Author Topic: PC374: Poet-Scholars of the Necropolis  (Read 8686 times)

Talia

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on: July 28, 2015, 12:06:27 PM
PodCastle 374: Poet-Scholars of the Necropolis

by M.K. Hutchins
read by Julia Rios


A PodCastle original!

Hedrana, the Lord-Governor’s aunt, arrived the next morning. She banged on the necropolis door as if she’d been locked out of her own house. “Hello! I won’t be kept w-aiting!”

If Hedrana’s shrill, sing-song voice couldn’t wake the dead, nothing would.

Royzca was already awake, but she took her time shuffling down the hall, her hip aching as it did every morning. Onyo joined her from his room. “Do we have to let her in?”

“If we’re nice, maybe she’ll go away more quickly,” Royzca said. “She’s only here to flatter herself.”


Rated PG.

M.K. Hutchins‘ YA fantasy novel Drift is both a Junior Library Guild Selection and a VOYA Top Shelf Honoree. Her short fiction appears in IGMS and Daily Science Fiction. She studied archaeology at BYU, giving her the opportunity to compile ancient Maya genealogies, excavate in Belize, and work as a faunal analyst. She blogs at mkhutchins.com.

Julia Rios is a writer, editor, podcaster, and narrator. Her previous PodCastle narrations include “The Transfiguration of Maria Luisa Ortega” by E. Lily Yu, “Who in Mortal Chains” by Claire Humphrey, “Mermaid’s Hook” by Liz Argall, and “Haunts” by Claire Humphrey. Her own story, “Oracle Gretel” was featured in episode 261, narrated by Marguerite Kenner. To find out more about Julia and her work, visit juliarios.com or find her on Twitter @omgjulia.

Listen to this week’s PodCastle!



bounceswoosh

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Reply #1 on: July 31, 2015, 06:25:38 PM
Lovely story. Lovely sentiment.



kibitzer

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Reply #2 on: August 02, 2015, 11:40:23 PM
Folks, on the off chance you want to read more of Rupert Brooke's "The Great Lover", you can do so here.


Etaan

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Reply #3 on: August 03, 2015, 05:46:41 PM
The idea that objectively poor poetry could be the most amazing thing ever written to the right person immediately made me think about what I've started reading to my son. It turns out that some my favorite poems of all time are in the collections of Shel Silverstein. They might be corny and lack nuanced language or impressive meter, but they're fun, memorable, and deeply anchored in my childhood. As I read them, I'm simultaneously enjoying the poems themselves, the memory of how much I loved them as a kid, and the foreknowledge that someday he'll get the same thrill from really understanding the joke for the first time. That combination has such a powerful personal resonance that it doesn't matter that a scholar reading them for the first time today would be appalled.



Folsom8k

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Reply #4 on: August 03, 2015, 09:45:10 PM
This was a good story with some excellent world-building. My wife and I are expecting our second child in a few weeks and parts of the story were particularly poignant for me.

As Mr. Dunlop read the introduction, I had to stop the story and look up the author, M.K. Hutchins. You see, I too studied archaeology at BYU (Brigham Young University)(Mr. Dunlop was correct), and had a sneaking suspicion that I knew Ms. Hutchins. My hunch was correct! As a graduate student, I taught a few introductory courses. Ms. Hutchins was in one of my classes. It was fun to reconnect with her and compliment her on this story.




Devoted135

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Reply #5 on: August 04, 2015, 04:47:33 PM
I quite enjoyed this one. I found the concept of poems carrying actual power if they were good enough (or appreciated enough) to be an intriguing one. I wonder how that has affected society, and if it has led to more people trying to become great poets in order to gain fame after their death. It could have the potential to elevate much of society, though the relative ignorance of the woman who was "next in line" reveals that if there was a rising tide it didn't raise all ships equally.

I was pretty horrified when Royzca was convicted and then executed. I had thought that surely the proven effectiveness of the poem would have protected her. Granted, it wouldn't have worked if anyone else had been the reader, but still. Seems extremely harsh.



headintheclouds

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Reply #6 on: August 05, 2015, 04:51:05 PM
I really enjoyed this story as well. When Royzca chose to use her granddaughter's poem, I nearly cried. As she had said, just because it wasn't written beautifully, didn't mean that there was no beauty in her words. I really loved her character and how she loved her family and her friend. It was beautiful that she chose to bless her friend with her death, rather than choosing some sort of revenge.



TrishEM

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Reply #7 on: August 07, 2015, 06:47:09 AM
I just loved this story.



Fenrix

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Reply #8 on: August 13, 2015, 02:37:59 AM
Here I am, all ready for some necrophagist ghouls and armies of shambling undead, and then you bait and switch me with this wind-swept prose blowing mummy dust into my eyes.



All cat stories start with this statement: “My mother, who was the first cat, told me this...”


ElectricPaladin

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Reply #9 on: August 16, 2015, 07:46:06 PM
Wow. That was a sad, beautiful tale. I loved it.

Captain of the Burning Zeppelin Experience.

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Reply #10 on: August 18, 2015, 03:17:17 PM
Hm, apparently I was the only one that this didn't hit squarely.  It didn't leave me cold, exactly.  I related to the character.  But I guess my own foregone conclusion about poetry (i.e. that it has value if you feel it has value and who the hell cares what anyone else thinks) was what the story seemed to support in the end.  I thought it was cool that poetry could heal, but also thought it was plausible that this would produce a class of poetic elite who would argue about their schools of poetry to the detriment of their patients because of the chasm between classes.

I thought the death was horrible, given the obvious results that the poem produced.  The evidence out to speak for itself, but I'm not surprised that it didn't.

But then again, I am a low-brow artless person who doesn't understand modern poetry at all, instead loving the work of Shel Silverstein, Dr. Seuss, and Lewis Carroll.




An7hony

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Reply #11 on: August 19, 2015, 01:48:21 AM
After feasting on this story I find myself yearning for more poetry in my life.  And not the same old poets forced on us in high school. (Dickinson, Yeats, Poe, Longfellow, Cummings, Whitman, etc.)  I'd love some new, uplifting, modern poetry.  Any ideas?

If I feel depressed I will sing.  If I feel sad I will laugh.  If I feel ill I will double my labor.  If I feel fear I will plunge ahead. - Og Mandino


Varda

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Reply #12 on: August 19, 2015, 09:57:11 AM
After feasting on this story I find myself yearning for more poetry in my life.  And not the same old poets forced on us in high school. (Dickinson, Yeats, Poe, Longfellow, Cummings, Whitman, etc.)  I'd love some new, uplifting, modern poetry.  Any ideas?

It's been years on the forums, and NOW AT LAST IT CAN BE TOLD: I secretly really love poetry. :D I just don't talk about it much, because people tend to glaze over. But since you've encouraged me (hey, welcome to the forums!) I'll happily share some more recent favorites!

"Scientific Romance" by Tim Pratt

"Love Rode 1500 Miles" by Judy Grahn

"Girl Hours" by Sofia Samatar

"Curiosity" by Alasdair Reid

"A Blessing" by James Wright

"Turning the Leaves" by Amal El-Mohtar

Okay, one more! Tolkien wrote this deceptively simple poem about cats, and it makes me angry because of how wickedly well-constructed it is beneath the singsong exterior.

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Sgarre1

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Reply #13 on: August 19, 2015, 11:24:44 AM
All the modern (some *very* modern) poetry you could want (I can't vouch for uplifting)...

http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/

Check out the Authors page!

http://writing.upenn.edu/pennsound/x/authors.php



kibitzer

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Reply #14 on: August 20, 2015, 12:41:58 AM
Okay, one more! Tolkien wrote this deceptively simple poem about cats, and it makes me angry because of how wickedly well-constructed it is beneath the singsong exterior.

Just took a look at that one and it BEGS to be read aloud! It's beautiful, alliterative, flowing. Love it!

(No seriously, read it aloud!!)


Devoted135

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Reply #15 on: August 20, 2015, 01:03:17 AM
Okay, one more! Tolkien wrote this deceptively simple poem about cats, and it makes me angry because of how wickedly well-constructed it is beneath the singsong exterior.

Just took a look at that one and it BEGS to be read aloud! It's beautiful, alliterative, flowing. Love it!

(No seriously, read it aloud!!)

There's precedent for PodCastle running poetry, right? *hint hint* :D



Varda

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Reply #16 on: August 20, 2015, 01:26:14 AM
Okay, one more! Tolkien wrote this deceptively simple poem about cats, and it makes me angry because of how wickedly well-constructed it is beneath the singsong exterior.

Just took a look at that one and it BEGS to be read aloud! It's beautiful, alliterative, flowing. Love it!

(No seriously, read it aloud!!)

If all the velvet-voiced people of my acquaintance recorded their own versions of "Cat" and they all just showed up in my inbox at once on my birthday... well, that might just be the best birthday ever. Just sayin'.

I am not sounding the first shot of the Great Narrator War of '15. I would never condone such a thing. Ever.  ::)

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epilonious

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Reply #17 on: August 20, 2015, 12:36:49 PM
I loved this story.

I saved it in my podcatcher and have listened to it about once or twice a day to keep me sane as I prepare to throw a mini-milestone party and vassilate between stress and "everyone who is coming loves you, calm down."  I enjoyed the love and comfort between two old souls, and how they navigated a world they appreciated despite its sillier elements.

Hm, apparently I was the only one that this didn't hit squarely.  It didn't leave me cold, exactly.  I related to the character.  But I guess my own foregone conclusion about poetry (i.e. that it has value if you feel it has value and who the hell cares what anyone else thinks) was what the story seemed to support in the end.  I thought it was cool that poetry could heal, but also thought it was plausible that this would produce a class of poetic elite who would argue about their schools of poetry to the detriment of their patients because of the chasm between classes.

I feel like three quarters of the reason that The Guild proclaimed Royzca a heretic is because of that very thing, despite her poem working and her earnest belief:  if a death poem doesn't tickle the ranks of Motionno(sp?) or Pusarla(sp??) as determined by a forum, it shouldn't be blessed.  I like to imagine that too many times trumped-up imposter-poet-scholar (like Hedrana would have been) had blessed the poem of a friend or a close relative (or their own) for personal gain or other nepotism and squandered the water, thus a threat of death to be meted out by a court was one of the few things that could stop such nonsense.

The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
 Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
 Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
 Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it
 -- Omar Khayyam


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Reply #18 on: August 20, 2015, 01:45:20 PM
I feel like three quarters of the reason that The Guild proclaimed Royzca a heretic is because of that very thing, despite her poem working and her earnest belief:  if a death poem doesn't tickle the ranks of Motionno(sp?) or Pusarla(sp??) as determined by a forum, it shouldn't be blessed.  I like to imagine that too many times trumped-up imposter-poet-scholar (like Hedrana would have been) had blessed the poem of a friend or a close relative (or their own) for personal gain or other nepotism and squandered the water, thus a threat of death to be meted out by a court was one of the few things that could stop such nonsense.

Yes, I think that that is their intent.  I also think that if the poem has the effect then it proves itself correct, and they need to rethink how they evaluate poems.  They seem to have become so elitist so as not to recognize the value in things that don't gauge well on their measuring stick.  But poetry, as with any art, can never be defined by a measuring stick--the stick can be used to gauge some estimation, but some of the most powerful works are going to be those that defy this convention, else the whole instutition falls into such a predictable rut that the art has no value anymore.



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Reply #19 on: February 24, 2016, 04:24:51 PM
Finally catching up on old episodes.

LOVED this story!!

All the discussion about what makes a poem work or not work really got me thinking about such things. What works for me or doesn't work for me in a poem? Why?

It also made me think about the whole Michael Derrick Hudson/Sherman Alexie debacle, in which Mr. Alexie basically said he originally thought the poem was interesting because of the context in which he read it (i.e. assuming the author was Chinese). People glossed over that (or openly derided it) but I think it is a valid point.

Basically, I think the point of this story is that if you judge a poem only on what is written, and not on the circumstances and context, then you're missing perhaps the most important part of the picture. And that's why some poems work for one person and not for someone else, because we all have slightly different contexts we bring to our reading.

Quote
They seem to have become so elitist so as not to recognize the value in things that don't gauge well on their measuring stick.

I thought that was rather poignant commentary on the state of poetry / poetry lovers.