Memes, poetry, global culture. It seems the memes have finally caught up with me. The bingo card, 30 days of music, your Covid alcoholic name. A byproduct of boredom to be sure, to occupy time, make a connection with friends, and feel productive in some fashion. They are the engine of the internet, feeding our narcissism - but now they have an an even more existential imperative. As people are isolated from one another these are low risk calls to be acknowledged, to be defined in some humorous fashion - and more importantly to not be forgotten.
Tonight Lisa and I dropped in on the Red Hen Poetry Hour - a Facebook live event sponsored by the Broad Stage and hosted by Sandra Tsing Loh. It was the first virtual event we’ve attended. And while we endured the usual WiFi glitches that these things bring with them, it was nice to have an hour of poetry between the usual distractions. I actually love how poetry constructed our of language also finds ways to transcend language - poetry is always seems to be spoken in a way that makes it song, the vowels extended, the rhythm of speak, the unexpected pauses that invite your thoughts to fill the empty spaces. Anyway while watching with one phone patched into the TV another phone was scanning amazon to pick up a new volume or two to hopefully share with friends when we’re allowed to travel together again.
I also indulged in some virtual traveling when invited to join a Facebook group called view from your window (thank you Christine) which calls on people around the world to post a picture looking out of a window from where they are currently quarantined. Again I’m struck by the universality of this experience looking out of windows in Belgium, France, or South Africa. We are all confined and yet the world is out there being watched by billions of eyes behind window panes - this experience we share with the world (hit me up if you’d like a invite to the group). Anyway - up too late tonight, not that time has any meaning anymore but find myself, thoughtful, curious, and engaged which is a welcome change from the last few days - may the continue.
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