1302: One Shies at the Prospect of Raising Yet Another Defense of Cannibalism by Josh Bell

Summary

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

Episode: 1302: One Shies at the Prospect of Raising Yet Another Defense of Cannibalism by Josh Bell
Release Date: February 25, 2025
Host: Major Jackson
Produced by: American Public Media in partnership with The Poetry Foundation

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Introduction

In Episode 1302 of The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily, host Major Jackson delves into the intricate relationship between cinema and poetry, using the poignant themes of The Color Purple as a backdrop to explore emotional resonance in art. The episode weaves personal anecdotes with analytical insights, culminating in a thoughtful reflection on Josh Bell's poem, "One Shies at the Prospect of Raising Yet Another Defense of Cannibalism."

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Exploring The Color Purple

Timestamp: [00:25]

Major Jackson begins by recounting his personal experience watching The Color Purple, a film adaptation that left a lasting emotional impact on him and his brother. He describes the intimate setting of the theater and the film's profound themes of forgiveness and redemption.

“The Color Purple is a story about forgiveness and redemption. As someone who witnessed domestic violence, the movie was consoling and empowering.”
— Major Jackson [00:45]

Jackson highlights a memorable scene where Shug Avery, a free-spirited character, leads a joyous procession back to her father's church, symbolizing reconciliation and healing. He emphasizes the communal experience of watching such a deeply emotional film, noting the shared human response of empathy and tears in the theater.

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The Intersection of Movies and Poetry

Timestamp: [01:15]

Transitioning from cinema to poetry, Jackson draws parallels between the two art forms, suggesting that both serve as vehicles for emotional and intellectual engagement. He references Jean-Luc Godard's assertion that "you can't kiss a movie" to illustrate the barriers between audience and art.

“You can't kiss a movie, Jean Luc Godard said. And this is mostly true in that you cannot initiate the kiss.”
— Major Jackson [02:00]

Jackson challenges this notion by arguing for a more intimate relationship with films, proposing that viewers can engage with movies on a personal level, thereby bridging the gap between passive observation and active emotional involvement.

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Deep Dive into Josh Bell's Poem

Timestamp: [03:30]

The episode culminates with a detailed exploration of Josh Bell's poem, "One Shies at the Prospect of Raising Yet Another Defense of Cannibalism." Jackson interprets the poem's playful yet profound examination of intimacy and human connection.

“Though in the movies it is said that prostitutes don't like to kiss as kissing is too personal... sometimes the human will make a show of locating you with a kiss... to prove to you that you are a real person with a face.”
— Major Jackson [05:10]

Jackson elucidates the poem's themes, emphasizing the tension between desire for connection and the barriers that inhibit genuine intimacy. He reflects on the metaphor of cannibalism as a representation of consuming or internalizing experiences and emotions through art.

“You can kiss the movie if the movie wants to kiss you... it's just that the movie finally isn't all that interested in your mouth.”
— Major Jackson [06:45]

This line encapsulates the poem's exploration of unreciprocated desire and the complexities of engaging deeply with art. Jackson appreciates the poem's blending of humor and introspection, highlighting its capacity to provoke thought about how we relate to the stories and emotions portrayed in films and poetry alike.

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Conclusion and Reflections

Timestamp: [07:30]

In wrapping up the episode, Major Jackson reinforces the significance of both poetry and cinema in fostering empathy and understanding. He encourages listeners to embrace these art forms as daily rituals that enrich their emotional lives and deepen their connections with the world around them.

“The purpose of art is to make us feel... perhaps the best art balances the two.”
— Major Jackson [08:15]

By intertwining personal narrative with literary analysis, Jackson offers a comprehensive and engaging reflection on how poetry and movies collectively illuminate the human experience.

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Final Thoughts

Episode 1302 of The Slowdown is a poignant reminder of the power of storytelling, whether through film or verse. Major Jackson masterfully navigates complex emotional landscapes, inviting listeners to pause, reflect, and find solace in the shared journey of life depicted through art.

For those seeking to incorporate poetry and reflection into their daily routines, this episode serves as both inspiration and a testament to the enduring impact of meaningful artistic expression.

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Transcript

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As awards season, casual conversations are abuzz with talk of the Year's movies. This yearly moment of sense cinematic recognition reminds us just how valuable the art form and the artists who make it are. Movies are an invitation to live in someone else's shoes, to learn, to experience, to empathize. We need these skills to nurture a culture of community, now more than ever. This week's episodes explore how poets take up movies as subjects, how the two art forms intertwine to make us feel more closely this life we share. I'm Major Jackson and this is the slowdown in the Color Purple. Shug Avery is estranged from her preacher father. She's a free spirited woman who drinks, loves indiscriminately and sings at a local juke joint one Sunday morning, while belting out a blues tune, she hears the choir at her father's nearby church. Shug then leads the revelers, musicians and all, down the road and sings her way back into her father's arms, literally. The movie is a deeply emotional journey. It's one of my favorite scenes. It is sentimental. My brother and I saw the Color Purple on a Sunday. We arrived just before it start. We sat in the first row, we strained our necks to look up and were totally engulfed by flickering images depicting rural Georgia in the 1940s. Something about the seating made the film even more intimate. The Color Purple is a story about forgiveness and redemption. As someone who witnessed domestic violence, the movie was consoling and empowering. I heard muffled crying and sniffling throughout the theater behind me. I too teared up. A friend once said, just because a movie taps into our emotions does not make it a good film, I argued. The purpose of art is to make us feel, he argued. For films that made us think, perhaps the best art balances the two. Today's poem whimsically plays with faux intimacy as an aesthetic experience and with the value of cinema, how our psychic needs for understanding are either thwarted or are actualized. One shies at the prospect of raising yet another defense of cannibalism By Josh Bell you can't kiss a movie, jean Luc Godard said. And this is mostly true in that you cannot initiate the kiss. The movie could initiate the kiss if the movie wanted, as it is so much taller, leaning in no way to demur. You would be too polite anyway and as the Roman poets have stressed, there is always something porous in the decoris so there can be kissing between you and the movie and it would be amazing better the more incoherent the movie is and the more you had to pay to see it. Though in the movies it is said that prostitutes don't like to kiss as kissing is too personal. Though I disagree as sometimes the human will make a show of locating you with a kiss almost to prove to you that that you are a real person with a face and that absolutely they know where the face is and the face isn't and this is how you know for sure that both of you have been paid. But I don't want to make you feel bad here and I apologize for you are entirely kissable as I have watched you through windows and keyholes, even though up to this point you do not appear in movies, often you appear holding a book in your hand and with God knows what playing in your head. I imagine you repeating to yourself over and again, the horse knows the way, the horse knows the way. And remember, even someone as learned in film as Jean Luc Godard got it a little wrong. You can kiss the movie if the movie wants to kiss you, it's just that the movie finally isn't all that interested in your mouth. The Slowdown is a production of American Public Media in partnership with the Poetry Foundation. This project is also supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts. On the [e-mail] to get a poem delivered to you daily, go to slowdownshow.org and sign up for our newsletter. Find us on Instagram at SlowdownShow and BluesKylowdownShow dot.