What Meme?
So meme is another popular word in the blogging world these days (I suppose I could get a little recursive talking about that). People are fascinated with how ideas spread across culture or internet culture. We all want to think that we are either (a) participating in something large or (b) responsible for an idea that is shaping the minds of the world. Now we all know that is my job. It's part of the Master Plan (to take over the world). So as your future dictator I must say that we must start a new meme. We must spread the idea that all memes have their origin in Illinois. The land of the Secret Masters (and Joe Cool but he's busy working or something).
So anyway some people are spreading the idea of asking people to name three things they want you take a picture of. While you may ask I don't think I'll deliver. (And anyone who asks about naughty bits I must remind you that I'm part Irish. If you don't understand what that means do a Google search for the Irish Curse).
Instead I think perhaps I will list three of my favorite poems (The observant reader can probably figure out what put this meme in my head). I thought about posting them on the site but I'm worried about copyright infringement and all that noise. However I feel no guilt about linking to other peoples sites where they have already posted the poems. As time passes tastes change but for the time being I'll stand by my picks.
The first poet of note is Pablo Neruda. It is odd for me to choose this man as he didn't write in English and I was exposed to a translation of his poems. Now I've seen a couple different translations and while they all capture a certain feeling I'm sure its not the same as reading the poem in Spanish. The translated title is Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines.
The next poet is an Icon of the Beat Movement. He was one of the few members of that group to live to an old age and he wrote his entire life through. The Poet is Allen Ginsberg and the poem is Howl, whose words I loved the sound of long before I ever had any understanding of what the poem was about. I tried memorizing it once but it was to much for me. (Not the length of the poem but having all those intense words rolling about in my head and then trying to write words of my own that weren't completely derivative).
Finally I come to a poet that would make the woman who gave me the name for this site (something I will write about at length soon) cringe in elitist terror. The Poet is Robert Service. He wrote rhymes about the Yukon and daring and man against the elements and man against man and man against woman. My father introduced me to these poems and there has always been at least on volume of his works in our house. The poem is a story and it is the story of The Cremation of Sam McGee.
Now whether or not y'all agree with my selections or even read em isn't important. I'd just like to see this meme spread. Talk about your three favorite poems and poets. (Then I take over the World).
More Laters
So anyway some people are spreading the idea of asking people to name three things they want you take a picture of. While you may ask I don't think I'll deliver. (And anyone who asks about naughty bits I must remind you that I'm part Irish. If you don't understand what that means do a Google search for the Irish Curse).
Instead I think perhaps I will list three of my favorite poems (The observant reader can probably figure out what put this meme in my head). I thought about posting them on the site but I'm worried about copyright infringement and all that noise. However I feel no guilt about linking to other peoples sites where they have already posted the poems. As time passes tastes change but for the time being I'll stand by my picks.
The first poet of note is Pablo Neruda. It is odd for me to choose this man as he didn't write in English and I was exposed to a translation of his poems. Now I've seen a couple different translations and while they all capture a certain feeling I'm sure its not the same as reading the poem in Spanish. The translated title is Tonight I Can Write the Saddest Lines.
The next poet is an Icon of the Beat Movement. He was one of the few members of that group to live to an old age and he wrote his entire life through. The Poet is Allen Ginsberg and the poem is Howl, whose words I loved the sound of long before I ever had any understanding of what the poem was about. I tried memorizing it once but it was to much for me. (Not the length of the poem but having all those intense words rolling about in my head and then trying to write words of my own that weren't completely derivative).
Finally I come to a poet that would make the woman who gave me the name for this site (something I will write about at length soon) cringe in elitist terror. The Poet is Robert Service. He wrote rhymes about the Yukon and daring and man against the elements and man against man and man against woman. My father introduced me to these poems and there has always been at least on volume of his works in our house. The poem is a story and it is the story of The Cremation of Sam McGee.
Now whether or not y'all agree with my selections or even read em isn't important. I'd just like to see this meme spread. Talk about your three favorite poems and poets. (Then I take over the World).
More Laters
posted by Rich Rosenthal II at 3:33 AM
10 Comments:
Interesting choice of poems. Hadn't heard the "Creamation of Sam McGee" before. Quite quirky. I almost wanted to sing the lines to myself.
I can't stand the meme fad. It used to be, a "meme" was a unit of information spread through a culture, like a social gene. Real information, not these crazy polls or "post 3 things about the next person" crap. Now, it's just an excuse for some people to post any old thing.
Poetry seems like a cool way to bring the "culture" back into memes. Way to go!
The photo thing is being propagated by Blogger.
Good idea about the poetry. I will have to give this some thought. Most of the poetry that I know is songs, so I'll probably include some of them.
Since you're one of my readers, you know 2 of my 3. My third is tucked away. I might mention it soon, I have been thinking about it.
I will have to check out yours.
Also, I caught the picture of your flute. I could insert witty lines here about your flute, but we've already been there.
Wheelson -- It was also very big at the scout camps ive been to. Rather than leed the kids in a cheesy song by the fire sometimes the staff would recite Sam McGee or Dan Mcgrew.
Mia -- Most of his poems have that sing song quality. I saw a website a while back of some guy who had recorded them as songs. Not sure if it's still out there.
tom -- I just get tired of people using words that are really outside the vernacluar and then using em poorly so i poke a little fun at the meme thing. As for culture: I own a velvet elvis. I have a big boy bobble head. I want a pink lawn flamingo.
Chellee and Diva -- As you well know I kind of stole the idea from you both as you have both recently blogged about poems. And with the flute I almost went with a close up photo where yas could see a thumb print on the tarnished silver plating.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
it's tough to narrow it down to three favorite poems. i can tell you that of all of the poems i memorized for my creative writing classes, the only two that i can still recite are Mayakovsky's Suicide Note, Vladimir Mayakovsky, and Lecture on Nothing, John Cage. I scanned both of them but i was having a difficult time resizing them--it kept messing up the clarity evertime i shrank them and i'm too frustrated to fix it--so the print is kinda big:
John Cage: http://www.angelfire.com/geek/somewhatdamaged/cage.html
Vladimir Mayakovsky:
http://www.angelfire.com/geek/somewhatdamaged/vlad.html
i think Rich was unfortunate enough to here me recite Mayakovsky--i feel like such a dweeb when i read aloud.
if i had more time, i've always wanted to tackle T.S Eliot's The Hollow Men. that one gives me the shivers.
The Pablo Neruda poem has a few of those lines that just makes me stop and read it over and over....love is so short and forgetting is so long
/we both of that time are no longer the same.
It reminds me of The Great Gatsby. i think i shall have to write this one in the cover along side of Francis William Bourillon and Beth Anne Fennelly.
The translation I first read left out the word both so the line I have stuck in my head is, "We of that time are no longer same." It's been a recurring idea in my writing. Now that poem was very famous in his life time. At one recital the crowd almost overwhelmed him emotionally as the recited the poem to him. Intersting guy Neruda.
My three poems are
Rabindranath Tagore - Let My Country AwakeWm. Henry Davies. - LeisureAlexander Pushkin - I loved you
Post a Comment
<< Home