Arthur Sze - Poetry Reading

After hearing Arthur Sze read it is aparent he's obssessed with language. He admits to that fact. He read at length from his newest book of poems Quipo which took him six years to write. On the cover is a picture of woven Chords which are thought to be Incan writing. Each chord was an interwoven message, one of which was said to have lead to the Incan revolt against the Spanish. The poems in Quipo were reminiscent of the word chords, interwoven language of various lenghts, knotted, tied, and interweaving stories, images, and language from one idea to another, sometimes leading out to a frayed strand. Very chaotic, but tightly held together. This is a diversion from his shorter more meditative works in the style of the ancient Chinese Poetry he translates as a labor of love. This is probably the only time in a poetry reading where I have heard people gasp. His chords were that powerful. After the first poem I realized just how far I have to go as a poet. Afterwards I asked him whether it was better to write the longer chord poems or the shorter meditative ones. He said that the longer poems gave him more freedom to explore language and use many different divices in a single poem. Fair enough. In an art form that tends to be filled with shorter confessional works that is an unsuprising statement from a person whose life is just as idiosyncratic as his art. Though not surreal they go against the grain to be open, but not self-indulgent. Against the grain, much like Arthur's life.

Do's & Don't's

Andrea once called me an annoying little brother. Well, I am an annoying little brother. So when she tagged everyone I had to tag back. Here's my list of do's and don't's

I Do own shoes.
I Don't like wearing them.

I Do love to cook grand meals with many courses.
I Don't cook grand meals for myself and go for expedience.

I Do know pro-wrestling is fake.
I Don't don't care because I like it anyway.

I Do have hair.
I Don't want people to know what I looked like when I did have hair.

I Do look forward to the day of someday settling down and starting a family.
I Don't believe there is a woman alive who is patient enough to live with me. Even mom got iffy near the end.

I Do enjoy getting outside into the beautiful weather.
I Don't take advantage of it as often as I like.

I Do love writing and poetry.
I Don't always get the point of it.

I Do have some of the most incredible friends in the world.
I Don't get to see them nearly as often as I'd like.

I Do call people by a lot of nick names.
I Don't always remember peoples names right away.

I Do get very nostalgic.
I Don't always dwell too long on such things.

I Do make friends very easily.
I Don't always follow through at keeping them.

This Is Hillarious

Colbert is the man! This is hillarious.

And if anyone's interested I have a Myspace account, figure everyone is.

www.myspace.com/thecubiclereverend

Is There Any Real Suprise?

Your Scholastic Strength Is Deep Thinking

You aren't afraid to delve head first into a difficult subject, with mastery as your goal. You are talented at adapting, motivating others, managing resources, and analyzing risk. You should major in: Philosophy Music Theology Art History Foreign language

What Should You Major In?

What I Wanted To Say

I came from being an indifferent Catholic to knowing Christ in highschool. Through the years visited all types of churches including a messianic church. Over the years I have left two churches and lost 2 ministries with many hurt feelings. I am living in a world of labels and movements and a member of none. Am I a presbyterian because I attend a presbyterian church and plan on being ordained through them? An Emergent? A Promise Keeper? A Progressive? A Conservative? A Red Letter Christian? I am unhappy with all these distinctions because none of them really fits me. Not as a believer or as a human being. I've tried all those labels on like a cheap suit and found that even though you may dress a goat in silk it's still a goat. Dress me up in a denomination/movement/political agenda's clothes and you'll still have a spiritual burn out, a political agnostic, and denominationally challenged. A Christian with more questions than answers, angry at how I've seen churches react to certain situations within their own congregations. A man who knows the love of God and His grace is real, but still hasn't found the best way to express or share it (missions? feeding the poor? social justice?). Fortunately and unfortunately there are plenty of believers out there who are intellectually assured to be able to help those are either new to the faith or, like myself, to regain the reamining scraps of their faith to better seek and no God through the life, death, and ressurrection of Jesus Christ. I have the best case scenario, a pastor as well as a man who disciples me are assured in their faith, desire to love and worship God and seek the lost. Able to draw from their past experiences to help otehrs move foreward. Imperfect vessels that have enabled me to get back on my path. They saw through my anger and past hurt pointing me back to the love of God and towards a healthier faith. Unfortunately I have seen the other end of the spectrum. People using their positions to air out their hurt feelings, agendas and other less than pure motives which leads people astray and give a false understanding of who God is and the role Christ and his love plays in our lives. I have heard people say how they are losing their salvation and being lead to hell. I do no know if that is the case. When I followed the word of faith movement was I losing my salvation? I do not know. What I do know is it greatly hindered my relationship with my loving Father God. Why are we so quick to send less mature Christians to hell and pass the blame onto someone else like a pastor, a politician, or a movement? Ted Kennedy, Rick Warren, Sean Hannity, and Pat Robertson aren't stopping me from pointing others to Christ and his salvation. To quote my mentor, "Stop being so angry, look to Jesus, it'll be figured out." Let's look to Jesus and point others to Him so that we may all figure it out.

Amen