SoftPoems from Robert Kendall

I was researching Robert Kendall who is a Canadian born artist who does "interactive multimedia poetry."  Using software like DoS or VisualBasic, Robert creates what you would think of when you hear technology & poetryput together.  To me it really speaks to the current days and what it means to combine the two.  It's basically a programable poem that animates and its intention can only really effectively be brought forth on a computer screen.

The best example of this is entitled Faith.  Watch it here.  I'd love to see some comments on how you interperet this.

I can't get enough Blackout Poetry!

Decided to try my hand at some blackout poetry since I've been going on about it so much.  Appropriately I used the article from the Toronto Star aboutblackout poetry and Austin Kleon.  Here you go:

 

Poetry begins

and we share the ultimate

where everybody is family,

where writing and art is home,

language

of inspiration, 

just looking for words 

every 

day.

EAC601... for Grade School?

After watching this video a couple of things happened:

1) I felt likeI was watching a live version of the Simpsons episode "Bart the Genius."  (Wow are these kids ever intellectual and well spoken...)

and

2) I realized that they're essentially taking this course we're taking.

The course is for grades 4-8 and involve introspection and discussing poetry then using different forms of technology to interact with what they learned and read using ipads/ipods, blogging & podcasting.  It goes to show the importance and more aptly the complete saturation technology has on our lives that we are ingratiating kids younger and younger every year to embrace and even master it.

TeachingChannel.org

I think Dr. Andy would approce of this course...

Andy Jones, aka Doctor Andy, has it all sewn up for us here in EAC601 (as well as for me as a radio student!)

His weekly radio show "Poetry & Technology" on KDVS looks at artists and poets who use different mediums and a variety of technologies to create their works.  I listened to an episode where they went into great detail about how the iPod was starting to show signs of life in the artistic ommunity as a tool to create and explore.  (The episode aired the same day as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had died which made the discussion that much more spirited and lively.)

Check out the website here where you can also download and listen to complete episodes of his show!

Everyone's a Winner with Automated Poetry!

Here's the idea:

Vending machines with $2 poems inside for the Word Vancouver festival.  You get a nice little read of a local artist and the artists get recognition and a little coin to continue giving you the poetry you so love.

And that idea was put into practice and wonderfully successful!  Over 70 artists contributed to the Automated Poetry Project and 5 poetry dispensers were placed in key spots around Vancouver for all to enjoy.

What a unique and effective way to get small artists' work some recognition.  And a great way to enjoy a nice little read while supporting them.

Read the whole story here.

Blackout Post Script...

While we're on the subject of Austin Kleon and blackout poems, the Toronto Star had a little fun on the cover of the November 7, 2013 Entertainment section.  While the newspaper was gearing up for Poetry Week they ran a cover story about Mr. Kleon and his blackout poems and of course, it being the height of the Rob Ford scandal, he decided to prepare a little something to commemorate the mayor's shortcomings.

"Ford's allies call the mayor a fighter, a lone wolf, a brawler warning surrender could be political defeat.
Ford is Ford is Ford."

Austin Kleon is definitely one who is able to read between the lines...

You can read the Toronto Star article here.

Blackout turns into a Knockout for Austin Kleon

While researching for the 5 Poets assignment I came across Austin Kleon, a texan artist who has made his name via Blackout Poetry from newspaper articles.  As a news junkie myself, I'm quite fascinated with the idea of blackout poetry using periodicals and news items.  In his blog, which you can find a link to below, there was a piece about some blackout poetry he did from a Halloween article that a reader said sounded like "the beginning of a good tale."

What followed was a wonderous expansion on a reader's suggestion that made the work so much deeper and funnier and just enjoyable than the original.  This idea that instant publishing of works through blogs or websites like Instagram and Facebook can reach people so quickly and that the feedback can immediately help you expand on your work in a matter of hours brings to life a notion that communication can be a heavy inspiration to today's artists.

Here's the spooky/goofy (spoofy?) story.

You can check out his blog here.

Acrostic Fun!

After playing with the iPad apps in the library I decided to go on a hunt to find other web based fun programs a budding poet could use to hone their craft.  I stumbled upon the website readwritethink.org and one of their many apps called ACROSTIC which I thought would be quite appropriate for kids to start learning and creating poetry early.

The program simple guides a writer in writing an acrostic poem by asking for a subject and some key words then prompts you to write it yourself with a nice easy layout.  Each line of the poem starts with each letter of your subject/title.  Here's a really easy example I did to check out how it works.

iPad Apps - Creativity Meets Discovery

I was impressed with the variety and functionality of the apps for the iPad and how I was able to spend an almost limitless amount of time discovering and creating using such simplistic feeling technology.  It was easy and intriguing to cycle through them and find different ways to use the technology.

Here are a few of the highlights of my experience with the apps:

POETRY
The apps focus is on random discovery and lets a reader find an almost limitless supply of works based on many factors like mood, subject, even audio recordings of poetry readings.  Probably my favourite app of the bunch, I liked the "Spin" feature which allowed me to maximize my ability to discover new works and genres by mixing key words.  Related works from anything you find are easily navigated and the app is very user friendly and optimized for any readability features.  Some of my favourite "Spin" combinations: Boredom & Family, Nostalgia & Commitment, Boredom & Arts and Sciences of which I found 72 entries.  The results are endless!

Visual Poetry
This being probably the most creative app on the iPad focused on creating word art with poetry.  Its simple and effective.  The app can use countless colours, shapes, fonts to create a representation that can allow your words to really stick out and grab the attention of a reader.  Here's a quick sample of what I came up with using words from a piece a wrote years ago. (Pardon the cheesy song lyric quality of the piece, hehe)

 

Verses Poetry

This app was fun.  Just pure goofy artistic fun.  Simply a random word generator that allows you to mix and match and create with little effort.  There are lots of little options to tinker with and it put a smile on my face whenever I would come up with something that sounded somewhat coherent but with little to no meaning.  It's abstract and a must have for the pure joy of creation.

 

Poetry reaching far and wide

 A group of poets from Wuhan, China came to Penn State to share their poetry.  They works were translated as well as works from scholars at the school were translated to Chinese.  I thought the idea of this event, although seemingly simple, is a very beautiful and interesting idea.  Sometimes the concepts we have of writing and poetry can only be conceptualized in your own language and thought process.  It's intriguing to perceive how other cultures approach different art forms and the readings, which there is audio and video of, show both the similarities and difference when something so personal is put forth.  I thought the cultural and personal benefits of this meeting were heartening and important to understanding those from around the world.

http://ronsilliman.blogspot.ca/2011_01_09_archive.html
(3rd post down from the top)

DNA Data Storage is a thing... who knew?

 It looks as if science has taken the data storage thing to a new level with their new found ability to store data on DNA.  It's said that one gram of DNA could hold the equivalent of 100 billion DVDs.  Although still a slow process it seems that it's becoming quite practical as costs for DNA coding are dropping (although not at a rate that will make it economically feasible for another 10 years or so).  They've opted to stick with a binary system, much like a computer does with 0's and 1's, for encoding the data.  DNA uses four characters to store information, A, C, G and T.  A's and C's will be the 0's and G's and T's will substitute the 1's.  They say that DNA storage has so much more availbale space because it's 3-dimensional.  The data however cannot be overwritten but considering the medium's size, space should hardly be an issue.

http://www.poetryfoundation.org/harriet/2012/08/the-ultimate-in-compact-storage-media-dna-coding/?woo

Thoughts on E.E. Cuumings, Susan Howe & Linton Kwesi Johnson

hist whist - E.E. Cummings

Initially this poem struck me as odd and disjointed but as I reread it, the structure only added to its imagery.  It makes me think of Halloween and kids dressed up as witches and demons running around the neighbourhood.  Its use of seemingly onomatopoeic words and short sharp lines make it a great little piece with a vague yet familiar set of images we can relate to.

the Cambridge ladies who live in furnished souls - E.E. Cummings

It is in both the imagery and the diction that this poem delivers on its intended purpose, to incite an air of pretentiousness and yet still stay quite casual.  One gets visions of ladies around a table in a lavish parlour gabbing the day away while playing bridge before retiring for a rest or to perhaps do some knitting.  Yet they take pride in the procession of their day to day lives.  It's an effective piece and puts a smile on my face.

Your Luck Is About To Change - Susan Howe

This poem reads like a digression within a a fleeting anecdote and is forgotten as quick as it's read.  Seemingly a pondering on a fortune cookie that incites thought then quickly makes a turn before returning to the point, and then digresses into a vision of a child's new vision of a nativity scene.  I suppose it's more of a look into the process of hopes and cautious optimism as the New Year comes around but simply doesn't appeal to my need for an actual narrative, instead of words posing as such.

from Cabbage Gardens - Susan Howe

I quite enjoyed this poem as it evolves into something so deep in the main character's mind.  A metaphoric look into their innocent worry which grows to a crashing shore where nature can only watch indifferent.  It leaves us with a more hopeful image of a survived sunset that only gives us a glimmer of something to look forward to in the unwritten future.

Mi Revalueshanary Fren - Linton Kwesi Johnson

The interesting approach of writing phonetically in English but with the Jamaican accent is at first a little complicated but you begin to understand the way he's speaking.  The poem is, as expected, politically charged and filled with good descriptive elements to bring you a side of a discussion the poet feels is worth having.  The content is frank and realistic and he knows he doesn't have all the answers but understands the problems with Apartheid.  I quite enjoyed this read.

Reggae Fi Dada - Linton Kwesi Johnson

Probably the most powerful of all the works I've looked at here, it's a stunning and deep tribute to his father and the state of his surroundings.  It is very personal and looks at what his father could accomplish in life despite the hardships.  He speaks directly to his father throughout and it is quite moving and to the point.  My favourite so far.