Thursday, May 17, 2007

Of Hamstrings and Nonuniform Couplet Metrics

"If I see a fire, then I pull a fire alarm.
But if I see a girl I like, then I pull her by the arm

And start throwing that game like a pitcher.

But if the attitude is rude, I switch her

For another, because I'm the type of brother

Or else take her home and rap to her mother.

Girls with attitude, yo, don't even say that--

Forget about it, homie, because Griffey don't play that.

--George Kenneth Griffey, Jr., "Listen to the Way I Swing."

Just an excerpt, but so telling, so deeply moving and poweful. Rather than delve into the innovative and surprisingly suble forced irregular couplet scheme employed, it's probably more urgent to discuss the vividly described socio-historical place this piece of literature occupies. This is a meta document, and close reading shows how it not only is informed by pre-post-feminist/Marxist/queer lit and the muscularist prose/New Journalism/Gonzo movement, but also how it in turn informs upon urban protest poetry and certainly the "Sensation" generatio of YBA (Young British Artists) set to emerge on the main media and commercial stage almost immediately following the release of this seminal single.

Thank you, Ken, thank you.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Jeff Smulyan is an asshole!

Chi-Wei Hu said...

Amen, brother, amen.

Unknown said...

Who asked you, Chi? Smulyan can suck my black dick. You hear me, Smulyan? I'm a get you.

Chi-Wei Hu said...

Cup of coffee Kerry Woodson celebrating his 42nd birthday today.

And muthafuckin' Erik Hanson. That's my dog. Thanks for everything Erik.

Chi-Wei Hu said...

This blog has turned really ugly, really quickly. I just wish people like Carlester would calm down and enjoy the fine postings for what they are. Can't we all just get along, as they say?

Happy birthday today Chris Widger.

Yesterday:
Wilson Valdez