The Materials of Poetry

This is the song and video I mentioned in class

rickypadilla — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 21:54:34 -0500

This is the song and video I mentioned in class

Jim Andrews, "Why I Am a Net Artist"

floresuprm — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 11:09:19 -0500

Jim Andrews, "Why I Am a Net Artist"

Essay #2: Media Specific Analysis of a Poem

floresuprm — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:20:02 -0500

Description:

For this essay, you need to select a visually mediated poem (in manuscript, print, electronic and/or other media) and perform a media specific analysis, as defined by Hayles in her essay “Print is Flat, Code is Deep: The Importance of Media Specific Analysis” (available in our shared folder) and as modeled by my dissertation. The poem does not have to be on a work of electronic literature (it certainly can be), but it should be on a poem for which media is an essential signifying component. Your essay will offer an interpretation of the work that is based on analysis of any and all relevant aspects of the work, with special attention given to the poem’s materiality. Discussion of these aspects should be integrated in an essay organized by strategies that support a thesis.

A possibility for this essay is to explore a work that exists in multiple media and analyze deeply into what each medium contributes to the work. If you choose this approach, then you should offer an argument on the ontology of the poem (where is the poem?) and how that guides your analysis.

Parameters:

You may choose any poem (or closely related group of poems).

E-mail me a 250-word proposal by Friday, December 2 in which you provide the following:

The author(s) and title of the poem(s).
The medium / media the work is in.
A brief description of your approach towards the poem(s), which justifies your choice and provides an idea on how you’ll analyze the poem(s).

The final essay should be approximately 10-12 pages in length (about 2500-3000 words). The final paper is due Friday, December 9. E-mail me your final version and leave a printed copy in my mailbox in the English Department.

On the day of the final exam, you will prepare a 20-minute formal presentation of your essay for the class, which will be evaluated and graded.

Don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Readings and Assignment for Tuesday, November 29

floresuprm — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 12:37:33 -0500

Readings: “Typing the Dancing Signifier: Jim Andrews’ (Vis)Poetics” Pgs. 1-137,

Individual assigments: read the following assigned chapters (or sections) and prepare a 20 minute presentation on the material:
Ian: “Poet and Programmer” & “The Electric Pen” (107-158)
Josué: “DHTML Dances” (158-207)
Kathy: “Visual Music” (201-255),
Ricky: “Chapter 4 & Appendices” (255-306)

This presentation will be evaluated and graded, so be prepared.

You can download the dissertation at http://drum.lib.umd.edu/handle/1903/10799
Visit www.vispo.com to read the works referred to in the dissertation.

http://bookporn.tumblr.com/

floresuprm — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 13:11:25 -0500

http://bookporn.tumblr.com/:

The URL says it all!

Pierre Menard Author of the Quixote (English Translation)

floresuprm — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 21:22:32 -0400

Pierre Menard Author of the Quixote (English Translation)

"Seattle Drift" by Jim Andrews

josuemorales — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:42:13 -0400

"Seattle Drift" by Jim Andrews

Luis Omar Salinas, "Crazy Gypsy"

josuemorales — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:40:58 -0400

Luis Omar Salinas, "Crazy Gypsy"

“Loelia” by Mary Ellen Solt

josuemorales — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 17:40:07 -0400

“Loelia” by Mary Ellen Solt

Assignment for Tuesday's Class

floresuprm — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 16:57:06 -0400

Here’s what you need to do:

Read the entire Chapter 2 (listed below).
Check out my presentation (embedded below).
Analyze 5 poems using visual information on the poem (briefly).

2. The Poem as Arranged Life The Private Life William Blake, Infant Joy William Blake, Infant Sorrow Louise Glück, The School Children E. E. Cummings, in Just- Robert Hayden, Those Winter Sundays Walt Whitman, Hours Continuing Long Wallace Stevens, The Plain Sense of Things The Public Life Michael S. Harper, American History Charles Simic, Old Couple Robert Lowell, Skunk Hour Nature and Time Anonymous, The Cuckoo Song Dave Smith, The Spring Poem John Keats, The Human Seasons William Shakespeare, Sonnet 60 (Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore) In Brief: The Poem as Arranged Life Reading Other Poems Anonymous, Lord Randal William Shakespeare, Sonnet 29 (When in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes) Chidiock Tichborne, Tichborne’s Elegy John Donne, A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning Robert Herrick, Upon Julia’s Clothes George Herbert, Love (III) Walt Whitman, A Noiseless Patient Spider Thomas Hardy, The Convergence of the Twain Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken Margaret Atwood, Footnote to the Amnesty Report on Torture Marilyn Nelson, Live Jazz, Franklin Park Zoo

“Voice Piece for Soprano”, Yoko Ono

josuemorales — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:27:07 -0400

“Voice Piece for Soprano”, Yoko Ono

"Voice Piece for Soprano", Yoko Ono

josuemorales — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 11:19:33 -0400

"Voice Piece for Soprano", Yoko Ono:

The first time I heard this, I heard a mess; but, by the second, I heard the structure, and the sounds were meaningful. It begins with an electrifying and shocking explosion, a scare for the inattentive bystander. Then it slows down and starts slowly building to a high-pitch struggle that ends in a fuss, a negotiation that the voice will ultimately lose and give in to. Then there is a pleading, Yoko hangs on to the microphone. The voice gives another try at pleading, but then gives up into a desperate but hopeless cry. Finally, it dies in a whimper.

Distressed Nation Turns To Poet Laureate For Solace

floresuprm — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:00:00 -0400

Distressed Nation Turns To Poet Laureate For Solace

Poetry playlist link

rosarrosa — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:47:08 -0400

Poetry playlist link

Class notes 1/3

floresuprm — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:08:00 -0400

Class notes 1/3

Just thought this is something we’ve all felt before. It...

rickypadilla — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 20:18:57 -0400

Just thought this is something we’ve all felt before. It made me laugh like hell so I hope ya’ll enjoy this little diversion ^_^

just in case the text is too small it says: “Haikus are easy / but sometimes they don’t make sense / Refrigerator”

Guidelines for Essay # 1

floresuprm — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 06:58:14 -0400

The goal of this assignment is to perform a detailed analysis of sound in a poem informed by the critical vocabulary and methods in the following sources:

Robert Pinsky, The Sounds of Poetry
Mary Oliver, A Poetry Handbook
Mary Oliver, Rules for the Dance
Leonardo Flores, The Music of Poetry

The essay must have a clear interpretive thesis statement and prove its claims through analysis of sound aspects of poetry.

The essay should be about 1000 words long (about 4 pages) and it is due in class on Tuesday, September 30.

Common exceptions.

floresuprm — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 21:30:36 -0400

Common exceptions.

Assignment for Tuesday, Sept. 13

floresuprm — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 20:22:06 -0400

Here’s the assignment for next week:

1. Finish reading the Pinsky book.
2. Review the material in my presentation “The Music of Poetry.”
3. Select a poem from the Vendler anthology and analyze its use of sound as informed by the readings above.
4. Prepare a 5-10 minute presentation of your analysis of sound in the poem. You will be evaluated on this presentation.

We will read the Mary Oliver book for the following week.

Have a good weekend.

http://youtu.be/9V7zbWNznbs

floresuprm — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 10:16:56 -0400

http://youtu.be/9V7zbWNznbs:

Agonistic, copious insults are a feature of oral cultures, hilariously demonstrated here in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.”