my name is Cowell and when it’s night or when the moon is shining bright and all
when the moon is shining bright and all
when the moon is shining bright and all the men have gone to bed I stay up late
the men have gone to bed I stay up late
the men have gone to bed I stay up late I lick the bread now this is a poem
I lick the bread now this is a poem
I lick the bread now this is a poem obviously and any of you ever heard it
obviously and any of you ever heard it
obviously and any of you ever heard it it’s really quite famous online and I
it’s really quite famous online and I
it’s really quite famous online and I know that a lot of people have read and
know that a lot of people have read and
know that a lot of people have read and enjoyed it now who could have written it
enjoyed it now who could have written it
enjoyed it now who could have written it it’s kind of old looking Shakespeare
it’s kind of old looking Shakespeare
it’s kind of old looking Shakespeare Chaucer Emily Dickinson no it was
Chaucer Emily Dickinson no it was
Chaucer Emily Dickinson no it was written by Sam Garland’s a British
written by Sam Garland’s a British
written by Sam Garland’s a British author and he published it online a
author and he published it online a
author and he published it online a couple of years ago on a public forum
couple of years ago on a public forum
couple of years ago on a public forum and it did not stay there it went viral
and it did not stay there it went viral
and it did not stay there it went viral and I became a meme now I was gonna ask
and I became a meme now I was gonna ask
and I became a meme now I was gonna ask who knows what a meme is but someone
who knows what a meme is but someone
who knows what a meme is but someone beat me to it
beat me to it
beat me to it but according to the merriam-webster
but according to the merriam-webster
but according to the merriam-webster dictionary a meme is an amusing or
dictionary a meme is an amusing or
dictionary a meme is an amusing or interesting items such as a captions
interesting items such as a captions
interesting items such as a captions picture of video or a jar of items
picture of video or a jar of items
picture of video or a jar of items spread widely online and especially
spread widely online and especially
spread widely online and especially through social media now in their
through social media now in their
through social media now in their essence as I said memes are just funny
essence as I said memes are just funny
essence as I said memes are just funny pictures matched up with funny texts and
pictures matched up with funny texts and
pictures matched up with funny texts and I know this is not a very poetic
I know this is not a very poetic
I know this is not a very poetic definition but I’ve come to find that my
definition but I’ve come to find that my
definition but I’ve come to find that my ideas or means are a little more
ideas or means are a little more
ideas or means are a little more open-minded than most people because I
open-minded than most people because I
open-minded than most people because I believe that memes can be poetry and I
believe that memes can be poetry and I
believe that memes can be poetry and I will do my absolute best to take you
will do my absolute best to take you
will do my absolute best to take you along my train of thought because I know
along my train of thought because I know
along my train of thought because I know it sounds like a stretch at this point
it sounds like a stretch at this point
it sounds like a stretch at this point no I was surprised as a literature
no I was surprised as a literature
no I was surprised as a literature student that memes were not being
student that memes were not being
student that memes were not being discussed in an academic field because
discussed in an academic field because
discussed in an academic field because they’re only present online they’re
they’re only present online they’re
they’re only present online they’re everywhere so I was really surprised
everywhere so I was really surprised
everywhere so I was really surprised about that so I took it for myself and
about that so I took it for myself and
about that so I took it for myself and wrote my thesis on the more poetic
wrote my thesis on the more poetic
wrote my thesis on the more poetic aspects of memes and got some of that
aspects of memes and got some of that
aspects of memes and got some of that academic research started or so I hope
academic research started or so I hope
academic research started or so I hope now it seems that memes are not being
now it seems that memes are not being
now it seems that memes are not being discussed because people feel like memes
discussed because people feel like memes
discussed because people feel like memes are ordinary
are ordinary
are ordinary so they can possibly be poetry but I am
so they can possibly be poetry but I am
so they can possibly be poetry but I am here to tell you that it is possible and
here to tell you that it is possible and
here to tell you that it is possible and I’ll show you how during the Middle Ages
I’ll show you how during the Middle Ages
I’ll show you how during the Middle Ages and antiquity even before that poetry
and antiquity even before that poetry
and antiquity even before that poetry was enjoyed as a group event so one
was enjoyed as a group event so one
was enjoyed as a group event so one person was reading them out loud or
person was reading them out loud or
person was reading them out loud or performing it a group of people were
performing it a group of people were
performing it a group of people were watching or listening and afterwards
watching or listening and afterwards
watching or listening and afterwards there was a group discussion about what
there was a group discussion about what
there was a group discussion about what it might mean and what it made people
it might mean and what it made people
it might mean and what it made people feel like which is very different from
feel like which is very different from
feel like which is very different from how we experience poetry today it’s more
how we experience poetry today it’s more
how we experience poetry today it’s more a solitary thing now let’s compare the
a solitary thing now let’s compare the
a solitary thing now let’s compare the old-time way of reading poetry to memes
old-time way of reading poetry to memes
old-time way of reading poetry to memes shall we a facebook meme one person
shall we a facebook meme one person
shall we a facebook meme one person reading it or post as some one person
reading it or post as some one person
reading it or post as some one person posting it and making it a group of
posting it and making it a group of
posting it and making it a group of people listening is a lot of people
people listening is a lot of people
people listening is a lot of people retweeting we sharing reblogging re
retweeting we sharing reblogging re
retweeting we sharing reblogging re whatever showing that they’ve read and
whatever showing that they’ve read and
whatever showing that they’ve read and enjoyed it and group discussion can be
enjoyed it and group discussion can be
enjoyed it and group discussion can be compared to a comment section people
compared to a comment section people
compared to a comment section people writes about what it made them feel like
writes about what it made them feel like
writes about what it made them feel like if it made them angry very often people
if it made them angry very often people
if it made them angry very often people get offended by it so it really sparks
get offended by it so it really sparks
get offended by it so it really sparks emotion so it seems that you can compare
emotion so it seems that you can compare
emotion so it seems that you can compare the basics of poetry to the basics of
the basics of poetry to the basics of
the basics of poetry to the basics of memes but does this mean that means our
memes but does this mean that means our
memes but does this mean that means our poetry at this point I wasn’t convinced
poetry at this point I wasn’t convinced
poetry at this point I wasn’t convinced yes I’m sure you’re not convinced as
yes I’m sure you’re not convinced as
yes I’m sure you’re not convinced as well and I continued my research which
well and I continued my research which
well and I continued my research which brought me to the question what is
brought me to the question what is
brought me to the question what is poetry in the academic field this is one
poetry in the academic field this is one
poetry in the academic field this is one of the big questions and through this we
of the big questions and through this we
of the big questions and through this we don’t know we don’t have a conclusive
don’t know we don’t have a conclusive
don’t know we don’t have a conclusive definition as to what is makes poetry
definition as to what is makes poetry
definition as to what is makes poetry different from any other random texts
different from any other random texts
different from any other random texts but we do however have a number of
but we do however have a number of
but we do however have a number of characteristics that are applying to
characteristics that are applying to
characteristics that are applying to poetry and I will be comparing four of
poetry and I will be comparing four of
poetry and I will be comparing four of those characteristics to memes for you
those characteristics to memes for you
those characteristics to memes for you today now first of all and the most
today now first of all and the most
today now first of all and the most important one of all is poetic language
important one of all is poetic language
important one of all is poetic language poetry bends the rules of grammar to
poetry bends the rules of grammar to
poetry bends the rules of grammar to make it suit is chosen rhyme rhythm and
make it suit is chosen rhyme rhythm and
make it suit is chosen rhyme rhythm and format for example our beams be mock to
format for example our beams be mock to
format for example our beams be mock to the soul to remain like April hora
the soul to remain like April hora
the soul to remain like April hora spread it’s beautiful it’s pompous it’s
spread it’s beautiful it’s pompous it’s
spread it’s beautiful it’s pompous it’s really difficult and people don’t like
really difficult and people don’t like
really difficult and people don’t like it
it
it but the same can be said about language
but the same can be said about language
but the same can be said about language play of means this is the Doge meme one
play of means this is the Doge meme one
play of means this is the Doge meme one of the older most popular memes
of the older most popular memes
of the older most popular memes I’m sure everyone has seen the shiba inu
I’m sure everyone has seen the shiba inu
I’m sure everyone has seen the shiba inu kind of dog and you can see that the
kind of dog and you can see that the
kind of dog and you can see that the characteristics of this meme are
characteristics of this meme are
characteristics of this meme are fragmented short sentences wrongful use
fragmented short sentences wrongful use
fragmented short sentences wrongful use of Gremory and words like wow to apply a
of Gremory and words like wow to apply a
of Gremory and words like wow to apply a more animal type way of train of
more animal type way of train of
more animal type way of train of thoughts to it and if you compare this
thoughts to it and if you compare this
thoughts to it and if you compare this use of grammar to other animal memes
use of grammar to other animal memes
use of grammar to other animal memes even dog memes you’ll find that they use
even dog memes you’ll find that they use
even dog memes you’ll find that they use a different type of grammar so it seems
a different type of grammar so it seems
a different type of grammar so it seems that grammar or poetic language defines
that grammar or poetic language defines
that grammar or poetic language defines poetry but it also defines memes a
poetry but it also defines memes a
poetry but it also defines memes a second characteristic is a visual aspect
second characteristic is a visual aspect
second characteristic is a visual aspect in the Middle Ages a lot of texts are
in the Middle Ages a lot of texts are
in the Middle Ages a lot of texts are illustrators or illuminated with
illustrators or illuminated with
illustrators or illuminated with beautiful decorations around the edge
beautiful decorations around the edge
beautiful decorations around the edge and this is no purely decorative very
and this is no purely decorative very
and this is no purely decorative very often there is symbolism or context or
often there is symbolism or context or
often there is symbolism or context or references to other texts from the same
references to other texts from the same
references to other texts from the same era
era
era and it makes the read so much more
and it makes the read so much more
and it makes the read so much more interesting data ism is a more recent
interesting data ism is a more recent
interesting data ism is a more recent example as you can see in this example
example as you can see in this example
example as you can see in this example this is one of the most famous paper
this is one of the most famous paper
this is one of the most famous paper poems by Valvano style called circus and
poems by Valvano style called circus and
poems by Valvano style called circus and you can see how the visual and textual
you can see how the visual and textual
you can see how the visual and textual are one unit you cannot separate the two
are one unit you cannot separate the two
are one unit you cannot separate the two to make sure it’s a different or it’s a
to make sure it’s a different or it’s a
to make sure it’s a different or it’s a different poem the same for example for
different poem the same for example for
different poem the same for example for this increasingly verbose meme the image
this increasingly verbose meme the image
this increasingly verbose meme the image is getting more and more childlike but
is getting more and more childlike but
is getting more and more childlike but the text is getting more and more
the text is getting more and more
the text is getting more and more complex so they do the complete opposite
complex so they do the complete opposite
complex so they do the complete opposite but both enhance the meaning or the joke
but both enhance the meaning or the joke
but both enhance the meaning or the joke in this case a third characteristic is a
in this case a third characteristic is a
in this case a third characteristic is a political or satirical play very famous
political or satirical play very famous
political or satirical play very famous here is the phone nervosa and out of the
here is the phone nervosa and out of the
here is the phone nervosa and out of the story which uses the Front’s of a
story which uses the Front’s of a
story which uses the Front’s of a fictional animal story to critique Qing
fictional animal story to critique Qing
fictional animal story to critique Qing society and religion which is no minor
society and religion which is no minor
society and religion which is no minor feet in a thirteenth century a lot of
feet in a thirteenth century a lot of
feet in a thirteenth century a lot of memes can be made political very easily
memes can be made political very easily
memes can be made political very easily as well this is an example of the gun
as well this is an example of the gun
as well this is an example of the gun meme and the gun meme you add the word
meme and the gun meme you add the word
meme and the gun meme you add the word gun to any random sentence
gun to any random sentence
gun to any random sentence it’s a non-existing punchline it’s
it’s a non-existing punchline it’s
it’s a non-existing punchline it’s ridiculous but hysterical in my personal
ridiculous but hysterical in my personal
ridiculous but hysterical in my personal opinion but if you add gun to the right
opinion but if you add gun to the right
opinion but if you add gun to the right sentence you get a political play or a
sentence you get a political play or a
sentence you get a political play or a reference to the ongoing gun gun control
reference to the ongoing gun gun control
reference to the ongoing gun gun control debates which is pretty heavy in the
debates which is pretty heavy in the
debates which is pretty heavy in the United States so it seems that memes are
United States so it seems that memes are
United States so it seems that memes are very easily made political depending on
very easily made political depending on
very easily made political depending on the intention of the maker and
the intention of the maker and
the intention of the maker and fourth and final characteristic is
fourth and final characteristic is
fourth and final characteristic is absurdism absurdism is a broad spectrum
absurdism absurdism is a broad spectrum
absurdism absurdism is a broad spectrum and you can see how in Dadaism they use
and you can see how in Dadaism they use
and you can see how in Dadaism they use absurdism to get people engaged if you
absurdism to get people engaged if you
absurdism to get people engaged if you read this it means nothing
read this it means nothing
read this it means nothing it really doesn’t there’s no meaning but
it really doesn’t there’s no meaning but
it really doesn’t there’s no meaning but if you read out loud and you use your
if you read out loud and you use your
if you read out loud and you use your vocalization you play around with the
vocalization you play around with the
vocalization you play around with the language a little bit you get something
language a little bit you get something
language a little bit you get something there or there might be something there
there or there might be something there
there or there might be something there so data is to enjoy it absurd isn’t to
so data is to enjoy it absurd isn’t to
so data is to enjoy it absurd isn’t to get people involved but memes prefer to
get people involved but memes prefer to
get people involved but memes prefer to use absurdism in the sense of the core
use absurdism in the sense of the core
use absurdism in the sense of the core gesture in the Middle Ages who was the
gesture in the Middle Ages who was the
gesture in the Middle Ages who was the only one who could critique his King
only one who could critique his King
only one who could critique his King because everything he said was
because everything he said was
because everything he said was considered a joke and if it’s a joke
considered a joke and if it’s a joke
considered a joke and if it’s a joke it’s not hurting anyone right now
it’s not hurting anyone right now
it’s not hurting anyone right now what I want you to take away from this
what I want you to take away from this
what I want you to take away from this talk is this first of all we’ve we’ve
talk is this first of all we’ve we’ve
talk is this first of all we’ve we’ve seen the memes have poetical language a
seen the memes have poetical language a
seen the memes have poetical language a visual aspect a political and satirical
visual aspect a political and satirical
visual aspect a political and satirical play and absurdism this made me conclude
play and absurdism this made me conclude
play and absurdism this made me conclude that memes are a new branch of poetry
that memes are a new branch of poetry
that memes are a new branch of poetry and confirm my beliefs that poetry is
and confirm my beliefs that poetry is
and confirm my beliefs that poetry is still evolving to this day it is still
still evolving to this day it is still
still evolving to this day it is still able to express new emotions express
able to express new emotions express
able to express new emotions express critique and address difficult topics
critique and address difficult topics
critique and address difficult topics it’s also interesting to note that this
it’s also interesting to note that this
it’s also interesting to note that this movement is made almost entirely out of
movement is made almost entirely out of
movement is made almost entirely out of young adults and teenagers but that’s a
young adults and teenagers but that’s a
young adults and teenagers but that’s a different talk altogether so I want you
different talk altogether so I want you
different talk altogether so I want you to remember the next time you see you me
to remember the next time you see you me
to remember the next time you see you me first of all you know what it is
first of all you know what it is
first of all you know what it is second of all if you see one that sparks
second of all if you see one that sparks
second of all if you see one that sparks your interest in some way maybe read it
your interest in some way maybe read it
your interest in some way maybe read it again consider there might be more there
again consider there might be more there
again consider there might be more there than you thought was possible and
than you thought was possible and
than you thought was possible and perhaps consider that memes can be a new
perhaps consider that memes can be a new
perhaps consider that memes can be a new poetic way to express your personal
poetic way to express your personal
poetic way to express your personal feelings and express your critique on
feelings and express your critique on
feelings and express your critique on society or the status quo and even
society or the status quo and even
society or the status quo and even address the topics that are sometimes
address the topics that are sometimes
address the topics that are sometimes very difficult to talk about thank you
very difficult to talk about thank you
very difficult to talk about thank you very much
very much
very much [Applause]
”
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