Poetry and life: Quinn reflects
By JAY COOPER
The room was quiet and the speaker at the podium was giving his "last lecture." Dennis Quinn spoke.
"Eating alone causes the food to be robbed of the flavor. The meal is a communal thing. Poetry too jic communal."
"Poetry is used to celebrate."
And so was the title of Quinn's talk in the SUA Last Lecture series: "Poetry as Celebration."
Quinn said poetry is used on wedding days, birthdays, death days, inaugurations and all public events that have brought people together. These affairs are the end of one era and the beginning of another.
Poetry Commemorates.
Many people complain about memorizing poetry. Quinn said it isn't trivial to memorize.
"Poetry, being in verse form is made to be learned by heart, and in that way kept with you" he said.
Poets are fond of writing of old things, old times and old thoughts. Sometimes they are given modern meanings. "In this way," Quinn said, "Poetry calls back to mind those things which we know, but might have forgotten."
According to Quinn, poetry is commemorative and, for that reason, used in celebration. Recognition is another idea related to commemoration.
People recognize some idea in the poetry and are reminded of another time or another idea.
"Poetry is also for praise, in a celebration someone is praised," says Quinn.
Quinn stressed the point that ultimately poetry confirms the goodness of life.
"Poetry is praise," says Quinn,
"All poets have been lovers of
reality, lovers of what 'is.'"
Quinn holds that poetry of dispraise or satire actually is praise, it makes a sham of all that runs opposed to reality.
Quinn said it rejects liars, hypocrites and deprivation. Their presence is acknowledged but not affirmed. According to the associate professor of English, the presence of something needs affirmation to be accepted.
"Joy comes from the death of something, and the new life," Quinn said.
DENNIS QUINN
In a final point, Quinn turned to poetry as being joyful.
Quinn ended his "last lecture" with a quote from Saint Augustine, "The good life is rejoicing in the truth."
Two get plaques for salesmanship
Two KU students wererecognized by the Amway Corporation, an international direct selling organization, for their outstanding sales achievement record.
John Kartsonis, Hutchinson junior, and Sultana Kartsonis, Fort Worth, Tex., graduate student, were awarded a Personal Sales Award Plaque for their distributorship of the household cleaning and maintenance products by Amway.
Daily Kansas
Thursday, December 1, 1966
Sandi Gresham, Prairie Village senior, will provide some dramatic entertainment during the band break.
The Friday night ball will feature an 18-piece post orchestra from Fort Leavenworth Army Reservation.
The Military Ball is sponsored by Scabbard and Blade a triservice honorary military organization for ROTC juniors and seniors. John Whited, Wichita senior, is the current president.
ROTC Military Ball to be Friday
The annual Military Ball for ROTC cadets and midshipmen will be held at 8 p.m. Friday in the Kansan Union Ballroom.
One of the highlights of the Military Ball will be the crowning of the queen by Chancellor W. Clarke Wescoe. The queen will be selected from a group of six KU coeds.
Candidates for the queen are:
Sue Tyler, Bartlesville, Okla,
junior; Lu Surface, Lawrence
juniur; Marsha Kresge, Salina
juniur; Sherrie Wales, Loring
Air Force Base, Maine, junior; Cilla Eichhorn, Galesburg sophomore, and Susan Litooy, Hutchinson sophomore.
THE QUEEN will be chosen the night of the ball following meetings with each of the candidates. The judges are: James Schubert, mayor of Lawrence; Clark Bricker, professor of chemistry, and Donald K. Alderson, dean of men.
The Master of Ceremonies will be Carl Williams, Wichita senior.
PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT FOR MEN
The following openings exist in our stock and production areas for the balance of the school year:
☆ 4 hrs. each morning Mon.-Fri.
$ \star $ 4 hrs. each afternoon Mon.-Fri.
If your hours will fit one of these schedules, you are invited to visit our Personnel Department for a personal interview, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.Mon.-Fri.,or Sat.morning from 8:30 to 12.
HALLMARK CARDS
Lawrence, Kansas