Marianne Murphy Zarzana
  • Home
  • Writing in This Moment: Blog
  • Poets & Writers I Read
  • Poem Gallery

The Power of Poetry

5/28/2011

0 Comments

 
On May 11, at "An Evening of Poetry at the White House," President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed renowned poets, such as Rita Dove and Billy Collins, to recite their work for a celebration of poetry. 

One of the presenters was 16-year-old Youssef Biaz of Auburn, Alabama who won the title of 2011 Poetry Out Loud National Champion at the National Finals held in Washington, D.C., on April 29. He read "Mrs. Krikorian" by Sharon Olds, a beautiful poem that pays tribute to one of those life-changing teachers who come into our lives. (Biaz appears 32 minutes into the video.)  Here are the opening lines: "She saved me. When I arrived in 6th grade, / a known criminal, the new teacher / asked me to stay after school the first day, she said / I've heard about you."

I appreciate that President Obama honors the power of poetry, as he notes in his opening remarks: 

"The power of poetry is that everyone experiences it differently. There are no rules for what makes a great poem; understanding it isn't just about metaphor or meter. Instead, a great poem is one that resonates with us, that challenges us and teaches us something about ourselves and the world we live in. As Rita Dove says, 'If poetry doesn't affect us on some level that cannot be explained in words, then the poem hasn't done its job.'

"For thousands of years, people have been drawn to poetry in a very personal way, including me... As a nation built on freedom of expression, poets have always played an important role in telling our American story. It was after the bombing of Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 that a young lawyer named Francis Scott Key penned the poem that would become our national anthem. The Statue of Liberty has always welcomed 'the huddled masses yearning to be free.' Soldiers going off to fight in WW II were given books of poetry for comfort and inspiration. 

"Whenever our nation has faced great tragedy, whether it was the loss of a civil rights leader, the crew of the space shuttle or the thousands of Americans who were lost on a clear September day, we turn to poetry when we can't quite find the right words to express what we're feeling. So tonight we continue that tradition by hearing from some of our greatest as well as some of our newest poets.

"Billy Collins calls poetry the oldest form of travel writing because it takes us places we can only imagine. So sit back, or on the edge of your chair, and enjoy the journey."

In this video, Collins reads two of my all-time favorite poems of his, "Forgetfulness" and 
"The Lanyard." Collins makes us laugh and think and sigh as he holds up our lives in all their pain and poignancy. 

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Author

    I love to play with words. To capture moments on the page. To explore the physical and spiritual geography of what I call "fly-over country." I write from imagination, observation and my own experience of wandering in fly-over country--the literal, physical spaces of my life on the Minnesota prairie and the inner territory of the soul. 

    I teach writing at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minnesota. I enjoy cooking and traveling with my husband Jim, reading, practicing yoga, playing tennis, biking, hiking and gardening.

    Archives

    December 2019
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2016
    July 2016
    October 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    October 2014
    August 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010

    Blogroll
    Arts Beat
    A Year of Being Here
    Bearded Vegan
    Becky's Blog
    Better World Books
    Birth Breasts and Beyond
    Carrie Etter
    Christine Stewart-Nunez
    Dana Yost
    Heroic Yes! Productions
    James A. Zarzana
    Landing on Cloudy Water
    Nicole Helget
    No Ideas But in Things
    Story Guru
    The Marsco Saga
    Write Right

    Categories

    All
    African American Writers
    African-American Writers
    American Life In Poetry
    Awp
    Dance
    Family
    Favorite Poems
    Favorite Writing Blogs
    Global Studies
    Good Articles
    Good Articles About Writing
    Good Blogs
    Good Books
    Good Essays
    Good Movies
    Good Plays
    Good Poems
    Good Quotes
    Good Video Clips
    Guerilla Art
    International News
    International Writers
    Irish Writers
    James A. Zarzana
    Libraries
    Literary Awards
    Literary Journals
    Mankato
    Memoir
    Mindfulness
    Minneapolis
    Minnesota Public Radio
    Minnesota State University-Mankato
    Mnsu
    Msu
    National Public Radio
    Nd
    Notre Dame
    Poetry Foundation
    Public Art Projects
    Publishing Resources
    Readings
    Shameless Plug
    Shameless Plugs
    Smsu
    Storytelling
    Ted Kooser
    Websites
    Writer
    Writer's Almanac
    Writers I Read
    Writing About Family
    Writing About Food
    Writing About Music
    Writing About Words
    Writing And Community
    Writing And Faith
    Writing And Politics
    Writing And Romance
    Writing And Sexuality
    Writing And Sports
    Writing And Teaching
    Writing And Technology
    Writing Contest
    Writing Groups
    Writing Prompts
    Writing Workshops
    Yoga
    Young Readers
    Young Writers

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.