I really enjoyed watching Gerald Stern recite his poems "Lillies" and "She Was a Dove" on the youtube video. It took me a couple of times watching it to get a better understanding of what he was trying to show through his poems.
For me "Lillies" was a little hard to understand at first. This poem was about an experience he had while in traffic one day. This poem also shows what a great inspiration he was to people throughout his life. The way he wrote this poem mde it really easy for you to picture it, like you were there with him. I found it extremely touching how one of his students jumped out of their car just to tell him how much he had impacted their life. Since he was not expecting that to happen and it caught him off guard, I found his response quite comical.
For me "She Was a Dove" was deffinitely a much easier poem to understand more quickly. In this poem he is describing a woman that he loves. This poem was deffinitely much more intimate. In this poem, I feel he is trying to show us that you need to carefully make all the decisions and choices in your life. He is also showing that you should always appreciate those that you love.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Poetry Reading at the Village Bookstore in RVC
On Friday December 4th I attended my first poetry reading at the Village Bookshop in Rockville Centre. It started at 7:30 p.m. When I walked in they were passing around the book for the open read. The book was called "Winter Retreat, Wintry Treat". They had chairs set up in the middle of the book shop. There were twenty four chairs and one love seat. Pretty much everyone knew each other and they new who were the people who were attending for the first time. Everyone was extremely friendly. The poetry read was hosted by Mary Healey. Mary Healey announced that the featured poet would be Kaeti Wigeland. Kaeti Wigeland is a photographer, a folk singer and song writer, and she even home schooled her two sons. Next there was an announcement that Vito from the sopranos will be having a book signing and reading on December 12th.
Kaeti Wigeland was then introduced by her son Jordy. Kaeti then said that she had made an Emily which was about the thoughts she had through the fall. The first poem that she read was "Tinted Hues", which was about the changing of seasons. The second poem that she read was "Touch Tender Leaf", which was about the leaves sinking into the earth and sleeping. The third poem she read was "Haunted Couplets", which was about things that made her think of Halloween, like shapes in the fog, scattering clouds and spiders. The fourth poem she read was "Wild Birds Are Winging", which was a poem about nature. The fifth poem she read was "Winter Retreat", which was a narrative poem about Thanksgiving. The sixth poem she read was "What is missing", which was about the snow and the coldness in the winter. The seventh poem that she read was "You Can Fall Forever", which was about winter nights. The eighth poem that she read was "Many Faces", which was about winter solstice. The ninth poem that she read was "Shining Part", which was about fire and the lighting of candles. The tenth poem that she read was "Wintry Treat", which was about new fashion trends, like dressing sparkly for parties.
Then at around 8:15, they had Open Mic. This is when people from the audience were able to go up and read their own poems to everyone else. The first person to read was Dennis. His peoms were called "Holiday Party Sunday" and "Mannor Inn". Then Jean came up and read to us "12 O'clock". Then Vicky came up and read her poems "Skirting Issues", which was about pleather. Then she read "Thomad Undoubting", which was about the Bronx. Her last poem was "Southern Comfort", which was a poem about Florida. Keith came up anmd read his poems "The Hug" and a poem that he wrote for children called "The Atomic Wedggy". Then Kaeti's son Jordy came up and read two of his poems about Christmas. Then Matt came up and read his poems "Writers Block", "Voices" and "Love Poem". The last person to come up was Sandra. She read her poems "Composition", "Possessions" and "They Came To The Park".
Then Kaeti Wigeland came back up and read "Kids Poems" and then finally she read "Last Lines", which was a poem that she made, bu taking all the last lines of all the poems that she read tonight.
Kaeti Wigeland was then introduced by her son Jordy. Kaeti then said that she had made an Emily which was about the thoughts she had through the fall. The first poem that she read was "Tinted Hues", which was about the changing of seasons. The second poem that she read was "Touch Tender Leaf", which was about the leaves sinking into the earth and sleeping. The third poem she read was "Haunted Couplets", which was about things that made her think of Halloween, like shapes in the fog, scattering clouds and spiders. The fourth poem she read was "Wild Birds Are Winging", which was a poem about nature. The fifth poem she read was "Winter Retreat", which was a narrative poem about Thanksgiving. The sixth poem she read was "What is missing", which was about the snow and the coldness in the winter. The seventh poem that she read was "You Can Fall Forever", which was about winter nights. The eighth poem that she read was "Many Faces", which was about winter solstice. The ninth poem that she read was "Shining Part", which was about fire and the lighting of candles. The tenth poem that she read was "Wintry Treat", which was about new fashion trends, like dressing sparkly for parties.
Then at around 8:15, they had Open Mic. This is when people from the audience were able to go up and read their own poems to everyone else. The first person to read was Dennis. His peoms were called "Holiday Party Sunday" and "Mannor Inn". Then Jean came up and read to us "12 O'clock". Then Vicky came up and read her poems "Skirting Issues", which was about pleather. Then she read "Thomad Undoubting", which was about the Bronx. Her last poem was "Southern Comfort", which was a poem about Florida. Keith came up anmd read his poems "The Hug" and a poem that he wrote for children called "The Atomic Wedggy". Then Kaeti's son Jordy came up and read two of his poems about Christmas. Then Matt came up and read his poems "Writers Block", "Voices" and "Love Poem". The last person to come up was Sandra. She read her poems "Composition", "Possessions" and "They Came To The Park".
Then Kaeti Wigeland came back up and read "Kids Poems" and then finally she read "Last Lines", which was a poem that she made, bu taking all the last lines of all the poems that she read tonight.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)