I treasure Joni as much as any human being, but the best I would say regarding Joni is that her music is Art, and the words are deeply poetic, but it's not quite poetry. And not being poetry removes her from being a poet.
I would define poetry as a literary art form of condensation. It is an intellectual play of words to get at the deepest possible expression of thought and feeling by a deep understanding and consentration of word play. Many of her songs are much like this, but not to the nth degree that the form of Poetry, as we know it, would occur. She would have to do more 'stripping', more condensing and more word play with the written line to enter the true realm of poetry: spirit friend sage's eyes sanity sanity contemplating crying I think it's that border that Joni finds offensive, at least enough that she's often spoken of her dislike of poetry. It's too much of an intellectual game. Only half the crowd 'get's it.' And the mental game strips away some of the power of the thing to communicate and affect the emotions of the reader. Well, save the great poets like Elisabeth Bishop and the like. Another way to look at is cooking. Sugar and water are as to caramel as Morning Morgantown is to Poetry, big P. They both have the same ingredients, but you have to do a certain thing to sugar and water before it enters the catagory of being caramel. And a reduced stock is nothing like Stock. But the fact that Joni is not a poet doesn't make her work any less Poetic or Art. --I am blown away that this tiny little woman (5'7, maybe 110 lbs.) can produce such spectacular vision! Travelogue has been like a visual jewel for me. I see Caravaggio brushwork, deep dark darks and brilliant cries for light in Sire of Sorrow. This is some of the richest arrangements I've ever heard. My hat's off to everyone involved, especially Mendoza. The only minute flaw to T'log is the lack of credits and commentary regarding the performers in the printed word. The arranger, band, orchestra and studio crew joined hands with Joni and produced one of the finest recordings ever made, I think. This is special stuff. So special that I think Joni will be lifted to a new place as well. If she does produce new material, "WATCH OUT!" It's going to have a sound totally new and all it's own. Even if it's just a spare voice, guitar and drums. Her ability to emote the line, play with the melodic flow and rhythm of it are light years improved over anything she's done before. I'm sure she's out to take full advantage of that in any new work. And I think Mendosa and the orchestra have helped open up that fresh new place for her as a singer. You can tell she's responding to the excitement of the aural sounds around her. She's using her voice as a jazz instrument against the band. It's gorgeous stuff. I love how she cuts loose with "Where is hope?" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You can feel the sense of desperation there that we all felt Sept. 11th 2001. She is the queen of beauty hands down. Not Poetry. -Better.
