3
Wednesday,
October 22,1997
Poet Mark Jarman gives students writing advice
ily mailed him a copy of Rooney’s col
umn in that month’s issue ofTime maga
zine. Rooney spent the column asking,
“Why doesn’t poetry rhyme anymore?”
It was ironic because Rooney used
Jarman’s poems in the New Yorker as
an example, which rhymed, just not di
rectly enough for Rooney to see it.
Jarman said he thought he wanted fame
as a poet, and added, “so the Muse says:
‘You want fame? Here’s fame: Andy
Rooney!”’
Much of Jarman’s work is strongly
Bible-based. In his youth he went on visi
tation to poor and sick families with his
father. He saw many bad situations, that
left him with a somewhat cynical view
toward God. Because of this, many of
his poems are of suffering and question
ing God, like the story of Job. Jarman
said he is a “practicing ambivalent Chris
tian.”
Jarman said that one of the most in
teresting ideas he’s come across is treat
ing the seeming absence of God in many
situations as a presence in itself. From
“Unholy Sonnets”: “Amazing to believe
that nothingness surrounds us and lets
us breathe.. .it fills all blanks with blank
ness...”
“Two forces rule the universe: light
and gravity.” Jarmon read. “Truth is on
the side of death/ and God’s grace fills
emptiness like breath.”
The work that silenced all the chatter
in the audience was the title poem:
“Questions for Ecclesiastes”, which is
based on the Biblical book of
Ecclesiastes, written by Solomon, third
king of Israel. The poem alternates be
tween contemporary English narration
and side comments in the language of
Solomon.
The poem asked, “What if a preacher
were called to the house of a suicide?”
It went on to paint a scene where a 14-
year-old-girl had just shot herself and her
parents were nearly hysterical. The
preacher’s response, in- the words of
Solomon: “Nothing is new under the
sun.”
In the poem the parents are looking
MIKE GARCIA
Staff Writer
“You write about the life that’s
vividest,” Mark Jarman said as he be
gan his poetry reading last Thursday af
ternoon. And from that point the small
audience in the Skylight Dining Hall was
under his spell as he read what was in
deed vivid poetry from his book, Ques
tions for Ecclesiastes.
Jarman, a graduate of Vanderbilt Uni
versity, grew up in Southern California
as a minister’s son and recently moved
to Nashville. He is the winner of a
Guggenheimer fellowship as well as sev
eral awards from national poetry asso
ciations. He has edited a new compila
tion, Rebel Angels. He has done all this
despite the fact that he dares to rhyme.
In a nation where free verse is the
norm, New Formalist poets use tradi
tional rhyme and meter as their British
predecessors did. They don’t run the risk
of sounding like Mother Goose, though,
because most of the rhymes are quite
complex and utilize more than a mod
em poets’ typical share of wit.
Jarman first read “Groundswell",
which was about his early life in south
ern California. A groundswell, in surf
ing terms, is the beginning of a wave.
Jarman thought back to the highlights
of an adolescent summer on the beach,
and called to memory images which
might seem meaningless to anyone
else—the sun, the sand, the way some
one looked at him, how he was feeling
as a teenager.
At the end of the poem, Jarman even
asked himself the question: “Why would
I want to write about (that summer)
again? Because that’s my groundswell;
I must start where things began to
happen.. .those moments where you find
out who you are.. .when your life... in
tersects with history in a different way.”
Jarman told a story about Andy
Rooney at this point. Jarman had just
published a few poems in the New
Yorker when nearly everyone in his fam
Mark Jarman,
author of
Questions for
Ecclesiastes.
read from his
work last
Thursday in
the Skylight
Dining Room.
TIMOTHY BELL / Clackamas Print
for emotional comfort and the minister
keeps putting them off with traditional
Biblical wisdom. As they show him out
the door, he calls back “Live joyfully
all the days of your life.”
In this way Jarman questioned the na
ture of God and the way he really felt
about the human race. He picked apart
traditional Christianity and its traditions
and came to the conclusion that they
were mostly cold and without love or
meaning in real life.
Because of his tone and the use of
traditional form, though, his question
ing never seemed heavy-handed, but
rather curious, as if he wanted to know
the truth, but didn’t spitefully demand
it from God.
After the audience, still deep in
thought, gave him a respectful round of
applause after the reading, Jarman an
swered a few questions about New For
malism, saying that there is room for
Truth is on
the side of
death and
God's grace
fills
emptiness
like breath.
99
Mark Jarman
Poet
both rhyme and free verse in the United
States. “We have as [American poetry’s]
mother and father Emily Dickinson and
Walt Whitman,” he said. “Who could be
more different?”
For beginning writers and poets,
Jarman ^tressed spontaneity and prepa
ration. “Triggers for memories are just
innumerable, but we don’t always get it,”
he said. This was his key thought: “You
have to be there ready to put it down.
Having some way to write it down when
it happens, and not to wait.”
“Keep pads and pens all over the
house,” he said.
After a few words of encouragement,
Jarman stepped away from the podium,
there was another round of applause, and
people immediately began lining up to
browse through Jarman’s books or to
have a talk with him. In his conversation
Jarman never lost the vividness with
which he filled the hour.
Local eatery offers college scholarships to employees
\
JUSTIN BLACKLEDGE
Staff Writer
Clackamas instructor Frank Harlow is a business owner who
offers scholarships to college students. This "no strings attached"
opportunity has aided many Clackamas students, and positions
are available now to those who are interested in working in the
food court environment.
Gyros Gyros and Trapani Pizza Company offer scholarships to
their workers. These two businesses have helped more than 200
students with their tuition since 1981. These employers make work
more accessible to college students by being exceptionally flex
ible around their schedules.
Frank Harlow and Bill Shreve own the businesses that fuel this
program for assistance. They formed a friendship during their work
here at Clackamas. Shreve was a public relations officer at the
time, and Harlow continues to teach speech communications. Hav
ing already been a business consultant for a number of years,
Harlow decided that starting the businesses wouldn’t be such a
bad idea.
The assistance program is offered to all employees, without
discrimination. Employees working 25 hours a week or more
qualify for $350 a quarter to apply towards college expenses. Work
ers with 20 hours or more receive $250, and those with 15 or more
will get $150 a quarter. Other fast food chains offering programs
provide money for education usually expect the training to be
directly related to the employer’s business. This program is unique
in that the money can be applied for any class in a reasonable
discipline.
The idea started as a response to Harlow’s speech debaters need
Volume XXXI, Issue 3
ing a solid job that could be balanced well with their other priori
ties.
“We aim to be number 5 on the list of our student workers,"
commented Harlow. By this, he means to recognize the impor
tance of school, family, faith, extracurricular activity, fun, followed
by the workplace. He is realistic about the needs of students
today. Harlow stated that the time students are between grade 11
and junior level in college, students are in the process of more
changes than any other time in their lives. This period of transition
involves educational change, romantic involvement, occupational
considerations, arid alterations in living conditions. In light of this,
the importance of being sensitive'to these concerns is stressed.
Harlow’s education was funded through a scholarship. He
entered the working world at Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor. This
job was supportive of him, and contributed to the value he
holds about “giving something back” to the community.
Harlow views this as everyone’s social responsibility, and in
stills this ethic in his students. He is one of the few employers
that believes that education should always come first. The
standing rule in his businesses dictates that when a person
requests time off, they will get it. In the case of one employee,
Harlow insisted he leave work for a time so he could pass his
classes. Passing is the only requirement of receiving the schol
arships.
To offer this opportunity, Harlow has to hire 30% more
people than he would have to otherwise. As a result of the
treatment his workers receive at his seven businesses, there is
a low turnover rate. In fact, many workers feel a certain sense
of loyalty to his companies, and even stay after their time at
college is over. Often Gyros Gyros and Trapani are the first
jobs their workers will have, and Harlow is committed to cre-
TIMOTHY BELL I Clackamas Print
Frank Harlow helps students by offering
scholarships through his business.
ating an environment that will teach them what work in the
real world is like. Along with being able to provide financial
aid to students for their education, this is what makes business
most rewarding for him.
The result of Harlow's philosophy is success in both the private
and public sector. With the recent upheaval in the news concern
ing work reform, this model could do well in any number of other
situations and capacities. When work is approached in this way.
everyone wins.
Wednesday, October 22, 1997