One more poem from the vault
Back in college, there was a popular class called “Arts 15: Introduction to the popular performing arts” — otherwise known as the history of rock and roll. The professor was, shall we say, opinionated. One test question that is still stuck in my craw follows:
The greatest rock and roll band of all time was:
- The Who
- The Beatles
- The Rolling Stones
- Queen
His expected answer was ”The Beatles”. I firmly disagree. It was the Stones.
Here is a poem I wrote at that time.
Arts Fifteen With
Professor Kelly
Arts Fifteen
What a drag?
Kelly mutters
On and on
About nothing
That’s really
Important.
Only opinions,
Professor,
your opinions;
For us to
Ingest,
Gestate, and,
Regurgitate
As if they
Were fact on
Your pointed
Examinations in
Arts Fifteen.
These are not
Facts which you
Preach to us
In One-eleven
Forum building,
Between 3:30
And 4:20 PM,
Monday, Wednesday,
And Friday–
Yet you test
Us to see
If we listen,
And accept
Your fucked up
Ideas about
The quality
Of popular
Performing arts.
Who died
And left you God?
Categorised as: creativity, culture, daily life, disgust, entertainment, frowns, frustration, lunacy, music, noise, nostalgia, poems, rants
Hmmm…what the hell kind of a test question is that? While I love The Beatles there is no right or wrong answer here. I can’t believe that you were expected to actually choose a “right” answer. That’s like asking what is the best way to make a steak or what is the best Rocky movie. My best won’t be the same as your best. What a pompous ass of a prof.
Exactly!