"A poem is never finished, only abandoned." - Paul Valery.

Friends, Romans, bloggers, lend me your ears.

This week I have been indulging in a little bit of that art often associated with tortured souls and prancing delicate flowers, the art of poetry. I really dislike this view of poetry as a medium of art restricted to a high-brow clientèle, because of the few poems they were forced to read in school. Don't get me wrong, there's a lot of fantastic older poetry out there (my favourite is good old William Blake, who most definitely wasn't insane because he had visions of angels), but a lot of the time it's the only thing taught in schools because "it's something you have to learn".

Now obviously I realise there are plenty of young and working class poets and all sorts of others, and that's fantastic. But let's be honest, it is a very niche art form. A lot of people I speak to see poetry as something out of their grasp, restricted to men and women draped across a chez lounge feeling all forlorn because nobody understands them.

Wikimedia

"I'm so troubled, darling. Didn't you know?"

But then, if I tried to define poetry right now, I'd be attempting to settle a debate that has been going on between poets, writers and academics since before the X-Factor first graced our screens. Even I, with my inflated ego and engorged sense of self-importance would not try to reconcile decades of arguments into a single, definitive idea.

I totally kept a straight face! Don't worry, I was only joking. I'll take a crack at it, but this is obviously a very broad, sweeping statement, so literary hounds, please don't track me down and kill my cat: poetry is a form of art which condenses an idea into several well chosen words, often arranged in lines and generally used as a way to express something.

Very broad and sweeping, but then the day we arrive at a scientifically accurate definition for art it is no longer art.

What this means is that you, the reader, your neighbour and even his elderly mother can enjoy poetry. There's some for everyone! Really, there's loads of fantastic stuff out there, and because it's such a versatile form there's so much variety.

To give you an example (and make it relevant) I've been delving into a book of poetry by an American man named Mark Bibbins. It's called The Dance of No Hard Feelings, and I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone. I came across it last year while studying a module on contemporary poetry, through a poem called 'The Devil You Don't', which is easily my favourite on the collection.

http://www.markbibbins.com/

'That which doesn't kill us / is merely waiting; / it will.'

There's something about Bibbins that I really like. Other than clearly being a fantastic writer (in my opinion at least), his use of imagery and language in general is very interesting. Featuring lines such as 'He turns angels / into the same fire that melts / the guts off the earth' (from 'The Devil You Don't') you can't help but notice imagery that jumps out at you, and being lured in by that which is more subtle. There's just something about the way Bibbins arranges words together that I just love.

Also, his sense of humour seems pretty in line with my own. While still sensitive in several poems, he is a very witty poet and many of the poems feature his sense of dry, sardonic humour. It's quite subtle, but I think the best humour is often that way, and we enjoy it all the more. He often uses it to touch on issues of modern concern, but again not in an overt way; rather, the tone permeates through the lines and we are allowed to enjoy it as part of the poem, not as its sole purpose. A bit different to the nature of my own writing, I realise, but I'm still funny anyway...right?

This leads me to one final point I want to make, and that's the argument of art for art's sake. To avoid stirring up more arguments and centuries of history and art theory, it's basically a Victorian idea that art doesn't have to have a purpose, it can be enjoyed purely as art itself. Personally I can't say I'm a fan of it entirely; while I commend that it encourages people to enjoy and create art without worrying what it signifies, I think the very nature of art in its ability to make people feel and be inspired can be a purpose. Don't get me wrong, it shouldn't be forced, and it can be something very simple, but as George Sand once said, "Art for art's sake is an empty phrase". That's my feelings on it anyway, who am I to judge?

I'll leave you with a video of Mark Bibbins reading a couple of his poems, partly to encourage you to read more poems (particularly his!), and partly to underline my point about the sense of humour. I think it comes across a lot better when read - but then the same could be said of all poetry!

 

I hope you enjoyed it, and I'll leave you with a little fact: in 1933 seashells were officially abolished as currency in Papua New Guinea. So much for the riches of the ocean.

~ Toby

Roses are red, clichés aren't new, here is a blog, just for you.

Hello bloggophiles!

Since the blog I was intending to post yesterday isn't finished, and I don't feel it's yet in a fit state to publish to the wide world of the internet (I know, it's hard to believe that I care about what I write, but I do, honestly) and since today is Valentine's Day, I've hastily cobbled together this little post with a bit of research and a lot of love and grumpiness in equal measures. And one very furry cat.

Wikimedia

How 'sweet'.

Now, I say research...what I really mean is Wikipedia. I know a lot of people will bring up the old arguments of "but it can be edited by anyone", but it does have references for the information cited, and that's enough proof for me. Granted if it was anything drastically important, I'd do some proper research. But this is a blog not the height of Academia, so that makes it okay, right? Good, now that's settled, let's have a bit of anti-Valentine's fun.

Personally, I've never understood the association of Valentine's Day with love. Just before I'm called a bitter, lonely hermit with a heart the size of a walnut who's just upset that he has no one, I'd like to point out I have a girlfriend (for some reason I can't fathom) so there.

Before I have a little bit of a rant, as I do so love to do, I have nothing against the idea of Valentine's Day per se...granted, it does feel like a bit like someone's shoving a rusty needle through your chest cavity if you don't have someone, but usually I just tend to ignore it. On the one hand it's a great excuse (if you're with someone) to do something extra special, a reason to make the extra effort and remind the other person that even though they must be completely insane for being with you, you appreciate their patience nonetheless.

The bit that gets to me is the enormous, mind-blowing, bigger than an elephant that's taken growth hormones level of pressure forced upon us by society/the media/friends/card companies/etc. [delete as applicable]. Yes, it's a good excuse, but what if you want to do something on a different day? What if you're poor, or you can't be with your other half? Or what if the best thing you can cook is baked beans with a side of baked beans? You must obviously not love the other person enough. You horrible person. No dessert for you.

Max Thorpe

"Darling, I do hope you've reserved us a place at Bella Italia..."

To be honest, we should really treat our partners with this kind of effort every day. But that's logistically and financially impossible, so having a set day can be useful. However, in my opinion that's what anniversaries and so on are for...and really, who needs an excuse? If you fancy doing something nice, just do it, be a Cassanova. You sly dog, you're getting the good loving tonight.

Finally, I'd like to point out that really, Valentine's Day doesn't have anything to do with love. At least, no more than February the 13th or the 15th does. According to my extremely reliable source, there were several Saint Valentine's, a couple of which had their Saint Day celebrated on the 14th February. However, they were all brutally murdered in the name of Christianity. I can feel the love already.

In fact, Valentine's Day didn't really become associated with love until the 15th century, and not popularly so until the 18th and 19th centuries. Now obviously times change and we shouldn't only do things like they used to in ye olden days (otherwise we'd be stoning people every time they said Jehovah), and as I've said the idea of Valentine's itself doesn't annoy me. It's more the over-commercialisation of an otherwise simple idea and the pressure to comply with such that really gets my metaphorical goat.

All that aside, if you're doing something special today, don't let my Scrooginess put you off, you go and have fun, you crazy kids in love. Likewise, if you're alone or don't feel like doing much, good for you.

I'll leave you, as always, with something interesting to think about. There was no punctuation until the 15th century, and we all know how important punctuation is.

Happy Valentine's Day, I guess!
~ Toby

The internet is for porn! And blogs. Lots of blogs.

Afternoon, all!

Sorry again for the two week delay, but as a surprisingly sunny day draws to a close I have another blog for you all. You're pretty spoilt you know. Incidentally, I'm thinking of moving my regular update day to a Monday, as now that my youth work volunteering has come to an end I now have a proper day off, and I don't really have enough time to scrape together a decent post on Sunday's. Thoughts? Comments? Opinions? Favourite types of badgers? Apple? Let me know.

In any case, a little while ago I was lucky enough to go and see Avenue Q!

Now, just what do you do with a BA in English...?

Before I say anything, you should go and see Avenue Q for yourself if you haven't yet had the chance. Seriously. Go watch it. We'll continue when you're done. It's okay, we can wait.

For those that don't know, Avenue Q is a musical featuring puppets and actors living along a street called, oddly enough, Avenue Q, and follows the protagonists Princeton as he...oh, what? Yes, I said puppets. That's right, if you ever liked Sesame Street as a child and are old and jaded enough by the promises it brought you, you'll love Avenue Q. I think pretty much everyone else in the audience would agree with me, as I couldn't hear myself laughing over them. Easily one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time.

The puppets are...um...puppeted? Played? I don't know the correct verb here...let's go with puppeteered. They are controlled and voiced by actors wearing dark clothing. Obviously it would be impossible to completely hide the actors while on stage, and if they were always behind a wall or something similar it would highly restrict the show. That said, the clothing does help them blend in somewhat, so that you can focus on the puppets, while the characters played by actors wear brightly coloured clothes, making them easily distinguishable from the puppeteers. Actually, the puppeteers often help to emphasise the actions of the puppets with their body language and movement, so all in all it works out for everyone. For instance, the woman portraying a character subtly named Lucy the Slut, upon exiting the stage with the puppet, performs a sultry walk that involves shaking her rather visually pleasing bottom. Which I definitely was not staring at. Just ask my girlfriend.

Now, I realise Avenue Q has been going in London for about five years now, and over in America for some time before that, but down here in the Arse-end-of-nowhere, Devon, it's only just arrived. Better late than never though, right?

In a nutshell, Avenue Q is a comedy that parodies Sesame Street very closely. But that's not to say it ruins your childhood so much so you break down outside the theatre in floods of tears, screaming at Big Bird for not warning you about the harsh realities of life.

Why didn't you tell me that loves hurts Elmo?! I just wanted us to be...friends...

As any good literary theorist knows, there's a paradox in that a parody cannot exist without the thing it's parodying. So let's all just have some fun and leave our childhood memories intact! Yay! That's not to say Avenue Q isn't spot on in it's teasting, however.

It very accurately points out, in true childish 'Street fashion, the way all our hopes and dreams are built up and we're encouraged to dream, without pointing out that life isn't quite as adventurous as a Hollywood movie. If you're lucky, it might be as good as a low budget B-Movie, in which case the apocalypse would at the very least be hilarious.

The plot follows a young lad named Princeton, fresh out of university with his BA in English (this sounds somewhat familiar...) and with very high hopes. Sadly these expectations are too high for the reality of his life and in his pursuit of his ultimate purpose he misses the little things, namely the affections and attentions of the lovely (if a little bit racist) Kate Monster. Luckily, by the end he experiences a revelation, finds what is important, and they live happily ever after. Hurray! Don't worry, obviously the irony is not lost and if anything is part of the ending. Just watch it and you'll see what I mean.

Avenue Q fantastically fuses adult themes into a model of childhood television, creating a unique experience that will have you in stitches (sorry, I couldn't resist! It had to be said!). You'll be falling apart at the seams from laughter (okay, I'm done now. Sorry again) and find yourself realising just how spot on these writers got it. And if I haven't convinced you yet, here's one of my favourite songs from the show.

So, in short, go and see it, defintiely worth the money.

That's all I have time for right now I'm afraid, but I hope this post was worth waiting a little extra for. I'm going to leave you with another video, this time a song linked to me be a good friend. It's of a Canterbury busker who has recently died under somewhat suspicious circumstances I'm told, which is an absolute shame because his voice, musical ability and lyrics are absolutely wonderful. Please give it a listen, and if you can, buy it from iTunes; all proceeds are to go towards his daughter.

See you next time guys, have a good one!
~ Toby