I definitely “jumped the shark” on my latest YouTube video production—Oh, what?—with a forced script, bad acting, untimely laugh track, and fast-paced poetry read, the only salvageable part of the whole performance came from a spur of the moment decision to hush two curious little onlookers.
“What’re you doing?”
“Are you making a movie?”
“What’s it for?”
“Can we watch?”
“We’ll be quiet.”
“Sssh, you have to be quiet.”
“I’m quieter than you.”
“No you’re not.”
“Am too.”
“Not.”
I assigned a simple line to each of them as a last ditch effort to silence their fidgetiness. With a newly found purpose, they stayed focused and ready to deliver their words: “You’re not JK Rowling,” and “Yeah, you’re not JK Rowling.” They were naturals.
I wish I could say the same for my students. I wish I could give them a purpose for hanging around. When those electronic doors to their cells clank open in the morning, a majority of them wander aimlessly from assigned place to assigned place, yucking it up with not a care in the world—as if prison were one large playground. “It looks like you came to prison to make friends,” I’d say once in awhile to piss them into consciousness.
Yesterday, a young fool was “kicking it” with his Homey for longer then what I’d consider acceptable in my classroom. I looked in his direction—Marquetting him—a term used in the Michigan prison system where you look at someone from above your wire-framed glasses for an extended period of time.
“Quit staring at me,” the young fool said, “like you wanna get busy with me.”
“It ain’t like you’re gonna do anything,” his Road Dog pointed out to him.
“Thank you,” I replied.
“Nigga,” the young fool warned his fellow rapper, “stop co-signing and bring him an apple.”
I’ll admit, he deserved an A+ for spontaneity. At least his lines were unrehearsed and felt right.
19 comments:
I agree those cherubic voices were a great touch in the video.
I know this is like asking a magician to show how his trick works, but could you tell us more about the poem? There are some turns of phrase I love like "when the ink rubs off" and then there's the veiled tribute to fellow Detroiter Madonna "Like a virgin" that is completed 17 lines later "for the very first time."
I taught English for 20 years so forgive the tendency to dissect and understand the craft, but it is fascinating. What triggered this poem?--no pun intended.
There is a mix of nursery rhyme imagery and death that reminds me of Oakes' "Where are You Going? Where Have You Been?" (1966, which by the way was dedicated to Bob Dylan). She uses some fairy tale imagery, "church symbolism" and the Devil in disguise to tell a most disturbing story.
"Time Once Upon Us" has a touch of that "hidden meaning" or does it? Maybe English teachers just read into things. Tell us how these thoughts crystallized... =)
Well Patterns of Ink,
My thoughts originated from the following facts:
Stanley "Tookie" Williams founded one of the most violent gangs in America--the Crips. His children's books and advocacy against gang violence won him a Nobel Prize for Literature. Didn't matter though. He was executed in San Quentin on Dec. 13, 2005, after Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (the Terminator himself) denied Tookie clemency.
As a side note, some time after Tookie's execution, Schwarzenegger was involved in a motorcycle accident and had to receive stitches to his upper lip. Although he and his son (riding in a sidecar) had helmets, the Governor did not have a motorcycle license.
I hope the background info helps. Incidentally, celebrities (including Madonna) have shown an interest in publishing children's books. Thanks for the interest.
Pretty good production.
As for the comments, I don't know.
I know for sure Hemingway, towards the end of his madness suggested his shrinks should take a creative writing course.
That is precisely the help I needed (that perhaps some others did not). Now I get it perfectly, and the lines and images are even more powerful. I'm a news hound but missed that entire story in 2005. The dedication will of course be the key to future students (even as Oakes' mention of Dylan is somewhat helpful if you know that time of his life and the phrase "the Devil's music" that was attached to Rock & Roll in the sixties.)
BTW, If you have not read "wayg?whyb?" look for the use of flies (a la "Lord of the Flies" aka Beelzebub), the power of the music, and hoofs stuffed into boots. Remove the "R"s from Arnold Friend and you have An Old Fiend. It's a well-crafted short story with many layers that is fun to disect. The title comes from Judges 19:17.
I'm up early to hopefully cancel school (10" of Lake-effect so far)...so enough of classroom talk. =)
The dialect gets me, I think of the movies, the accents....hihihih.....ghee JR always fun to read and experience your blog.;)
Now your experiences teaching clearly begin to diverge from mine. So far I've never had anyone tell me "quit looking at me" I think I'll keep teaching regular college. Good dialogue, though
You definately look very creepy and disturbing in that picture!!!
JR, I enjoyed the video production of your poetry reading. It'd be fun to see a video of a poetry reading in your "classroom!" Well, I certainly hope it wouldn't cause a riot or anything! Thanks for telling Ivan to "restrain" himself, too!
I am sooo moved...
yes,if only we could say and do something to make this world a simple and better place to hang around in just a sentence...
The best activity for writing good dialogue is to pay attention to how people around you speak. I began secretly recording conversations for this reason, then I stopped when I realized just what a creep this made me.
Looking at the explanation you gave and then reading the poem is interesting. Everything clicks now.
Keep up the poetry. I wish I read more poetry so your readings give me an excuse to do so.
Great post, Jim. LOVE the picture!
Liz,
I thought I was in a virtual straitjacket!
That's what happpens when you write your thesis on MAD Magazine.
"He graduated with this?"
Hey JR, you've been tagged. The rules are on my last post.
Great post. Your revolver should be on your hip and not pointing where it may do you reversible harm should it go off. :)MW
JR, as I have said,oh, about a million times, you have the most interesting job of anyone I know. And you work with the most interesting characters. I think it would take a log of guts to "Marquett" those guys.
Josie
Interesting how you give the explanation after the video which becomes more clearer reading into the poem. --Bro, Ron
Oh, the photo makes you look like another Alfred Hitchcock!!! --Bro, Ron
I was gone for a couple days (over to your side of the state actually) and noticed that I called the author ot "Where are you going? Where have you been? Oakes. It is, of course, Joyce Carole Oates. (Oakes is the oft-chosen Hallmark Hall of Fame author). See...we all have our "Pollyanna" lapses. =)
Post a Comment