NPM '08: More Billy Collins

I can't help myself.  I need to point (or re-point) you to Billy Collins.  Last year I linked to his animated poetry, which I find amazing.  Here's one...

Here's his poem "Vade Mecum" found in Questions About Angels...

I want the scissors to be sharp
and the table perfectly level
when you cut me out of my life
and paste me in that book you always carry.

Here's Billy reading 3 poems (including "The Lanyard")...

Comments

[Matt P.]

Steve, I like the animations... I really do.

But, I have to be honest that I struggle a little with the concept. Obviously one of the ideas of poetry is to paint the visual with words. There is a sense in which the mind doesn't engage in the same way when the visual is available. I guess in a way one is limiting the reader's imagination when there is visual accompaniment.

I suppose you have this sort of thing with ballet - music composed and an added visual element. But here one is usually focused on the visual element over the aural.

Again, I did enjoy it. I just thought I would share what was going on in my mind as I though about it. I hope my thoughts made a little sense.

[Steve McCoy]

Matt, I hear you. I don't agree, but I see where you are coming from. And it's a good conversation to have.

To be fair, these were poems in print before they were videos. And Collins isn't trying to change the future of how poetry is done or anything. Also take note of how central the poem is to the video. It's not a video with an added poem, but poetry as visualized by another artist.

The way I see it, these videos can introduce people to poetry in a visual culture where poetry isn't quick and easily digestible. Even more, why shouldn't artists consider new forms of art, the blending of art, technological possibilities for art, etc? Seems natural and worthy of consideration.

Whadayathink?

[Matt P.]

Steve, all good thoughts... I think you make a good point by saying the poem was written first. So, I would find it very interesting to see another animation - done completely different. I think this would also be an interesting interprative exercise. What might it look like if two people developed animations (or any other accompanying media) for the same poem and then we were able to see them side by side? How much would this teach us about appreciating poetry? I think this would also make poetry more digestible through teaching folks the variety of interpretations acceptable and valued.

You also have a good point with the blending of art... I don't think we should ever limit creativity. Why not use all the media available to us?

I guess there is just that piece of me that knows people often times cannot tell you anything about music apart from lyrics. Typically people don't appreciate music without lyrics - I would hate for poetry to end up in a comparable place.

Good conversation - fun to think through....

[Mark Goodyear]

About video poems working or not. The trick with poetry is that you have to read it more than once. I assume that's the same for poetry animation videos--but we're all trained to watch video once and think we're done.

Unless we've succumbed to reruns or turned the favorite movie on in the background to keep us company.

These videos demand our full attention several times in a row. It's fun. My favorite Collins is American Sonnet, by the way. Brilliant poem.

[preacherman]

Thanks for sharing this with us.
I hope you have a great weekend.

[christa Allan]

Thanks to Mark Goodyear mentioning you on his blog, I found you! Billy Collins has been one of my favorite poets (he and Mary Oliver play tug-of-war for first place) for years.

As a high school English teacher, I read poetry to my students as prompts for their ten minutes of free writing. Sure, for some, it's imposed torture. But others open their brains long enough to capture a word, a phrase, an image--and they're off.

These animations would provide my students a new avenue to reach the same destination...where poetry seeps into your pores and finds a place in your heart.

My students could create these animations with any poet and find an expression that resonates. Watch it on their iPods even. Heck, we just watched a stick figure animation of THE ODYSSEY that had us laughing, but understanding.

I read "The Lanyard" to them every year. "Taking Off Emily Dickinson's Clothes" and "On Turning Ten"--also brilliant.