evolution
honestly, i'm not sure how closely you all have been following...but since i haven't actually SAID much about my ideas for the evolution of rogue i can catch you up quickly: i want to take rogue in a direction that will make of us a more politically/socially active group. i want us to represent change. i want us to challenge the norm. i want us to, as a group, live up to our name.
since the beginning of rogue, the people who have gravitated TO rogue have, largely, been misfits that share one common voice of poetry. i do not ever want to see that common voice overlooked or downplayed. rogue will always have as its voice that of poets. but it's that same misfit group who, sometimes, cannot quiet down long enough to read their poetry because of things going on in the world--usually injustices--that they want to talk about. and there's just such passion and energy there.
last year we graduated 4 rogues; this year, we will graduate 2 more. and we're not replacing our writers as quickly as we would need to in order to remain exclusively a poetry group. what i have been thinking is there comes in the life of any organization a time when it must be addressed whether the group will change and live or stagnate, atrophy, and die. i do not want to see rogue die, but i do not see it living on STRONGLY if we don't make some key changes.
the first poster i ever bought for my very first classroom in 1996 read "Stand up for what you believe in, even if you're standing alone". the second poster i bought read "Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll land among the stars". i found such promise in being the kind of teacher, the kind of leader, the kind of PERSON that models this kind of attitude--and i want to extend the opportunity to change the world to all of you...and others.
i want NOT to swing wide the doors and let anyone in our group who wants just BECAUSE. but i think it's time to grope about the fertile darkness and bring into the light more people who are charged with the interest of shaping the future.
i want to create edgy ad campaigns that MAKE PEOPLE THINK and that identify us as rogue thinkers--as rebels who take notice and then take the time to affect change. i want rogue to represent the population at school that is not enslaved to the status quo. i want to foster a dynamic that will resonate among the student body to redefine LIVING and set you (and me) apart from the drones of this planet who are--by doing nothing--immobilizing our ambition to speak out and demand equality and justice.
i want you to be rogue, ver. 2.0--tightly connected to our history of writing poetry but fully engaged with the future of LIVING poetry.
you game?
easter
since the beginning of rogue, the people who have gravitated TO rogue have, largely, been misfits that share one common voice of poetry. i do not ever want to see that common voice overlooked or downplayed. rogue will always have as its voice that of poets. but it's that same misfit group who, sometimes, cannot quiet down long enough to read their poetry because of things going on in the world--usually injustices--that they want to talk about. and there's just such passion and energy there.
last year we graduated 4 rogues; this year, we will graduate 2 more. and we're not replacing our writers as quickly as we would need to in order to remain exclusively a poetry group. what i have been thinking is there comes in the life of any organization a time when it must be addressed whether the group will change and live or stagnate, atrophy, and die. i do not want to see rogue die, but i do not see it living on STRONGLY if we don't make some key changes.
the first poster i ever bought for my very first classroom in 1996 read "Stand up for what you believe in, even if you're standing alone". the second poster i bought read "Shoot for the moon; even if you miss, you'll land among the stars". i found such promise in being the kind of teacher, the kind of leader, the kind of PERSON that models this kind of attitude--and i want to extend the opportunity to change the world to all of you...and others.
i want NOT to swing wide the doors and let anyone in our group who wants just BECAUSE. but i think it's time to grope about the fertile darkness and bring into the light more people who are charged with the interest of shaping the future.
i want to create edgy ad campaigns that MAKE PEOPLE THINK and that identify us as rogue thinkers--as rebels who take notice and then take the time to affect change. i want rogue to represent the population at school that is not enslaved to the status quo. i want to foster a dynamic that will resonate among the student body to redefine LIVING and set you (and me) apart from the drones of this planet who are--by doing nothing--immobilizing our ambition to speak out and demand equality and justice.
i want you to be rogue, ver. 2.0--tightly connected to our history of writing poetry but fully engaged with the future of LIVING poetry.
you game?
easter
posted by RoguePoets at 1/04/2007 06:47:00 PM
9 Comments:
Yes. Although I thought the use of the words "grope" and "fertile" by Rogues was strongly discouraged.
And even though the stars are much, much further away than our moon.
I'm all for evolution. Change or die, like you said. And I may not be around next year to witness any of it, but I hope it's change rather than...the other thing.
Death would do bad things to the health of Rogue. This sounds like the start of a good way to move forward and change.
And it puts our off-topic interuptions in a positive light...
Well, wow. At one point while reading I lamost thougth you were going to say that we wouldn't do poetry and I was like....um.....what the fuck? But it turned out well! I too believe in evolution, I wish humans would realize that we need to accept it for out own species though. Too bad for now I guess. But I over all like the new direction we may be headed. I think this might be fun. So, we are talking about this tomorrow at Rogue right? Okay, see you guys tomorrow morning.
I think today’s meeting went well, but it could have gone better.
First.
Everyone. No matter what other people say, if you disagree, it's your right, and it's their right. No need to bite off each other’s heads. That goes for everyone.
Second.
I don't think the purpose of this is to start a debate/fight as it turns out, or to enhance the political divide of our school, it's to simply make people think. Make them want to lean more and make them want to talk about it. It isn't our place to start a school wide political fight. That's my job with Debate Team. lol
Third.
I love you all a lot, and I don't mean to act like the mediator (I was called this today by three people at Rogue) but when necessary, even I, yes, even I the conservative one will be the unbiased mediator when need be.
Finally.
Let things die. Period. If you have a problem with something someone says. It's okay to disagree and still not say anything. Just remember in that circumstance you are the bigger man per say, and just remember that. Also....just because you don't say your opinion doesn't mean that not saying it is robbing or enabling apart of your personality, it is simply allowing things to move on in a more efficient manner.
Haha Suzanna, it's actually "7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens" and I kind stopped reading it anyway. After the 4th chapter, I realized that it's to help teens who have alot of......well, insecurities. I have a few, but not many, and the ones I have are not adressed in it, so it's pretty pointless for me. But I think it couyld help alot of people.
That book is quality entertainment, Joe. You are doing yourself a great disservice in not reading it.
I think we definitely hit some important points yesterday and it was a pretty good start...
I didn't say I had "little to know." I said, "I have a few, but not many," and there is a difference. So, yes I do have some insecurities, and most of you most likly wouldn't know what they are.
Oh, I know what they are.
And I laughed out loud about being "the bigger man" -- 'cauuse could you have said anything more ridiculous in a group dominated by girls? Unless Joe had a fight with Wade at the meeting? Because I can't really think of any other exigence for this comment...
...but it was hilarious.
Hope all was productive. I'm not sure if I'll be at school Monday or not. But my phone's on and dad's got wi-fi on the laptop.
Yeah, I figured some one would think to say that Jessie, so that's why I attempted to make it more mild by adding, "per say" after it. I didn't know if any feminists might attact me if I didn't add that. lol
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