A Poem For An Ending

The end of my second year at university is approaching (along with the looming dread of receiving exam results), and I thought this William Carlos Williams poem (which I read here) is apt for the occasion. The poem focuses on an issue many students have to deal with during their time at uni - the communal kitchen and the super awkward food theft situation. Whilst I've never had to deal with a kitchen thief (tips to my house mates), I have had to deal with some sticky situations when living with strangers in the past. 

I was tickled by the passive aggressive tone of 'In The Dorm's Communal Kitchen' ('hope you enjoyed them I guess') and the note-on-the-fridge-door format. Needless to say, hope they paid him back for the plums!

This is just to say
to whoever ate the plums
in the icebox
you could have just asked me if you could have one
my name was on the box
and i don’t have a meal plan
that was literally all i had to eat for the weekend and I was saving them for breakfast
so i hope you enjoyed them i guess
next time just ask

and honestly i would really
appreciate it if
you would apologize
like
so much depends upon an apology
slipped under a dorm room door
after lights out

This is just to say
that like im not MAD per se
i just wish that people would be honest
i wish people would be honest when they took my food
be responsible for yourself

This is just to say
i think its really WEIRD
that whoever took my plums
(and honestly I would have said yes if you had ASKED ME)
isnt coming forward?

Deny yourself all
half things. Have it
or leave it.
But it will keep—or
it is not worth
the having.
Never start
anything you can’t
finish—please dont TAKE A BITE
OUT OF MY PLUMS
AND THEN PUT THEM BACK IN THE FRIDGE
I HONESTLY FEEL LIKE THIS IS GETTING PERSONAL
WE’RE IN COLLEGE
LETS BE ADULTS PLEASE
I REALLY DONT WANT TO HAVE TO TALK TO KELSEY ABOUT THIS
BUT I WILL

okay and now we’re graduating to my ice cream
i can’t forgive this
it was so sweet
and so cold
the ice cream that had my name on it
real cool guys
honestly that ice cream was like six dollars
that’s really messed up

Choc Lit: A selection of chocolate-themed reads for Easter

Easter, for me, is about chocolate (Lie - everyday is about chocolate isn't it?). Anyway, Easter Day is a remarkable day when I am presented with a range of chocolatey treats by family members which I must stare at, drool for, and dutifully decide what time it is appropriate to guiltily crack open the first egg (11am approx. by my standards). Chocolate is also linked to books - there are the book awards sponsored by Galaxy, and even a publisher I found online aiming to find books only suitable to be read with a side helping of chocolate treats (I know, genius marketing ploy, isn't it?)

Anywho, I thought I would write a (long-overdue) blog post especially for Easter about pieces of literature which fixate on chocolate almost as much as I do everyday.

Chocolat by Joanne Harris 

Let's start with the obvious - this 1999 novel is about Vianne Rocher, a woman who opens a chocolate shop in a grumpy French village. It seems a poignant choice for Easter reading too - as much of the plot's tension comes from the village Church's disapproval of the indulgence represented by the chocolate sold by Rocher during Lent.

Admittedly, I haven't actually read this novel although I thought it was a bit too obvious to leave out of the selection in this post. I have, however, watched the film version in the hope of seeing Johnny Depp - only to be very disappointed because he only turns up as a sort of folk-hero chocolate bandit towards the end.




Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl 

And how could I have forgotten this wonderful book? Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is one of my favourite children's books, along side the rest of Dahl's work. If you don't know the plot (how could you NOT?), it follows a young poor boy called Charlie who received a Golden Ticket to go to the elusive and exclusive Wonka Factory. Did anyone else feel extremely jealous when Augustus Gloop fell in that chocolate river? Nope? Just me then?

It's a tale that has been made into a feature film twice - the eccentric factory-owner Willy Wonka first played by Gene Wilder in 1971 and then Johnny Depp in 2005 (I am starting to develop a conspiracy theory that Depp likes to make films about cocoa treats...or is that just me?).











'Chocs' by Carol Ann Duffy

Let's not forget poetry either - I have found this great little poem by Duffy which describes the experience of tucking into a box of Terry's Moonlight - the excitement of the 'electrifying rustle' of wrappers, the 'dark and glamorous scent' of chocolate, the 'chomp[ing]' and gorg[ing] until disappointingly finding only the horrid Coffee Cream left. We all have those one in a chocolate box that we hate, after all.



'Harlem Sweeties' by Langston Hughes

This poem by Langston Hughes may initially seem like an account of a sweet shop in  Harlem, but you soon realise Hughes is writing about his admiration for women in the neighbourhood. Sweet treats, like chocolate, become representative of women of Hughes' admiration - it's a colourful and fast-paced poem (albeit, a little misogynistic). You can read it here.

AM: Alex Turner's lyrical mastery

I often groan when I hear songs on the radio with terrible, terrible lyrics. I slap my forehead dramatically when I hear Pitbull rhyming 'Kodak' with 'Kodak'. I furrow my eyebrows when Robin Thicke asks 'What rhymes with hug me?' (I hope he means Bill Crosby or rugby but somehow I doubt that). So, I am thrilled that the Arctic Monkeys are back with their new album AM because this means I can appreciate Alex Turner's lyrical genius once again.

Turner is notorious for his clever and witty songwriting skills. The fast pace lyrics in 'I bet you look good on the dance floor' recreate the tense and loud atmosphere of a nightclub. In 'Fluorescent Adolescent', the memorable opening lines ('You used to get it in your fishnets...') immediately draws you into the story Turner invented about a woman dealing with aging. The new album, which has debuted at number 1 in the UK, does not disappoint on the lyrical front. 'Why'd you only call me when you're high?' is the sarcastic third single depicting the aftermath of a night out and seeking the attention of an ex. The songwriter has spoken to the NME about the lyrical patterns in 'R U Mine?' being inspired by rappers like Lil Wayne and Drake. You cannot deny that Turner is a creative lyricist and enjoys experimenting with new patterns to portray a story in Arctic Monkey songs. 

Some people have asked if we can consider Alex Turner as a poet. A few years ago The Guardian brought out a supplement series called 'Great Lyricists of the 20th Century'. Alex Turner was one of the musicians honoured and I took the supplement on a car journey. I devoured the lyrics in this supplement, I loved finding the images within them and genuinely enjoyed the verses on page, so I agree with 'some people' to an extent. Turner certainly seems to promote poetry by putting John Cooper Clarke's 'I Wanna Be Yours' to music in AM. Turner is a musician who holds language and storytelling as a priority in his music, and I believe more popular artists should do the same. 

Ever had second thoughts?

If you're a perfectionist, you might just have something in common with one of your favourite authors. Back in May, some of the bestselling current authors ( such as J.K. Rowling, Margaret Atwood, Seamus Heaney - to name but a few) were encouraged to annotate first editions of their most notable or popular novels which would then be auctioned in order to raise funds for English PEN.

The Guardian's gallery of images of the handwritten notes makes for interesting viewing. Some authors have used the opportunity to reveal how their own personal memories feed into their writing. Hilary Mantel, for instance, describes her sensory experiences in the following handwritten anecdote in an early edition of Wolf Hall: 

Here, Mantel writes that she got the inspiration to write about 'the smell of cedar and spices, sombre, distant, desert-dry' from exploring medieval churches in Norwich, 'There is or used to be an ecclesiastical museum in one of Norwich's many medieval churches, & many years ago I sneakily lifted the lid of a chest & inhaled this unforgettable perfume. Richer than I could ever have imagined'

When annotating a first edition of The Remains of the Day (one of the best novels I've read over the last few years, and it was only when I was sat in a classroom analysing it did I really begin to appreciate its message), Kazuo Ishiguro gives the reader insight into the choice of setting part of it Salisbury. The place is apparently special to the author because of a long bike ride he went on at the age of 15.

Ishiguro writes, '...Salisbury has always held a special magic for me. It made sense it should be Steven's first stop too'.

Also, take a looks at Ishiguro's fantastic illustrations!

Nonetheless, some of the writers have used this opportunity to express their regrets and second thoughts about their work. Yann Martel seems to have a bit of a 'WHY did I write that moment?!' when he reads over the Author's Note section of Life of Pi - 'Never liked this first line'

Seamus Heaney, too, reveals a temptation to revise a popular poem:

So, it would seem that even some of the most successful writers have tempting desires to perfect their work even years after it has been published and reached notability. Maybe every writer has a perfectionist side to them?

Want to see more? Follow the link to the Guardian website above.