Dec 08 2009
Wikipedia, Wikipedia, Where Art Thou?
Being read poems or stories is always one thing that bothered me as a child. Being read poems, while unable to see who’s reading them to me is another story. Sitting in the back corner, I could not see the face of the man with the heavy Irish accent pronouncing Baruch as “Baa – rook”. It was like sitting in a large, dark room with only a mini night-light available. The night-light was enough to keep the room going, enough to keep me captivated. There was honesty and “authenticity” in what he was saying, as he chuckled when he stumbled along various lines. I think that’s what struck me most. He was a man of his words, who didn’t need to do such a thing, a man who didn’t need to explain references about certain things or people; everyone just went with the flow. I later recall laughing to my dad about “Tower” and how I didn’t understand it. My dad told me I didn’t have to and that “it” was “just there.” Well, he was right. Poetry is something you don’t have to define a certain way, it’s how you define it.
He may not be too widely known in the U.S., but check his fans out in the U.K!
Way to call Alex out Rhianna… He only fell asleep during that epic love poem haha. Some men just aren’t cut out to hear that much soul-exposition :D.
Hahhah, Alex… Did you enjoy your nap then? 😉
His voice and his accent; the way he read his lines, really defined his poetry for him. But for me that little night light was just not enough it was too dim. I knocked out
I loved the BAA-ROOK too! His accent really added something different to the reading. I agree that “poetry is something you don’t have to define a certain way, it’s HOW you define it” too.
The tone of this really described him well. He was sweet and romantic but also a very AWESOME rapper/poet. I agree with you on the night-light metaphor. =D
I know how you feel about poetry, I also never really enjoyed it. But the way he read it make him so relatable. I think that he did a great job on his poem Towers because it was done college students and not for a really educated well rounded audience like he did on his memoir.
i LOVE how you make his writing/his voice into a metaphor for a night-light. that’s really creative and very true.
and yes, his ability to be so real with his audience, his ability to be simple and not use flowery language, and not have to explain his allusions really made him likable, trustworthy, and interesting. i’d love to meet o’connor again, and have the enormous pleasure of having a conversation with him.