For this installment of O Video!, we are sharing a piece by Read Write Poem member David Moolten titled “Astronaut Goes from Migrant Fields to Outer Space.”
Moolten wrote the piece for José Hernández, who recently traveled into space as an astronaut on the Discovery space shuttle. Moolten feels the story of Hernández — once a child laborer who walked from Mexico to California to pick strawberries — “honors both the desperate struggle of immigrants and the greatness of which they are capable.”
Dana Guthrie Martin is the founder of Read Write Poem. In 2010, she is taking a break from completing poems so she can study their component parts, while at the same time learning a new musical instrument, most likely the oboe.
Absolutely delighted that you intend to take up the oboe Dana.In the music world it is known as the ill wind nobody blows any good:)) When you master the Richard Strauss oboe concerto(You’ve arrived at the sunmmit of oboe playing when you can play this one) I’ll be definitely flying over for the performance and I’ll know I have enough time to save for the airfare.
Dana Guthrie Martin replied:
November 17th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Oh, you read my new bio! Haha. I was wondering if anyone would notice.
Congratulations David on this great video poem So clever and creative.Even though as a purist
I have reservations about video poetry I can see
a value and place for it.I think it will be the way of poetry in the future.This old dinosaur will bury herself in the archives of a library if she can still find one!
David Moolten replied:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Rall,
Thank you. I’m hopeful there can be a “live-and-let-live” situation with video poetry, where it simply adds to what’s out there, rather than replacing it.
So beautiful a combination of voice, printed words, and moving images. And such an inspiring tribute to a real hero of not only the Americas, but the entire world. Productions like this should be in every school’s poetry curriculum. Thank you, David. Thank you, RWP.
David Moolten replied:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Therese,
Thanks so much for your generous assessment!
California, almost beautiful, but the videopoem just is beautiful.
David Moolten replied:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
Ren,
You know I admire your videopoems, so your praise is particularly meaningful.
Watching this I could only think of the over-used word “AWESOME”! I really love the marriage of visual arts with poetry which only adds to the excitement of the written word.
Great job, David! I’d love to share this with my FaceBook buddies, it it’s ok.
David Moolten replied:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
You are very kind. I’m glad you find so much synergy with this. I’d very much appreciate your sharing it with your friends on Facebook, or anyone else. Given how much immigration is a divisive story in this country, Jose Hernandez is great counterpoint.
you have a wonderful gift of vision — you see the connections most of us miss. like Therese, I wish that every child could see this videopoem. you’ve captured a dream.
David Moolten replied:
November 18th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Thank you. As a devoted father, I’m touched and honored that you see this as something to show children.
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David, this is very impressive. Since a lot of my friends and readers of my blog are not part of the ReadWritePoem community, I just embedded your video on my blog so a few more people can enjoy this very, very fine piece. (Links back here and to your site, of course…)
I loved reading the poem when you posted it back in August, but I really love hearing it in your voice!
David Moolten replied:
November 20th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Paul,
Thanks so much for your praise and for your interest in the video, and my reading of the poem. Apart from anything I had to do with it, this is a great story from the standpoint of immigration.