Discussion Prompt

For this week's discussion assignment, we will be reading and discussing contemporary poetry--i.e. poems written by poets who are alive and writing today. Much of contemporary poetry (stuff being written today) is written in free verse. Unlike traditional poetry, free verse poetry does not conform to an established rhyme scheme or meter. You will, though, notice that free verse poetry still has rhythm to it... however, the rhythms are of the poet's own design rather than modeled on a traditional formula. Poets may create free verse rhythms based on their own patterns of speech and slang, the rhythms of their bodies or their environments, and/or by adapting the patterns and sounds of music or other art forms.

Below, I have posted three different examples of contemporary poets who compose their poetry in free verse. Please click on the links to read their poems *before* you watch their videos. Read and watch all three poets, and then, select one of them to discuss in your post (more specific instructions below):

Now that you have read the poems and watched the videos by all three poets, please select ONE poem (either option #1 "the course of meal" by Tongo Eisen-Martin OR option #2 "ALL THEY WANT" by Morgan Parker OR option #3 "Pocha Cafe" by Sara Borjas) to discuss in your post.

The one I picked was option #3: Sara Borjas at Writers for Migrant Justice (rev) (youtube)

Sara Borjas's poem, "Pocha Cafe" (I don't have a link to the text, but Borjas does read the entire poem in the video)

In your post, reflect on the poem you have chosen. I'm leaving what you discuss entirely up to you, but you could consider:

• analyzing the overall meaning of the poem (i.e. giving your original interpretation--don't worry about whether your interpretation is "correct")
• describing how the poem made you feel (i.e. your emotional response)
• describing the poet's "style"--what makes their language feel contemporary? how does poetry written today sound and/or feel different from the older works we've studied this semester?
• the poem's relevance to social or political issues affecting today's world (i.e. the question of how the poet is using language to shape/change the world)

Please respond to the 4 bullet points, if anyone is knowledgeable! Thank you. I really need this assignment to get done.I know you can do this!!