Thursday, April 12, 2012

KENTUCKY POET ON KATRINA

Why is it so? So -- what? So difficult to understand the injustices in our country. 

Perhaps art can be used as a mirror for expressing these injustices. I think so. 

A form of art is poetry and as you know this is National Poetry Month.. 

For now, I live as a Kentuckian. But I have lived all over the U.S. in my past.

But, for now I am a Kentuckian and so ---

I would like to introduce Nikky Finney, a poet from Lexington Kentucky, fifty-four years of age, writer of fine books and the winner of the 2011 National Book Award. In the You Tube below she will read Left from her latest book Head Off and Split.  A look at the injustices of Huricane Katrina of 2005



9 comments:

  1. Shameful!

    Nikky Finney gives such a great reading of her work. I wasn't familiar with her until I watched the video. I'll look for her book. Thanks so much for this introduction.

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    1. Rubye -- All in our own way -- we can point out injustices -- using all different forms of art. Sadly, Ms Finney provided her feelings on this issue to you. -- thanks -- barbara

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  2. Wow, how she incorported rythm with poetry. Listen to it twice and can listen to it much more. Makes thoughts of how injustices come to surface - Enee Menee Minee Moe.

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    1. Kirk -- I agree. Her rhythmic reading using the regularly occurring sounds of enee, menee, minee, moe, serves to assist with her performance. thanks -- barbara

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  3. Very painful, very true, very haunting.

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  4. June -- Poetry is a place I have not visited often. Your posts have shown a light on good poetry and awakened my sense of poetry as mirrors. thanks -- barbara

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  5. Bush flying over the city. That made me angriest of all.

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  6. Hattie -- I am finding the big world of poetry facinating. I don't know categories but this one resonated with me. Her words of Bush's, "no child left behind," highlighted the absurdity of the government's actions. -- thanks -- barbara

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  7. This is very powerful stuff. I continue to feel haunted by what happened during the Katrina aftermath - a blight on our nation's history. Shameful. Beyond shameful. This poet is new to me. Thank you for this introduction.

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