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"Mulberry Fields" by Lucille Clifton Image Credit: Poetry Foundation

Some treats for your Monday! Because we all need a little poetry in our lives…

I’ve been to a lot of poetry readings in my day, ya’ll. I’ve cheered on countless buddies in coffee shops and dive bars, listened to many recordings of the greats reading their work, and even purchased a recording of e.e. cummings on vinyl. Therefore, I know I’m pointing out the obvious when I begin with this frequently circulated statement: most poetry is best read aloud.

Despite the fact that poetry is one of the more notorious aural/oral forms, the experience of listening requires some kind of visualization on the part of the reader. You hear and then you “see.” As a result, there’s quite a lot of interesting ground being broken  in terms of poetry’s intersection with other media, especially in attempt to ensure that the form reaches a broader audience. The Poetry Foundation in conjunction with docUWM at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has put together several animated versions of poets reading their own work. 

I think these would prove especially attractive for younger audiences and would work well in an introductory discussion of imagery. Whether in a literature class or a creative writing workshop, those who have access to some form of animation technology might consider producing such short pieces.  I think they’re charming and offer something to the rest of us, too. I’ve included some favorites here. Visit the Poetry Foundation for more. 

“Nina’s Blues” by Cornelius Eady:

“Lake Echo, Dear” by C.D. Wright:

The classic “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden, read by Carl Hancock Rux:

And, in celebration of the season, Jane Hirshfield’s “The Heat of Autumn”: