A Polite Coup:

2011-09-03T12:32:00.001-05:00

(It's pretty much impossible to properly format a prose poem in a blog ... hence the picture.)

A Body in Motion

2011-09-03T12:19:00.001-05:00

for Hotel Crown Plaza Panamericano

Every object accelerates like a god.

How do you prove this a constant?

Humanity is a speeding race anyway.

And she, age 32 on floor 23—this

is beginning to sound like a word

problem. How do you prove the f(x)

of the unknown? The equations are

relative. The subject begins with arithmetic,

but these are words. And the sentence isn’t.

Here is the riddle . The answer:

four seconds, broken hips, ribs,

internal bleeding.

2011-09-03T12:17:00.000-05:00

I touched the stars between your lips, and still you don’t belong to me.

2011-09-03T12:14:00.000-05:00

Because everyone has taken pictures wearing a mask.

2011-05-03T11:06:00.003-05:00

The kind of man without a face or a name that stands behind screen doors, windows, and desks, yells—

2011-05-03T11:00:00.000-05:00

Humanity is a speeding race anyway.

2011-04-18T12:05:00.002-05:00

Post no bills.

For Dharun Ravi

2010-10-18T23:40:00.000-05:00

Dying isn’t what it used to be partner.
It’s all connected— Our reality
is not a fabric. It is a water
like you. And we’re all moving on TV
captchas because you’re not good at living.
It makes us feel human again…to feel
like the you is separate from us, thinking
that you is part of them (the Man). Conceal
yourself. Do not reflect our ogres in
black skies. Their monstrous arms are all we know.
We don’t think good no more. We been suffo-
cated.

Fuji Chrysanthemum I

2010-10-13T00:09:00.000-05:00

Do no harm.

Tinted Solidago I

2010-10-10T11:52:00.001-05:00

I want to stretch into gamma rays and have particles dance through me!

2010-09-15T17:55:00.002-05:00

I am afraid of dying.

2010-08-24T02:47:00.002-05:00

I feel like the world is going to end, and we'll all just watch it on TV.

Fragment

2010-08-20T15:48:00.001-05:00

Fragment: A sentence that is missing the subject, verb, or both.

Work

2010-06-23T17:28:00.001-05:00

It’s like we’re all just moving. Or moved. I don’t even know where we’re going.

on finding out you don't belong

2010-06-17T02:06:00.001-05:00

it’s like singing while your square

edges are rounded by the jacking

hammers of things that are decorous,

and realizing that your trite candy lover

is a whore.

Ophelia

2010-06-07T01:17:00.002-05:00

No dress was harmed in the making of this photograph.

Dinosaurs

2010-06-07T01:15:00.005-05:00

Fish

2010-06-07T01:15:00.002-05:00

Water

2010-06-07T01:12:00.002-05:00

Army Men

2010-06-07T01:11:00.001-05:00

The enemy is lurking.

Pencils

2010-06-07T01:08:00.000-05:00

Iron

2010-06-07T01:06:00.000-05:00

Les Amants

2010-06-07T01:02:00.002-05:00

Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

Dinner

2010-06-07T01:00:00.001-05:00

Film

2010-06-07T00:59:00.002-05:00

Ma petite chérie

Film

2010-06-07T00:43:00.002-05:00

"how the people from this pink area
crossed over into this light-green area
and set fires and killed whoever they found
and this was called history—"

Typography

2010-06-07T00:29:00.004-05:00

Is a plant always a plant?

Travel

2010-06-07T00:23:00.003-05:00

The camera's perception of light is vastly different than our own.

Landscapes

2010-06-07T00:14:00.004-05:00

Technique is important to me. For this shot, I combined a long exposure with the use of car headlights.

Typography

2010-06-07T00:12:00.004-05:00

2010-06-06T03:24:00.002-05:00

I like tumblr better, but apolitecoup will be my personal blog where you find stuff by me. Itsallstrange will be my treasure chest.

2010-05-10T21:10:00.000-05:00

Scientists have discovered that babies can start to make moral judgments by the age of six months and may be born with the ability to tell good from bad hard-wired into their brains.

via timesonline.co.uk

Models are clothes hangers for my ideas.

2010-05-05T16:15:00.003-05:00

Or I don't like your face.

On receiving rejection letters

2010-02-23T13:27:00.002-05:00

The universe melts,
and like Icarus
we fall.

Day 3

2010-02-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

the gift

there was a woman who hit her head
and ever after she could see the sharp
wings of things blues and greens
radiating from the body of her sister
her mother her friends when she felt

in her eyes the yellow sting
of her mothers dying she trembled
but did not speak her bent brain
stilled her tongue so that her life
became flash after flash of silence

bright as flame she is gone now
her head knocked again against a door
that opened for her only
i saw her last in a plain box smiling
behind her sewn eyes there were hints
of purple and crimson and gold

--Lucille Clifton

2010-02-18T15:17:00.002-05:00

Available light is any damn light that is available!

W. Eugene Smith

Day 2

2010-02-17T23:34:00.000-05:00

the Phantom

in his purple mask
his purple body suit
lived with a wolf
called Devil

the village believed him
immortal
the-ghost-who-walks
though he was only a man

i would save up
to go watch him
in his cave of skulls
his penthouse in the city

he would fall in love
with a white girl
like all heroes
and monsters did

i was a little brown girl

after the show I would
walk home wondering
what would he feel
if he saw me

what is the color of
his country
what is the color
of mine

--Lucille Clifton

Day 1

2010-02-16T13:06:00.002-05:00

note passed to superman

sweet jesus superman,
if i had seen you
dressed in your blue suit
i would have known you.
maybe that choir boyclark
can stand around
listening to stories
but not you, not with
metropolis to save
and every crook in town
filthy with kryptonite.
lord, man of steel
i understand the cape,
the leggings, the whole
ball of wax.
you can trust me,
there is no planet stranger
than the one i'm from.

--Lucille Clifton

Remembering Lucille Clifton

2010-02-16T03:20:00.000-05:00

When I was in college, my script writing professor invited me to dinner with a visiting poet. Of course, my younger egotistical self thought that I was chosen because of my abilities as a writer and not for the reason that is so obvious in hindsight (as with most of my classes at the University of Delaware, I was the only black, and I guess it's only proper that a visiting poet be greeted by undergrads of the same racial background). Anyway, simply put, the dinner changed my life.

It was one of the first times that I was introduced to the literary elite. You know, the berets, sweaters, goatees, scotch, and snobbery. Looking back, I can't say that I recognized why I was so uncomfortable in the situation, but I did feel out of place. And I definitely looked out of place. I had a huge afro, and I road around on a skateboard. I wasn't exactly the target customer for this type of restaurant or the right type of guest for the shindig. There were two grad students, two professors, and two undergrads at the dinner. The conversation was light, and pretty much forgettable, although I do distinctly remember one of the grad students ordering scotch and the professor making it known that the scotch would not be on the University's tab. I'm sure you can picture what he looked like.

Clifton had a warmth about her, like she had just finished baking someone cookies. During the dinner, I was instructed to ask questions and make conversation. At the time, I had this silly idea that I would not read any poetry for fear of tainting the originality of my work. Yeah. However, I did read up on Clifton before going to the dinner. I was impressed. Mainly because there was this old woman writing about things like her hips and superman (two things that are relevant to my interests).

Near the end of the dinner, she asked who my favorite black poets were. I told her I really didn't know any, and I probably gave her the obvious choice Langston Hughes. She told me that I should read more poetry, and that I could never expect to be a writer without reading any poetry. When she said it, it just made sense. She suggested that I start with Robert Hayden (now one of my favorite poets), and she said that the next time I see her, she expects me to know more.

Later, after her reading, I bought one of her books. Her style was pleasant, questioning, and humorous, but she still dealt with complex and difficult subjects; it was easy to read and enjoy her work. Her personality and the range of her subject matter are a testament to her skills as a poet. Clifton's poems are simple but dense. She is able to recreate moments and pack years of experience and ideas into quick succinct stanzas.

Clifton understood the power of words, and she knew how to pack a lot into a small space. She signed my book "Skate On--!"

Thank you Mrs. Clifton, you will be missed.

1st Draft

2010-01-12T02:38:00.004-05:00

This last few weeks has been a wonderful experience. I feel alive. Over winter break, I have shot just under 1,000 photographs. That is a little over 12 gigabytes of data! It feels kind of awesome to be busy and working towards something. I am applying to four graduate programs for photography, and I needed to finish a 20 image series for my portfolio because everyone is telling me that "series are in" now. I had a few problems initially with models and whatnot, but I have an awesome girlfriend who really helped me out over the break. Also, thanks to all the people who modeled for me over break ... Even though I'm not friends with any of you on facebook, and none of you will read this, thanks.

A while ago I asked for advice on making an artist statement, and I received a wide range of advice which led me to one conclusion ... It doesn't really matter. So I feel that I have finally completed mine. It's general and 500 words because that's what they (the schools) want. I will probably make another one for the series that I'm working on, but I'm done for tonight ... I have an EARLY class in the MORNING tomorrow.

Artist Statement

I would like to earn an M.F.A. at a University so that I can immerse myself in photography and be in an environment where I can focus on learning to perfect the craft of photography and becoming an accomplished artist. Ultimately, my goal is to become a working artist, maintaining a full-time or part-time job teaching photography or freelancing. I would also enjoy being able to take advantage of the college setting where I can learn from instructors and students who share my excitement about art and photography. By earning an M.F.A., I hope to progress in my knowledge of the history and methods of using photography as an art form so that I can use the medium to communicate ideas without making explicit dogmatic statements.

Because it is easy to access information through advances in technology and the ubiquity of the internet, people have become obsessed with acquiring answers for everything. While learning is important, in reality, all questions do not need to be answered. Essentially, we have lost the significance of questioning, and one of the things I am interested in accomplishing with my photography is the art of questioning, using images to elicit wondering. Even though my ultimate goal is to raise the awareness or knowledge of the people who view my work, I do not want to create explicit, narrow art pieces that only make one statement. I would like to embrace the ambiguity of art and allow for my work to be interpreted freely. Ideally, my art proposes questions that are engaging, causing the viewer to think and attempt to uncover an answer for themselves.

Although we live in the Information Age, so much of the information that we are presented with is not quality information but misinformation. Instead of using the resources around us to enlighten ourselves, we take short cuts that hinder development. I do not want my art to be another simple answer to the numerous intricate and difficult questions of today. I do not want to answer anything; I want to ask more questions, and I want people to think.

By creating scenes that have somewhat absurd elements, I hope to exploit the curiosity of the viewer. I want to challenge their reality. However, I also try to make my images accessible to viewers who may not be familiar with art by using, and sometimes breaking, rules of composition and color theory to make visually compelling images that, even if you do not understand them, are still interesting.

W.E.B. DuBois said “I do not care a damn for any art that is not used for propaganda.” Everything that we create has an effect on the world around us. Because of that, everyone should be more responsible with their creations. And I feel that as an artist, I should be especially cognizant of that responsibility. Even though I strive to make beautiful images, beauty should not be the end of what is interesting about any of my work.

Entrance Essay

2009-07-31T13:13:00.000-05:00

The smaller quandaries of civilized life are often overlooked while we focus on larger social problems with more immediate consequences. I would like to study how America interacts with itself and how these smaller interactions define us as a nation. The problems that we overlook or forget are oftentimes significant to the development of the people of this nation. Because of this, I would like to study issues that involve common life, which on the surface may seem to be inconsequential but can have dramatic effects on how we live.

One particular example would be how Comedy affects Americans. Although Comedy has its place in society, its capricious nature prevents it from accepting or denying its social responsibility. Comedy is predominantly presented as a means of entertainment, and many accept this as its singular purpose. Unfortunately, as with many things, it is not easily categorized using dogmatic criteria. It often acts as a euphemism for society’s problems. However, when Comedy is not presented in the proper context or when viewers do not share the same set of previous experiences, it takes on a new life and naively equivocates, destructively substituting discussion for laughter. Once adulterated by the milieu or ignorance, Comedy instigates stereotypes and provides a false sense of progress that ultimately undermines societal maturity.

Exaggeration and satire are two common tools used for comedy, and they have rich histories. Sadly, both act as unconscious reinforcements for stereotypes and other inappropriate thought patterns. For example, David Chappelle’s “Chappelle’s Show” used exaggeration and satire frequently. The show was also wildly popular, and because of this, the content of the show was presented to a wide variety of people from different backgrounds. When the content of the sketches became part of the national subconscious, it was not accompanied by an explanation of racial relationships in America or a list of decorous behaviors when mimicking the content of the show. The genius of the sketches became not only one of its greatest qualities but also one of its downfalls. In one sketch, Chappelle introduces Hip Hop artists as entrepreneurs of products normally not associated with Hip Hop. These exaggerated situations could easily be interpreted as a critique of the commercialization of hip hop or a jab at America’s stereotypes of Blacks and Hip Hop artists. However, since comedy is not often associated with intelligent dialogue — many cannot get past Chappelle’s sometimes juvenile sense of humor or use of inappropriate language— these sketches acted to strengthen many viewers’ prejudices, enforcing their media influenced ideas about Hip Hop artists and Blacks. Without the appropriate knowledge of the intricacies of Hip Hop, these sketches, while successful in serving their purpose for Comedy, took on a harmful social agenda.

A Master of Arts in English will be my first step towards my goal of teaching at the collegiate level. I want to share different perspectives with students; I want them to learn to appreciate things that seem to be unimportant. I believe that oftentimes Americans have forgotten how to appreciate things that are beautiful. So my goal in teaching is to get students to question. I want them to use their own minds to interpret the world around them. Hopefully, they will be able to decide what is beautiful and important without the influence of others.

from Deaf Republic: 10

2009-07-09T23:17:00.000-05:00

I kissed a woman
whose freckles
aroused our neighbors.

Her trembling lips
meant come to bed.
Her hair falling down in the middle

of the conversation
meant come to bed.
I walked in my hospital of thoughts.

Yes, I carried her off to bed
on the chair of my
hairy arms. But parted lips

meant kiss my parted lips,
I read those lips
without understanding

soft lips meant
kiss my soft lips.
Such is a silence

of a woman who
speaks against silence, knowing
silence is what

moves us to speak.

--Ilya Kaminsky

I have neglected my blog

2009-06-21T00:16:00.003-05:00

I did delete some of my papers on here... I got too many hits from people googling "Shakespeare thesis."

First draft, no title.

2009-05-10T21:23:00.004-05:00

And why doesn’t anyone get cancer
in Archie Bunker’s house? Walking around
like little gods or broken kings as if
their need is their existence, dancing like
little children—I don’t know what love is.

2009-04-12T00:16:00.000-05:00

A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesman and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson

On Seeing Ted Kooser Read

2009-03-27T22:15:00.001-05:00

"What had happened was"

He said that numerous times during the reading, and I can appreciate that.

2009-03-21T23:43:00.001-05:00

One of the things that really bothers me about my job is my student’s utilitarianism. They believe that everything must have an explicit, tangible relationship between the action and the result. This, of course, is particularly troubling for me since I teach English at a Community College . So when I try to explain to a Nursing student that they need to learn how to write a research paper using APA format, they are rarely able to make the connection between following complex guidelines in the process of writing a research paper and adhering to the intricacies of laws and ethics in a fluid stressful work environment.

This is the same sort of thinking that proliferates in the media around us where someone is always willing to give us 6 easy steps to fix anything. Shortcuts trick us into believing that the intricate parts of life are simple, and we lose the appreciation for the journey.

I believe that we’ve forgotten how to appreciate things that are beautiful. So my goal in teaching is to get students to question. I want them to use their own minds to interpret the world around them. Hopefully, they’re able to decide what’s beautiful and important without the influence of others.

2009-03-14T23:40:00.001-05:00

Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men.

--Lord Acton

Classic Stover

2009-01-17T17:21:00.002-05:00

Daniel: What do you think when people say Gay is the new Black?

Steven: I say, they can't dance nearly as good.

I Know Who My Friends Are!

2009-01-15T13:07:00.003-05:00

You can snag a free burger by dropping 10 of your Facebook friends, courtesy of Burger King. That’s the gist of Whopper Sacrifice, an advertising campaign from Burger King to promote a new version of the company’s flagship sandwich called the Angry Whopper. To earn their free burger, users download the Whopper Sacrifice Facebook application and dump 10 unlucky friends deemed to be unworthy of their weight in beef.

I can't even remember the last time that I've spoken to some of the people on my friends list. Plus I'm apprehensive about adding people too, so I guess that explains why I haven't hit triple digits on the friends list. Anyway, just how connected should you be in a small town like this?

Fellas, don't be silly. I know who my friends are. And the next nice neighborhood I move into, you guys'll get crack.

via NY Times

2009-01-08T01:19:00.004-05:00

Just realized Obama tainted the closing lines of my last post ... Politicians ...

Actually I just read it again, this doesn't seem sincere. It's missing something. Hmm.

*edited small things thanks to Ben.

Thoughts on Comedy

2009-01-08T01:17:00.004-05:00

Although Comedy has its place in society, its capricious nature prevents it from accepting or denying its social responsibility. Comedy is predominantly presented as a means of entertainment, and many accept this as its singular purpose. Unfortunately, as with many things, it is not easily categorized using dogmatic criteria. It often acts as a euphemism for society’s problems. However, when Comedy is not presented in the proper context or when viewers do not share the same set of previous experiences, it takes on a new life and naively equivocates, destructively substituting discussion for laughter. Once adulterated by the milieu or ignorance, Comedy instigates stereotypes and provides a false sense of progress that ultimately undermines societal maturity.

If comedians and writers have to qualify their entire catalog of humor, the jokes will lose their wit and effectiveness. It also restricts Comedy’s uses in society. Comedy can be used as a means of discussing uncomfortable situations or truths about the surrounding world. However, this therapeutic act of using Comedy to accentuate social problems is problematic itself. When the subject matter is humored, many will believe that the issue has been resolved since people are able to laugh about the situation. This is also evident in America’s refusal to acknowledge her problems with Blacks in America. For example, Chappelle’s TV show used many racial epithets. This is problematic because the audience was primarily composed of non-blacks, who under normal circumstances are not exposed to that vernacular. Unfortunately, the negligent use of these words weakened the negative connotations around them and prompted many to imitate their use in reference to the jokes on the show. The jokes now took on a life of their own, and they respect no one, as discussed by Chappelle himself in “For What It’s Worth” when discussing his family trip to Disney Land.

Comedy is in a precarious position. For Comedy to be effective and more than just transient entertainment, comedians, comedy writers, and viewers all need to realize the influence that Comedy can have on people. We all need to accept our responsibility in not only our lives but the lives of others around us. If we are ever to grow as individuals and as a nation, everyone needs to accept that they have a responsibility to affect the world around them. Things need to change, and we can change them.

Better Do Your Homework

2008-12-27T02:41:00.001-05:00

An Egyptian court has sentenced a schoolteacher to six years in jail for beating a pupil to death because he had not done his homework.

And I thought I was strict.

via bbc.co.uk

He said, she said

2008-12-16T23:58:00.001-05:00

A Senegalese man in his 70s opened fire on a rap group, injuring four of them, during a live show because he thought they were making fun of him in their song titled "Angry Old Man."

They're just feelings right?

via abc.net.au

Academic Doping

2008-12-16T02:19:00.006-05:00

Inexpensive drugs may even have the potential to be a more egalitarian way to get ahead than expensive tutoring, they say.

Brain pills could give an edge to nations whose citizens opt to raise their intelligence, suggests neuroethicist Julian Savulescu of the University of Oxford.

This is the way the world ends/This is the way the world ends/This is the way the world ends
Soylent Green is people?

via NewScientist.com

Essay Suggestions?

2008-11-26T20:30:00.004-05:00

I don't know how many readers I have (probably not many since I've kept this site a secret), but I am still planning on changing the content of the blog to include more essays. If you have any topics that you would like me to explore, feel free to leave a comment with a suggestion.

Right now I have one essay on the table and a few in the fridge. I plan on finishing the one on comedy soon. Since the school year is just about completed, I will probably be getting to it by the middle of December.

Problems with Defining Poetry

2008-11-26T20:05:00.004-05:00

So this is the culmination of my first graduate level course. Holla @ me.
I don't think I'm finished, but I have run out of time and I need to distance myself from the paper before I revisit the subject. This was definitely an enlightening process. Originally, I wrote the sort of cliched ideas that are easy to support (the ones I was taught), but later on in the paper I realized that I was contradicting myself when my own ideas began to trickle into the paper. Also, my instructor pushed me to develop my own thoughts. I ended up actually trying to construct my own definition from my own random thoughts and underdeveloped poetic dogmas that usually got me through most surface level discussions while earning me the underwhelming title of "a smart guy."

The Problems with Defining Poetry

“What is poetry but the thoughts and words in which emotion spontaneously embodies itself?” John Stuart Mill (Mill par. 4)

Poetry is a peculiar and inviting art form. One of the most misinterpreted qualities of poetry is its ambiguous sense of accessibility. When poetry is compared to other more physical art forms, it appears that there is a lack of technical complexity because poetry does not employ any tangible methods of creation. Unfortunately, the technical aspects of poetry can easily be overlooked by non-poets due to the attention and fluency required to experience a poem fully. Conversely, when a person is involved with another art form such as painting, there is a vast history of easily discernable techniques, processes, and materials that the artist can use in the process of creating the art piece. Because painting presents an assortment of palpable differences, even people that are unfamiliar with painting can appreciate a number of historically significant paintings and recognize the complex nature of a painting.

Poetry’s craft, however, lies in the mind. Because of the apparent lack of technical complexities and since the medium of poetry is language, a necessary component of modern life, many people feel that they have an inherent mastery of the medium. This fallacy enervates the genius of poetry, and it gives non-poets the belief that they can effortlessly create great works of poetry. The apparent ease of creation and feeling of entitlement is an illusion rooted in the general public’s ignorance of the density of seemingly simple poems. Poetry is convoluted and multifaceted; it is an art form that relies heavily on not only what is said but what is implied through subtexts, symbols, and allusions. While non-poets can imitate poetry by arbitrarily stringing words together, their creations are usually trite and uninteresting.

Because of the magnanimous temperament of poetry and the human propensity for creating, many people have attempted to create poetry. Unfortunately, even though many people attempt to create poetry, it is not as celebrated as it once was in the Victorian Era when poetry was published in local newspapers and enjoyed by the working class. As a result, many of these poems are created without a respect for the craft of poetry, and they rarely employ any of the foundational elements of poetry such as rhythm, meter, or metaphor. Instead of illuminating the intricacies of the human soul, these poems proudly champion the obvious with banality. This lack of respect does not, however, have an effect on the integrity of the poem; it is still poetry, but it does have an effect on the success of the poem.

Now, poetry has yet another qualitative element. Not only is there poetry from poets and non-poets, ignoring the various stylistic differences of individuals, but there is successful and less successful poetry from both groups. Poetry that is successful is not entirely different from the poetry that is less successful; however, these differences, though small, are particularly important to pedantic readers of poetry. The foundational elements of poetry are the obvious deciding factors of the success of a poem. Nevertheless, the more abstract qualities such as feeling, authenticity, and imagination are the most decisive in the success of any poem.

The success of a poem can be determined by a number of different elements, yet there is not one particular element of poetry that can dictate the success of a poem. For example, difficult forms do not equate good poetry. Strictly technical poems have their place, but the content and the ability of the poem to move the reader is more important to the success of the poem than flaunting metrical prowess. Matthew Arnold also wrote about the nature of poetry, saying that if one neglects the mechanical part of poetry, one will “harm [the] Art,” and if one relies solely on the mechanical part of poetry, one will harm themselves (Arnold 726). While meter is capable of drawing out the suppressed emotions of the author through limiting them through word choice and meter, it cannot eclipse the other elements of poetry. Furthermore, if a poem cannot be understood, regardless of the sincerity or content, it is a failure; a poem must affect readers. Hence, it must be understood. The success of a poem relies on the author’s ability to develop multiple elements in the correct balance that elicits a deliberate response from the reader that is appropriate for the poem.

While examining “Dante,” T.S. Eliot proposed that “genuine poetry can communicate before it is understood” (Eliot 206). Eliot’s statement is sometimes misunderstood. He proposed that poetry can communicate before being understood, but he did not say that poetry should neglect understanding. Eliot believed that poetry like other art forms is capable of communicating basic emotions and ideas without explicitly making statements. Eliot’s statement was directed towards the beauty and peculiar qualities of genuine poetry; he was not condoning difficult poetry.

Determining the differences between successful poetry may lead to a better understanding of poetry, but it does not ease the task of defining poetry. In “What is Poetry?” by John Stuart Mill, he appropriately concluded that “poetry is either nothing, or it is the better part of all art whatever, and of real life too” (Mill 298). It is difficult to create a comprehensive definition of poetry because of its unique, encompassing nature. Poetry, like all art, is difficult to define with rigid criteria and absolute statements. Incidentally, the variations in poetry from current and past poets, in addition to the differences of poets and non-poets, only compound the difficulty of conclusively defining poetry. Therefore, to define poetry adequately, the definition must be broad and abstract.

Mill’s definition of poetry is built on poetry’s symbiotic relationship with truth and emotion. His reliance on emotion and feeling as defining characteristics of poetry were consistent through the revision of “What is Poetry?” in 1859, so his beliefs on poetry and feeling were not changed 26 years after the original publication of his essay. Even though his definition of poetry is abstract and it explains poetry’s purpose, it is inadequate for use delineating the nuances of poetry and, consequently, negligible. Just as using food as a definition for a fruit would be inadequate, giving the ultimate function of poetry as a definition is also inadequate. Feeling and emotion are obviously integral parts of the definition of poetry, and they should be included in any good definition of poetry. However, they are not the sole elements of poetry, and they are hardly simple concepts.

The genius of fervor, as described by John Stuart Mill, allows “all persons, even the most unimaginative, in moments of strong emotion, [to] speak poetry" (Mill par. 4). His belief that strong emotion can compel non-poets to write poetry relies heavily on his insistence that feeling is not only needed but it is the only indispensable part of poetry, and it is an indicator of his veneration for human emotion. In Mill’s mind, feeling, or an expression of great emotion, is capable of belittling and subsequently negating the need for any other element of poetry.

The outburst of genuine, intense emotion obfuscates the tangible differences in the poetry of poets and non-poets. Therefore, one of the necessary tasks of an adequate definition of poetry, which goes beyond a romantic, naïve description, is to distinguish between the good and bad poetry written by poets and non-poets. While the poetry from poets and non-poets is poetry nonetheless, it is still important to explore what is different between the two. The apparent and hidden differences in the poetry of poets and non-poets will only help strengthen a comprehensive definition of poetry.

One of the more obvious distinctions between good and bad poetry is the successful use of poetic devices. The differences between good and bad poetry are similar but not the same as the differences between successful and less successful poetry. For a poem to be successful, it must combine different elements of poetry into a single poetic work that is accepted and appreciated by contemporary readers. However, for a poem to go beyond ephemeral success, it must be accepted by not only contemporary readers but future readers also. Poetry that wishes to be accepted by both groups must employ poetic devices that do not heavily rely on the particular trends of the time.

The criteria for good and bad poetry are essentially the same as the criteria for the general success of a poem. Both are dependent on the reception of the poem. However, good or bad poetry can sometimes be prematurely determined by critics and educated readers of poetry because of their knowledge of the subject.

Many readers of poetry believe that they have an intrinsic knowledge of the defining characteristics of poetry. This inherent knowledge is a byproduct of the reading of numerous poems and other literary works. Although this literacy is important, it does not always translate into the creation of an acceptable definition of poetry.

In 1842, George Henry Lewes attempted to create a definition of poetry that was somewhat similar to Mill’s definition. However, Lewes created two separate definitions of poetry to describe what he thought were two different types of poetry. Lewes’ definition simplifies the elaborate nature of poetry more so than Mill’s. Mill presents a single criterion with numerous implications, but Lewes’ use of two separate definitions is even more inadequate because he does not account for the other facets of poetry that cannot be addressed by his two definitions. He concluded that poetry consists of two disparate forms: the poetry of individuals, or non-poets, and poetry as art, the poetry of poets (Lewes 8). Poetry as art and poetry as an expression of emotion are not entirely different, but the classification given by Lewes implies that there is a fundamental difference between the two. Even though Lewes built his definition on Mill’s definition of poetry, Mill’s definition directly contrasts this statement, as it relies solely on the inclusion of true emotion.

Mill’s definition was not perfect. For instance, he acknowledged the need for differentiation between the poetry of poets and non-poets in his essay. He concludes that “the difference, then, between the poetry of a poet, and the poetry of a cultivated but not naturally poetic mind, is, that in the latter…the thought itself is always the conspicuous object; while the poetry of a poet is Feeling itself” (Mill par. 8). Here, Mill again reiterates the importance of feeling in poetry, and he presents the main difference between the poetry of poets and non-poets as their ability to convey that feeling eloquently. This is one of the smaller nuances of poetry that feeling and emotion cannot explain. Eloquence is not a necessary element of poetry. Epic poems such as the “Iliad” and the “Odyssey” and other older poems are hardly eloquent by the standards of the general population, and they do not currently persuade readers. Yet, they are still considered great works of poetry.

Mill did note that anyone can create poetry. When he talked about how poetry and strong emotion come together, he explained one instance where a stricter definition of poetry that included eloquence would not work. If a person was to write a poem in a moment of strong emotion and they were to place heavy consideration on their word choice, thought would dilute the intensity of the emotion. Hence the strong emotion that could possibly propel the poem to success is weakened. Poetry may be eloquent at times, but it is not always eloquent, and a lack of eloquence does not diminish the poetry’s worth.

Mill accepted that poetry could be created indiscriminately when compelled by the impetus of emotion. However, he also was aware that failed poetry could be created with the same emotion. To clarify the difference between poetry and failed attempts, Mill not only tried to distinguish the poetry from poets and non-poets but he amended his statement about poetry and emotion, adding that “if the human emotion be not painted with scrupulous truth, the poetry is bad poetry; i.e., is not poetry at all, but a failure” (Mill 300). By using scrupulous to describe the truth in poetry, Mill made it apparent that he believed poetry should not only be moral, but true to the most nominal details. These stipulations on truth of emotion are unnecessary and counterintuitive. Previously, Mill suggested that the main difference between poetry and fact or science is their relationship to truth. Here, Mill’s strict definition seems more appropriate for branches of study that lend themselves to absolute statements such as fact or science rather than poetry.

While there is obviously a relationship between truth, emotion, and poetry, the relationship is not clear or obvious. The lack of an explicit, structured relationship between truth and emotion makes it hard to differentiate between good and bad poetry, even though most people assume they have an intrinsic knowledge of good and bad poetry. Mill does not elucidate how to distinguish truth from untruth. In fact, truth of emotion is relative and essentially a subjective idea that is only relevant if one believes the success of a poem is dependent on the author.

Mill’s addition of truth to his definition of poetry is also unreasonable because it would require each reader to examine the author’s emotion and make a decision on the validity of his or her emotion before reading the poetry. These decisions are hardly appropriate for psychology professionals, so it is also impractical for readers to distinguish true and false emotions in the mind or poetry. Emotions can be described, but they are not tangible. Because of this, it is difficult, if not impossible, to validate the feelings of any person other than oneself correctly in poetry or life outside the poem. Additionally, recognizing the truth or falsehood of a poem is not necessary for one to fully experience the work of poetry.

In the October 2007 issue of Poetry, George Szirtes proposed that any truth written in poetry is a truth that exists only in the poem. He went on to say that “they do not lead back to the real life outside the poem: their truths refer to the real life inside the poem” (Szirtes 39). The relationship between poetry and truth is much different than the relationship between fact or science and truth. Mill wrote that poetry does not ask be believed, it simply asks to move the reader. In contrast, he wrote that fact or science relies on belief and must be accepted as truth to exist. Poetry does not look for affirmation; it does not need to be believed to establish its existence, nor does it need to be believed to affect the emotion of the reader. Poetry simply displays the truths, and it asks for nothing in return. It does not ask for validation, and it does not give any instruction except for the work itself.

Imagined or false emotions can act upon the reader. Because poetry is written with the purpose of affecting a reader emotionally, it is not impossible to expect poetry to be capable of affecting people outside of truth. Using imagined emotions in poetry is not cheating. However, these emotions need to be constructed using real or true emotions as a paradigm. If these imagined emotions are not built on genuine emotion, the reader will obviously see them as a fabricated. This would be one difference where the poetry from a poet and non-poet will differ. Poets should understand the importance of genuine emotion. The non-poet may try to affect the reader’s emotions by using clichéd elements or trite circumstances. So while it is not necessary that the emotions in a poem be true, the emotions should be based on some genuine emotion with deliberate thought and a well thought out goal.

Also, if a poet or non-poet uses poetry to take advantage of the reader, then the poet is also producing bad poetry. The genuine emotions must be used with intentions appropriate for a well respected art form. Poetry should be used to reveal the nuances of human nature; using poetry to affect readers for immature or improper reasons is just as disrespectful to the art of poetry as writing poetry devoid of emotion. Poetry written under false pretenses is still capable of eliciting true emotions from a reader. Throughout history, works of fiction have affected readers. Fiction, or fabricated emotions, in poetry is not different. Hence, those poems are essentially undifferentiated from poetry written under the influence of true emotion.

Poems that are not written on the foundation of truth are not different from the poems written under the strain of true intense emotion. At times of emotional distress, many people turn to poetry to find a short relief from their anguish. In poetry, they can find kindred human beings who have been through similar circumstances, and can possibly offer a solution or hope. Because of this, it is easy to see how poetry and emotions are so closely related. Mill described poetry as feeling, and subsequently stated that all good poetry is truth that paints the human soul. However, he did not dictate how many souls the poetry must paint to be considered good, so if a poem written without truth is able to paint even one human soul accurately, then it is by Mill’s definition good poetry. And because poetry does not rely on the author to present the poem, the author’s emotions are not related to the defining of the poem. Any reader who reads the poem and allows it to affect his or her emotions validates the poem as true; this validation occurs without the author. Therefore, if one person believes the emotion in a poem to be true or is affected by the emotions, true or false, in the poem, then the poem is true and by Mill’s definition, good poetry.

Alluding to the intimate nature of poetry, Mill declared that “poetry is overheard” (Mill 301); it is an exploration of a person’s private inner dialogue. Poetry is not meant to be an explicit development of thought patterns, but it is intrinsically abstract, using symbols and metaphor to explore what is not or cannot be said. Poetry’s relationship to feeling is also one of the reasons that it cannot be considered truth. Because poetry relies so heavily on feeling, any of the truths or interpretations resulting from poetry cannot be established as canonical texts. The texts that result from poetry are rarely intended to be universal truths, but they are meant to be expressions of emotion that the author believes are needed to be shared. At times poetry is not even meant to be read, but it is used as a cathartic form of therapy, or a form of self prescribed medicine. These truths are highly influenced by a person’s emotions, and because of the symbiotic relationship between a person’s emotions and their beliefs, the truths included in any poetic work are subjective.

Even when poetry is directed towards a person or thing, it still makes use of poetic devices that employ a passive means of communication. The intent of a poetic work is more so connected to the author than the poetic work itself. In actual conversations, participators in the conversation know exactly who is speaking and who is being spoken to. However, when eavesdropping, the speaker can be hidden, and at times the speaker’s use of language may be misinterpreted or misheard by the eavesdropper. In a sense, poetry is overheard because of the distance or disconnect between the author and the reader. Poetry is read and enjoyed in the absence of the author, so the reader must be resourceful when trying to interpret a poem, making use of context and previous knowledge. Mill contended that “poetry is feeling confessing itself to itself, in moments of solitude” (Mill 301). This belief casts the reader as an unobtrusive audience, isolating them and giving them one purpose: to appreciate the beauty and peculiarity of this conversation.

Poetry’s single most important element, feeling, is understandably the singular reason why poetry is overheard. In most societies unadulterated confessions of emotion are usually associated with the mentally ill or children. Being that feeling is such an important part of poetry, it is easy to see why poetry cannot be considered heard. If a poem is to contain only the most scrupulous truths, then the poem must be written with a disregard for the reader and their potential reactions to the poetic work. For example, Ginsberg never intended his father, who was also a poet, to read Howl. At a time where homosexuality was still a cultural taboo, Howl allowed Ginsberg to proclaim his sexuality:

who howled on their knees in the subway and were dragged off the roof waving genitals and manuscripts,

who let themselves be fucked in the ass by saintly motorcyclists, and screamed with joy,

who blew and were blown by those human seraphim, the sailors, caresses of Atlantic and Caribbean love.

Obviously, Ginsberg’s poem was met with some controversy, but without the medium of poetry as a vehicle for his proclamation, he probably would have been ignored. Poetry allows the poet to communicate ideas that under normal circumstances would be forbidden.

Being that most poems hold the personal views of the poet, it is easy to rationalize the unspoken nature of poetry. Poetry does not present itself as the universal canon of truth; however, great poetry is still pertinent as social dialogue, and it should still be treated with deference. If poems are looked at as simple expressions of emotion, it would denigrate the composition of countless classic poets. Arnold proposed that poetry is not just the conveyance of feeling but it is also the creation of dramatic action (Arnold 722). Examples of this dramatic action are evident in his contemporaries such as Browning with the development of the dramatic monologue. Poetry allows the reader to intimately view the author’s psyche and explore their thought patterns; it is more than a simple portrayal of the poet’s emotions.

Poets like Ginsberg revealed many things that normally most people do not talk about in conventional conversation. Poetry can allow poets to communicate publically things that they normally would not be able to say. While poetry can allow them to communicate publically, the poem is still a means to express ideas passively. Mill’s description of poetry hints at the personal nature of poetry, and it also questions the intention of good poetry, which goes back to Mill’s necessity of scrupulous truth in all good poetry. Mill proposed that the poem, if it is worth anything, should be as honest and straightforward as possible without regard for society’s formalities or for the sake of politeness. Essentially, poetry should be poetry and nothing else. Mill hinted towards the necessity of absolute truth in poetry in his essay. By giving these stipulations for poetry, he set up criteria that negated the necessity of appropriateness or a respect for social dictums. Poetry should be written with the intent of providing the reader with an unadulterated experience that is true to the author’s ambition. He implied changing or censoring any of the emotions in a poem would change the experience of the reader. This change would then cause the reader to experience emotions that were fabricated, which would be a betrayal of the art form of poetry. If the feelings experienced are not genuine, then the reader has been swindled or has been taken advantage of. These fabrications of emotion, in Mill’s opinion do not serve the essence of poetry; they do not provide enlightenment or explore any of the phenomenal facets of human emotion.

As stated by Mill, poetry seeks to illuminate “the deeper and more secret workings of the human heart” (Mill 299). Poetry works to explore human nature through the presentation of emotion and dramatic action. Poetry’s private disposition is an indication of its explorative nature; is not meant to postulate. It does not make demands or commands, but it makes allusions to truths that exist inside the poem. While the truths in good poetry are not exclusively fallacious, they are not strict because poetry can be interpreted differently. Mill’s statement about the overheard nature of poetry is also a reference to the multiplicity of poetry.

By requiring truth of emotion in his definition, Mill added depth, but he also weakened the definition by trying to define poetry more specifically than needed. Poetry is a magnanimous art form, allowing poets to do unpoetic things while still producing poetry. Any definition of poetry, or any art form, that restricts the content will not work as a definition. Even though it is noble to define poetry and delineate the differences between good, bad, successful, and less successful poetry, the task of identifying those differences ultimately belongs to the reader. Because poetry can be interpreted differently, it is unnecessary to create strict definitions for poetry and its types. As an art form, this phenomenon of feeling denies rules and dogmas. Any attempt to define poetry in terms of what it will never be is a despotic claim that no single person can make. Art intrinsically defies rules, intent, and universal judgment.

Poetry exists alone, and it is not dependent on anything except the reader. If poetry really is feeling, then poetry cannot be universally considered good or bad. As long as the poetry includes emotion, true or imagined, and presents dramatic action that delineates some aspect of the human experience, it cannot be anything but poetry. Scholars attempting to define poetry and identify the differences between good and bad poetry, debase the honesty and beauty of poetry. The only thing needed to make poetry is emotion and an audience that believes it is.

Works Cited

Arnold, Matthew. “Preface to Poems, 1853.” Victorian Literature 1830-1900. Ed. D. Mermin and H. F. Tucker. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers, 2002. 720-727.

Eliot, Thomas Stearns. “Appreciations of Individual Authors: Dante.” Selected Prose of T.S. Eliot. Ed. F. Kermode. San Diego: Harcourt Trade, 1975. 205-230.

Lewes, George Henry. “Hegel’s Aesthetic.” The British and Foreign Review 13.25 (1842):1-49.

Mill, John Stuart. “What is Poetry?.” Victorian Literature 1830-1900. Ed. D. Mermin and H. F. Tucker. Fort Worth: Harcourt College Publishers, 2002. 298-301.

Szirtes, George. “Missing Dates / Sleeve Notes.” Poetry Oct. 2007: 35-43.

This is Satan's Meal

2008-11-15T15:55:00.000-05:00

2008-11-11T23:42:00.001-05:00

Our eyes are filled with darkness,
crystal monsters and mirror
demons perched on lids
courting Sight.

They bring her yesterday
in sackcloth,
and always talk about tomorrow
in riddles and poetry.
But their songs, their songs
are beautiful.

They sing about latent
tragedies, like the woman
with an issue of blood,
and how if that issue ever returned,

she’d die clutching a garment.

2008-11-11T23:32:00.001-05:00

I hope you ate the moon,
and the beams shot
from your fingers
and the ends of your hair

because all the cowboys are dead
and their lassos
are in museums.

2008-11-11T23:26:00.001-05:00

When a man shakes,
you feel it.
The lithosphere transmits
preternatural vibrations,
and you see.

Slamming is a cosmic highway,
throw your dopamine to Charon--

and see God.

2008-11-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

I am Black,
Black like the sun
and the full moon--

so black,
the stars fall
out the sky

and bury themselves
in my chest
shining.

And I burn,
I burn and I shine.

So I Voted ...

2008-11-04T09:11:00.001-05:00

I guess I'm an American now.

Went to the Gallery Last Night

2008-10-23T21:10:00.002-05:00

Madlib, you're a douche bag, Melvin Van Peebles, you're cool, and the rest of you people were too hip for me.

So I left, then I stepped up to save.

It's Not Really Stealing ...

2008-10-18T18:53:00.001-05:00

It is my duty and responsibility as a citizen of the United States to download and archive this file in the event that an ‘act of god‘ or an ‘act of man‘ destroys all other copies. I am a hero.

I saw this on the internet, and it accurately sums up my beliefs on internet piracy.

It's Glowing!

2008-10-01T20:33:00.003-05:00

Mariners have long told of rare nighttime events in which the ocean glows intensely as far as the eye can see in all directions ... Scientists don't have a good handle what's going on. But satellite sensors have now provided the first pictures of a milky sea and given new hope to learning more about the elusive events.

That's creepy and awesome.

via Live Science

Big Bird

2008-09-27T22:28:00.001-05:00

Giant prehistoric geese the size of small aircraft once flew over Britain, scientists have discovered. Dasornis, which had a 16 ft wingspan and sharp teeth, lived 50 million years ago and was related to present-day ducks and geese.

via telegraph.co.uk

Seeing Whales

2008-09-14T15:06:00.001-05:00

You can go blind, waiting

Unbelievable quiet
except for their
soundings

Moving the sea around

Unbelievable quiet inside you, as they change
the face of water

The only other time I felt this still was watching Leif shoot up when we were
twelve

Sunlight all over his face

breaking
the surface of something
I couldn’t see

You can wait your
whole life

_____

The Himalayas are on the move, appearing and disappearing in the snow in
the Himalayas

Mahler
begins to fill
the half-dead auditorium
giant step by
giant step

The Colorado
The Snake
The Salmon

My grandfather walks across the front porch
spotted with cancer, smoking
a black cigar

The whales fold themselves back and back inside the long hallways of salt

You have to stare back at the salt
the sliding mirrors
all day

just to see something
maybe

for the last time

_____

By now they are asleep
some are asleep
on the bottom of the world
sucking the world in
and blowing it out
in wave-
lengths

Radiant ghosts

Leif laid his head back on a pillow and waited for all the blood inside him
to flush down a hole

After seeing whales what do you see?

The hills behind the freeway

power lines

green, green
grass

the green sea

--Michael Dickman

2008-09-13T18:46:00.008-05:00

I have always been sensitive to race issues, especially in relation to equality. Luckily, I had parents that ostensibly believed I could do anything, and they didn't push me to fulfill any of their own dreams. So it shouldn't be hard to rationalize my strong sense of self and sometimes dilettante-like interests.

Now, small towns aren't exactly known for their open minds, so I've championed quite a few causes, hoping for a sort of viral enlightenment. One of the beliefs that usually brings me to brandish righteous weaponry is the race exclusivity clause that people have for relationships. This hurts me because I tend to take things personal (like most humans). So when I hear a girl say, "I only date black guys," I actually process, "You're not good enough for me, and nothing you can do will ever cause me to be physically or emotionally attracted to you." My usual immature response is to put on a pimp suit and throw the most amazing game I have at them, which actually isn't much, because I think I'm a sexy beast and I'm capable of changing their racial dogmas. Of course it hasn't worked yet, and it's not because I'm not a sexy beast.

My problem was me taking their statements personal without actually thinking about the origin of the preference. Attraction is not a simple science. It's possible that the person is unconsciously referencing their mental dictionary (probably biased) for compatibility. It's widely accepted that we use our parents as models for potential mates, and it wouldn't be too crazy to deduce that we also reference our database of media proposed stereotypes when we make judgments about individuals around us. Inevitably, the best way to battle these stereotypes is to embrace the individuality of one's self.

Next time this happens to me, I will simply ask the person to question the origin of their preference. Hopefully, with introspection, they will come to a realization (probably not, but I did my part without being an elitist jerk). I am not against preference; we all have them. However, if our preferences are founded in hate or ignorance, we are unknowingly burying one of America's issues with race. If we continue to pretend that everything is ok, time will be more than willing to help us bury these issues. And that will only separate us more, making it even harder for us to grow into an undivided nation of equals.

Ninja vs School

2008-08-07T21:17:00.001-05:00

Fear is pretty powerful; I'm afraid of it.

link

Went to MoMA, again.

2008-08-02T11:30:00.008-05:00

I do not like crowded museum's, but I will learn to enjoy the anonymity of large spaces.

No Trailers: You’re Going to Spoil Your Movie!

2008-07-28T16:50:00.011-05:00

In the early 1900’s, when movie trailers were first presented, they were placed at the end of films. Because of this, they were appropriately called trailers. Once simple text and footage, trailers have since evolved and grown with motion pictures; they employ all of the formerly cutting edge techniques of dramatic sound tracks and editing splendor. However, although the trailer does provide viewers a peak at currently unavailable films and satisfy the insatiable American hunger for new things, it also prematurely spends the viewer’s emotional reaction for the given scene. Movie trailers adulterate the genuine reactions of the audience because memories of the promotional footage disengage the viewer from the cinematic reality by giving the viewer god like premonitions of things to come. Consequently, key moments in character development and plot twists are not fully realized by the viewer due to the audacious belief of production and distribution companies that the monetary success of the film is more important than the actual experience of the viewer in the audience.

The dissonance between on-screen action and the viewer’s expectations based on their memories from the trailer is one way that trailers disturb the viewer’s emotional reaction. When on-screen action differs from the viewer’s expectations, they are disengaged from the cinematic reality and are forced to question their axioms for the film. For example, in The Dark Knight, Commissioner Gordon directs and takes part in an elaborate covert operation, including feigning his own death without sharing his plans with his family, to arrest the Joker. However, astute audience members who viewed the trailer questioned the authenticity of the Commissioner’s death. In the trailer, Commissioner Gordon is shown arresting Joker. Hence, members of the audience who remembered seeing the Commissioner’s arrest in the trailer were not as affected because they did not accept the feigned death of the commissioner. Therefore, the emotional reaction from this twist in the plot was not fully realized due to the trailer’s content.

In addition to spoiling plot twists, the trailer can also nullify climactic pay offs. In The Dark Knight, Batman is pitted against the Joker, and the two not only physically battle but they set up a theoretical war for the human condition. Batman, the figurehead of morality, and Joker, an anarchic impetus, fight to prove their theories of humanity. Christopher Nolan builds the conflict between Batman and Joker; the upper hand is given to anarchy. When finally the Joker has tricked Batman into saving the politician Harvey Dent, instead of the woman he loves, we see the culmination of the Joker’s chaotic onslaught for Batman’s morality. Batman speeds towards the Joker on the Batpod, and Joker stands taunting Batman daring him to break his moral code and kill. At this point, the audience has seen moral wavering in Batman and they expect and want him to kill Joker. However, as shown in numerous trailers, Batman swerves at the final moment. This build up, although highly rewarding in itself, resulted in a lesser emotional payoff due to the repeated exposure of the scene in trailers. Audience members already knew that Batman would not kill the Joker. In effect, Christopher Nolan’s brilliant story telling and use of suspense is weakened; the end is already known.

These problems can also affect other genres. Comedy, for example, is debased by the premature disclosure of punch lines and awkward interactions between characters. When the joke is finally revealed, the initial response is replaced with a lesser emotional response because the audience already knows what to expect. Trailers can also cause diluted emotional responses in romantic films. After seeing the two characters kiss in a trailer months before the film is shown, the audience can no longer be surprised by that same kiss in the proper context. In America, where suspense and surprise is valued, this is damaging to the overall experience of viewing a film.

Movie trailers are not, however, exclusively harmful to the film audience. Trailers allow fans of genres, directors, and actors to see future projects. In addition, if a particular trailer is compelling enough, it will also entice the audience outside of the film’s targeted demographic. Production and distribution companies should be careful not to undermine the work of the directors and writers when creating trailers. Otherwise, the trailer will inadvertently weaken the audience’s emotional reaction to key elements of the film, which will ultimately result in an apathetic viewing of the film as a whole.

2008-07-24T23:43:00.002-05:00

I'm going to start posting essays.

Vivitar 28mm Close Focus

2008-06-30T01:17:00.005-05:00

Finally getting around to testing out one of my new lenses.

No Parking

2008-06-15T22:42:00.001-05:00

Mayflies

2008-06-15T00:04:00.008-05:00

And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the LORD in the midst of the earth.

Exodus 8:22

Oppie said the atom bomb is the end
of the world; we are become a Freedom,
And precious Life, he has found his marbles
in Oprah behind a renovated
favela. We are all lost in this con-
stitution. The flies are swarming, and I
don’t know what to do -- I’ve never kissed a girl.

The ID

2008-06-14T23:13:00.001-05:00

Humans are evil. They are inherently selfish beings that are motivated by grand ideas of self and survival.

I love hip hop, but I am not pleased with the state of hip hop (nor am I pleased with Black people, Religion, Politics, Video Games, or any other aspect of life). Now, I don't want to sound like another nihilist whining about the apocalypse and the end of the world, but I find it difficult to subscribe to the beliefs of inherent goodness, especially when I am constantly reminded of the asinine idiosyncrasies of America.

Hip hop is heavily criticized by mainstream America; however, mainstream America fails to see how Hip Hop parallels other All-American markets. Cinema, for example, portrays exaggerated truths and misogynistic fairytales of the glory days. Major sports objectify young males and provide children with poor role models. I’d rather not continue with my negative soapbox parade, so I’ll stop giving examples.

I don’t know how to fix this.

Ignorant Gamers

2008-06-13T15:07:00.000-05:00

Hey Hey it's the Monkeys!

2007-10-21T17:05:00.000-05:00

Ok, that was wrong, but I couldn't resist.

You just can't make this stuff up ...

The deputy mayor of the Indian capital Delhi died on Sunday after being attacked by a horde of wild monkeys.

SS Bajwa suffered serious head injuries when he fell from the first-floor terrace of his home on Saturday morning trying to fight off the monkeys.

via BBC

Chocolate Radiohead

2007-09-23T23:01:00.000-05:00

via ill doctrine

Gimme yo keys hoe, now let me lick your toes!

2007-09-12T22:10:00.000-05:00

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) A man who robbed a woman of her keys and cell phone took off her shoes and licked her toes, police said.

via The Beaufort Gazette

It Ain't My Fault

2007-09-11T23:23:00.000-05:00

2007-09-08T23:55:00.001-05:00

What's up?

More of Lily

2007-08-23T00:22:00.001-05:00

7/25/07

2007-08-22T11:33:00.001-05:00

Suicide by beauty?

2007-08-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Women who get cosmetic breast implants are nearly three times as likely to commit suicide as other women, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Hmph.

via Reuters

2007-08-09T19:08:00.000-05:00

Men have two faces: one that laughs and one that cries.

Downtown

2007-08-05T01:07:00.001-05:00

I've got two ideas for a "series" of photographs, power meters and doors. I think power meters could be an interesting subject with an actual sort of conceptual dialouge, given the American social taboos dealing with money and privacy, eg. not asking people how much they make. It is interesting how time has affected social norms; the paralelling contrasts of color, aging, and usefullness would be the focal point.

It's all about the money

2007-08-03T13:23:00.000-05:00

After having failed to graduate with her class in June 2006, Miss Fernandez, who, through her mother, declined to be interviewed, returned to Arts and Technology last September for a fifth year. She was enrolled in Mr. Lampros’s class in intermediate algebra. Absent for more than two-thirds of the days, she failed, and that grade was left intact by administrators.

When second semester began, Miss Fernandez again took the intermediate algebra class, which fulfilled one of her graduation requirements. According to Mr. Lampros’s records, she missed one-third of the classes, arrived late for 20 sessions, turned in half the required homework assignments, failed 11 of 14 tests and quizzes, and never took the final exam.

Simple right? She should fail--again. Not really ... read the article, and you'll understand why I'm working retail and not teaching.

via NY Times

Be friendly to you hand

2007-08-01T11:36:00.000-05:00

...According to a study published in the Journal of Couple & Relationship Therapy in 2002, 55 percent of married women engage in extramarital sex at some time during their relationship (compared with 60 percent of men).

I'm not saying Men Style is the pinnacle of journalistic integrity, but I'm sure they got an editor who took at least one Ethics course. I'm guessing the statistics vary with other sources, and they admit that too. Anyway, they also mentioned another survey that found 90% of women who cheated felt they were entitled to cheat.

Estimates for divorce rates are anywhere from 40% to 60%. And if only a third of marriages with infidelity end in divorce, the odds aren't looking good.

via Men.Style.Com

To Hell With Dying (Lily)

2007-07-31T19:40:00.001-05:00

All of my old books are boxed up, that kind of sucks.

Smoke Smoke

2007-07-30T11:07:00.000-05:00

21% Of U.S. Adults Currently Smoke Cigarettes, Compared To 41% Six Decades Ago, Survey Shows ...

Gallup's new smoking poll also shows that 81 percent of current smokers say they would like to give up smoking and 79 percent say they're addicted to smoking.

This is odd, I assumed smokers were disproportionately in poverty. I forget that one stat, but it's like 10 percent of Americans have 80% of our nation's wealth. Doesn't add up either way.

via CBS News

Ut oh

2007-07-18T17:57:00.000-05:00

The sister of a veteran Texas prosecutor who blew his brains out as he was about to be busted in an underage-sex sting set up by "Dateline" is slapping NBC with a $100 million suit.

via NY Post

Laissez-faire

2007-07-17T23:31:00.001-05:00

Steroids

2007-07-16T12:44:00.000-05:00

Hard work and protein is all you need for muscles.

What's up with the steroid controversy? Steroids are not mind control devices. You are responsible for your actions.

Enough

2007-07-10T23:55:00.000-05:00

I just blocked BET on my tv.

Leda and the Train

2007-07-08T12:05:00.000-05:00

A sudden jolt: the A Train stopping short
Upsets the staggering girl, her body goes
Out with the crowd, her handbag caught on board,
It holds her helpless as the train doors close.

How can those terrified vague fingers draw
Her handbag out before the subway leaves?
Or let it spill out on the subway floor,
And let some strangers scoop it up like thieves?

A shudder in her gut predicts some pain.
The wall's ahead, her steadfast feet have raced her
To the platform's end.
Being so caught up
So masted by the swift speed of the train,
Did she come to a knowledge of what faced her
Unless her relectuant hand could let it drop?

--Joan Murray

Small Abandoned Warehouse

2007-07-08T01:06:00.001-05:00

Brooklyn Shots

2007-06-29T14:58:00.001-05:00

Fight the Power!

2007-06-29T12:38:00.000-05:00

Apparently I'm not the only person that disagrees with the Dateline show, "To Catch a Predator", and no I'm not referring to the North American Man-Boy Love Association.

Texas, the home of rattlesnakes, guns, and big stuff, appears to be the only state willing to face-off with this vigilante style reality show where "sexual predators" are lured to a home thinking they're going to meet sweettween16, but end up with cameras and Chris Hansen (obviously not a member of NAMBLA), oh and coppers too.

Now to clear things up ... No, I'm not down with the sexual predators, and I don't condone sexual relations with underage individuals. My problem is with the whole television part. This is America, I accept that so I'm willing to overlook NBC's "we do this for the kids" when we all know it's for ratings and advertising dollars, but I can't get past NBC exploiting America's innate urge to watch train wrecks and our secret addiction to voyeurism and feel goods after a good shame-on-you.

Criminals are people too!

And there's the whole issue of what exactly has been done wrong. If you recall the show "Cops", in specific the drug sting episodes, the cops always had to wait until the money and drugs were exchanged before they could make a move. Now I'm not saying that we should have to let the men actually get their hands on a child before we arrest them, but is there really any way to prove what the person was going to do? I can think back to a couple of times when I'm driving down the road and someone cuts me off, I wanted to do something illegal! But I didn't, now if they had a tv show about potential road rage, with Dan Rather in a station wagon cutting people off then pulling over to interview them, we'd all be in jail.

Texas, isn't exactly fighting the show for the same reason as me, but it's a step. A step that will hopefully spark a discussion and maybe we'll get some intelligent dialogue.

"One of the 25 men caught in the sting — a prosecutor from a neighboring county — committed suicide when police came to arrest him. The Murphy city manager who approved the operation lost his job in the ensuing furor."

Chris Hansen and the show producers now have blood on their hands, I'm guessing they didn't need grief counseling.

via Fox News