Street Poetry
I took the train downtown this morning for some business. While I was standing at the platform, I noticed something written on the ground. At first glance, I figured it was graffiti that somebody carved into the ground somehow. However, I decided it was worth another glance to decipher what is on the ground. I looked again and saw words eloquently scattered across the cement. When I began reading the words, I realized that this was a poem. I was reading a poem on the ground at a train station. This poem on the ground that hundreds of people walk on every day made me very excited. I am pleased to observe arts assimilation into this ever growing world.
I hope we start seeing more casually laid poetry for everybody to appreciate. We at Poetrywithmeaning.com would like to transform cities into havens for poetry and art itself for a deeper appreciation by the community.
-Bob Mortland
This article was written by Bob Mortland on Aug 10, 2007 and filed under Writing.
Responses
10 comments so far.
I agree, thanks for the blog.
That is definatally something we need more of. Grafitti is worthless writings that do nobody good, but poetry with meaning would be something that everybody can look at and enjoy, and help those it is meant to touch.
Excellent blog post Bob.
Was the poetry sanctioned by the city or the owners of the train station? If not, then it was still graffiti and, I might ad, vandalism. That's an illegal act.
If it was something that was wanted by the owner(s) of the property then I concede that you were standing on poetry with meaning. Even if the poem was something as valuable as "Ozymandias" or "Ode On A Grecian Urn," it would still be vandalism if the property owner didn't authorize it. As a respecter of laws and decent social order, I don't support that.
A poem has no less meaning writtne legally or not... as for the fact that it is vandalism, I would personally rather have the people who tag my backyard's wall do it in poetry then in the violent images and words that are currently residing on it.
The poetry was done by the city on a city train station by city employees for the city to view
It curious that you "saw words eloquently scattered", but neglected to share the contents of the poem with us, its title or the author name(s). Would you be willing to copy it down and post it to this blog? Just a thought.
Poetry is symmetry, symphony, symbolism, systole and diastole of human emotions and responses to the stimuli of this world.
I feel there is poetry and art in every moment we live, and every movement we make. This world, this universe is a poem written by God. All we have to do is recognize it as such and acknowledge, to let the poem of life resonate and reverberate through us.
It was titled the escalator... I do not remember by who... Its at the Folsom street Muni train station in San Francisco... I will have to go back and check it out. I do not usually get on or off at that station... I will let you know!
Definetly, i think too many people have a tunnel view of poetry. I f it can be incorporated into everyday lives to make people feel inspired, without falling into the trapppings of manipulative advertising, people would benifit greatly.
i agree as well, and how could you not. even more beautiful is finding poetry in these places, unexpected places... to know that someone is there where you now stand and they poured heart and soul... or maybe just thoughts of now, out on a worldly canvis to be shared.