In Search Of Duende, Because Nobody Likes Meat-Sack Poetry.

So I'm in this poetry class. And my professor is constantly talking about how he expects us to write good poetry (duh). He says, "Like..doves bursting out of your chest good."

This is not an easy task.

To do such a thing, one needs a lot of what Lorca called, "duende". Duende is more than inspiration, it's more than an bright idea. It's the blood and guts and pulse you gotta put in your poetry (and not just poetry, duende applies to any and every kind of art) to make it good. Without duende, your poetry is pretty much just a sack of meat and bones. And nobody likes meat-sack poetry. Or acting. Or painting. Or music.
Lorca was a master and blood and guts poetry. Probably, because he's Spanish and the Spanish are like RAAWRR I'M SO DAMN PASSIONATE AND FEEL EVERYTHING LIKE RAAAWWWRRR. RAWWWRRR I'M GOING TO DANCE FLAMENCO!! I'M THE MOON AND I LIKE BLOOD. I'M A GUITAR AND I'M CRYING. I'M A GYPSY!!! I'M DAWN IN NEW YORK AND COME WITH FOUR COLUMNS OF SLIIMMMMMMMMEEEEEEE. RAAAWWWWWRRRRRR.
And that's about the only way I can describe Lorca's work.
When you read Lorca's writing, ain't no doves bursting out of your chest. Dude writes, you read, and mother freakin' HAWK rips itself out of your chest. For real. I read his stuff, and (because I'm a nerd) giggle with glee because it's so turbulent and emotional and filled with hardcore duende.
Anyway.
As you may imagine...
Duende is very elusive.
Especially when you're a 22 year old college student feeling your way through poetry and not some genius master of awesome Spanish writer.

With possibly the most difficult poem of the semester assigned this past weekend...I needed some serious DUENDDEEEEE (it helps to say the word "duende" in your most hardcore voice possible) (ask me next time I see you, I will demonstrate).

So this weekend, I went in search of some duende...
*Annddd cue the incidental music (which is probably all wrong if you're on a search for duende)*


Heelllllooo...duendeeeee? Are you here?







(These above pictures are my answer to anyone who asks, "Why do you get up early to be at school earlier than you have to?" Um...because I'd miss this. I'm sorry, but the lake does not look like this at any other time of day and its ok with me that it happens to be between the hours of 7am and 9am.)

Waiting for duende at the lake...

But no duende came. Why? Because this is my "cliche" face and not my "duende" face. Duende face needs to be 80 times more intense. This is the face I would make if I wanted to go write a pastoral. Oh wait, I had to do that too. And it SUCKED. Ugh. Pastorals. You are dumb and lame and Lorca would probably piss on you. Ok, wait...Lorca could probably write a kick ass pastoral. It would be freaky as hell. But kick-ass...But he would definitely piss on Marlowe's "The Passionate Shepherd to His Love." Sorry, Marlowe. But it's sorta true.


BACK TO THE SEARCH FOR DUENDE


Are you backstage, duende?? Where I spent my entire weekend?????




Negative.
...backstage was where duende went to die.


Are you in the garbage with the squirrels, duende?


No. No duende, here. And squirrels? It's really ok...I do not want your half eaten brown apple or bag of old Cheeto crumbs, so stop staring at me like I'm going to steal your children. Maybe if you gave me some duende I'd give you my goldfish crackers. Too bad for you.


Is there some duende in here? In this little room I'd never been in before? That I stumbled upon in a campus building by accident? And was shocked, surprised, and tickled to discover???







Oh yes. In here...I found some serious duende. At least...I think/hope.





POP QUIZ TIME

What don't these guys have in their song?



If you answered, "duende" you would be right.
Sorry, Sonseed. You read Marlowe, don't you?
Although...I'm sort of frightened to admit this but...the song IS kind of catchy. BUT catchy DOES NOT EQUAL duende.
Things that make this video so genius:
a) "Zap!"
b) Dude rocking out to the two chords he knows on guitar. Way to play with fervor and gusto, man.
c) The backup singers. And their one line. And their individual close-ups throughout the video.
d) Casio keyboard ROCK OUT.
e) I could be totally off on this...but I feel like the lead singer of Sonseed just recently came to America, learned english and is pulling himself up by the boot straps through catchy christian bubble gum pop.

DUUUEEENNNDEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE





IN OTHER NEWS:
I am exhausted.
Today, when it came time to get up, my body started moving before my brain. I'm not even kidding you. I was laying in bed, my brain pretty much out cold. And (IN BED, STILL) felt my muscles moving and contracting as though I were walking. Seriously. I was sleep-walking in bed. Who does that?
Oh.
Right.
Amy.