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[CCBC-Net] THe poem and the poet and the reader
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From: Angela Morrison <angelamor09>
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:27:48 -0400
But Frost took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference. At least, that's what made the difference to me as a teenager when I memorized this poem. I was traveling roads different from everyone around me and Two Roads was my mantra. Thank you, Sally, for sharing the real poet up close and personal.
As I've read the discussion over the past few days regarding meaning and analysis and tests versus the joy and discovery experiencing poetry brings, I think we've overlooked the important role picture books play in introducing children to the simple delight of rhythm and rhyme that tells them a story. A first taste of poetry.
With the increasing popularity of poetry novels, we now have a similar tool to re-introduce older children and teens to accessible poetry. While I agree with an earlier post that all verse novels are not created equal, there are some excellent new voices out there. Kelly Bingham's SHARK GIRL and Ellen Yeomon's RUBBER HOUSES come to mind. Both these authors chose poetry as a way to share powerful stories prose couldn't fit around. I fell in love with povels when I read Karen Hesse's OUT OF THE DUST. Poetry has been used to convey moving narrative throughout the ages. We're just rediscovering it.
As a struggling poet, myself, it's exciting to have another avenue for my work and a vehicle to reach readers who may not pick up a book of poems before they read my novel, but may go on to appreciate more traditional poetry after they've walked in my teen poet's shoes.
Angela Morrison, MFA Lausane, Switzerland TAKEN BY STORM (Razorbill, Spring 2009)
----------------------------------------
> From: derbymiller at fuse.net
> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 09:59:20 -0500
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] THe poem and the poet and the reader
>
> Actually, back in the dark ages when I was a student at Western College, I was able to hear Robert Frost give a poetry reading at nearby Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
>
> I have vivid memories of that day, not the least of which is of his glaring from the podium and announcing that he was not going to try to speak over the click of knitting needles, it being the fashion then for coeds to sit and knit during lectures.
>
> After all offending implements had been hurriedly put away he began to read and comment on his poems in that gruff voice of his. I will never forget his expressed impatience with various interpretations of The Road Not Taken. As closely as I can render it, what he said was something like this. "Two roads diverged within a wood. That's what it said, and that's what it means. There were two roads, and they were different, and I took one instead of the other.' And they want to lay on all sorts of figurative meanings. It means two different roads went two different ways. That's all."
>
> Please remember, this was over 50 years ago and I didn't have a tape recorder with me, but I'm sure I have the gist right.
>
> As to meaning...I have always loved poetry, even when I didn't understand exactly what it meant, e.g. "anyone lived in a little how town." "how town"? Or "As kingfishers catch fire," (Hopkins) Such language is beautiful enough to make me want to ferret out meaning not immediately obvious to me. But I'll admit a great impatience with poets who seem to be deliberately obscure, especially when they offer me neither rhyme, rhythm, nor melody as compensation for murky strings of strange similes. Further, many have no discernible sentence structure to act as road guide. (Obviously, I've strayed away from children's poetry here.)
> So again now,I'll get down from my soapbox in order to read and learn more from others.
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Received on Mon 07 Apr 2008 03:27:48 PM CDT
Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 16:27:48 -0400
But Frost took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference. At least, that's what made the difference to me as a teenager when I memorized this poem. I was traveling roads different from everyone around me and Two Roads was my mantra. Thank you, Sally, for sharing the real poet up close and personal.
As I've read the discussion over the past few days regarding meaning and analysis and tests versus the joy and discovery experiencing poetry brings, I think we've overlooked the important role picture books play in introducing children to the simple delight of rhythm and rhyme that tells them a story. A first taste of poetry.
With the increasing popularity of poetry novels, we now have a similar tool to re-introduce older children and teens to accessible poetry. While I agree with an earlier post that all verse novels are not created equal, there are some excellent new voices out there. Kelly Bingham's SHARK GIRL and Ellen Yeomon's RUBBER HOUSES come to mind. Both these authors chose poetry as a way to share powerful stories prose couldn't fit around. I fell in love with povels when I read Karen Hesse's OUT OF THE DUST. Poetry has been used to convey moving narrative throughout the ages. We're just rediscovering it.
As a struggling poet, myself, it's exciting to have another avenue for my work and a vehicle to reach readers who may not pick up a book of poems before they read my novel, but may go on to appreciate more traditional poetry after they've walked in my teen poet's shoes.
Angela Morrison, MFA Lausane, Switzerland TAKEN BY STORM (Razorbill, Spring 2009)
----------------------------------------
> From: derbymiller at fuse.net
> To: ccbc-net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 09:59:20 -0500
> Subject: Re: [CCBC-Net] THe poem and the poet and the reader
>
> Actually, back in the dark ages when I was a student at Western College, I was able to hear Robert Frost give a poetry reading at nearby Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
>
> I have vivid memories of that day, not the least of which is of his glaring from the podium and announcing that he was not going to try to speak over the click of knitting needles, it being the fashion then for coeds to sit and knit during lectures.
>
> After all offending implements had been hurriedly put away he began to read and comment on his poems in that gruff voice of his. I will never forget his expressed impatience with various interpretations of The Road Not Taken. As closely as I can render it, what he said was something like this. "Two roads diverged within a wood. That's what it said, and that's what it means. There were two roads, and they were different, and I took one instead of the other.' And they want to lay on all sorts of figurative meanings. It means two different roads went two different ways. That's all."
>
> Please remember, this was over 50 years ago and I didn't have a tape recorder with me, but I'm sure I have the gist right.
>
> As to meaning...I have always loved poetry, even when I didn't understand exactly what it meant, e.g. "anyone lived in a little how town." "how town"? Or "As kingfishers catch fire," (Hopkins) Such language is beautiful enough to make me want to ferret out meaning not immediately obvious to me. But I'll admit a great impatience with poets who seem to be deliberately obscure, especially when they offer me neither rhyme, rhythm, nor melody as compensation for murky strings of strange similes. Further, many have no discernible sentence structure to act as road guide. (Obviously, I've strayed away from children's poetry here.)
> So again now,I'll get down from my soapbox in order to read and learn more from others.
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
_________________________________________________________________ Enter today for your chance to win $1000 a day?today until May 12th. Learn more at SignInAndWIN.ca http://g.msn.ca/ca55/215
Received on Mon 07 Apr 2008 03:27:48 PM CDT
