Poetry Friday: Children's Poetry Essay
January 05, 2007
The Poetry Foundation features an essay by Jeff Gordinier, an editor at large at Details. Titled "No Nightmares, Please: Why is so much children's poetry filled with sadism and doom?," the piece can be found here, at poetryfoundation.org. It's funny! I like funny.
Plenty of others are participating in Poetry Friday today; Elaine has the roundup at Blue Rose Girls.
o. my. god. thank you for the laugh. that was an enjoyable read. perfect post for Poetry Friday. i wish i'd found it. kudos! i think i'll send it to all my mama-friends.
Posted by: jules | January 05, 2007 at 03:02 PM
Oh look - someone else has remembered it's Friday !
Posted by: Michele | January 05, 2007 at 03:33 PM
Susan,
You're in the Poetry Friday Roundup at Blue Rose Girls.
Posted by: Elaine Magliaro | January 05, 2007 at 04:52 PM
Jules, funny is good, yes? I could so relate to the hating of Dora's map. Let's not even talk about Teletubbies.
Michele, oh, yes, I love Poetry Friday. For some reason, the PF entries bring hits long after they're posted.
Elaine, thank you!
Posted by: Susan | January 05, 2007 at 05:10 PM
Susan, I know I've seen too much children's programming (though we don't have cable -- for a reason! -- and don't do the "Dora" thing) when I develop strong opinions about the "Sesame Street" actors. I actually thought the other day that Alan seems so at ease on the set and he just seems soooo nice and if you lived on Sesame Street, wouldn't you just want to go to him with your problems and what a good actor he is but that Gordon is THE BEST and he's how-old-now? but sure has stood the test of time well but that Bob kinda creeps me out and yadayadayada on and on with the stream-of-consciousness thoughts! Then, I almost slapped myself to and thought, hmmmm...I really need to get out more.
Seriously, though, it's one of the few shows my daughters watch every day, and I can hear it even if I'm busy in the next room. I kinda can't help the opinions.
Even though we don't frequent "Dora," I have seen it maybe once and still thought this author's comments on Dora in this essay were funny. Thanks again for the read.
Posted by: jules | January 05, 2007 at 09:57 PM
Jules, love the Sesame Street analysis.I used to do that with Caillou, starting with a concern over his lack of hair. I still have an extreme love for Elmo, much greater than my son (now 7) ever had for him.
You are so wise to avoid cable. I am seriously thinking of getting rid of it. Except then I would miss the new Disney movie on double dutch....Dilemmas, dilemmas.
Posted by: Susan | January 06, 2007 at 11:39 AM
Susan -- thanks for posting the link to the article. It was funny, but it also raised excellent points, making it the very best kind of article.
Posted by: Kelly Fineman | January 06, 2007 at 12:08 PM
Susan, you might enjoy this read, then . . .
Posted by: jules | January 06, 2007 at 02:33 PM
Forgot to add credit where credit is due: I think I got that article, if memory serves me correctly, from a previous Big A little a post.
Posted by: jules | January 06, 2007 at 03:07 PM
That's funny, Jules. Thanks. The guy's observations are so true. I find the Doodle Bops rather strange too, sort of frenetic Teletubbies, although clearly their cultural origins also lie in the Blue Man Group. Wait, I feel a thesis coming on.
Posted by: Susan | January 06, 2007 at 07:53 PM
Susan, thanks for this post. It was a great piece.
Posted by: Nancy | January 06, 2007 at 09:38 PM
You're welcome, Nancy. My first thought when I read the piece was This Guy Should Have a Blog!
Posted by: Susan Thomsen | January 06, 2007 at 09:52 PM