I am starting up my blog again. Jenna has a tumblr. Carolyn asked about it tonight. And it just seems like a good venue for some of my ridiculous summertime photos.
Tonight I am going to blog about Whoopi Goldberg. Josephine's internet research reveals that her mother encouraged her to change her surname from Johnson to Goldberg because the former was "not Jewish enough to make her a star". The funny thing about this story is that there are many instances in the history of Hollywood of names being changed because they are too Jewish. Come to think of it, is that why Robert Zimmerman changed his name to Bob Dylan? That would be a shame. I think it also had something to do with the fact that he likes Dylan Thomas.
Speaking of which, I am reading a lot of poems for Comp Lit by Paul Celan. Dorothy, his poem Deathfugue is the best poem ever, but I like this Hamburger translation better than the more popular Felstiner. Paul Celan did change his name, but most (all?) of his works are about being Jewish and reconciling his Jewish and Germany identities after the Holocaust. Understanding them is arduous, but feeling them is not.
Ebert tweeted about Steak and Shake tonight, confirming its existence to dubious West Coast teenagers who tweet. This unfortunately does not include Josephine, Jenna, or Carolyn.
More news about Whoopi Goldberg later.
omg i am so into this blog entry.
ReplyDeleteI am very happy to read this BLOG! I've also been loving the tweets. Without you, I would not have known that Kanye went on that tweetfrenzy.
ReplyDeleteI don't know about tumblr that much.
So happy your blogging again.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have guessed the poem, but can see why you've chosen it. I find his poetry difficult, but the underlying feelings are always there. I think it makes a difference, for me, that I know after all he went through to sustain his life, he killed himself at the age of 50. "...play that death thing more sweetly." I read into his works.
Of course, he did change his name, but the reasons make sense, and he chose a bit of an anagram.
I am into a much lighter poet right now. Phillip Levine. Do you know him?
Oh crap! It's "you're" not "your." Sorry.
ReplyDeleteD- Generally speaking, I get turned off by poetry this intense. And I find his work VERY difficult- I considered dropping the class! But something about this one struck me. I don't know about Phillip Levine, but I will certainly be looking him up today.
ReplyDeleteKC- I don't know why the entire world isn't on twitter. For one thing, Kanye apologizes to Taylor Swift on it. And who needs another thing?
Using Celan's poetry in a class, or actually teaching it, reminds me of Billy Collins' poem,Introduction to Poetry. Only this time, it's the profs, not the students who want it beaten to death.
ReplyDeleteIntroduction To Poetry
I ask them to take a poem
and hold it up to the light
like a color slide
or press an ear against its hive.
I say drop a mouse into a poem
and watch him probe his way out,
or walk inside the poem's room
and feel the walls for a light switch.
I want them to waterski
across the surface of a poem
waving at the author's name on the shore.
But all they want to do
is tie the poem to a chair with rope
and torture a confession out of it.
They begin beating it with a hose
to find out what it really means.
I love this one! I do feel like this when I read Celan, especially since there are so many hidden clues and references. But I like the sound a rhythm a whole lot, and that opens it up a bit.
ReplyDeleteWas Whoopi's first name always Whoopi? Get Josephine to do a little research on that please.
ReplyDeleteps welcome back.
Caryn Elaine Johnson.
ReplyDelete