Sienna Tohar Week 5 - Q's Happy Ending

 When I was searching for current events to write about for my government class a little while ago, one of the articles I came across was this really sweet one called “A Happy Ending After Homeless Woman’s Story Featured on TV.” 

So, basically it’s about how this woman named Shirely Raines runs this nonprofit called “Beauty 2 the Streets” where she provides food, makeovers, and haircuts to those living in Skid Row (a poor neighborhood downtown Los Angeles containing one of the largest homeless populations in the U.S.). Raines has been taking care of her friend Q, a transgender and HIV positive woman who’s been living away from Skid Row’s main thoroughfare. The two have known one another for four years now. 

The article then describes a bit about Q and how she enjoys decorating her tent with vibrant flowers, potted plants, and this little “home sweet home” sign by the front of her tent. It’s mentioned that she’s lived by Skid Row for over 20 years, however, she prefers to remain by the border of the area. 

Raines then went on to explain that Skid Row’s residents (along the main side) can be quite “territorial” and threatening to those who may seem vulnerable and unable to defend themselves against the more aggressive residents. Here, this applies to many who are part of the LGBTQ+ community in the area, so they tend to live a few blocks away from the others. 

What I loved most about reading the article is how it described Q’s views on life. Though homeless and isolated from her family for over 20 years, she nonetheless finds herself enjoying the simpler things in life. 

“I love life,” she says, explaining how she loved the smell of nature, flowers, and plants. She continued to say that this area filled with people just like her is “a world, too.” She adds that even though they don’t have luxury things like others around them, they’re still human just like the rest of us. This part really stuck with me, because it showed how much love and appreciation one could have for the world around him or her despite whatever financial circumstances you may be in. In today’s world, it’s rare to find people like that. This article acted as a reminder for me to stop getting frustrated over frivolous things and realize what I have all around me (that sometimes, loving life and having simple gratitude, is in itself enough). 

Anyway, the exciting part about all this is that Q and Raines were both featured on CNN’s “United Shades of America With Kamau Bell,” and since then, a few weeks later, Q’s family had seen her on television, found her, and brought her back home to them.  Raines then posted a photo on her instagram account (@beauty2thestreets) of Q happily resting on her mother’s arm in what looks like an airport :’) saying that she was happy that she reunited with her family and a bit sad that she was unable to say goodbye. 

Shirely Raines said that this was especially a sweet moment since only a few of the people she’d known on the streets have reunited with their families. This had been the first time in 26 years that Q saw her mother. 

So, when was the last time you took a moment to just reflect on and appreciate what you have and are surrounded by in your life? Is it something that you do often? Is it easy or hard for you? Until next time! :) 

https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/20/us/skid-row-homeless-transgender-woman-reunited-with-family-trnd/index.html

My Problems with: “It will be a WOMAN!” - Noah Rubin - Week 5

I'm writing this blog in memory of late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a pioneer on the court for women’s rights and protector of our United States constitution. Regardless of if you agree with her more recent opinions and rulings, she led an amazing life and, deservingly, became a role model for millions. Following her death, I was both disappointed and unsurprised that President Trump announced that he would be nominating a woman to the Supreme Court to fill the seat left behind by the ‘Notorious RBG’. The title of this post is not because I’m a misogynist, think that women shouldn't be on the supreme court, or think that it's ‘ a man’s job’ etc but for the same reason I was upset when Joe Biden declared that he would choose a woman as his VP pick (and a woman of color too - for the same reasons, but that could be another blog post). And hear me out before you start writing angry comments and taking me out of context. These men, in positions of power, suggesting that they will pick a woman for XYZ position undermines that woman’s accomplishments and tokenizes her.

Allow me to further explain. Both President Trump, for the supreme court, and Joe Biden, for the Vice Presidential nominee, had many people on their short-lists - men, women, Blacks, Whites, Latinos, straights, gays etc. One could argue that any of the people on each of their lists would/could be a great pick, and I’d say that being put on one of these lists is an accomplishment in it of itself. When Vice President Biden and now President Trump announced that their respective picks would be a woman, in an effort to create hype and narrow down the list, it immediately undermined the women’s accomplishments. They decided to take out all the men, not because they were less qualified - but because they weren’t a woman. And by the same token, they kept all the women because they were women and not because they were necessarily more qualified. Were they kept because they were accomplished, respectable, or outspoken people? We and they might never know… Amy Coney Barrett and Kamala Harris will forever have a voice in their head saying - “you only got picked because some old guy wanted to pick a woman - if you were a man you never would’ve even made the list.” How disgusting is that? That’s misogyny - not me sitting here complaining about it.

It tokenizes them. Articles spring up in the weeks between the “it will be a woman” comment and the nomination: ‘Here are the top 3 Women Trump/Biden could pick”, “Who will SHE be?” etc. For people to cheer at the announcement that a woman will be chosen is also saddening to me - their cheering for a man who has said that he will prop up a woman because she is a woman - not because she was the best possible pick. This is irredeemable - as much as Trump and Biden would like to claim that the women they chose were better than all the men on the list, we’ll never know for sure and more importantly: THE WOMEN WILL NEVER KNOW FOR SURE. 

So what do I suggest? Simple: pick someone because they're the best person for the job and vocalize that! No accomplished woman should ever be diminished to an immutable characteristic. People should choose nominees because they believe in them, and if they happen to be a man: alright; if they happen to be a woman: alright. Lastly, if these choices were women in an effort to gain women voters (again, I hate to suggest this because it delegitimizes the women who got nominated) the Trump/Biden team can choose between women behind closed doors, but they should at least say they're choosing the best person for the job in public and to the nominee.

Women's rights icons such as Ruth Bader Ginsburg would agree - women should be chosen because they are indeed better than the man, and not because they happen to be a woman. She famously said that there would be enough women on the Supreme Court when there were “9” because no one questioned it when there were 9 men! If 9 times in a row, a woman happened to be a better choice than a man, no one should question that.

I’ll end my thoughts here. I am very interested to hear from the girls in the comments. I am not a girl, and I’ll never know what it’s like to be one, but I can only imagine what it would feel like to wonder if I got something because of my accomplishments or because of my gender…

Noah

 

Liann Rozenberg Week 5 - Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey is my absolute favorite artist and writer. She started out as Elizabeth Grant. Grant was a quiet, shy singer who was casual and did not rise to much fame. After releasing her single, “Video Games,” and her album, “Born to Die,” she became very famous and known. Many negative comments were circulating regarding false assumptions people made about her. It’s hard to know what is fact vs fiction when it comes to her music because she’s been a lot of different people.

Grant chose Lana Del Rey because she wanted it to sound exotic and one that reminded her of the Floridian Coast. Her music is ‘Hollywood sad-core’ and ‘Dream Pop,’ but for me it symbolizes freedom. Lana writes in a sort of gloomy way with such a carefree tone. Her voice and words are enchanting and it just feels like you are on a different planet when you listen. She is also absolutely stunning and the queen of beauty

Recently, Lana has been releasing her poetry. I can’t say I relate to the things she writes, but I do feel a connection. I like to imagine and dream that the things she says are relatable and I try to live vicariously through her songs and poems to feel like I am living in this sort of LA life. Lana’s new poetry was released this Monday in her first book, “Violent Bent Backwards Over The Grass.” The poems are so admirable and magnificent. She talks about LA, her culture, and even included her Instagram bio, “My life is my poetry, my lovemaking is my legacy.” I cannot explain to you how deep her words are and I urge you to buy this book!

https://www.amazon.com/Violet-Bent-Backwards-Over-Grass/dp/1982167289

Do you have a favorite artist?

 

Chaya Brenner week 5 - Melanie Martinez’s After School EP

 A year after the release of her K-12 album, one of my favorite musicians has come back with a new EP. Melanie Martinez, in her classic bubblegum fantasy, meets nightmare style, has given us the gift of the After School EP. In continuation with her theme of growing up through the albums After School, is a perfect name to follow Crybaby and K-12 (though technically it is just an extension of K-12 and all the songs can be found on the deluxe version of the main album). There were surprisingly almost no announcements that an album was coming aside from a single teaser trailer for the music video of the title track The Bakery. The release was quite sudden as the trailer only came out about a week before the EP dropped. 

But I’m not here to talk about advertising decisions, I want to talk about the music. The songs are absolutely amazing! I’m personally drawn to the soft sound of Glued. The message is about feeling sucked into a relationship and not knowing what to do without it. She sings about being scared of how much she depends on this unspecified relationship and how she wouldn’t feel the same without it. The chorus is repetitive but the sound is so good. It’s falsely lulling. She wants you to feel sucked in like she does. I also quite like Brain and Heart, which is about how you need both your brain and heart to make decisions. I love the message first of all. I think it’s one hundred percent true, we can’t separate our brains and hearts, they need to work together. And then on top of that, once again, the sound is just the best. It’s more upbeat then Glued, but it’s still so catchy and pretty. I love Melanie’s voice so much, I could listen to her sing all day.

Though I’m not the biggest fan of the song Field Trip, the words come at you really fast. Something about it really stresses me out, and I just don’t like the chorus so much. The verses are pretty good though, I like their sound. The song is more about her personally though and less generally relatable. Maybe that’s part of why I don’t like it quite as much, I like to relate to the music I listen to. Oh well, not every song an artist writes is intended for every person who hears it.

What qualities attract you to songs?

Sammy Hodes Week 5 - The Debate

     Tonight marks the first debate of the 2020 election cycle. Republican presidential incumbent Donald Trump will face off against Democratic challenger Joe Biden. The debate will be monitored by Chris Wallace, a Fox News analyst that ironically happens to be a democrat. The American people will be watching. Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, I think one thing that the world can agree upon is that this is must watch TV. 

    There are plenty of issues to be discussed tonight. For one, there is a global pandemic that everyone hates. I'm sure there will be plenty of questions asked as to how or when this pandemic is going to end. Next, there are riots all over the country. The two presidential candidates will be discussing the social unrest and how to make it better. There has been a growing divide in the country based on race. The two candidates also will discuss the economy. Ever since the Coronavirus started, the economy tanked, but Trump has been trying very hard to rebuild the economy despite the pandemic.

    Without saying my political bias, this is definitely an important election. The fate of the country truly does depend on this election. This is the first time our country has ever experienced a pandemic of this magnitude. This is the most divided our country has been since the Civil War. Our economy has never taken the hit it took because of the pandemic. As a voter this year, I'm looking forward to listening to both candidates. 

Zach Klein week 5- Yom Kippur Reflection

Yom Kippur, a day we mark on our calendars as the holiest day of the year. The day where I discard my sins and ask G-d for forgiveness. I fast during the day and refrain from using electronics. My day consists of praying and sleeping: clearing my mind and soul for the new year. This Yom Kippur was like no other. Praying in shul with a mask is a weird feeling. Usually surrounded by my entire shul congregation, I felt myself in a room with very few people. Our synagogue had multiple minions at the same time to keep proper social distancing. My seat was placed directly in front of the water fountain, almost like a test from G-d. This water fountain tried to distract me from my prayers, but ultimately it failed as I remained focused

    

During the day on Monday, I was thinking about what could have happened in the Heat conference finals game the night before. I very well could have looked at my phone, but my yetzer tov told me to not check my phone. I was able to remain pure on the holy day and find out about the Heat making the finals later in the evening, which was some very exciting news.

On the way to Neilah services Monday night my body was very tired. Completing the 25 minute walk to Shul for the fourth time since the fast began was tough, but as they say your mind controls your physical abilities. Neilah services were as meaningful as ever with a lot for me to pray for. I felt as if this Yom Kippur was the most meaningful for me yet. As Yom Kippur has finished I feel like a cleansed person beginning the new year fresh. I hope everyone had a meaningful Yom Kippur and had an easy fast (if you fasted). If you’d like to reflect on your experiences this Yom Kippur you may in the comment section below. 

Ariel Magin Week 4: Pick A Poet Blog #1 What's Up With Eric Dolphy and Sparrows?

The poet I chose to use for this project goes by the name of John Murillo. A man of African-American and Mexican descent, Murillo has been writing poetry for some time, garnering many accolades and recognition. The specific poem I review for this week of Pick A Poet is “Upon Reading That Eric Dolphy Transcribed Even the Calls of Certain Species of Birds,” which proved to be quite an interesting, yet strange read. 

This poem at first glance seems to be attributed to the late, great saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist, Eric Dolphy. It has some correlation as the story tends to symbolically circulate around the sparrow and all it represented for the narrator, himself. He recounts spotting two sparrows, one aggressively flying above him and another getting caught in a car door. He doesn’t help as he is “not indifferent, exactly. But with things to do.” This theme continues throughout the rest of the poem. On the same street, at a different time, the narrator saw two men struggling and heard someone say “brother” or “ help” and didn’t break his stride. The narrator details certain events in his life traumatic and inconsequential and how he didn’t act on it, yet chose to remain idle. He recounts his love affairs all ending due to his inability to love them back. He witnessed his mother and father fight in broad daylight and when someone intervened, watched his father strike him. Not once did he step in. The narrator at this point in the poem can be seen for what he is. He does nothing extraordinarily good or bad. He just is. He claims to not be indifferent, yet nothing phases him. He goes through life with an attitude of not caring, maybe to protect himself or maybe because he is devoid of emotion. I believe it is the former. The narrator is the product of a bad childhood. This becomes apparent after he divulges that “when I left my parents’ house, I never looked back.” Just as he did with the birds, with the men, with his lovers, with everything. 

Birds, primarily sparrows, seem to comfort him. His fascination with Eric Dolphy being able to transcribe the calls of certain species of birds already raises some alarm bells. The character of this poem is not someone I would like to meet. He is neither here nor there. He is merely a spectator, allowing the events of his life to unfold with no say in it. I’ve never read, seen, met, or heard about someone so passive before. The style of writing in this poem isn’t conventionally structured. It’s supposed to show the thought process of a complex person and thought processes are abstract and rarely structured. It almost felt conversational, but not in the sense that he was telling me a story, but in the sense that I was inside his head. I will definitely read over this poem again as it seems like the type where a single detail that was missed before can totally change the reader’s impression of the story. 

Week 4 pick a poet Natasha Trethewey - "Duty"

 "Duty" 

        In this poem, the author, Natasha Trethewey, recalls a "distant memory" of her experience with her father in Hurricane Camille. The poem begins with insight on how things are in her life before she gets into the actual story. She mentions her late relatives who were present but neglected in telling of the story, tells of the way her father paints himself a hero, and reminds the reader of the value of perspective (her father's truth isn't always the actual truth, but since she was too young to recall what actually happened, the way her father tells it is all she has). 

        The middle of the poem contains the story, or at least her father's version of it, anyway. The story takes place in a flooding house, where her father feels that his "duty" is to "keep [Natasha] out of harm's way". A small girl clinging on to his father, relying on him for her safety. We wonder why the author is telling this story. What is the story's significance? 

        The end of the poem clears up any confusion. We finally understand her father's intentions of telling the story the way that he does: Her father wanted to show that although the rest of the family may no longer be present, he is still able to be there for his daughter when she is in need. In fact, he always has been there for her, even before they passed, and even in the scariest of natural disasters. 

        I absolutely love the mystery that is involved in this poem. At first, I wondered why the father might have left Natasha's mother, grandmother, and uncle out of the story... Wouldn't he be compelled to include them in the story because of how much he misses them? Wouldn't he cling on to every memory he has of them? But as we read on we realize that the father's intentions are to pretend that it had always been only them two. Maybe his way of coping with their deaths is to convince himself that things had always been just he and his daughter. He can't miss them if they were never there, can he?  

Josh Rosenblatt Week 4 - Pick a Poet #1 - Lisps

 Sam Sax is a Jewish American poet.  He has been writing poetry over the past four to five years and has been very successful.  His content tends to be more random, but the poem I told titled “lisps” is partly about his upbringing.  As the title suggests, Sax struggled throughout his childhood with the speech impediment.  

Every single line of this poem contains an “S” sound, as that is what people with lisps struggle to pronounce.  The making of this sound is something that Sax has struggled with throughout his life and that is especially an issue for him since “[his] name hinges on the S.”  In the early part of the story, each line seems to have no connection to the next, but after taking a closer look at the lines as an entirety, a story is told.  Sax’s parents were embarrassed of his lisp and took him to attempt to fix it with a professional.  Sax was bullied for his lisp.  In school, he never said a word in fear of being made fun of.  He practiced being silent and observed.  

At this point in the poem Sax shifts away from the topic of his struggles.  He begins talking about the history of the S, saying it comes from the hebrew letter Shin.  Then, more randomness comes from Sax.  From what I understand it seems to be a sexual relationship with a neighbor.  The poem as a whole was confusing for me as a reader.  It didn’t seem very connected, but hey, that’s poetry for you.

Bella Furst Week 4 | "Garden of Eden" by Tracy K. Smith

 

I'd squint into it, or close my eyes

And let it slam me in the face—

The known sun setting

On the dawning century.

"Garden of Eden"

Tracy K. Smith

I will say it flat-out: I do not like poetry. I struggle a lot with interpreting metaphorical words often used by poets and underlying meanings behind small phrases. It’s not that I don’t like it because “Ew, poetry,” but rather because I just don’t understand a majority of it. I spent about 2 hours going through this list of poets trying to find someone that I could just understand and was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon Tracy. K Smith. Unlike a lot of other poets I was looking at, she has a certain flavor that just really fit to my taste. 

The poem, titled “Garden of Eden” begins with Smith acknowledging a “profound longing” for her “Garden of Eden,” or moreover her personal paradise. For Smith, this is a lavish shop that seems to be selling a very specific selection of goods. Due to the insinuation that this is an expensive shop, she reminisces of being in her thirties and seeing the “The glossy pastries!” and the “Pomegranate, persimmon, [and] quince!” sold there. All of these fruits hold positive or affectionate connotations to their names, something she likely wished for after therapy (she earlier states she typically shops here almost exclusively after therapy).

Smith continues that it was Brooklyn and everyone she had known was “living

the same desolate luxury”, people lived paycheck to paycheck, unable to afford such luxuries like exotic fruits or pastries. Yet everyone lived with a sense of “innocence and privacy.” People are leading lives where they cannot afford rich and luxurious things and are ashamed of that, yet they also hold onto fear; they are afraid to let people see their actual status. She comes home with her paper bags and looks at the numbers to her name and it ultimately “slam[s] [her] in the face”; she perceives a life of luxury and craves more from life than that of which she can afford.

I honestly really enjoyed this poem, particularly the ending clause. “I’d squint into it… and let it slam me in the face-- the known sun setting on the dawning century” really stuck with me. At the end of the day, our lives aren’t quite the way we wish they were and it can be difficult to come to terms with that. We often want more from life than is achievable and all-in-all, that’s okay. I’m really happy I stumbled upon Tracy K. Smith and I look forward to reading more of her work.

Amy Kraft - Week 4: Pick a Poet #1 - Li-Young Lee

         After scrolling through the long list of poets, I had finally found one that interested me: Li-Young Lee. Lee was born in Indonesia to two Chinese political exiles. His father was a personal physician to Mao Zedong, and his grandfather was the first president of the Republic of China. Eventually, an anti-Chinese sentiment started to form in Indonesia, and his father was taken as a prisoner. After his father’s release, Lee and his family fled to Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, and eventually the United States. Growing up Lee’s father often read to him, but he did not begin to write poetry until studying at the University of Pittsburgh under Gerald Stern. In his poem “The Gift,” Lee references his childhood and how his father used to read to him. 

        The poem starts off with a story from Lee’s childhood as he writes, “To pull the metal splinter from my palm. my father recited a story in a low voice. I watched his lovely face and not the blade.”   As a reader, my first thought after reading these lines was that I don’t care. On the other hand, these lines also caught my attention because I wanted to know more about the story. Looking back Lee describes that he does not remember the story his father told him that day, but he remembers how his father’s voice was able to soothe him, illustrating his love for his father. 

        There is a shift in the time period in the poem from the incident in Lee’s childhood, by which he learned discipline which later enabled him to then remove a splinter from his wife’s hand without her feeling any pain. Then again the poem shifts back to his childhood memory of the splinter being removed, and after the splinter is removed he kisses his father on the head as a sign of gratitude.

        The title of this poem is “The Gift” which represents the joy Lee feels, while it also signifies the gift that his father gave him that day. His father gave him the gift of discipline, as well as the gift of a strong father-son bond, a bond that Lee portrays in a way that shows his gratitude. 

        I had originally chosen this poem because I too, can remember the times when my father had to remove a splinter from my hand or foot. The only difference was that when my dad removed the splinter it was quite painful, but I am in no way indicating that my father was rough or didn't care. He did care, he soaked my foot in warm water and then as gently as he could remove the splinter with tweezers. I later learned that the easiest way of removing a splinter was with a needle, but that’s beside the point. When I initially read this poem, I had a sort of connection to it leading me to choose it for my blog. 

Gaya Avidor Week 4 Pick a Poet - “At The House Part Where We Found Out Whitney Houston Was Dead”

This poem is called “At The House Party Where We Found Out Whitney Houston Was Dead” written by Hanif Abdurraqib. The title of this poem is straight to the point, and basically explains what the poem is about. This poem described the Saturday night that the author was experiencing, when he found out Whitney Houston had died. This poem was sort of all over the place, and you could tell that the author was preoccupied with many things when he found out the news. He was explaining the decade in which he was born and how it connects to the lifestyle he lives. He was born in the 80s, which he made sure to make a point that it is a very big part of his identity. It is clear that in this moment, receiving the news that an icon such as Whitney Houston has died is something that lives in his memory. Experiences like these, tend to stick with you, especially if you connect to the artist and are from the generation in which they were extremely popular. From personal experience, I actually remember the exact moment when I had found out Michael Jackson had died. Even though I was only six years old at the time, it lives in my memory and I can still remember where I was and what I was doing. At the end of the poem, Hanif writes about the fact “that is it impossible for a human being to wake up dead” and therefore you are simply just asleep. This stood out to me, because I interpreted this line as a reminder that we do not know what happens when we die. This also meant to me that once we die, we are not able to wake up in another state of being and we just simply are asleep forever. This is a concept that I will never understand and one that I fear very much. To me, this poem was a reminder that we must make memories and live life to the fullest at every chance we get, because we only get one shot.

Sarah Louis Week 4- Pick a Poet #1 RAE ARMANTROUT

     It was interesting, the other day I came across a short essay question on the common app that asked..."if you could go back in time what would you tell your past self and what words of wisdom would you give?" 

I touched upon this theme of individuality and responded that the most important aspect in high school that I've learned has been to surround myself with people who will accept me for who I am and allow me to freely express myself. Armantrout perfectly captured this imperative message, weaving this concept in her poem "Care". Although the poem was very short, I was inspired by the power each word held. 

    Armantrout wrote a very short poem all about the importance of individuality and how one must make an effort in order to create a unique personality and life for themselves. I believe that this is such an important message as people from a young age into adulthood tend to conform to be like those around them. This poem brings to light this important issue and asks the reader "are you happy when one is like another? Add yourself to yourself". Such a thought-provoking question is accompanied by a simple answer. In order to be yourself, you need to look from within and take care of embracing the incredible attributes you bring to this world and everyone around you.

        I also happened to look at Armantrout's other poems and I happen to really enjoy her poetry as she tends to be concise and goes straight to the point in her poems. Yet, she conveys much emotion and a sense of reflection as well in her poetry. 

    I cannot wait to explore more of her works of poetry. 

    

Gabriel Winter- Pick a Poet- The Figure by Joseph Fasano

 "The Figure"

By Joseph Fasano

           "The Figure" by Joesph Fasano is a very compelling poem that has many layers that one may have trouble understanding but when understood uncovers a deeper message. The poem uncovers a message about a person sitting on their farm and feeling a sense of guilt when his father "appears" in his field and makes him think. When we think about the dead we do not think about what happens after the die. They go back into the earth but is that enough. The poem uncovers the facts that "we abandon the dead (Fasano Line 22)" which is a ver complex thought that many don't think about and don't want to. 

    After we loose a love one they are always with us but life goes on. For some people moving on is a very hard process one filled with reflection but the poem reviews that everything we work for and everything that we have created eventually dissipates and turns into something new. The crops still grow and the house changes without us. Many forget the fact that our love ones are always with us and therefore they abandon the dead.  

    My opinion of this poem is that it is very insightful into the fact that people are always with us even after life and is very comforting to know that some poet is out here reminding people that we must not forget about the ones we lost and we must not move on so fast. We must take time to think back on life and not just forget that we all eventually get returned to the earth where we came from. 

Yakov Wahnich Week 4: Pick-A-Poet 1

 Let’s be honest: most of us don’t read poetry for fun. Depending on the piece, poetry can be complicated, wordy, and hard to digest. For me, I find that reading poetry demands the reader to pick apart the stanzas and analyze what the Poet is really trying to say, and that doesn’t sound like a leisurely activity. Also, some poetry can be so vague that almost the entire story is left to be interpreted by the reader. I do, sometimes, find it interesting to interpret ambiguous poetry, especially when the poet intended for readers to draw varied conclusions. Now, what really captured my attention with the poem I chose for this blog is how none of that stuff I just mentioned describes this piece AT ALL. 

Starting with the poet himself: Kevin Coval, an American-Jew from the Chicago suburbs with a passion for rap music and bringing together his community in Chicago. Coval is dedicated to giving back to his community by bringing people together through the expression of each person's individuality. He started a program in Chicago which is like an open mic night, where young people come together and share their poems. Coval crafted a collection of poetry called “Everything Must Go,” and in it, he included this poem that can also be described as a graphic novel? A picture will explain it better than I can. 

Anyways, this poem Coval wrote is about a bar, presumably in Chicago. What I love about this piece, though, is the accompanying art, and this may sound elementary, but it makes reading this piece enjoyable by bringing together the whole poem. Coval describes the locale as a “room, a darkened sanctuary,” which could mean many things. Without the included graphic, I might assume he is referring to a dank basement or something of that sort. This well-designed drawing and additional sketches help me understand what Coval is trying to say about this particular bar: that it’s more than a bar. It’s representative of an oasis in a desert, and as Coval describes, this bar is “a pit stop vacation from the day.” He describes the objects in the room - the drinks, the jukebox, the bar stools - in such a way that he endows each of them with a lively energy that reflects the energy Coval sees in his city. With support from his graphic, Coval shows how this bar is a place of communion between the bartender, the patrons, and even the inanimate objects present. While Coval is very skilled with his use of language, the images included really tie this whole piece together so well. The poem is definitely worth a read. 

Liann Rozenberg Week 4 - Pick a Poet #1

Poetry has recently been a great interest of mine. I've been writing some of my own, mostly inspired by things I dream of or imagine. Especially a life filled with love, freedom, and adventure. My main source of inspiration is Alan Watts, a British writer and speaker who has inspired me to create a deeper meaning for the sole purpose of existing. Lana Del Rey, my favorite artist, has recently released beautiful poetry; I listen to her audio almost every day.

I came across Ari Banias, an American poet and teacher. His poem, "A Sunset," caught my attention mainly because of how I was able to imagine everything he was saying and the truth he was speaking. Banias talks about how he is watching a woman take a photo of the sunset, but a photo cannot capture the true essence of really watching the sun go down. “Sunset the word holds more than a photo could. Since it announces the sun then puts it away.” Banias is referring to a photo of such nature as cliche because he realizes that once a photo like this is taken, it will never be looked at again. The truth is that we all take pictures of nature knowing that it will just sit in our camera rolls, but we do it anyway. We put in so much effort and “[we try] and [try] to make it right bending [our] knees, tilting back” knowing that it is a total cliche. 

In the poem after Banias discusses how he watches this woman take the photo and he knows no one will ever see this picture again, he then says “I have taken photos of a sunset.” We are all guilty of doing so and even the author recognizes this commonplace. Are you also guilty of a nature photo in the back of your camera roll?

A Timely Poem - Noah Rubin - Week 4 (Pick a Poet 1)

Sifting through the list of poets took a lot longer than I expected, but when I stumbled upon Kay Ryan, I liked her relatable poems and writing style. The poem that I chose is called, “The Best of It”. The poem is very short, and I’d encourage you to read it. In 13 lines, Ryan explores how ‘we’ look on the bright side of every situation. She uses the example of a garden being reduced to 1 beanstalk and celebrating its growth. Ryan is able to, in just 2 sentences, not only discuss how people are able to look on the bright side, but also make the reader think about how s/he should be more grateful for the things that they do have.

By using the word ‘we’ in her poem, she insinuates that looking on the bright side is a universal truth. Keeping the poem short, Ryan is able to make the reader introspective. I found this combination of optimism and reflection left me wanting more, and made me think about my own life — it made for a great poem. Especially today, in our COVID world, our lives and social lives have been “carved up” and “pared down” in the same way that Ryan discusses in her poem. Ryan suggests that we, as humans, “make the best of it” and I agree with that sentiment. It’s not often that we stop and reflect, but this poem made me do just that. I wondered, am I making the best out of this situation?

 

Sienna Tohar Week 4 - Pick-a-Poet #1

 I used to love poetry, both as something I read and wrote, but ever since beginning high school/extracurricular classes a few years ago, I found it more difficult to get myself to put time aside to just read and appreciate poetry. So, being able to just go through an enormous list of poets was actually satisfying (and kind of relaxing, too). Even though poetry is open for all kinds of interpretations, sometimes reading many of them and noticing specific patterns in imagery, symbols, adjectives, themes, etc., can make it feel a bit repetitive and (dare I say) even predictable. This is where Leila Chatti’s “The Rules” swooped right in. 

    “The Rules” has a quite monotonous feeling to it, despite all the different items, colors, and general things that are mentioned. In fact, much of what Chatti talks about are things you might have heard countless times in other poems. The way I see it, is that these ‘things’ are the rules (rules of poetry, that is. The things that are often described in poetry). When I started to think about it, I noticed exactly how much I have read about angels, children, butterflies, God, mothers, the color blue, and much more so many times before! “The Rules” is all about defying these assumptions about the (sometimes stereotypical) descriptions used in poetry to depict abstract themes, like experiences or emotions. Chatti makes it seem as though the poem itself is reassuring you that, “there will be no stars - the poem has had enough of them...Here, no monarchs, no moths, no cicadas doing whatever they do in trees,” will be mentioned, or, “shards, no kittens, no myths, or fairy tales...no pomegranates or rainbows.” I find the tone rather abrupt because of how simple yet effective Chatti puts a quick end to the assumption of what’s to come (or be said/written, in this context). 

Chatti describes how this specific piece was written at a time in her life where she faced this creative and depressive block. I felt a connection to it because I’ve definitely ‘been there!’ Who hasn’t? Writer’s or artist’s block is especially frustrating in that creative outlets are supposed to help with blowing off steam or apathetic and/or sad emotional episodes. Chatti continues to provide the reader with different descriptions on how “there is no blue in this poem,” or that the poem does not take place “at dawn or dusk or noon or the witching hour or crescendoing moment…” but finally ends with the stars she had mentioned at the beginning, the first thing she denied would be spoken of. And she says how there’s one thing she wants to tell the reader about, and it’s the recollection of her walk the night before. She walked with joy, true joy, “for the first time in a year to be breathing in the cold dark, to see them. The stars.” And how right before something might have stopped her from basking in that soothing moment of simplicity, she “nearly wept at the sight of them all.” 

I find that last line really beautiful simply because of how present Chatti finally found herself in a moment where nothing else was important except for her viewing of the stars. I think it’s so easy to fall into the trap of just following what you think needs to be said/written when faced with a writer’s block. I think this also applies to more than just writing, but starting new things in general, and following the pack. We forget that loving what we create is part of our creations sincerely coming from deep within ourselves, not what we observe around us, outside of us.  

At first, Leila Chatti’s work didn’t instantly leave such a stupendous impression on me because I imagined the writer I would pick would excite me with the first few lines (which is pretty impatient of me). But, instead, I find time and time again as I read more of Chatti’s work, that it’s always the end that gets me! When she wraps up the point of her thoughts and it all ties together so nicely, making sense, and making me go “wow.” That’s my favorite part. 

Chaya Brenner week 4 - Pick a Poet #1 - Natasha Trethewey

 The poet I ended up choosing for this project is Natasha Trethewey. I found her poem “History Lesson” particularly beautiful and meaningful. She starts off talking about when she was younger and took a trip to the beach with her grandmother. The memory is described from a photograph she found of the trip. But the poem shifts around the middle. The perspective changes from a happy beach memory to remembering the racial oppression her family experienced. She writes right at the shift, “It is 1970, two years after they opened the rest of this beach to us, forty years since the photograph where she stood on a narrow plot of land marked, colored”. She is on a beach only recently fully opened to her, and her grandmother has a similar photo in the same place. 

One thing that struck me about this poem is that even after the tone shift in the middle, Trethewey does not shy away from the words “smiling” and “flowered”. You would think that as the tone got more serious so would the word choice, but I’m absolutely in love with the way she is able to get her message across while still keeping the moment of the photograph happy. Because her grandmother was legitimately happy when the photograph was taken.

She also uses similar lines when describing the photo of herself and her grandmother’s photographs. Describing both of their poses as having their hands on the “flowered hips” of their clothing. It helps tie together the idea that both moments are intertwined. 

Just around the tonal shift of the poem, Trethewey uses simile and metaphor that don't seem to fit the poem. She describes the fish and sand in sharp ways, even directly comparing the minnows to switchblades. It feels out of place with the somber but somehow happy tone of the rest of the poem. I think it’s interesting, and if the intent was to catch my attention she certainly did. But I legitimately do not understand why she would choose these words for the poem. 

I think that the title is really important to the poem as well. “History Lesson” captures the feeling of being told of moments of the past with specific significance in the author’s life. And it also shows that the reader is learning too. As the reader, I began to think about how in 1968 this beach was opened to everyone, how that’s incredibly recent.

Dana Levine Week 4 -- Pick-A-Poet #1 -- Clint Smith

  Clint Smith began writing poetry in 2008. He rose in popularity as he wrote about social justice and equality. As I was researching Clint Smith, one of the first poems that came up was called “Something You Should Know”. This poem begins in an interesting way, by assuming that you read the title and dove right into the poem; it is meant to begin with the lines “Something you should know” from the title, but rather the first line of the poem is “is that as a kid, I once worked at a pet store,” thus wanting you to read it as “Something you should know is that as a kid, I once worked at a pet store.” Immediately grabbing the reader's attention; it makes you think and? Why do I care? You know from here that this seemingly useless piece of information is going to shift to encompass a greater issue and theme.

    Smith explains how at the pet store he worked at, he would clean the cages of all of the small animals, and one thing he noticed in particular were the hermit crabs. These creatures relied so much on their shells for survival. They would grow out of their old shells and rely on the possibility of there being a new shell at the bottom of the aquarium. Smith was worried for them; they rely so much on something other than their own self for safety. He thought, “Perhaps that is why I became afraid of needing anything beyond myself.” This idea that we rely on so many things for safety, for attention, for love, even for life, is so prevalent now more than ever. We not only rely on other people for happiness, but we rely on social media, our electronics, and materialistic things such as fancy clothing, fancy cars, fancy jewelry. All for what? Do we need it for survival? Not at all...So what’s it for? It’s for our happiness. Are we suddenly unable to achieve a successful life without these things?

Smith talks about how we try to avoid this feeling of being exposed. We don’t want to open up and rely on someone or something for our survival. He brings awareness to the fact that we need to take precautions to not depend on things for our sense of security within ourselves. The ultimate goal is to achieve that security within, but sometimes we spend our whole life trying to attain this goal. So, at this point in your life, what do you rely on for happiness and comfort?

Zach Klein Week 4- Pick a Poet #1 Mary Oliver

    When looking for a poet that interested me I stumbled upon the name Mary Oliver. Her poems relate to me because they revolve around different aspects of nature. Since I am not very interested in poetry it took a long time to find a poet that caught my attention, but finally, I discovered Mary Oliver’s pieces. Most of Oliver’s poems were written in the late 20th century. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2019 at the age of 83. 

The poem of hers that I chose to analyze is called “Hummingbirds”. Oliver describes discovering two newborn chicks with their mother on a branch. She beautifully recounts the appearance of the newborns and their ability to fly for the first time. A stanza in the poem states, “And to fly, for the first time, in their sea-green helmets, with brisk, metallic tails- each tulled wing.”  As I close my eyes while reading this line I can imagine the newborns taking flight for the first time. It is a wonderful thing in this world to witness creatures experiencing the world for the first time. 

    The structure of this poem consists of small stanzas giving each stanza more meaning in my opinion. It starts off with the author witnessing the hummingbird and its two newborns and ends with them taking their first flight. The transition represents the cycle of creatures living in nature that we don’t get to experience every day. I believe that this poem is a successful piece because it allowed me to imagine its words in action; Newborn hummingbirds flying for the first time.