Poem: A Mashup

by M.D. Usher, T Motley (Illustrator)

What makes poetry effective? How does a poem work? What are its goals and aims? Taking his cue from the musical form of mashup, in POEM M. D. Usher has composed what is known as a cento, stitching together snippets from famous poems in such a way that the words of the text illustrate the aspect of poetry being described. A lively introduction and short, irreverent biographies of the featured poets add to the fun. In T. Motley's artwork, Word literally becomes Flesh, as letters emerge like epiphanies from the drawings. POEM is a unique achievement that stands in relation to canonical poetry as Disney's film, Fantasia , stands to classical music-first of its kind, something for all ages, and well worth experiencing again and again.

106 pages, Paperback

Published January 24, 2022

About the author

I am a UVM alumnus (B.A. in Greek and Latin) and joined the UVM faculty in 2000. Before attending UVM as an undergraduate I apprenticed in Germany as a post-and-beam carpenter. Upon graduation from UVM, I earned my PhD in Classics at The University of Chicago.

I teach courses in Greek and Latin language and in classical civilization. I have also taught in the Integrated Humanities Program, the Teacher-Advisor Program (TAP), and the Honors College. My academic interests include orality studies, Near Eastern influences on classical literature, especially on Greek literature of the archaic period (Homer, Hesiod and the lyric poets), and ancient philosophy (the writings of Plato and Seneca in particular). I am also deeply interested in the reception of classical texts in modern works of art, music, and literature. In addition to publishing books and articles in the field of Classics, I have written an opera libretto (in Latin), original poetry, translations, and children's books. Non-academic interests include carpentry (I built my own house and outbuildings) and farming (my wife Caroline and I own and operate Works & Days Farm in Shoreham and sell market lambs, eggs, and chicken).

Reviews

[Rob McMonigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun little hodgepodge of a book, using prose and illustrations to make poetry come alive on the page.