You'd be amazed at the amount of memorized poetry from high school assignments that I can still recite. I'm sort of appalled, actually. (next year is my 50th HS reunion)
Posted by Ira Slotkin (Member # 81) on :
Sojourner: Thanks for that link!! I enjoyed and related to it. I have been reading my own works publicly for more than 20 years, but don't have but a few short pieces memorized. Many of the poets at the venues I frequent here in Denver do have pieces memoriz ed. Especially the 'slammers' (performance poets).Quite long pieces at that.
On the other hand, like the author of the article, I know hundreds of songs. Especially Bob Dylan and Motown (I'm 59). On road trips one of those games I play with my kids, 11 and 6, when we have tired of Boticelli, is for them to name a topic and see if i know a song about or at least mentioning the topic.