Thursday, February 21, 2008

hooked on poetry

I got a recent email from the fabulous scrabbulous, Nick Carbo, which just made my day!

He writes:

a couple of weeks ago denise (duhamel) travelled to duluth, minnesota and did a couple of events at st. scholastica's college. at one of them she had 150 high school kids to hook 'em into poetry so one of the poems she did was your "I am sixteen..." poem. first, handed out copies of your poem, then she showed a clip of the sound of music movie, then she had the whole room sing your poem out aloud. they loved it and now michelle bautista is a hit in chilly duluth.


That is freakin' fabulous!

It's moments like these that remind me of how far poetry can go and how it can change how you think of something like poetry. And maybe even think about the plight of third world women and mail order brides. Ok maybe not. But maybe yes.

But it does make me happy watching poetry I've written travel to places I would never imagine going myself. And hearing about people who found some fun and enjoyment from it. I don't know, maybe they'll rewrite a Britney Spears song lyric. Maybe not.

Then again, I still can't imagine 150 high school kids singing the words of my poem to the Sound of Music tune in the middle of winter! But I can imagine all the laughter and the fun!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's awesome that you got so many kids hooked on poetry. I am currently a High School student and I just started getting into poetry. I also made a poetry site where people send me their poems and I put them on my website I made to share to other people who can comment on them. I would love if you or any of your students posted some of their poems. Peace.

na said...

And of course, although you wouldn't SING it at EastWind, one couldn't help but hear it as a song given the tune's ubiquitousness....:-)
eileen

Kathang Pinay2 said...

awww, why didn't they upload it on youtube???