Episode 40: Contemporary in Context
b'On this week\\u2019s episode of\\xa0Slush Pile, the editors consider three poems by John Blair:\\xa0\\u201cDegrees,\\u201d\\u201cPink Noise,\\u201d\\xa0and\\xa0\\u201cThe Giving Tree.\\u201d\\xa0John Blair has published six books (most recently\\xa0Playful Song Called Beautiful,\\xa0University of Iowa Press, 2016) and several articles on the dangers of oak wilt in the Texas hill country.\\xa0He is a professor\\u2026\\nOn this week\\u2019s episode of\\xa0Slush Pile, the editors consider three poems by John Blair:\\xa0\\u201cDegrees,\\u201d\\u201cPink Noise,\\u201d\\xa0and\\xa0\\u201cThe Giving Tree.\\u201d\\n\\nJohn Blair\\n\\nJohn Blair has published six books (most recently\\xa0Playful Song Called Beautiful,\\xa0University of Iowa Press, 2016) and several articles on the dangers of oak wilt\\xa0in the Texas hill country.\\xa0\\xa0He is a professor in the English Department at Texas State University, where he directs the undergraduate creative writing program.\\nWith three unique poems by John Blair, we find ourselves in a surprising discussion and rather spirited debate on widely varying topics. While at times syntax and structure left us feeling like we were on a slippery slope with \\u201cDegrees,\\u201d at others, we were simply impressed with the intellect that a poem could convey. (You can find the episode of Invisibilia, the source of Jason\\u2019s and Kathy\\u2019s heated debate over perception,\\xa0here.) The same goes for Blair\\u2019s \\u201cPink Noise,\\u201d what we read as an accurate portrayal of the frustrating wakefulness of insomnia and the distractions one might face in the pursuit of a peacefulsleep. (Once again, Kathy tells us how much she loves sleeping with Scooter from the\\xa0Sleep With Me Podcast.) And, perhaps the most different of all, \\u201cThe Giving Tree\\u201d sparked a debate on\\xa0classic\\xa0versus contemporary and the platform for paying homage to the former.\\nTune in for the conversation and the verdicts. And don\\u2019t forget to let us what you think about this episode on Facebook and Twitter using #70Percent!\\n\\xa0\\nPresent at the Editorial Table:\\nKathleen Volk Miller\\nTim Fitts\\nMarion Wrenn\\nSharee DeVose\\nJason Schneiderman\\n\\xa0\\nEngineering Producer:\\nAmber Ferreira\\n-----------------------------\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0\\nDegrees\\nThey say there are just six\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0between any two of\\nanyone for as far\\n\\xa0\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 as random can reach which\\nof course is everywhere\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 sincere to centigrade\\ndolor to doctorate\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 ad to infinitum.\\n\\xa0\\nSo much of how much is\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0who\\u2019s looking. Here\\u2019s a small\\nslice of lightness to lift\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 a wave to touch every\\nother wave wherever\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 there is water to well\\nand cool and slide into\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 green depths where the sunlight\\n\\xa0\\nfades in such slow degrees\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 you have to close your eyes\\nto even know it\\u2019s gone.\\n\\xa0\\nPink Noise\\nIs just white noise with all\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 the higher frequencies\\npolished down like mountains\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0worn to humble or close\\nenough to count sheer as\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 wine-stains purpling the skin\\n\\xa0\\nof your sleepless going\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0on\\u2014it\\u2019s supposed to be\\nsoothing so you listen\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 like you were good-boy told\\nto do in the small wees\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 of waiting for your mind\\n\\xa0\\nto go on without you\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 into dreaming but those\\nlittle bumps are voices\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0and they are breathless with\\nglee and the best you can\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0do is listen and try\\n\\xa0\\nnot to argue about\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 your better self your good\\nintentions all the ways\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0you\\u2019ve managed so many\\nyears to sleep easily\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 and well among the pale\\n\\xa0\\nbeasts of worry who watch\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 and wait neither blood nor\\nsnow but a mist of in-\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 between with teeth ground down\\nto spindles to gnaw your\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 nervy edges into\\n\\xa0\\nstubborn wakefulness like\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0a tree you\\u2019ve climbed to watch\\nthe other kids play blind\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0to what\\u2019s coming what\\u2019s been\\nwhat might in some other\\n\\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 \\xa0 when matter and no one\\n\\xa0\\nnoti'