Would you go this far just to gain attention for your poetry?
By shywolf
@shywolf (4514)
United States
January 20, 2007 6:29pm CST
Live Art student Dickon Stone seems to think that if you want to get noticed, it helps to have a memorable name. His poem, entitled "Setting My Hair on Fire" was performed last week outside the Bentall Centre, and his performance involved him setting fire to some strands of his hair.
This poem was the 1st in a series, which Dickon says explore the theme of celebrity disappointment. Dickon says that he is dissapointed with the people that the media choose to tell him about, and says that it is time for his fifteen minutes of fame.
Dickon also said that the performances are to draw attention to global warming.
The next poem in Dickon's series of attention-grabbing titled poems is called Smacking a Child in the Face. This title worries me, lol...
What do you think of this? What strange titles can you imagine that his subsequent poems will have?
More here:
http://www.davesdaily.com/out.php?id=23766&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisislocallondon.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fweird%2Fdisplay.var.1135921.0.hairraising_stunt_stuns_shoppers.php
3 people like this
16 responses
@sunnypub (2128)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I think he said it all when he said it is time for his fifteen minutes of fame. I certainly wouldn't go to such lengths to get my poetry noticed. Of course I write poetry mainly for myself. It helps me get out feelings and I don't really care if other people read them.
I think he had better be careful with his next one, he oculd get in trouble.
Maybe coming up we will get 'Peeing Into the Wind' or 'Dropping A Brick On My Foot'.
4 people like this
@grayangel (274)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I do not think I would set my hair on fire to get my poems noticed. But hey it depends on the person. I have some poems that I just put out there and people go: Wow that was great you are a talent poet, and some just sit there collecting dust.
3 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
The poems that I have written in my time are mostly lost now, but I never had a big audience for them. I did used to write some, though. More song lyrics than poetry, but it's all kind of the same. I would love to hear some of your poems! I will happily be a new 'audience' member for your poetry, if you like! ^_^
@rainbow (6761)
•
21 Jan 07
I think that his publicity stunt may actually put serious poetry fans off him.
I can just imagine when he does Smacking a Child in the Face, lol.
I always thought poetry was a personal thing, quietly done and only shared in gentle way, how wrong was I, ha-ha!
3 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I have a feeling that you may be right about his publicity stunt putting some people off of him, but it will also definitely gain him more attention than he most likely would have ever had if he had just read his poetry quietly in some pub somewhere *laugh*
I guess that just as there is gentle music (like soft rock) there is also really hard music, like heavy metal.. so why not soft, quiet poetry, and also in your face poetry? LOL. I know what you mean, though. It does seem to be a 'gentle' art form, generally.
1 person likes this
@emarie (5442)
• United States
21 Jan 07
hey man, if it works for him then go for it. sometimes people have something to say and as long as he doesn't hurt anyone while doing it, then i don't really have a problem with it. about what the media report to people. i can agree with him on that one. i mean, sometimes they just want to report on those celebs who are doing BAD things and of course people who idolize them think "hey this is cool, they did it" so of course our children want to be like their idols. its stuoid. and publics facination with celebraties misfalls are indeed stupid.
3 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I agree, to each their own, and as long as this guy isn't actually harming anyone then I find the idea of what he is doing kind of entertaining, personally.
Yep - the fact that we as a society idolize celebrities as a whole is pretty sad, especially because of the children who are being lead in the wrong direction by doing so. I fully agree with that :/
@lifeiseasy (2292)
• United States
21 Jan 07
No I wouldn't but some people like the attention and I think he got quite a dose of that lol . His next might get him some jail time so hope he uses a baby doll for a prop. He'd better anyways. Cutting off my little toe ??? Have no clue with this guy ... lol
btw I like the way you added the link to the whole story good job
3 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I like to add links to the stories because Mylot doesn't allow us to copy and paste an article in, and I think that there are users who like to read more of the details than what i can type out for them without my fingers wanting to fall off, lol! I'm glad that you liked the link. ^_^
He better use a fake baby doll, no doubt about that, or he will have one heck of an angry mob around him by the time he is done with that next poem of his! LOL.
1 person likes this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I agree fully that it would have been a hundred times worse if he had been setting someone else's hair on fire, lol! Thank goodness it was his own hair. I also do not think that I would have gone that far. I mean, hair to me is pretty important, lol! I could not bear to burn some of my hair just for the sake of a poem! *laugh* (Although I do love poetry).
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
3 Feb 07
This is nothing more than a childish gimmick to attract attention, and actually succeeds in a negative way.
I consider it impossible to judge a performance that I have not witnessed, yet I already have doubts about any talents associated with this individual. If he could produce something of value then he would have no need to resort to this form of sensationalism.
2 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
LOL! I love your words here. I have to agree that reading about this guy made me doubt his talent somewhat, as well. I mean, if his poetry were that amazing, would he need to take things to the extremes that he's doing? I fully doubt it. You always give such well-thought out answers, Asylum! ^_^
@djbtol (5493)
• United States
31 Jan 07
So interesting that he is putting more pollutants into the air (by burning his hair) as he tries to draw attention to global warming. Typical for a liberal, though.
Since I have not talent when it comes to poetry, I would probably have to promise to set all of my hair on fire to get people to come and listen. Ouch! and No Thanks!
@rsmith512 (1561)
• United States
1 Feb 07
Me too!
I am not good at poetry and I do not like poetry.
It all is kind of confusing!
Haha!!! :DD
2 people like this
@rsmith512 (1561)
• United States
1 Feb 07
Ha!
The next title does scare me!
I would not want to be that child. :P
I think that he is just trying to draw attention, but he is getting it! :DD
2 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
He certainly got my attention, lol! I would like to look on the internet and see if anything was posted about his next poem, the one about hitting the child. He truly best not have attempted to slap a real child. So many irate mothers would be on his case faster than he could ever imagine...
@foxbrain (203)
• India
21 Jan 07
I would do it if i were him. Fame is best way to market your content and i think he may be doing rite. Also But it can be maintained to a certain level rather than keeping things go burning all the time.
And abt the next tittle it worries me 2. Hope he doesnt do anything stupid becoz scandals grows faster and so does fame.
2 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I hope too, like you, that he doesn't take his poetry exhibitions further and further until he does something that he truly should not, just for fame. Burning his own hair is one thing, but if he starts harming others then he will definitely find himself in trouble. I truly hope that he keeps things at a good level.
@dmillman (2273)
• United States
21 Jan 07
I would definitely NOT do that. I might get a spiked mohawk and have flourescent pink or something, but I wouldn't burn my hair. I hate the smell of burned hair, don't you - hehe. Some times I think we hear more about the stupid people than the smart people. I know we always hear about the bad things more than the good things. Some people just like to take things to the extreme. I used to write poetry, and never thought about doing anything like that.
I guess, though, as long as he isn't harming anyone else, there's probably nothing that we could do to stop it, if we wanted to. As far as the spanking one, I agree with the others that hope it's a doll.
If he did a real one, I think I'd have to come up with a poem for him. Something like "I threw an encyclopedia set at his head to try to know some sense into him"! Think he'd volunteer to be the receiver though?
2 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I wouldn't get a mohawk! I think that I would rather burn my hair than do that, as long as it were only a tiny bit of hair that i was burning *laugh* But then, that's just me. I couldn't imagine myself with a mohawk! ^_^
LOL at your 'encyclopedia' line. I loved your response! ^_^
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
21 Jan 07
He wanted to be known and heard that is for sure. I dont have time to do that stuff. Mylot and gather takes all my time.
3 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I agree with you that this modern day poet sure wanted to be heard and seen, and he was indeed heard and seen! *laugh* I also spend so much time here that I would not have time for such activities. But I am still curious about Gather, and whether it is just a site for fun or whether one gets paid there? ^_^
1 person likes this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
I find it more amusing than sad, to be honest with you, although I can see where you're coming from. I mean, it is interesting to see the lengths that people in this world will go to, for their 'fifteen minutes of fame'. I would love to hear how this guy's next poetry reading went. I wonder if there is news of it on the internet anywhere.
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
3 Feb 07
Oh, weemam, I would love to see your poems. I did not realize that you had posted some on here. I think that it is wonderful that you've had some poetry published! That's something that I've never done, although I used to write a few poems and songs here and there in my youth. Sadly, I had a good one "Footprints in the Sand" that I am still looking around the house for and cannot find a copy of. Gah! I would love to read it again. I've been wanting to show it to some friends, but I can't find it.
