The Friday Five… on FRIDAY!

February 28, 2003

Will wonders never cease? I’m actually on time this week. To play The Friday Five or read the answers of those who do, just go here!

This week’s questions revolve around literature and the wonderful pastime of reading. Here we go…

1. What is your favorite type of literature to read (magazine, newspaper, novels, nonfiction, poetry, etc.)?
I tend to gravitate towards non-fiction. I find that it is a good diversion from all of the outlandish fantasies that are constantly rolling around in my mind.
2. What is your favorite novel?
In Cold Blood by Truman Capote. Actually, I love just about everything Capote wrote, that eccentric little fruitcake.

3. Do you have a favorite poem? (Share it!)
I’ve avidly read this woman’s poetry for over a decade now. She is an absolute treasure.

For the young who want to
by Marge Piercy

Talent is what they say
you have after the novel
is published and favorably
reviewed. Beforehand what
you have is a tedious
delusion, a hobby like knitting.

Work is what you have done
after the play is produced
and the audience claps.
Before that friends keep asking
when you are planning to go
out and get a job.

Genius is what they know you
had after the third volume
of remarkable poems. Earlier
they accuse you of withdrawing,
ask why you don’t have a baby,
call you a bum.

The reason people want M.F.A.’s,
take workshops with fancy names
when all you can really
learn is a few techniques,
typing instructions and some-
body else’s mannerisms

is that every artist lacks
a license to hang on the wall
like your optician, your vet
proving you may be a clumsy sadist
whose fillings fall into the stew
but you’re certified a dentist.

The real writer is one
who really writes. Talent
is an invention like phlogiston
after the fact of fire.
Work is its own cure. You have to
like it better than being loved.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

4. What is one thing you’ve always wanted to read, or wish you had more time to read?
Believe it or not, I have never read The Hobbit or anything written by Tolkien. Every reader I know just gushes over it, so I feel like I may be missing something. I even have a beautiful, leather bound copy of it, but I can never get past the first few chapters. It bugs me that I don?t see the big fascination with it.

5. What are you currently reading?
I?m re-reading Joseph Campbell?s Thou Art That and slowly working my way through John MacGregor?s interesting book entitled Henry Darger: In the Realms of the Unreal. Darger is one of the artists that I have my Outsider Art class study; you should check him out. His work is both intriguing and disturbing. Click the link above to read a review of the book. I will be giving you a test on the material later. (Just kidding!)

Speaking of tests, the make-up exam went off without a snivel, whimper or hitch. I am glad they didn’t all arrive loaded with attitude, because I was more than prepared to serve them up some of my own if needed. I’ll be correcting the exams this weekend and it will be interesting to see how everyone did. Hopefully they will all get good marks and we can put this ugly little event behind us for the rest of the semester.

I am so excited about having the next 9 days to dedicate to my art projects. The ideas/images are coming fast and furious now and it will be great to strike while the iron is hot. When I turn out something I like a lot, I’ll share a picture of it here with you. Oh hell, maybe I’ll even show you some incredibly crappy work just for the fun of it.

More later, cha-chas…

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Comments

One Response to “The Friday Five… on FRIDAY!”

Robin on March 5th, 2003 3:01 am

OMG, I love Marge Piercy as well. Her Poem called Barbie Doll is one of my favorites. Not because it is happy, because it is not.

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