Yes, yes I know it’s not that type of proposal. This may not be allowed but I’ve narrowed it down to two poems: Manatee/Humanity by Anne Waldman and Into Such Assembly by Myung-Mi Kim. I’ll split this entry into two parts, each about one of the two poems.
Manatee/Humanity: What drew me to this poem was actually a documentary that I watched over spring break, The Cove. The Cove is about the inhumane slaughter of thousands of dolphins in Taiji, Japan. The haunting images are still running through my mind and Anne Waldman’s poem really struck a chord in me. For this digital essay I would splice together images of how manatees and humans are similar (i.e. interaction between parents and offspring), images of human slaughter of these animals, images of people who are trying to save these creatures, etc. etc. The message I want to convey is that if we continue to believe that our species is superior, we will continue to destroy the lives of countless animals.
Into Such Assembly: I was excited when I found Myung-Mi Kim for two reasons: she’s the first female Korean poet I’ve ever read and we have the same last name (I know I know.. “Kim” isn’t exactly that unique, but still.)! Her poem is about trying to hold on to one’s culture while being almost forced to accept a brand new one. It also reminded me of Li-Young Lee’s poem Persimmons which is also about a clash of cultures and trying to find some balance between who you are and where you live. For this poem I would film clips/take photos in areas where it is obvious who the majority is (i.e. “Chinatown” or “Koreatown” in Flushing), find images of American icons, etc. etc. For this video I want to show how American pride can coexist with love for one’s country of origin.
I know I need to make a decision pronto. Hopefully you guys are on a more sure path than I am…
