@@mariewikiwaka3851 Binging it currently! There is nearly nothing in the world that makes me laugh so much as the cold opening of Stress Relief, when Dwight pretends the office is on fire.
This poem is astounding. Incredible. "Everything is punished with the absence of you" Not being able to see my boyfriend during this weird situation the world is in right now, I had to pause the video because that line resonated with me so much. So beautifully and elegantly and painfully written. And Rainn reads it so perfectly. I love it. Now I need to read more of Li-Young Lee's poetry.
"If I feel the night move to disclosures or crescendos, it's only because I'm famished for meaning, the night merely dissolves." I can't get past that. Being laid off and required to stay at home all day every day, watching my relationship deteriorate and end, I've spent many nights alone on my porch, in an attitude of prayer. Famished for meaning is exactly where I find myself. Thank you all for helping this series to exist
I really, really love this. I love how it describes decadent, violent cityscapes where "human figures huddle, each aspiring to its own ghosts". I love how it insists that their stories will forever be a mystery to us ("they are not me forever") but also hints at a universal human experience (longing, searching, dying). I love how it describes the sunrise ("the sea hauls the sun on its back, strikes the land, which rebukes it"). And I love how it ends on a hopeful note ("And I never believed that the multitude of dreams and many words were vain").
Have you read this poem in the actual book? I have to for an English class, but I couldn't get it, so I'm reading it on Google Books. Because I feel Google very well might skip some pages, I was wondering if you could tell me how many pages and ✌🏻"chapters"✌🏻 are in the book version.
That cascading passage of all the people he is not, falling into that scene of quiet night and intense longing: UUUGGGHHHHHH! It's far too much. Thank you. Also, I resonate deeply with the guy bearing a hole in his forehead. Not sure what that means :)
omg♥ Im in loveeeeeeeeee, Im in love with Rainn, I always thought ( since I saw him ) he has such a greatest voice, and I think his soul is so special, Here I confirmed, the biggest pleasure, his voice, a poem, and love involved. thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a little worried about what I was getting into when I saw how long the video is, but WOW was that worth the full listen! Such an incredible poem and the reading totally kept my attention.
"Is prayer, then, the proper attitude for the mind that longs to be freely blown but which gets snagged on the barb called world, that toothache, the actual? What prayer would I build? And to whom?" Somehow I'm constantly asking myself this, even before I had the words.
I've been trying for a while now to find out more about the background or setting of this poem, anyone have any luck? I mean when he made a reference to swastikas I wondered, but don't want to assume it is more than metaphor
Well, in the hood, the synagogues are smeared with graffiti, in the form of swastika's. Not uncommon in those slummed violent cities in The Land of the free, we call America.
Yeah this is the first one here that really upset and bothered me. I don't want to start anything but I guess I am... The idea of a swastika on a synagogue being used as an image in a love poem makes me feel viscerally ill. I'm not saying you shouldn't write it or read it or like it or post it. I'm just expressing my reaction to the poem and it really really bothered me and I just hope people read this and consider if this was the most loving thing or not
That imagery is not meant to be loving. The imagery is meant to be juxtaposed with the deep visceral longing that the author feels, for effect. The city is hatred, hypocrisy, torment and suffering. Love, lust and life keep crawling forward in spite of the hell they're in.
@@Dyrnwyn That's a great expanation. The fact that the poem elicits such strong feeling by using that image is the very thing it's trying to do with that line.
Evan E's response echoes mine, but I'll say more anyway: For what it's worth, I have had my synagogues and nieces' preschools and neighbors' bookstores "swastikaed" in the cities where I have lived, and I have loved and been loved in those cities anyway. That is what that line means to me. I think it is worth discussing, though, because that was also a line I had a visceral reaction to. Thank you for bringing it up.
In both Buddhism and Hinduism the Swastika stands for "well being" or "peace." Perhaps thinking about it from that perspective (despite this not being what the poet intends) might help alleviate some of the feelings of visceral illness you talk about.
This channel has been such a big source of comfort during these times.
Nikko Tan I agree. I’m so glad I found this channel.
Thank you, this means a lot to us!
Rainn Wilson was a pleasant surprise to see here. I’ve been binging The Office during quarantine.
Favorite episode?
Oh that’s impossible, but Season 9 Episode 3 when Jim hires an Asian actor to pretend to be him to prank Dwight is pretty wonderful.
@@mariewikiwaka3851 Binging it currently! There is nearly nothing in the world that makes me laugh so much as the cold opening of Stress Relief, when Dwight pretends the office is on fire.
This poem is astounding. Incredible. "Everything is punished with the absence of you" Not being able to see my boyfriend during this weird situation the world is in right now, I had to pause the video because that line resonated with me so much. So beautifully and elegantly and painfully written. And Rainn reads it so perfectly. I love it. Now I need to read more of Li-Young Lee's poetry.
Send the poem to your boyfriend, I bet he would appreciate knowing that you're feeling this right now. -Paige
_Everything is punished by the absence of you._ weirdly speaks to me on some deeper level
"If I feel the night move to disclosures or crescendos,
it's only because I'm famished
for meaning, the night
merely dissolves."
I can't get past that. Being laid off and required to stay at home all day every day, watching my relationship deteriorate and end, I've spent many nights alone on my porch, in an attitude of prayer. Famished for meaning is exactly where I find myself. Thank you all for helping this series to exist
Holy imagery. This poem was incredible
"Threshed to excellence, I'll achieve you." Wow.
That shit was 🔥🔥
I really, really love this. I love how it describes decadent, violent cityscapes where "human figures huddle, each aspiring to its own ghosts". I love how it insists that their stories will forever be a mystery to us ("they are not me forever") but also hints at a universal human experience (longing, searching, dying). I love how it describes the sunrise ("the sea hauls the sun on its back, strikes the land, which rebukes it"). And I love how it ends on a hopeful note ("And I never believed that the multitude of dreams and many words were vain").
Li-Young Lee is such a master and, not surprising, Rainn reads this so well. Thank you!
This poem is absolutely amazing. How can anybody write something as beautiful as that? I’m speechless.
Have you read this poem in the actual book? I have to for an English class, but I couldn't get it, so I'm reading it on Google Books. Because I feel Google very well might skip some pages, I was wondering if you could tell me how many pages and ✌🏻"chapters"✌🏻 are in the book version.
Such an amazing poem. And so beautifully read. His voice gave me goosebumps.
That cascading passage of all the people he is not, falling into that scene of quiet night and intense longing:
UUUGGGHHHHHH!
It's far too much. Thank you.
Also, I resonate deeply with the guy bearing a hole in his forehead. Not sure what that means :)
Read so well
I love how the author intertwines David's words (Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes -multitude of words) throughout this poem
This reading, along with the poem itself, gave me goosebumps. So beautiful.
omg♥ Im in loveeeeeeeeee, Im in love with Rainn, I always thought ( since I saw him ) he has such a greatest voice, and I think his soul is so special, Here I confirmed, the biggest pleasure, his voice, a poem, and love involved. thanks a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a little worried about what I was getting into when I saw how long the video is, but WOW was that worth the full listen! Such an incredible poem and the reading totally kept my attention.
One of my favorites how did I just find this.
I really wasn't ready for this
Wasn't expecting this in my notifs today haha
Suprise!
@@ourspoetica thank you for providing levity and poetry during AP season! I'm dying but at least I have Dwight reading me a love/lust Poem :))
Wow! I’m speechless
Great reading of one of my favorite poems
"Is prayer, then, the proper attitude for the mind that longs to be freely blown but which gets snagged on the barb called world, that toothache, the actual? What prayer would I build? And to whom?"
Somehow I'm constantly asking myself this, even before I had the words.
this is badass
This is the best
I've been trying for a while now to find out more about the background or setting of this poem, anyone have any luck? I mean when he made a reference to swastikas I wondered, but don't want to assume it is more than metaphor
Li-Young Lee was born in China but grew up and wrote this poem in Chicago.
Well, in the hood, the synagogues are smeared with graffiti, in the form of swastika's. Not uncommon in those slummed violent cities in The Land of the free, we call America.
I know it's imagery but all I could think was this person really needs to move to a nicer city.
nice reading, Dwight!
Yeah this is the first one here that really upset and bothered me. I don't want to start anything but I guess I am... The idea of a swastika on a synagogue being used as an image in a love poem makes me feel viscerally ill. I'm not saying you shouldn't write it or read it or like it or post it. I'm just expressing my reaction to the poem and it really really bothered me and I just hope people read this and consider if this was the most loving thing or not
That imagery is not meant to be loving. The imagery is meant to be juxtaposed with the deep visceral longing that the author feels, for effect. The city is hatred, hypocrisy, torment and suffering. Love, lust and life keep crawling forward in spite of the hell they're in.
@@Dyrnwyn That's a great expanation. The fact that the poem elicits such strong feeling by using that image is the very thing it's trying to do with that line.
Thank you for expressing yourself, you are valid.
Evan E's response echoes mine, but I'll say more anyway: For what it's worth, I have had my synagogues and nieces' preschools and neighbors' bookstores "swastikaed" in the cities where I have lived, and I have loved and been loved in those cities anyway. That is what that line means to me.
I think it is worth discussing, though, because that was also a line I had a visceral reaction to. Thank you for bringing it up.
In both Buddhism and Hinduism the Swastika stands for "well being" or "peace." Perhaps thinking about it from that perspective (despite this not being what the poet intends) might help alleviate some of the feelings of visceral illness you talk about.
I listen but all I can hear is "Today smoking is gonna save lives" 😭 please