Yesterday in class, we did more poetry performances. Again, the poems were really meaningful, and they made me think deeper. Christian Siason’s poem stood out to me the most. It was about a simple cab ride, but it was my favorite. I never thought that a ride in a cab could be, as Dr. Kahan said, an “adventure.” Hearing the poem was an eye-opening experience for me. It was so interesting to think of this poem as a “snapshot” of a moment in time. I’ve never thought of a poem like that, like a moment that is frozen in time. The poem included the poet’s thoughts and observations in that moment. These thoughts have been immortalized forever. Like Austin said in class, a cab ride is an experience that many New Yorkers have had and will have. It is part of the charm of New York City. This is a familiar experience to New Yorkers, but different too. What sets this cab ride apart is that when riding a cab, one does not think that he or she is on an adventure. The cab ride is just a transition from one place to another. It is not usually the highlight of the person’s day. However, this poem causes me to appreciate every moment of my day. Each moment is unique and fleeting. I really enjoyed “Interview With a Cab Driver” for these reasons.

I really like how each poem has to do with New York and each poets experience in New York. The poems are all from different time periods, but they live on. The poetic geniuses have immortalized their experiences in their New York and made it familiar and recognizable New Yorkers in the future generations. This is why we read “Crossing Brooklyn Ferry” by Walt Whitman as a class. Whitman was walking about New York in his present time and the future generations.

This class is really opening my eyes to appreciate poetry in a new way. I love the discussions we are having in class and hearing the analysis of the performers.