oh god it's wonderful

Influenced by urban scenery, spontaneity, and modernity, Frank O'Hara paves the way for the New York philosophy with one of my favorite poems, "Steps." He begins by addressing a personified New York, for it is funny today "like Ginger Rogers in Swingtime." O'Hara's comparison of New York in the moment is representative of his whole philosophy of poetry writing: that poetry should be written on whim and not taken too seriously.

Ever the observer of urban life, he continues to muse upon the scenery that he encounters on the city streets. Lana Turner is out eating somewhere; the park is full of dancers; Pittsburgh baseball fans are cheering because their team is winning. After this description, O'Hara seems to get to the heart of the poem, "in a sense we're all winning / we're alive." This is a New York School and particularly O'Hara-istic purpose of poetry: to celebrate life and its pleasures.

Even as O'Hara details the terrors of city life, "even the stabbings are helping the population explosion," in the wrong country and noticing the corruption of government with the "liars at the UN," he is never one to dwell on these things; he doesn't need liquor. He just likes it. This celebration of the ordinary day is taken to even further depths as he celebrates spending the morning with his lover. He is content with coffee, cigarettes, and love.

Poets & Painters

This painting, titled Katie in an Armchair, is a Fairfield Porter work from 1954. Although we've discussed that the New York School was heavily influenced by abstract expressionist art, it is still notable that there were many still life portraits still produced, and perhaps these still life portraits reflect as much as the more abstract works. If we take a look at the picture, we see that Katie, the subject, is staring into the distance. She is observing what is outside of her surroundings, as she does not gaze at the painter, or the chair in which she sits. Much like the gaze of this young girl, poets find inspiration in observing the outside world in order to reflect inward. Although the Confessional Poets concerned more on internal affairs, the New York School observed the urban setting in which they lived.


Although the re-sizing of this picture produced a less appealing quality, I found it important to study Katie's face in relation to poetic inspiration. The first thing that I thought about when I saw the picture is that she doesn't look quite human. I hope I'm not being too hard on Porter, but I believe this could be intentional, as writers and artists possess a certain "queer" quality that sets them above the folds of nominal society. They are separated from society, yet they observe it with more detail than for example, the average businessman.


Although Katie is a small girl, it seems as if she is engulfed by her surroundings. The chair is much more massive than she is, yet she is still the focus of the painting. Perhaps this could inspire the prevailing humanity over material objects in a poet's work. According to Wordsworth, it is impossible to write poetry without emotion, as he claimed it was the "spontaneous overflow of emotions." Whether you agree completely or not with that assessment of poetry, it is undeniable that poetry reflects the courses of life, even as inanimate objects overpower man's size.

Skunk Ideology

Through the journey that is Robert Lowell's Life Studies, the reader has become rather properly introduced to Lowell as both a poet and a man, as these two titles are interchangeable in the realm of confessional poetry. Throughout the collection, Lowell chooses to include the most intimate of details concerning his personal life, including death, madness, and those existential questions that beg to be answered. However, the last poem of the collection is simply titled "Skunk Hour." Why is Lowell choosing to end his somber journey with the image of a skunk?

First of all, the poem does not immediately begin with the image of pungent skunk odor. Rather, like many of Lowell's previous poems, notably "Waking in Blue," Lowell begins with detached descriptions of the inhabitants of a given area. In "Waking in Blue," Lowell described characters found in the mental hospital in which he was committed for three months. The characters have passed the prime of their life and are unable to accept the futility of age and decay. Therefore, the character of Stanley "still hoard[s] the build of a boy in his twenties," and the character of Bobbie has reverted to childhood as he "swashbuckles about in his birthday suit and horses at chairs." The characters of "Skunk Hour" echo the former poem, as they experience their own sort of decay. We find:

--"Nautilus Island's hermit heiress" in her dotage. Longing to relive the decadence of her youth in the Victorian area, she continuously purchases "eyesores," only to let them fall.

--The "summer millionaire." Past his prime, his wealth is shamed at an auction.

--The "fairy decorator." A man whose work is unfulfilling and fruitless longs to marry, yet there are no prospects.

There is decay and failure in each of the characters' lives, as they cannot accept life as it progresses. They construct a world of fantasies and property values only to learn that their constructed lives have expiration dates. Similarly, Lowell himself has a moment of fantasy, as he hears "my own ill-spirit sob in each blood cell," lamenting his loneliness after hearing a love song on a car radio and observing "love-cars." The climax of the poem is the moment that Lowell realizes that "nobody's here." He is utterly alone, depraved of humanity. However, the poem only shifts into self pity momentarily, as Lowell discovers that he is indeed not alone, as skunks begin their night feeding.

These skunks have no romanticized qualities; Lowell states that the mother skunk "jabs her wedge-head in a cup of sour cream" that she has discovered in a garbage dispenser at midnight. Survival is of the utmost importance to these creatures. They feed at midnight to elude predators, and yet they are unashamed to consume others' waste. Unlike the human characters whose material centered lives have distinct expiration dates, these skunks are not afraid to eat the curdled sour cream of life, as it is the only thing that ensures survival.

At the end of the poem, Lowell breathes the "rich air," littered with the smell of skunk. It is in this moment that the revelation of the book occurs. As we can tell from poems such as "My Last Afternoon with Uncle Devereux Winslow," Lowell has dealt with the events in his own life by detachment and formalization. Each event is sterilized, as he dons his "formal pearl gray shorts" for his mother's esteemed family and describes his mother's corpse "panetone in Italian tinfoil" in "Sailing Home from Rapallo." For the first time in the collection, Lowell is freely identifying with a group without force. It may seem to be ironic that he is identifying with such an abhorred animal; however, through the depictions of his previous poems, humans do not seem to fare better than his black and white comrades, as they are shallow, concerned with monetary gain and the retention of youth. In one moment, Lowell chooses to disregard all notions of false security in life, whether by riches, detachment, or sterilization and chooses to survive in the trash that is life, as the skunks have chosen to do.

Unity and Resolve in Ginsberg's "Howl"

As we discussed earlier in class, the first distinct section of "Howl" is a vivid combination of both true stories and fantastic, sometimes grotesque, imagery. This is Ginsberg's method of introduction, as he opens the first line of "Howl" proclaiming that the "best minds of [his] generation" are driven to madness by the unaccepting society in which  they are surrounded. Ginsberg presents this struggle as a war between the spiritual (himself and his peers) and the mechanical (society). By the end of the first section, there seems to be hope still abounding in the desperation as Ginsberg seeks to find the "absolute heart of the poem."

However, this tone does not remain present as Ginsberg shifts "Howl" into its second section. Perhaps it does not seem fitting to try and resolve a poem dedicated to the pursuit of spiritual transcendence by mentioning the murder of spiritualism and even humanity within a society, but Ginsberg has a purpose. Ginsberg names this mechanistic force "Moloch," which is fitting, because historically, children were sacrificed to the god Moloch. Children are representative of the futurity of the human race; therefore, we can deduce that Ginsberg's context of Moloch is also a destroyer of humanity. For Ginsberg and his loyal readers to fight against this mechanical god, they must know its nature. Therefore, Ginsberg describes Moloch as "Solitude! Filth! Ugliness!" This is a harsh juxtaposition to a high level of spiritual transcendence, a disgrace to Ginsberg. He even goes on to say that Moloch's followers "broke their backs lifting Moloch to Heaven." Moloch has invaded the spiritual plane, as Heaven is no place for the mechanical, but the spiritual. Ginsberg even admits that Moloch "entered [his] soul early." Therefore, Moloch seems to be inescapable; however, Ginsberg responds to the reader with hope, for all is not lost. He addresses Moloch: "whom I abandon!" This resolves the notion that Moloch is an omnipotent god, for Ginsberg is able to escape its influence. However, many are not able to transcend the force of Moloch. At the end of Section 2, Ginsberg talks about the "American River." This river symbolizes time, and this time is carrying the spiritual side of humanity ("Highs! Epiphanies! Despairs! Ten years' animal screams and suicides! Minds! New loves! Mad generation!") down its stream. Note that this spiritual side is not just one of happiness, as there are suicides and madness. It is rather a representation of human feeling. This section, I feel, is Ginsberg's commentary in the present state of the world and society in the poem. 

The third section once again shifts tone, more akin to the first section than the second, as it is an address to Carl Solomon, to which the poem is dedicated. His repetition of "I'm with you in Rockland," a mental institution, assures the reader that he is still mad and burning with human feeling, rather than lifting Moloch to a spiritual plane and perverting transcendence. His lines, describing madness, are true stories, allowing the reader to know that this attempt at transcendence is reality, that spirituality itself is a reality for him. He then resolves the poem with two important lines:


I'm with you in Rockland
         where we wake up electrified out of the coma by our own souls' airplanes roaring over the roof they've come to drop angelic bombs the hospital illuminates itself   imaginary walls collapse   O skinny legions run outside   O starry-spangled shock of mercy the eternal war is here   O victory forget your underwear we're free.

I have bolded key words in this section. I believe that Ginsberg has resolved the oppressive state of section two, proclaiming that spirituality is the clear victor is this “eternal war.” This line is full of heavenly imagery, as even the bombs of war are angelic. Also notice that punctuation and grammatical structure are forgotten, as the spiritual is escaping from even written language standards. The poem itself cannot even describe the transcendence. There are no rules anymore, for they are free to fight, free to love, and free to even forget their underwear.

I'm with you in Rockland
         in my dreams you walk dripping from a sea-journey on the highway across America in tears to the door of my cottage in the Western night.

Ginsberg states that Solomon is back from a “sea journey.” This is in opposition to the river of time that destroys the spiritual in section 2. As the river has one direction, the sea is limitless, bringing the resolution of the poem. Even tears are a victory, for a mechanical world is without human emotion and passion, and solace is found at last.

Movie Recommendation of the MILLENIUM

Now, I know that we've already read a review this semester of this movie, but it's my favorite movie OF ALL TIME. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is quite simply a masterpiece, and please, if you've not heeded to my suggestions in the course of reading my rambling blog, take this one suggestion, and see this movie.

Starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet as Joel Barish and Clementine Kruczynski, this movie takes the viewer on a wild ride of love, loss, and amnesia. Joel, a slightly boring guy (played perfectly by Carrey, by the way. I had no idea that Jim Carrey could take on such a serious role. He really blew me away), has been erased by his ex girlfriend, Clementine, after a harsh breakup. Erased, you ask? Yes. In the movie, there is a company called Lacuna that specializes in voluntary memory loss for those who wish to forget events and people in their lives. When Joel learns that Clementine has erased him, he decides to do the same thing, out of hurt and partially for spite towards Clem. As the memory erasure process proceeds, you'll see a glimpse into a dysfuntional, beautiful relationship with the boring Joel and eccentric Clementine. In an interview, Kate Winslet once said that Clementine was her favorite character that she's ever portrayed, and it is understandable why this is her choice. Labeled as a comedy (so wrong, in my opinion), the layers of humor, tragedy, and visual dynamics will simply blow you away. Easily my favorite love story of all time.

Watch this scene. It's amazing. I actually cry buckets everytime I watch the movie, especially this scene. I know you guys think I'm a crybaby by now, but I'm just going to mark it up to being passionate!

Top 3 Best Ice Cream Flavors (!!!)

I work at Bruster's Ice Cream, so I see, smell, scoop, and eat a whooole lot of ice cream. I can pretty much be considered a conoisseur of sorts. I also believe that those who do not like ice cream do not have taste buds. At all. I understand that there are terrible ice creams (see: Rum Raisin, Pistachio, anything with malt flavoring), but I will highlight the ice creams that tickle my taste buds over any other. I'm getting a craving just thinking about it.

3. Ben and Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie Chunk

Yum, Ben and Jerry's. What a great way to start off a top 3. Ben and Jerry's is committed to not using steroids on their cows, so whenever you pop open a pint, you're getting the freshest stuff possible. Now, I am partial to oatmeal cookies. Without raisins, they're the best gift to mankind, and this ice cream combines it INTO ICE CREAM! What a wonder. The base is sweet cream, which is great, if you've never had it. Different and sweeter than vanilla, it's a great base. Combine it with oatmeal cookies, and you've got the best thing since sliced bread!




2. Coldstone's Berry, Berry, Berry Good

Usually, I combine sweet cream ice cream with strawberries and graham crust, but as for pre-made flavors, this one takes the cake for me. Combining sweet cream with strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries (personal favorite), this ice cream lets you feel good about being bad (I mean, you are getting your antioxidants with those blueberries!). What's even better is that you get to see it made right in front of you, an experience which is essential for a visit to Coldstone.




1. Bruster's Black Raspberry

The first summer that I started my job at Bruster's, I was intrigued by the prospect of black raspberry ice cream. Now, I love annnnything flavored with raspberry, so if you're a raspberry lover like me, you have to check this out. Wonderfully fruity and creamy at the same time, you'll be begging for more and more, but take advantage of this ice cream, as Bruster's only carries it in summertime. I think the time limit on this is one of the greatest tragedies that I have ever faced in my life, but apparently, blackberries can not grow successfully all year. :( But I do a great job of expanding my waistline during the scorching summer months!

4 Best Movie Soundtracks of All Time

BOOM! Top 5 list again. I almost broke this little vicious (nah, not really vicious) cycle of Top 5 lists by writing about how awesome The Smiths are and how utterly refreshing it was that the soundtrack for [500] Days of Summer was framed by the band. Then I started thinking how great a lot of movie soundtracks are. Now, we have to think about the two different kinds of movie soundtracks. One type includes mostly a film score, the orchestral music composed for the purpose of the film, and the other includes music by different bands that contribute to the background. I am going to be ranking the latter, but  I might tackle the former in the next blog posting.

SO LET'S GET STARTED.

5. Vanilla Sky 

1.	"All the Right Friends" - R.E.M.
2.	"Everything In Its Right Place" - Radiohead
3.	"Vanilla Sky" - Paul McCartney
4.	"Solsbury Hill" - Peter Gabriel
5.	"I Fall Apart" - Julianna Gianni
6.	"Porpoise Song (Theme from "Head")" - The Monkees
7.	"Mondo '77" - Looper featuring Francis MacDonald
8.	"Have You Forgotten" - Red House Painters
9.	"Directions" - Josh Rouse
10.	"Afrika Shox" - Leftfield / Afrika Bambaataa
11.	"Svenfn-g-englar" - Sigur Ros
12.	"Last Goodbye" - Jeff Buckley
13.	"Can We Still Be Friends" - Todd Rundgren
14.	"Fourth Time Around" - Bob Dylan
15.	"Elevator Beat" - Nancy Wilson
16.	"Sweetness Follows" - R.E.M.
17.	"Where Do I Begin" - The Chemical Brothers

I know a lot of people that hate this movie. I, however, am not one of them. Whether you like the movie or not, it has a great soundtrack. Some of the artists are more recognizable than others on this soundtrack, and I really like how there is a plethora of music, from the Monkees to Sigur Ros. Each song works perfectly with the mood of every scene. Top 3 songs for me in this list: Everything in Its Right Place, Solsbury Hill, and Svenfn-g-englar, although Sigur Ros' other song, Njosnavelin (The Nothing Song), is also superb in the movie, and I have no idea why it's not listed here. (BTW, if you're unfamiliar with Sigur Ros, they are an Icelandic band, singing in Icelandic. I don't know what the hell they're saying, but they transfix me.)


Here's a clip of the ending of Vanilla Sky. The song in the background is Njosnavelin. BY THE WAY, THIS IS GOING TO SPOIL THE ENDING. DON'T WATCH IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MOVIE AND PLAN TO SOMEDAY. YOU CAN'T BLAME ME. THIS IS ALL IN CAPS.











4. Hedwig and the Angry Inch

1.	Tear Me Down
2.	Origin of Love
3.	Angry Inch
4.	Wicked Little Town (Tonny Gnosis version)
5.	Wig in a Box
6.	The Long Grift
7.	Hedwig's Lament
8.	Exquisite Corpse
9.	Midnight Radio
10.	Nailed
11.	Sugar Daddy
12.	Freaks
13.	In Your Arms Tonight
14.	Wicked Little Town (Hedwig version)

Prepare to meet on of the most rocking transvestites (since Tim Curry) you've ever seen on film. I absolutely adore Hedwig and the Angry Inch for two reasons: 1. Hedwig and 2. Hedwig's songs. Let me fill you in a little on the plot. Hedwig, a victim of a botched sex change operation (thus the angry inch, haha) is a phenomenal singer/songwriter who is dreaming to make it big. However, his ex-boyfriend, Tommy Knossos, has stolen his songs and is making it big on his own. This movie is a journey through Hedwig's past and present and is filled to the brim with catchy songs, especially "The Origin of Love."


3. The Virgin Suicides

1. Magic Man - Heart 


2. Hello It's Me - Todd Rundgren

3. Everything You've Done Wrong - Sloan 

4. Ce Matin La - Air

5. Air That I Breathe - The Hollies 

6. How Can You Mend a Broken Heart? - Al Green 

7. Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan 

8. I'm Not in Love - 10cc

9. Dream Goes on Forever - Todd Rundgren 

10. Crazy on You - Heart

11. Playground Love [Vibraphone Version] - Air

12. Come Sail Away - Styx 


I am a huge fan of Sofia Coppola (Lost in Translation, Marie Antoinette) and the soundtrack to this movie fit the atmosphere perfectly. A story about 4 sisters, desired by all, obtained by none, who commit suicide in the 1970's is an intriguing story, and I found myself as immersed in the music of the movie as the movie itself. Highlighted by French duo Air's "Playground Love," this soundtrack takes 70's era hits and combines them with more ethereal music tones. Perfectly executed.

1. O Brother, Where Art Thou?

1. "Po Lazarus" - James Carter & the Prisoners 4:30


2. "Big Rock Candy Mountain" - Harry McClintock 2:17

3. "You Are My Sunshine" - Norman Blake 4:26

4. "Down To The River To Pray" - Alison Krauss 2:53

5. "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" - The Soggy Bottom Boys 3:13

6. "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" - Chris Thomas King 2:01

7. "I Am A Man Of Constant Sorrow" - Norman Blake 4:30

8. "Keep On The Sunny Side" - The Whites 3:35

9. "I'll Fly Away" - Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch 3:57

10. "Didn't Leave Nobody But The Baby" - Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss and Gillian Welch 1:58

11. "In The Highways" - Sarah, Hannah and Leah Peasall 1:36

12. "I Am Weary (Let Me Rest)" - The Cox Family 3:16

13. "I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow" - John Hartford 2:34

14. "O Death" - Ralph Stanley 3:21

15. "In The Jailhouse Now" - The Soggy Bottom Boys 4:18

16. "Indian War Whoop" - John Hartford 1:30

17. "Lonesome Valley" - Fairfield Four 4:08

18. "Angel Band" - The Stanley Brothers 2:18













Come on, you have to love this soundtrack. I remember doing a reenactment of Faulkner's A Rose for Emily in 11th grade and using this soundtrack as the background music for some of the scenes. Too morbid? It really worked! Anyway, if you're a fan of the Coen brothers, The Odyssey, or humor in general, you have to watch this movie and check out the soundtrack. I mean, "I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow" was on the radio everywhere when this movie first arrived on the scene! The soundtrack takes old hymnals and twangy wonderfulness and combines it into a wonderful concoction.