[encore] 904: The Statues and Us

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

American Public Media

Arts, Performing Arts

4.8 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 2 October 2023

⏱️ 7 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today’s poem is The Statues and Us by Yannis Ritsos, translated by Martin McKinsey. This episode was originally released on June 21, 2023.

The Slowdown is your daily poetry ritual. In this episode, Major writes… “My life is a constant stream of deadlines, such that I am forever trying to fit in what I love most — writing poetry. When I worked in the corporate finance office of a popular clothing retail store , I worked a regular 9-5. Back then, my life was more structured, and poetry bookended my days. I arose in the dark of morning and scribbled opening lines that would unfold into a larger piece. Light spread across the sky and only birdsong could be heard. I miss those days. When did writing poetry become something that I “fit in”? Trust me; I find meaning in all of my activities, work-related or domestic. But only one satiates this ongoing spirit of becoming, which is what creating is about. In that solitude, with each poem I wrote, I saw myself more clearly. ”

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, it's Micah, we're taking a break this week, so we're running some of our favorite
0:04.9	episodes from this season so far.
0:07.0	We'll be back on October 9th with new episodes.
0:10.2	I'm Major Jackson and this is The Slowdown.
0:31.2	I do not keep a diary of daily activities, but if I did, yesterday would have looked
0:37.6	something like this.
0:40.2	9 a.m. morning by Gryde with Anthony, 930 coffee with colleague Nancy to discuss MFA
0:49.2	program, 1030, wrote Slowdown episodes, 12 p.m. met with arborist about the dying tree
0:58.2	out front, 1 p.m. zoomed with a graduate student, 1 30, 8 quick snack before piano
1:06.8	lesson, 2 p.m. piano lesson, 3 p.m. answered work emails, 4 p.m. dropped off dry cleaning
1:17.9	and shop for dinner, 5 p.m. attended board finance meeting, 6 p.m. prepared dinner, 7 p.m.
1:29.6	read a bunch of literary journals, 8 30 p.m. wrote Slowdown episode.
1:37.7	My life is a constant stream of deadlines such that I am forever trying to fit in what
1:42.5	I love most, writing poetry.
1:46.2	When I worked in the corporate finance office of a popular clothing retail store, I worked
1:51.6	a regular 9 to 5.
1:54.2	Back then, my life was more structured and poetry book ended my days.
2:00.0	I arose in the dark of morning and scribbled opening lines that would unfold into a larger
2:05.8	piece.
2:07.5	Light spread across the sky and only bird song could be heard.
2:12.0	I wrote on yellow line pads or in one of those precious leather-bound journals purchased
2:17.8	ceremonially from Barnes & Noble that I never filled.
	...

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