Words & Music: Poetry 180 & KFOG's Acoustic Sunrise

Let's try something a little different this time:  A wee scavenger hunt for poetry on a Sunday morning (or afternoon or evening) with the best soundtrack ever.  Of course, if you're like me, you'll want to listen to the lyrics of the tunes, so just relax and meander through the poems...

First, grab a nice warm cuppa, put your feet up, and click the pic to enjoy KFOG.com's Acoustic Sunrise or Acoustic Sunset.

It airs (streaming) on Sunday mornings from 7a.m.-12p.m. Pacific Standard Time and on Sunday evenings from 6p.m.-8p.m., hosted by the queen goddess DJ of the San Francisco Bay Area, Rosalee Howarth.  (There's a link for the basic player beneath the icon for the more advanced player; both work just fine.)

Who might you hear?  Off the top of the play list, just this morning...
Israel Kamakwiwo 'Ole singing "Somewhere Over The Rainbow"
Girlyman performing "Easybake Ovens"
Rufus Wainwright covering "Across The Universe"
Habib Koite performing "Wassiye"
Great Big Sea singing "Good People"
Sundays covering "Wild Horses"
Van Morrison singing "Tupelo Honey"

Plus 'can't hear anywhere else' live KFOG performances by Josh Ritter, Dave Matthews, Blame Sally, Taj Mahal, and too many more to list.

Once the tunes are crankin', it's time to troll for treasures over on Billy Collins's Poetry 180 online anthology...

Yes, yes: Collins created it for high school students while he was the United States Poet Laureate.  But all the poems work for adults as well.  Seriously. 

A possible approach:  "The savoring". 
Just start at the beginning and read the first ten 10 poems slowly, leisurely. 
Pick your fave and read it a few times more.  Aloud, if you possibly can.
Between each reading breathe, mull, smile.
Done.

Still too much?  Try the very first one.  It's a perennial crowd pleaser with the hip young set:  "Introduction to Poetry" by Billy Collins himself.
And as always, please support the poets and musicians who change us with their art.

MFB,
L

p.s.  Do you know of a terrific streaming radio station or a (legit) site with full versions of a great musician's work?  Got an idea for a pairing?  Let me know:  I'll do my best to pass it along here in the weeks to come...