOOTH OUT ALL THE EDGES, YOU HAVE NOTHING FOR AN EAR TO GO TO. 2)YOU’RE NEVER BEAT UNLESS YOU DECIDE TO BE BEAT. SOMETIMES IT TAKES TONS OF ENERGY TO MOVE FORWARD BUT IT IS A PERSONAL CHOICE 3)THERE ARE NO RULES. THERE JUST AREN’T. 4)GO WHERE THE LIGHT IS. SOMETIMES WE STAY IN DARK PLACES BECAUSE THEY ARE FAMILIAR. AS SCARY AS IT IS AND AS MUCH AS IT CAN HURT TO ‘GROW’, IT’S THE ONLY WAY TO LIVE
TPQ: Take us back to your high school days. Who was the high school version of Stephen Kellogg, and what advice would you give to him now?
SK: I’M ALWAYS AMAZED BY PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY ‘LOVED’ HIGH SCHOOL. I THOUGHT EVERYONE KIND OF HATED IT. EVEN WHEN I WAS IN IT, I KNEW I WAS INSECURE AND I HAD LOTS OF EXTERNAL THINGS GOING FOR ME, SO I CAN’T IMAGINE HOW OTHER PEOPLE FELT. SOMETIMES WHEN I BRING IT UP THOUGH PEOPLE LOOK AT ME FUNNY, SO I CAN’T REALLY SPEAK ABOUT IT IN THE BROAD SENSE WITH ANY CONFIDENCE. I WILL SAY THIS. MY ADVICE WOULD BE THE FOLLOWING 1) BE KIND TO EVERYONE. EVEN THE TOTAL JERKS AND ESPECIALLY THE NERDS, JUST BE KIND. IT COSTS YOU NOTHING TO NOT TALK BEHIND PEOPLES BACKS AND ULTIMATELY THE SOONER YOU START TREATING PEOPLE WITH RESPECT (REGARDLESS OF THEIR STATUS), THE BETTER YOU’LL FEEL (I’M WRITING THIS TO 16 YEAR OLD ME) 2) I WOULD TELL THE YOUNG VERSION OF MYSELF THAT EVERY SECOND OF TIME SPENT WINNING THE HEART OF MY NOW WIFE KIRSTEN (WHOM I MET WHEN I WAS 15), IS TIME WELL SPENT. MARRYING THE RIGHT PERSON (AND SURROUNDING YOURSELF WITH GOOD PEOPLE) IS ALMOST THE WHOLE ENCHILADA IN LIFE. PEOPLE WHO VALUE YOU, PEOPLE WHO LOVE YOU AND LET YOU KNOW THAT, PEOPLE WHO ELEVATE YOU AND DON’T TEAR YOU DOWN. BY THE SAME TOKEN, DON’T TRY TO OWN THOSE THAT YOU LOVE-ALWAYS RESPECT THEIR FREEDOM TO FOLLOW THEIR OWN PATH. IT’S SELFISH TO SHUT DOWN THOSE WHOM YOU LOVE FOR FEAR THAT THEY’LL WANDER TOO FAR (REMIND ME I SAID THIS WHEN MY DAUGHTERS START LEAVING THE HOUSE) (-= 3) THE FINAL THING THAT I WISH SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME WHEN WAS YOUNGER, AND THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE NEW AGE, BUT IT’S NOT- ‘YOU’RE ENOUGH’. WORK HARD AND FOLLOW YOU’RE HEART, BUT DON’T WORRY ABOUT CHANGING THE WORLD, JUST BE THE BEST PERSON YOU CAN BE.
TPQ: Since we are The Poetry Question, we must ask: What is poetry?
SK: POETRY IS STATING SOMETHING IN A UNIQUE WAY THAT MIGHT NOT BE THE MOST DIRECT ROUTE, BUT IS THEREBY A ROUTE THAT SHEDS MORE LIGHT ON ESSENTIAL TRUTH. ANOTHER WAY TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION IS TO SAY “A CHILD’S LAUGHTER”
TPQ: If you could sit down for a drink with one author, artists, musician, or historical figure, dead or alive, who would it be, what would you drink, and what would you talk about?
SK: I’M JUST GONNA GO WITH JIM GAFFIGAN (THE COMEDIAN) RIGHT NOW. I THINK WE’D GET ON WELL AND I PUT A HIGH PRICE ON LAUGHTER (SEE PREVIOUS QUESTION). I’D PROBABLY DRINK CAFFINATED TEA CAUSE LIKE JIM I HAVE A MILLION KIDS AND I NEVER SLEEP. OTHER CANDIDATES WOULD BE ABRAHAM LINCOLN (TEA AND WE’D DISCUSS PATIENCE), CHARLES DICKENS (ALE AND WE’D DISCUSS ‘DAVID COPPERFIELD’ AND CREATIVE PROCESS), TAYLOR SWIFT (TEA AND WE’D DISCUSS SONGWRITING), MY GRANDFATHER (BEER AND WE’D DISCUSS ANYTHING) AND MY MOTHER IN LAW (WHITE WINE AND I’D CATCH HER UP ON HER GRANDCHILDREN).
It’s 2 o clock and i’m sitting on the city bus. The dude next to me looks in my direction and sees my long board resting on my lap. To him I probably look like your average tool bag, the one you find at home depot. I’m wearing my avenged seven fold shirt, cut off jeans, and a pair of toms. I look goofy. Any moment now, and i think he’s going to deliver some sort of slick insult. Out of nowhere the kid catches me off guard, releases a grin and tells me “nice board, man.” We exchange words, and I learn that he wants to open up his own Coffee shop/music venue. Like myself, he’s fresh out of high school with dreams the size of Jupiter.
It amazes me because some kids today are so afraid of grasping their ambitions. Some of my friends tell me they have no idea what they want to do after high school. I don’t believe that at all. Each one of them has an obvious talent followed by invincible interests. The youth of today sit in their hot air balloon dreams, but are too afraid to untie the strings of uncertainty to get air borne. My dad always told me “don’t be afraid to be somebody.” He couldn’t have said it better.
Something that really ticks me off, is when people pull out their guns loaded with judgement and begin to shoot down other people’s dreams. Everyone has their own form of art, their own passion that separates them from each other. There’s so much vulgarity and hatred being throwing at artists, and most of it indirectly from social network sites. No matter the style: singing, dancing, juggling, or whatever the heck puts them out in spotlight. Those people worked their ass off each and every day to get to that point; respect among all things is what any form of art or passion deserves.
The bus reaches the next stop and two fellows charge up the steps at Olympic speed. They flash the bus driver their bus cards and walk towards the back of the bus and take a seat. I notice they’re talking very fast with a cascade of animosity in their voice. To my surprise, they were actually holding a sheet of paper and busting out some rhymes. It was like something out of 8 Mile. They then addressed to the whole bus that they were the next rap all stars, and who am i to think otherwise?
So, to the teenagers, the brave heart kids; your dreams are out there, you just need to look harder. Ride the city bus once in awhile, I heard the people there are quite the hand full.
Peaches (The Presidents of the United States of America song) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Follow the music. I’ll meet you by the toilets.”
That’s the text I got from inside the concert that my friend claimed I had to see. I hadn’t planned on going anywhere tonight, but his enthusiasm was contagious. “Get down here, man. I got a ticket for you. No money out of pocket.” Those were the magic words. I grabbed my keys and headed downtown to see The Presidents of the United States of America. The band. Not the surviving office holders. In case I’m not being clear, Jimmy Carter was not there. But, after a short drive, I was.
I forgot how much I liked this band. That self-titled album from the mid-nineties is full of undeniable jams, many of which they played while I drank beer and sang along. As soon as they started playing, I was having a great time. I was sixteen again, driving my hatchback in the sun while ‘Kick Out The Jams’ played on the tapedeck.
When we enjoy art, we internalize it. Whether it’s a song you like that becomes associated in your mind with driving to your girlfriend’s house, or a beloved book you reread every year and always seems to transport you back to the beach house where you first opened it’s cover a decade ago.
Is there a work that never fails to make you feel good? A book, a song, a picture or a sculpture that has become inextricably linked for you to a feeling of contentment? Is it as silly as a record about peaches and spiders that drive cars?
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