Saturday, April 9, 2011

Saturday morning thoughts: Poetry as Jazz

Turned on the good ol CBC radio 2 app this morning and had this revelation:

It seems like contemporary poetry is a lot like modern jazz. Half the time when you turn on the radio or open up some journal you get this this overwrought, overthought construction that only musical theorists could love (and you still wonder if they actually do like it - or if they are just trying to impress themselves), and half the time (if you're lucky) you'll get that something smooth and meaningful, that something you'd actually want to settle down with on the couch on a Sunday.

Anyway it, and this ensuing blogpost, inspired this poem:


Saturday Radio Jazz time
Just looking for something
to waste the morning
reading poetry to
and all I get
is five guys
treating their gear
as an arsenal of noise
and running their fingers
madly
up and down
every key in their possession
like they were paid by the note
while I do the same
with the radio dials
just trying to escape
just trying to just find
something
Heartfelt
and Meaningful
not overwrought
or overthought
or overplayed
just something sweet
smooth
and true
like a girl alone
writing poetry in a coffee shop
somewhere
and not
overwrought
or overthought
or overplayed
like too much poetry is
these days.

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