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Volume 70, Issue 93,
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Life & Arts Voices lifted in name of 'Love and Honors' Honors College Valentine's Day reading
is one of the most successful
By Donica' Beckett
The Honors College Commons in the M.D. Anderson Library was a perfect setting for the sophisticated words that effortlessly poured from eight readers as they shared original "words of art" and other poetry and prose favorites during "Love and Honors." This was the third year for the reading, which consists of original poetry and short prose by faculty, students and alumni of The Honors College as a part of the M.D. Anderson Library "Prose and Poetry" reading series. Despite competing with Valentine's Day interests, "Love and Honors" is deemed the most popular event in the entire M.D. Anderson Library series. Nonetheless, an eager crowd gathered to hear an array of sweet sounds. "People have long associated love and poetry, and poetry and love. We say that poetry is the language of love. Both love and poetry are rhythmic, demanding and sensual," Bill Monroe, executive associate dean of The Honors College, said as he introduced the readers for the evening.
English senior Michael Lassoff was one of the eight participants Monday night for "Love and Honors," a poetry and prose reading held by The Honors College and M.D. Anderson Library featuring alumni, staff and students in the program. Lassoff ended the night with the only musical performance including his song "Blue Eyes" that he said was about his ex-girlfriend. Readings were diverse and reflected the many aspects of love and its infinite definitions. Sharing an original work of his own titled "Love to Love in Eighteen Months: A Prosaic Cycle," Monroe briefly described the dynamic moods of an 18 month relationship which expressed love and all things in between -- such as worry, fear and anger, emptiness, talking and forgiveness. After his compelling foreword, Honors College alumna Jamie LaLonde-Pinkston read her poem titled "Valentine's Day." The piece highlighted simpler times in our lives, such as when we made handcrafted valentines. Her second poem, a short but sweet ballad dedicated to that special someone, was "A Poem for Jared." "My ideas develop for several weeks, and I wait to write when I am in a more objective state of mind," LaLonde-Pinkston said. Who knew describing a primary color could be so powerful? What emotions come into your heart when you consider the color red? "The color red says that we are alive, even as it reminds us of death. It is the color of blood and sacrifice in deepest and darkest love. Red is the color of lips, hearts and love so deep that we plunge in unknowing, unheeding, unable to fully grasp its depths and dimensions," Honors College alumna Amy Capper-Zimmer read from her selection for the evening. Capper-Zimmer said a painting of shades of red inspired her poem. "Red is a typical Valentine's Day color, but it has a lot going on," Capper-Zimmer stated. Dr. Ted Estess, Honors College Dean, shared an astonishing prose piece derived from a hometown newspaper, near Tylertown, Miss., the McComb Enterprise-Journal. The story described a triangular love affair, which ended abruptly and fatally. According to Estess, the McComb Enterprise-Journal said, "There are three things a man will shoot another man over: money, a woman and a dog." Walter "Jump-n-Jack" Morgan shot Pookie Pitman over Barbara Ann Dixon, whom he said, "I won't lie about it, I was crazy about that woman," in court. Dixon was married, but not to either of the two. She had briefly dated Morgan, but had lately been dating Pitman. "No doubt, (Pitman) was crazy about her too," Estess said as he wrapped up his narrative. Artis Bernard, wife of Honors College English professor John Bernard, exhibited the diversity of love in her original works as she illustrated self-love, love of abstraction, love of landscape, love in time of terror and amateur love. The evening concluded with poetic words set to music by Honors College senior Michael Lassoff. Lassoff is a country singer/songwriter/guitarist who is in the midst of starting his own country band. He shared an original song, titled "Blue Eyes," about his ex-girlfriend, which he describes as compartmentalized because he started the song before their break up. The M.D. Anderson Library's "Prose and Poetry" reading series will continue on March 9 in conjunction with the UH Department of Creative Writing, presenting its winners of the Inprint/Michener Fellowship Award at 6 p.m. in the Honors College Commons. On April 14, M.D. Anderson Library will host open mic night at 6 p.m. in The Honors College Commons as well. All interested students, faculty and staff are encouraged to attend. Send comments to dcshobiz@mail.uh.edu |
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