I'm not sure I understand what you're asking. If it is as simple as: Does my schema for poems match the variety of poetic forms that is used under the heading of "poetry"?
Well, the answer to that question is another question: What is your expertise in poetry? Though most people naively associated rhyming with poetry, this hardly defines a poem is (though rhyming may be important in children's literature). Consider the types of poetry listed on the following websites: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_basic_poetry_topics http://www.articleswave.com/articles/different-types-of-poetry.html http://www.writersreliefblog.com/category/Types-of-Poetry.aspx If you are a novice with respect to poetry or are only exposed to "popular" forms of poetry (i.e., poetry that "sells", regardless of whether poets and poetry scholars think), then the type of poem that Alexander read probably doesn't correspond to your prototype of a poem. However, if the only knowledge one has about a topic is "novice level", then judgments about a topic, especially art forms like poetry, film/cinema, theater, performance art, etc., are probably going to be quite limited in scope and "sophistication". However, if you are asking whether people liked the poem, independent of its artistic merits, then you're simply asking about people preferences which is likely to geared toward whatever is most popular or commonly available. I have to ask, how many persons spend some time every day seeking out and reading poems (and not just re-reading old favorites)? The popular conception of poetry is likely to be quite limited (as it is with music, films, television programs, etc.). Perhaps you should present your post below to a poet or a poetry scholar. I think they might ask you a variety of questions about what you think a poem is as well as point out the merits of Alexander's poem. Finally, appreciating the qualities of a work of art or other exquisite experiences (e.g., a good meal, a good wine, etc.) will always be a matter of personal taste but this will be conditioned by our experiences. For example, one may acknowledge that Remy Martin cognac is recognized as being a high quality alcoholic beverage but it is quite possible that one thinks it tastes like cat piss (or what one imagine that to be). Do we want to focus on the qualities of the cognac and our ability to appreciate them or is it just a matter of whether we like it or not? In any event, this Bud's for you. ;-) -Mike Palij New York University [email protected] On Wed, 28 Jan 2009 05:40:30 -0800, Michael Britt wrote: I'm putting together my notes for an episode which I'm thinking of calling "Piaget and Poetry" (alliteration always works). I'd like to get some feedback on the idea. It started when I watched and listened to Elizabeth Alexander read her poem at the inaugural address. To be honest, I just didn't care for it at all. I noticed that a lot of people started leaving the event while she read the poem (although the event was also running a bit long at that point as well). I thought perhaps it was just me, but then I find that others didn't like it either. David Ulin for the LA Times said it, "..simply didn't sing" and Jon Stewart took a poke at it on the Daily Show when he said about her poem, "Aren't these things supposed to rhyme?" Since most students saw the inaugural (and hopefully the poem as well, but if not there's always YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nH6fC3W3YvA) , maybe there's a connection here to Piaget. My early schema (which, I suspect may be like a lot of students) for the idea of a "poem" was just like Jon Stewart's: a series of words that have a certain rhythm and that rhyme, like what you find in a birthday card or a limerick. As I grew older I learned that poetry doesn't have to rhyme, but usually there's a rhythm (assimilation?). Modern poems don't seem to have a rhythm or rhyme, but they do evoke interesting mental images through metaphor (accomodation?). The problem with Alexander's poem is that it had no rhythm, no rhyme, and it didn't evoke any interesting imagery for me. So, I guess I just couldn't accommodate it into my "poem" schema. Thoughts? Have I got this right? --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([email protected])
