My Poem: Requests for a Toy Piano

          Requests for a Toy Piano by Tony Hoagland is a poem in which nothing is as it seems. Classic and often romanticized situations are juxtaposed by their darker counters. If the woman in love is wearing a sweet perfume, the author is sure to mention it is made from the destruction of a hundred flowers. In the modern world of affluence and materialism, where society is based upon principles of capitalistic business rather than the rudimentary, concrete basis of moral evolution, the motivations of people are similarly translucent. Infiltrated by corruption and blind ambition, displays of supposed altruism are often projected from individuals eager to reap the psychological rewards of reciprocation. However, just as the rare acts of true character can be convoluted, it would be irrational to speculate that they do not exist. Just as the water rises within the daffodil, these anomalies represent a "flushed conviction" of the goodness within man, even in the face of his garish flaws.
         I connected with the poem because of its accessibility. One does not require prerequisite knowledge of the subject matter, because the events are so current and relevant to modern life. This is a rarity and something of extreme importance in a world where most famous poems address antiquated subject matter. This accessibility made it convenient to draw a relationship with the poem. Its harsh and dark critique of society is one that you feel a connection with at the end of the piece.
          Similarly, I was also lucky enough to distinguish my own morality within the poem. So many of Hoagland's ideals mimic those I have grown up with. As a young person, I find many of his metaphors holding a strong symbolic message for the flaws in our society. These issues are artfully concealed within a beautifully sinister poem of human error.

Fun with Poetry

 Part One

1. Agoraphobia

by Linda Pastan

2. Requests for Toy Piano

by Tony Hoagland

 

3. Clothespins

by Stuart Dybek

 

4. The Tyger

by William Blake

Do Not!

by Stevie Smith

Part Two

1.        Out of the poems above, I most enjoyed Requests for a Toy Piano by Tony Hoagland because of its criticism of the modern societies that are plagued with hypocrisy.

 2.       I enjoyed least Linda Pastan's poem called Agoraphobia, which, while beautiful, failed to instill upon me a greater message other than appreciation for the environment.

3.        I would definitely choose Tony Hoagland's poem because it is relevant to the flaws and fallacies of our society today.

4.        I genuinely believe in the message of Requests for a Toy Piano. It evokes a liberalism which is relevant and poignant in today's society that is based upon fundamental values of hypocrisy. 

Part Three

1.       I believe the criteria in which I will achieve the highest scores will be in Physical Presence and Level of Difficulty. This is derived from my extensive acting experience and fearlessness in accordance to memorization.

2.       The two criteria which will be most difficult for me will be Dramatic Appropriateness and Voice and Articulation. I generally consider poems not as monologues to be performed, but as hidden codes to be deciphered. This could impede my ability to perform the poem dramatically. Furthermore, when I am nervous, I can talk very fast. This could make me unintelligible to the audience.

 3.       Overall I believe I will impose a strong recitation upon my audience through good posture, confidence, evidence of understanding and subtly dramatic projection.

Part Four

Stanley Andrew Jackson

Writ on the Steps of Puerto Rican Harlem
by Gregory Corso 

     Jackson did an incredible job of subtly portraying the tone and mood of his poem through his acting. He eloquence did justice to the poem by presenting it clearly and concisely, maintaining the integrity of the piece.

 

William Farley

Danse Russe
by William Carlos Williams

      Farley demonstrated his clear understanding of the poem's direction through his manipulation of pause, drama and time. By stretching every second of the poem, he had the audience hanging on his every word, relishing every instant of this William Carlos Williams classic.

 

Part Four

       My experiences today on Poetry Out Loud enlightened me with a sense of the expansive choices I have in choosing a poem for this national competition. By not taking the time to truly appreciate the vast resources of the site I failed to understand the complexity of the project, and the many directions that I can take it. Lost upon the academic treadmill, I failed to take advantage of the enormous opportunity I have been presented with. Instead I will choose a poem I haven't studied before (not The Tyger by William Blake as I had originally planned), and so expand my understanding of literature and creative writing.