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Creative Writing: Poetry (March 28, 2006)

"Good morning, class. Today, we're covering modern pop lyrics as poetry. I hope that you've all brought your presentations of a modern song as verse. As a special guest, I've brought a special guest -- Professor Theodore Logan of the Music Department."

"Oh, and for next week, I would like you to read Old Ironsides and Contentment by Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., as well as Henry King and Rebecca by Hilaire Belloc."

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Let Miles know you're here.

Kiki signs in.

Phoebe signs in.

Sharon signs in, a little bit trepidatious. The day has been spent doing the smallest amount of talking, ever, in an effort not to make a 'peep'.

For he is Wyld Stallyns. With that other guy.

"Evening, poet-type dudes! I am Ted 'Theodore' Logan, but you dudes can call me Professor Ted." He grinned. "Uh, I'm here to talk to you about...stuff. Lyrical stuff. Because modern lyrics are totally modern poetry, just with music. If you say the lyrics like they're a poem, like without singing them, it totally sounds like a normal poem." He cleared his throat and put on his best serious voice. Y'know, the one he used to recite lyrics in Heaven to get some answers off God and his dudes.

"Well, they say it's kinda fright'nin' how this younger generation swings.
You know, it's more than just some new sensation.
Well, the kid is into losin' sleep and he don't come home for half the week.
You know, it's more than just an aggravation.
And the cradle will rock.
Yes, the cradle will rock."

He grinned. "See?"

Give us your best shot. Try to avoid the exact cadence of the song and focus on the words.

C - Say you gave the presentation
B - Tell which song you did and describe your presentation in detail
A - Write out the lyrics with descriptive text as to your performance
A+ - At teacher's discretion

"I chose 'I Survived You' by Karmine Alers. The song hits on several points about how hard it can be to survive the betrayal by someone you love."

I see the picture clearer now
The fog has lifted
The wool you tried to pull over my eyes
Was clever, yet re-gifted
You forgot to dot some I’s and cross some T’s
Along the way, oh yeah
I’m better now despite you baby
I’m strong these days, stronger"

Phoebe actually recites the song, with facial expressions and hand gestures at different points.

"I survived the crash
Survived the burn
Survived the worst
Yeah baby, but I learned
Survived the lies
Survived the blues
Almost killed me
But I survived the truth
And when you wrote me off like I was doomed
I survived you."

Phoebe points at no one in particular as she says that part.

"I can look in the mirror now
It’s been a slow awakening
Haunted by a heart full of you
I couldn’t help mistaking
That you could ever care for anyone
Anyone but yourself, hey yeah
But you would have to have a conscience, baby
Good luck, I wish you well."

Phoebe perches on the edge of the teacher's desk and holds up a mirror to look into, before placing it face down on his desk. She then blows a kiss and waves goodbye.

"I survived the crash
Survived the burn
Survived the worst
Yeah baby, but I learned
Survived the lies
Survived the blues
Almost killed me
But I survived the truth
And when you wrote me off like I was doomed
I survived you."

Phoebe does a slashing motion with her hand and shakes her head sadly.

"This heart’s been torn in two
Cut and bruised
With too many bitter endings
I’ll be damned if I’ll let thoughts of you
Rain, on my new beginnings, yeah..."

Phoebe gets to her feet and clasps her hands over her heart. Then she turns her back as if to walk away.

"I survived the lies
Survived the blues
Almost killed me
But I survived the truth
And when you wrote me off like I was doomed
I survived you."

Phoebe waves goodbye at someone and returns to her seat.

Kiki is not terribly fond of performing or public speaking, but, her courage bolstered a little by Phoebe's taking the plunge and going first, she stands up. "This is, um, Erin McKeown's piece called, 'How to Open My Heart in 4 Easy Steps.'"

Kiki closes her eyes a moment to compose herself, and slowly opens them as she begins, laying her fingers lightly against her chest:

Untie these strings from my heart
And when they're gone, I fall -
I fall apart in your hands (She drops her hands a little, holding them palms up before her.)
And I am undone.

(Her hands drop to her sides and she raises her chin.)
Steal that pride from my steps
And when it's gone, I fall -
I fall at your feet (Lowering her face again.)
And I am undone.

Take these words from my heart
And when they're gone, I fall -
What were words, anyway? (Kiki shakes her head a little, as if bemused.)
And I am undone.

Open so rare that I find myself
Wonderous and confused. (She raises her eyes, blinking, looking bewildered.)
Open so rare that I find myself
Rapt in rare delight. (Her expression changes to one of wonderment and awe.)
You touch that stone
The stone that is my heart (She lowers her gaze again, shyly.)
And you wish it gone
And you wish me undone,
Then I am undone.

(Softly, and bringing up her arms as if to hug herself.)

Roll that stone from my heart
And when it's gone
You will see where I was laid
And that I am gone.

When she's done, she hurries back to her seat, flushing a little.

Sharon is just a little nervous--this is understandable. For the last several hours, she's been making the occasional 'peep' noise. It's completely her own fault, and as I'm sure the gentle reader realizes, she has totally learned her lesson.

However, she has a presentation to give, and she's going to give it. Even if she will never live this down. Clenching her hands into fists a little nervously, she begins. It starts well, her voice careful and even, the words tumbling out in a measured cadence...

"This is Tori Amos' 'Cruel'.

"So don't give me respect, don't give me a piece of your preciousness
Flaunt all she's got in our old neighborhood I'm sure she'll make a few friends
Even the rain bows down let us pray as you cock-cock-cock your mane
No cigarettes only -- peep -- havanas for you"

Her cadence interrupted, Sharon flushes, but gamely continues, fumbling for the briefest second as she hopes that will be the only word out of place.

"I can be cruel
I don't know peep
Why can't my balloon stay up in a perfectly windy peep
I can be peep I don't know why"

This was going worse than she'd thought it would. Still, she has to continue. Even if she's now got her eyes closed so she can't see the class's reaction. Best to not think about it. Really.

"I don't know why

"Dance with the Sufis celebrate your top ten in the charts of peep
Lover brother peepenvilla my vine twists around your--"

A sneeze echoes through the classroom, obliterating two peeps and a 'need'.

"Even the rain is peep like today as you sh-sh-shock me sane
No cigarettes only peeped havanas for you"

Only one more stanza. She can do this. Spitting the words out through clenched teeth, in an effort to not make a peep, Sharon continues. Unfortunately, she now sounds a little bit angry, not to mention frustrated.

"I can be cruel
I don't know why
Why can't my peep stay up in a perfectly windy sky
I can be cruel I don't know why
I don't know why

"peep"

Clamping her lips closed, she stalks back to her desk and collapses into it, wondering if the world can end anytime soon.

[reposted to fix html, rar]

Because you wanna.

Because there aren't enough orangutans around here.

[Do you mind tagging the Poetry classes with the "creative writing" tag? It just makes it easier to find the previous lessons. Thanks! :) ]

If I get some time I'll go back and do that.

"Girls, I didn't really get a clear answer on what you did with Chaucer. Please let me know how this differs from the actual classes or we'll have to discontinue."

"For Western Lit, we would take the text that was being studied by the class and talk to him on a weekly basis about what our perceptions about the text was. He would get our interpretations and decide if he thought we needed more time on that text or if we should move to the next text on his list."

"It was basically an in-depth discussion on our reactions and opinions regarding what we read, plus our interpretations of symbolism, or reasons and motivation behind why the author wrote the piece. A lot of critical analysis," Kiki explained.

"Right." Miles rubbed his forehead. Interpersonal relationships. Bah.

"Let's talk Cask of Amontillado then. What'd you girls think?"

Kiki grinned and gave a little shiver. "Delightfully creepy," she opined. "And a little disturbing, becuase you're seeing hit murder through the eyes of the guy who committed it, and his twisted sense of upholding his family's honor."

"It was interesting to get his view on what he was doing, while at the same time being incredibly creeped out about the fact that he was doing all of this."

"But what of the fact that we're never given sufficient cause? The fact that he doesn't say what Fortunato did allows us to read into it as much or as little as we like. Do you think Fortunato did anything at all?"

"The story is told through one man's perception, so we are never really clear on what was or wasn't done up until the point of the story. There isn't enough evidence to decide either way."

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Creative Writing: Poetry (March 28, 2006)

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Professor Ted

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Presentations

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In-Class Chatter/Assignment Discussion

OOK

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Phoebe/Kiki Independent Study

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