A few weeks back, I was able to share a short poem I had written this year that didn’t fare well in a local poetry competition, with anticipation of seeing the finalists and/or winning entries so I can “self-study” them as one more of many attempts to “get” modern poetry. Well, I got them and have shared them below, along with some self-study notes.
classical
What’s Good Poetry These Days?
After eight weeks since beginning my two-year journey in writing on Jan 1st this year (2021), I have finally found a poetry contest I am willing to enter… not that I have been searching hard for it. I’ve been relying mostly on my local writers’ federation newsletter to introduce me to writing contests to enter, which I work on like writing assignments in a course, and this was the first one for which I qualified and was interested in. By qualification, I mean from not having self-published poetry in the past. By interest, I mean with a very low entry fee because I have no fucking clue what counts for good poetry these days.
Shining Eyes and Never Say Anything That Couldn’t Stand as the Last Thing You Ever Say
Benjamin Zander, conductor
Two new life philosophies from one talk…
Benjamin Zander is conductor of the Boston Philharmonic. he is the person who makes no sound but is most responsible for an orchestral performance, because he depends on his ability to make other people powerful for his power, to paraphrase him. In this delightful, funny, insightful and very moving and invigorating talk, he helps one appreciate classical music in a basic way everyone can relate to, not some technical way. Throughout, he inserts various insights, life stories and life philosophies that will touch you in profound ways.
Besides the conductor definition above, Benjamin talks about qualities of leadership, how music playing progresses from technical to artistic, the development of a music piece to create tension and release before bringing you home, how there’s no such thing as a tone deaf person, and a few life philosophies like the ones in the title. The “shining eyes” refer to how to judge your life success by the number of people’s eyes around you sparkling, created by you awakening possibilities in them. That is, using the question who are you being in life, that the eyes of those around you are not shining, as a check and motivation to be more to the world with your life.
You know, I was eating a large bowl of Vietnamese hot and sour soup I had made for supper while listening to this. I picked it out because I expected it to be a charming and funny talk with some insight, already a fan of classical music. However, I was laughing out loud quite a few times in the first two thirds of the talk, and then had my brains and heart blown out of their casings with the music, beauty and insights and stories of the last third. There were so many tears streaming down my face so quickly that by the end, I could taste the salt from my tears in my soup in a new recipe, apparently!
I don’t think I’m spoiling anything for you by telling you that story, but rather just preparing you for it if you so choose to watch the video. None of what I said made you cry, after all. What Benjamin will tell you, though, especially with regards to the title, will. He also gives one last practical piece of advice about not having to be perfect to uphold your philosophies, but just trying to “live into” those philosophies as best you can.
A two life philosophies talk! Meaning I have two new life philosophies because of it. Just amazing…
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Reading Level: 10.9
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