Daily Thoughts 3/9/2009

Dante by Ilya Repin

Daily Thoughts 3/9/2009

I spent some time this morning finishing up our fiction statistics for circulation. James Patterson is the most popular author in our fiction collection followed by Eric Jerome Dickey. The two most popular categories which people read are African American authors and suspense books. In suspense, court room dramas are the most popular. People read a little bit of romance, chick lit, and horror as well. Science fiction and fantasy are not that popular. In mystery, Harlan Coben, Walter Mosley, and Ruth Rendell are very popular.

I also spent a bit of time weeding the reference books in the mezzanine. I focused mainly on the 100, 200, and 300 dewey categories.

I presented the pattern which I use for programming; a poetry/spoken word program and a Sunday film every month. This does not cost any money for us except for the movie license and the snacks. I also seek out one general program that is offered for free. This month it is a program by a lawyer on living wills. If someone offers to do a program for free, I also accept that. There is a person who offered to do a program on teaching poetry in April. This way, I can generate three to four programs a month most of the time. Other people do programs as well. I am thinking of doing a Reading Challenge in the library and a "senior film" series in the fall.

The last two books of the three part series, The Blade, The Ring, and The Chalice by Deborah Chester have come in, The Ring and The Chalice. The movie, Poetry In Motion, has also come in.

I am trying to convince people to come for my poetry/ spoken word open microphone tomorrow. I have four people coming so far.

I read some more of Words In Your Face. They tell us that there are three spaces for slam that stand out, The Nuyorican, louderArts, and NYC-Urbana. I have been to none of these spaces. I am not sure when I might get a chance to look at them. Maybe, someday, I might take a look. I finished reading Big Bank Take Littlle Bank Poetry by Paul Beatty. The book was published as the prize for winning the first National Poetry Slam. I enjoyed reading it, but reviewing poetry is another story...

How Do You Review Poetry?

Is it spoken word or poetry?

I cannot tell the difference.

Are you grammatically correct?

If so, do you break rules?

Do you know what rhythm is?

My rhythm is different than yours.

Do you rhyme all the time?

I dont find this so sublime.

Are your words very colorful?

Red, yellow, black, brown, white.

Do you keep a smooth tone?

Are you an angry poetic poetic?

Can you count the word stresses?

I count differently than you.

Are you a master of syllabification?

My word breaks do not match

Are you an academic intellectual?

Do your words scream the street?

What is poetry, What is poetry?

Define it for me right now.