THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2003
COVER STORY
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 9
Adrienne Banks, Stilwell junior, reads her poetry. Banks hosts a poetry show on 90.7 KJHK.
Contributed photo
Poetry
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to 30 or more years ago.
Strong said usually 25 to 30 poets came to read one poem, unless there was time for more during the two-hour reading. Poets sign up before the 9 p.m. show, which ends when the shop closes at 11 p.m.
"Most people are trying to express their feelings about society and themselves," Strong said. "They are trying to individualize and identify themselves."
The Women's Group
Medusa, the all-women's poetry critique group, started in 1997 in Lawrence. The group has six members, and its members like it that way.
The group keeps membership in low numbers because of space and time constrictions when critiquing each other's poems at members' houses, said Sarah Ruhlen. Lawrence resident and group member.
To replace leaving group members, new applicants fill out applications that include submitting poetry to the present group members.
When asked why Tyler Alfrey, Topeka senior, submitted his poem to The Kiosk Art & Literary Magazine in the Fall 2002 semester, he said it was just time.
"They also have to fill out a questionnaire that basically asks if they are a woman and if they live in Lawrence," Ruhlen said.
The women meet weekly at one another's houses and read once a month at Aimee's Coffee House.
The group also has a Web site, www.medusa.sunflower.com, which showcases poetry from each member.
"I asked myself 'Why do I keep all this poetry to myself?'" he said in regard to the KU student publication. "Art is about getting it out there."
The Personal Poet
Alfrey started writing poetry in high school to vent his frustrations of being a
Jared Soares/Kansan
Jeremy Moore, Lawrence resident, recites a poem inspired by relationships at La Tasca's Open Mic Night on Feb. 25. Moore recently moved from Chicago, Ill, and wants to find other places to recite his poetry.
teenager, he said. He didn't tell his friends because he wasn't sure how they would respond. Alfrey continues to write poetry for self-expression.
Although he took a poetry writing class here at the University of Kansas, Alfrey said the structure of the class didn't capture the feeling of poetry writing.
"I thought it was weird," he said. "You have to sit in a classroom and write poetry. I just don't think that is how you write poetry."
"CUT TO OPEN CAREFULLY"
A box of contents
merchandising
importing
cargo sprayed w/ insecticide
The freight handler worries about a quota
not thinking -- just gotta keep doing
slides the blade forward,
not reading
Metal box knife cuts to open carefully
black all-capped letters on box read:
CUT TO OPEN CAREFULLY
---- Tyler Alfrey
"SCREW THAT NOISE"
The yellow rye is not a french fry, but what is,
potato skins?
I don't think so.
I wonder...
Has semantics died? Is it dead?
Cut off my ears. I don't want to hear what goes
on in life anymore.
Tyler Alfrey
"I think it is important to hear poetry but not read it off the page," he said. "I'm not into competitive poetry. They are ripping each other's work apart. That's not my idea of poetry."
poetry to readings, either.
- Edited by Lindsay Hanson and Amber * Byarlay