[encore] 1103: Chaos Theory by Clint Smith

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

American Public Media

Arts, Performing Arts

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2024

⏱️ 8 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s poem is Chaos Theory by Clint Smith.

The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. We’re taking a break this week, so we’re sharing some of our favorite episodes from the archive. This episode was originally released on April 24, 2024. In this episode, Major writes… “Occasionally, I try to follow the series of decisions that led me to this present, however triumphant or painful. My life wavers between fate and destiny. But then again, poetry brings me to the belief that some mysterious force is at work, below, that unveils a spiritually deeper meaning to it all.”

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Major. The team is taking some time to slow down as we ramp up for back to school,
0:08.0	whether we're students, teachers, parents, or just, you know know students of life.
0:15.0	In the meantime we're featuring some favorite episodes from this season so far.
0:20.0	We'll be back with new episodes Monday, September 16th.
0:25.0	I'm Major Jackson and this is the slowdown. I stood before an applauding audience.
0:45.0	After just finishing a reading in Mystic Connecticut,
0:52.0	I thought, how is this my life?
0:56.0	One in which a quest for language is a welcome source of communal joy and discovery.
1:04.0	Even here, on this podcast, I get to share with you
1:08.8	poems written by poets that hopefully
1:12.3	you experience as moving and even as a necessary part of your day.
1:18.1	What a life!
1:20.3	Over the years, because of this art, I have made friends and students who are like family,
1:28.0	and readers who challenge me to do more than Dilly Dally,
1:32.0	who seek a spiritual purpose to words and how we use them.
1:39.5	Recently, I sat with my son Langston on my roof as a sunset on the horizon bewitched the hills off in the distance.
1:49.0	I had a similar feeling. I fell in love with writing and reading poetry just as he entered the world.
1:57.8	He and I have journeyed together and alone.
2:02.4	It wasn't easy for us at times. I am lucky and proud of him and me. We've
2:10.6	overcome personal challenges that have in its wake placed us in greater tune with each other.
2:19.0	Looking on my past, I think to myself, what if?
2:25.2	What if I had made different decisions?
	...

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