Thinking about Poetry

Okay, so I've been using a supposed Auden quote for nearly half a decade now... I shared it with Rob who, in a little less toned-down way, said Auden's philosophy was "self indulgent" (ha ha ha, Robby Z!). So, I'm going to retell the story that my poetry professor told me about the fellow and then discuss it.

I've often quoted the poet man as saying that poetry is playing with words. That is a rough summery of this story:

When Auden was teaching at some university (he taught at several including that big Blue one), a student showed up in his office and said, "I want to write poetry."
To which Auden replied, "How come?" and the student said,
"Because I have something to say."
And Auden said, "Then go ahead and say it."
Another student comes into his office and said the same thing. "I want to be a poet.
Auden says, "How come?"
The student says: "I like to play with words."
And Auden says, "Sit down."

Or maybe it was told to me that the student said, "I like words."


So, that's the idea that was put in my head by my poetry-as-lit-professor, Professor Powers while I was simultaneously taking my first poetry/fiction CW class. I liked this idea a lot--that poetry was separate from other writing forms because the author pays more attention to the words, their form, the way they sound--and not just the idea he's trying to convey.

(I don't think this story actually happened. It may have, but has the structure of a joke. I just enjoy the idea)

Rob's argument was that all writing is supposed to communicate, if not, it's masturbating. I agree with him on this--but i think both ideas are correct. I think Auden's poetry is a fine sample of wordplay and profound communication of ideas. I guess what I want to be, as a poet, is someone who can communicate and play at the same time. I think Shakespeare is one of the best at this, that I know anyway, at choosing words that convey ideas in their meaning and their sound. For example, in the Henry V prologue:

"Can this Cockpit hold the vasty fields of France?"
(meaning, can this theater hold the french fields we're trying to portray. Look guys! A reference to cockfighting! Where's the Cadieux?)

Can-This-Cockpit is abrupt sounding, limited sounding, if you will. And "Vasty Feilds of France" sounds huge--especially if you're trying to say it out loud, and the rhythm slows down.

So do you get what I'm saying? Anyway, I love discussing this stuff, and as many of you are poets, I'd like to know your thoughts.

seeing a lot and spending too much money

I apologize in advance for the typos. i've been making them like crazy today.

Hi folks. I have more movie reviews, but I'm going to give you my life in chronological order:

Friday, Dec 2nd: Over the Rhine at the Ark.
Lovely concert. Accompanied by Joel, Hawk, and what Joel calls my "Army of Blondes": Meg, Lisa, Bethany Patterson, Bose (Bethany Goad). Though the music was wonderful, my favorite part was when Karin referred to Linford as her, "Bohwa" (Boy). I liked "Little Did I Know" the best out of all of the songs they performed. It's very impressive to me, how a couple of people from 2005 can write a song that sounds like 1935. I guess I liked the concert so much that I jumped at the opportunity to see them again, on the 18th, in Lisa and my Roadtrip Reprise down to Ohio to see them forst in Cincinatti and then go up to Clevelend to check out the R&R Hall of Fame because they are showing an exhibit about Tommy: The Amazing Journey. I hope OTR performs Blue and Jesus in New Orleans there. And what's that other one: Who will guard the door when I am sleeping. I love that song and wanted to hear it.

After the concert, Hawk, Joel, Meg, Bose and I went over to the Hiedleberg (someone help me with the spelling)and enjoyed the German downstairs. The bartender was cool, but not as cool as listening to Bose order in German!

SATURDAY, Dec 3rd: Saw Nickel and Dimed. Why did someone turn a book of essays into a play? As a result, the play had no climax, no structure. But the actors did a nice job and it looked good.

SUNDAY, Dec 4th: Saw Handel's Messiah at the DSO. That was a fine experience. It was fun to dress up with Joel. The singers, the leads, were amazing. And MSU's choir did a fine job as well. After that show I got a fantastic squash-paste pasta dish at the Traffic Jam. YUM.

TUESDAY, Dec 6th: Saw a wings game for free! God bless Joel's hook-ups. Shanahan scored twice, Yzerman scored once. Had a nice time, despite the fact that my friends got yelled at by some fans sitting in front of us for being rowdy during a hockey game!!

WEDNESDAY: Started guitar lessons with Thornetta Davis' guitar player, Brett Lucas. It went well, but it's a lot of work to practice every day. I think it will be good for me. It's just hard to imagine keeping it up, once I get a busy schedule.

THURSDAY: Went to Uncle Tom's Bible Study after auditioning for the JET porduction of Brooklyn Boy. Saw a lot of old favorites there. I had a good time at the audition, though the part isn't really right for me. I mean, I hope it's not, since it's a valley girl. The Bible Study was nice. We're studying Corinthians. I'd just heard Dale teach this, not too long ago, so his stuff was still fresh. But man, are those teachers different,

FRIDAY: What did I do on Friday? Oh, I babysat and then met Joel and Annie at a bar in corktown called the Lager House. I was so beat that I can't remember the band very much. What was their name, Annie? Something and the Holy Ghost Church? I liked their sound. The girl was supposed to have a violin but it got stole. OH! That's what the song that Kelly from Destiny's Child sings: Life is Stole (oh oh, now we'll never know... Benny was in that video.) Sorry! Like I said, I was beat...

YESTERDAY: I went to my Grandma's B-day dinner at Paesanos in Ann Arbor, then I went home and watched three movies back to back (one in the theater)

DIRTY PRETTY THINGS: I enjoyed this, disturbing as it was. It had good characters and a clever twist. But it was a hard one. So sad!

HOTEL RWANDA: Saw it before but wanted to show it to Joel. It made Dirty Pretty Things seem like a Disney Flick.

THE CHRONICALS OF NARNIA: A disney flick! I tried not to be too critical. It was nice to look at but I like my imagination better. The kids looked good. Do you think it's a coincidence that Peter looks just like Prince William? My favorite part was when Aslan walked across the beach below Cair Paravel, right after he was resurrected, and I said aloud, "Footprints!"

And the winner is... Hotel Rwanda. Life is a competition.