This poem is in response to Meghan’s video (attached) based on the poem “The Earth Shakes”
entirely too placid—i’d spend hours trying to catch your gaze. call me asinine, call me puerile, hell, call me down right foolish. i’ve spent days floating, mind wandering. all i can do is day dream.
picture this; it’s summer and we’re at the beach. the sand grains make a home between our toes and the salted air belts through our hair, twisting and turning—-and god, is that fucking yearning, too? the sweetness of the sea kisses us when we enter it. how does it feel? never mind, the answer is written on your face.
what do you think of when you hear the word ‘peaceful?’
my mum always answers with the same thing; the sound of birds chirping in the early morning. my dad says a thunderstorm on a particularly miserable day.
you told me it was the cabin your family owns; tucked away in a tiny corner of the woods. the lights don’t work and it’s always splintered with a chill in the air. you told me it’s the one place you don’t feel lonely, and i think i understand that feeling.
me, though? i think of you.
you are the tranquil waters on a small lake—the first drops of rain from the overcast sky.
i’ve never known the embodiment of serene before. i’ve known angry words and fist fights, bloodied noses and bruises.
i’ve known silence—and it was deafening.
it’s not with you.
Your video showed a very confronting contrast to the lives that we have as Australian students and the global issues that (you have depicted?) of America. It was really interesting to see that in a very literal sense of the earth shaking…with anger. To tell us that something so bad is happening on the other side of the world. You’ve used Stanfield’s poem as a platform to base on the political issues. I really commend you for that 🙂
As for your poem. Although it reads more as a narrative, it still depicts a different side of nature; a nature of an individual being. There’s this angry tone in the poem that I’m trying to wrap my head around. What narrative/tone is there implied that I’m not seeing? It’s still a very nice poem, I just happen to be lost. You still did a good job though! :3
Meghan:
I feel as though your video really plays into the line of the poem ‘to remind us’. As is seems as though the character within the film is sitting remembering conflicting memories. Some sweet and gentle while others are angry and whip around.
I feel as though you’ve taken the poem and really explored the possibilities of a narrative story behind its simplicity.
Ambriehl:
I can feel the essence of Meghan’s video coming through in your response. I feel as though you also felt the narrative quality coming through her video and wanted to dive into the story, fleshing out her contradictions of peaceful and angry.
The actual narrative of the response was a little confusing as it seems a bit contradicting but I think i can see what you were aiming for.
Overall, I really liked these works together, good job guys!
I really enjoyed the opening and final sequence of Meghan’s video. The out-of-focus shot was a subtle way to welcome us to the rest. I would’ve loved to see some of the movements slower to contemplate the interactions between the two objects: body and cloth.
It was hard to find direct links in the poem to Meghan’s video, though there is a clear undertone of frustration.
I really like the editing in your video Meghan, your control of the focus, slow mo, layering, and timing with the music is really captivating. I think using the scarf is a really interesting use of props.
Ambriehl that writing is really beautiful, you really captured and expressed the emotion in Meghan’s video and amplified it. I’m not sure what that word is when you can make me feel the things you’re writing about… empathetic writing?… but you did that.