When I was a kid, I thought great poetry had to rhyme. Poetry without rhyme was not poetry. It was filth, and I wanted nothing to do with it.
I wrote tons of poetry. I was certain I was going to grow up to be a writer. Here is an example of some of my best work:
The little man, the little man
Oh where, oh where is the little man?
Is he in the pan or on the stand?
Oh where, oh where is the little man?
This was, of course, accompanied by a ridiculous drawing (a cross between a leprechaun and a gnome). My biggest influences in terms of poetry were Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss and an obscure book called "Poems of a. Nonny Mouse." I loved the rhyme, rhythm and cleverness.
This isn't to say I didn't try to dabble in non-rhyming poetry. I wrote a notebook full of angst-ridden, non-rhyming works in high school (yikes). As an English Literature major in college, learning the art of literary criticism made the non-rhymers slightly more interesting, but those poems just never moved me in the way a novel or short story would. After that, I pretty much quit, and lost all interest in the majority of poetry (non-rhyming).
Today I can't think of any poetry that holds a soft spot in my heart, except for the poems that rhyme.
I know, I know. There's more to poetry than just rhyme and rhythm. Non-rhyming poetry is the majority of poetry out there, and also a gigantic force in the literary community. I would never want to change or challenge that. It deserves its space in literary past and present. However, it's just not for me.
So you can imagine how excited my 7-year-old self was when my stepdad showed me this video about rhyme and rhythm from the seventies children's show "The Electric Company." I watched it over and over (usually accompanied by my little sisters). I showed it to most of my friends. And I, as well as my 7-year-old self, was in heaven.
Tom Lehrer was a genius. He made learning so much fun. And watching a young Morgan Freeman (yep, that's him) participate in a jaunty children's number is pretty epic. Just try to get this number out of your head afterwards. It won't be easy. And that's what great poetry does; it sticks with you.
Have any great language videos YOU'D like to share? Let me know in the comments (and I just might write about them)!
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