Oral Presentations
Presentation Type
Presentation
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Sean Hill
Faculty Mentor’s Department
creative writing
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Urban legends and modern folklore have never been popular subjects in the canon of serious poetry, despite their more ancient counterparts being frequently coveted content. In a post-science world, the uncanny hearsay of yesteryear has lost its star power, and the act of believing in such myths has been relegated to an embarrassing pastime of drunk uncles and gullible dimwits. However, Contemporary Mythology is a collection of poems which are not afraid to be embarrassed. By entertaining the lovable qualities of unlovable monsters, these poems seek the resonance which keep urban legends comfortably lodged in the backlogs of American culture.
This project is informed by poems of similar subject, such as Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “Moth-Man,” and Gary Jackson’s Missing You, Metropolis; while additionally considering more traditional myth told in interesting ways, like C.P. Cavafy's “The Horses of Achilles” or Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus.” Not limited to direct subject, ekphrastic and historical poems like Kevin Young’s Basquait series in To Repel Ghosts, and Rita Dove’s “Kentucky 1833” have been hugely influential on the development of tone and approach.
Contemporary Mythology is not a survey of monsters which seeks to gawk at their horrific qualities, rather, it finds authentic empathy for their unfortunate dispositions. Poems primarily feature traditional folklore, like Bigfoot, Mothman, jackalopes, the Loch Ness Monster, and other miscellaneous fabrications. Although, the exploration of the myth extends into less quantitative manifestations, such as Elvis Presley, American Culture, and the preservation of history. Although the subject matter may elicit tomfoolery, Contemporary Mythology is not a laughing matter. This collection is a foxtrot into the unreal, and ultimately contributes a newfound sense of compassion to the readers' hearts, and (hopefully) a few tears to their faces.
Category
Visual and Performing Arts (including Creative Writing)
PDF of progress as of Presentation
Contemporary Mythology: Poems of Creatures and Grievances
UC 332
Urban legends and modern folklore have never been popular subjects in the canon of serious poetry, despite their more ancient counterparts being frequently coveted content. In a post-science world, the uncanny hearsay of yesteryear has lost its star power, and the act of believing in such myths has been relegated to an embarrassing pastime of drunk uncles and gullible dimwits. However, Contemporary Mythology is a collection of poems which are not afraid to be embarrassed. By entertaining the lovable qualities of unlovable monsters, these poems seek the resonance which keep urban legends comfortably lodged in the backlogs of American culture.
This project is informed by poems of similar subject, such as Elizabeth Bishop’s poem “Moth-Man,” and Gary Jackson’s Missing You, Metropolis; while additionally considering more traditional myth told in interesting ways, like C.P. Cavafy's “The Horses of Achilles” or Sylvia Plath’s “Lady Lazarus.” Not limited to direct subject, ekphrastic and historical poems like Kevin Young’s Basquait series in To Repel Ghosts, and Rita Dove’s “Kentucky 1833” have been hugely influential on the development of tone and approach.
Contemporary Mythology is not a survey of monsters which seeks to gawk at their horrific qualities, rather, it finds authentic empathy for their unfortunate dispositions. Poems primarily feature traditional folklore, like Bigfoot, Mothman, jackalopes, the Loch Ness Monster, and other miscellaneous fabrications. Although, the exploration of the myth extends into less quantitative manifestations, such as Elvis Presley, American Culture, and the preservation of history. Although the subject matter may elicit tomfoolery, Contemporary Mythology is not a laughing matter. This collection is a foxtrot into the unreal, and ultimately contributes a newfound sense of compassion to the readers' hearts, and (hopefully) a few tears to their faces.