Artistic Antidote Archive
Over the weekend, the Star Tribune had a small blurb about two new songs released by Stevie Wonder in response to our times. Today we share the first, “Where is Our Love Song," featuring Gary Clark Jr. Says Wonder, “In these times, we are hearing the most poignant wake-up calls and cries for this nation and the world to, please, heed our need for love, peace, and unity." Stevie revealed that he started writing this song when he was 18, and was inspired by recent events to revisit it. All proceeds from the song will go to Feeding America.
Today we pause with the second Stevie Wonder recent release, “Can’t Put It In the Hands of Fate”. On this song, Stevie collaborates with rappers Busta Rhymes, Rapsody, Cordae and Chika. He explains that this song was originally written about a relationship, but that he updated the lyrics after “thinking about where we are in the world and about how this is the most crucial time. Change is right now. We can’t put it into the hands of fate. Ain’t nobody got time to wait.”
All of us in the Twin Cities found an unexpected surprise outside of our windows this morning- snow in October! Not the first, nor the last time we will see snow in October, but it is always shocking to see. Today we pause with “Early October Snow” by Robert Haight. We love the last few lines that equate snow in October to finding a gray hair on your head in the morning; something you know can happen but you’re never quite ready for it. Enjoy this autumn/winter weekend. Paired with a picture from the Mankato Free Press from the historic “Halloween Blizzard of ‘91” (28 inches, today could be a lot worse!).
Today we pause with another cool art project to come out of COVID-19: the Museum of Quarantine on Quebec. Ann Morrow Johnson created this “museum” by asking neighbors to hang their quarantine art creations on her driveway wall in Los Angeles. Says Johnson, “during this unprecedented time, we are constantly overwhelmed with all of the negatives of COVID-19. I want to use this time as an opportunity for more sharing, more collaboration and finding ways to bring everyone together!” Johnson catalogues each contribution to the museum on her Instagram page so that the world can experience the joys of connecting through art.
As we see COVID numbers in Minnesota climbing again, we want to return to the foundation of this Artistic Antidote initiative: coping and healing through the arts. We pause today with a story about a group of musicians who team up with families who have lost loved ones to COVID-19 to create music honoring their legacy. The group, Blindspot Collective Theater Company, created a project called “Refractions” with the intent of creating human anthems for victims of the pandemic. They have released 3 so far, the first of which is titled "Momma’s Gonna Work it Out” in memory of Juliet Davis, inspired by a conversation with her son, Tavi McNeil. They hope to produce 15 songs about Americans who have lost their lives to COVID-19.
Today we pause with a new video from Pentatonix, the world-renowned acapella group, singing “Mad World”, originally performed by Gary Jules. This seems like a fitting anthem for 2020. Enjoy the new take on this song and the power of the human voice.
Today we pause to honor our new Nobel Laureate, Louise Glück. In addition to receiving the 2020 Nobel Prize in Literature, Louise Glück served as Chancellor for the Academy of American Poets and was the Library of Congress’s twelfth poet laureate consultant in poetry. We hope you will enjoy her poem, “The Red Poppy,” written from the perspective of the flower, paired with a picture from Dr. Jon Hallberg to kick off a new, beautiful fall week.
We end the week with a short poem by William Wordworth, “My Heart Leaps Up.” This simple poem reminds us that nature never stops carrying wonder and the power to take our breath away. Paired with a photo from minneapolis.org, we hope everyone gets to spend some time in nature this weekend; give your heart a reason to leap up.
Today we pause with a poem familiar to most, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. Any hiking aficionados know the power of finding a less-trodden trail- fewer people means nature more preserved and wild. When you are confronted with the consequential- or inconsequential- question of which path to take, always take the road less traveled. If you’re anything like the author, it will make all the difference.
Today we offer up “Sleeping in the Forest” by Mary Oliver as our daily pause with nature. This piece is almost as soothing as the idea of spending a night on the cool mossy floor of a forest, with the stars serving as your night light. Paired with a picture by Dr. Jon Hallberg.
Another beautiful fall day, another beautiful poem about nature, this one simply titled “Poem” by Paul Carroll. We chose this poem because it shows the way nature allows your mind to race and wander, simply by taking in its beauty. “There is only wonder.” Paired with a photo by Dr. Jon Hallberg, taken recently on the Mighty Mississippi.
We loved the reactions to last weeks’ “Pet” themed content, so in light of this vibrant and breathtaking time in Minnesota, we are going to focus on nature for the week. We are in the metaphorical sweet spot of Minnesota Fall- leaves are changing and falling, the sun is shining, and temperatures are cool but manageable. We hope our sharings inspire you to perhaps compose your own poem, as second year medical student Grant Simonson has done with today’s offering, “Hummingbird Feeder.”
We close out this week with two poems from Mary Oliver’s book Red Bird. Both poems speak to the widsom we can glean from animals about how to live our lives, if we take a moment to notice how they spend their days.
Today we make the leap into October and continue with our pandemic pets theme. And, since we suspect you may have noticed already, we feel we must confess that the Artistic Antidote team has a strong bias towards pandemic puppies! That said, we know that cats also have brought great joy to many these past months. So, for today’s pause, we bring you this brilliant and hilarious poem by Miriam and Rhiannon, two incredible young poets from Los Angeles.
Today’s pause is short and sweet, a classic poem by American humorist and poet Ogden Nash (1902-1971). We hope it makes you smile.
We continue with our pandemic pets theme, with today’s pause coming in the form of a wonderful poem written and read by poet Mary Oliver entitled, Little Dog’s Rhapsody in the Night. She manages to perfectly express why it is such a gift to share our lives with a pet.
Last week we spoke of exhaustion and grief. With the weight of everything that has happened these past months threatening to crush us at times, many of us have made an effort to pause and be attentive to the moments of everyday joy we encounter in our days. For some of us, the furry creatures with whom we share our lives have been a steady source of such joyous moments.
We end out the week with a poem from Instagram poet Tyler Knott (@Tylerknott) who, like many poets, has taken to social media to share his art in a meaningful way. We share “Typewriter Series #3034” to end a busy week, where so many of us are juggling more than we ever knew we could. The analogy of a lightbulb left on for weeks at a time might be very applicable to you right now, and we hope the weekend brings some relaxation and time to decompress. You’ve got this.
For any gardening enthusiasts among us, you know September is the last month to harvest those tomatoes that you’ve carefully taken care of all summer long - quickly, before they rot. Today we pause with a poem by Karina Borowicz, “September Tomatoes,” paired with a photograph from food blogger Terri Salminen.
Today we pause with a suggestion from Dr. Bill Roberts from the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. The title says it all, “Brandon Leake Performs Heart-Wrenching Spoken Word to His Mother- America’s Got Talent 2020.” Brandon performs his own poem and delivers it in a raw, powerful way that makes the listener truly feel and empathize with his emotions. A comment from the YouTube video says “when he’s speaking, it’s like the entire universe stops and listens." Take some time to stop and listen to his offering today.
On this beautiful first day of fall, we pause with a poem from a poet who captures the importance and beauty of nature and how we interact with it. “I Go Down to the Shore” by Mary Oliver, perfectly captures how beholding the beauty and greatness of nature can give our daily troubles more perspective. Who are we to complain about too many Zoom meetings to a sea that is doing so much more than we can comprehend? Paired with a photo by Dr. Hallberg.
Over the weekend, we lost a historic figure who changed the world in many positive ways. In addition to fighting tirelessly for gender equity, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was also a huge patron of the arts, in particular opera. We want to pay our respects to her today with one of her favorite Sull'aria, from "The Marriage of Figaro."
Today we harken back to our roots at the Center for the Art of Medicine- how art heals. We pause with a poem by Rafael Campo, one of the most well-regarded proponents of the partnership between art and medicine. Rafael is a poet who practices medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. His writing focuses on themes that promote equality and justice for minority groups, through the lens of medicine. His body of work is vast and phenomenal, and we want to share his poem “The Chart,” which takes a look at the diminutive nature of charts and how our patients are so much more than what they are on paper. We also want to share a TEDx talk by Rafael titled “How Poetry Heals Us.”
Today we pause with a beautiful poem by Rachel Hadas titled “The End of Summer”. Summer in Minnesota is an extraordinary time of year, one that will slowly fade into fall and then, the (unfortunately) eventual winter. This poem has a line that really resonates with us Minnesotans:
Over the summer months hung an unspoken
aura of urgency
May this poem, and the picture that accompanies it from Adrian Koski on Facebook, inspire you to make the most of these last few summer days.
Today, smack dab in the middle of what has been a crazy, busy, uncharted September (for many of us), we pause with a classic: “September” by Earth, Wind and Fire. We hope this video gets you “dancing in September” as the band members intended.
We hope you all had a chance to watch the TPT + Center for the Art of Medicine Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic over the weekend (if not, linked here!).
We return to our usual Artistic Antidote Daily Pause for a Pandemic today, with the poem “Dust” by Danusha Laméris. Paired with a photo of dust clouds resulting from fires, which, as the poem points out, can travel thousands of miles.
We’d like to end the week with another Center for the Art of Medicine project that we are extremely proud of and excited about: a collaboration between Motionpoems, poet Marge Piercy, and filmmaker Tamika Miller. This visualization of the poem “To Be of Use” (one of our earliest offerings through the Artistic Antidote channel), recited by the poet and set to traditional African music tells a story that goes beyond the words of the author. We know you will love this piece as much as we do.
Volovets’ “A Meadow by the Sea” and Nahum’s Portraits
Tonight is the big premiere and we hope you will all be joining us for the full performance as well as a conversation afterwards. Today our Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic “teaser” is a stunning collaboration between Daniel Volovets, MD and Avi Nahum, MD.
“In the Cut: Being Asian American During This Pandemic, A Word Find Puzzle” by Sun Yung Shin
The last few months have brought a lot of perspectives into focus. Today’s Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic “teaser” features "In the Cut: Being Asian American During This Pandemic" from Sun Yung Shin.
Coming together, apart, has been a theme of this endeavor from its inception. Today’s Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic “teaser” features a group of musicians from the MN Orchestra, SPCO, and MN Opera Orchestra performing a virtual string quartet. Not only is this an incredible feat to pull off virtually, but it is a stunning reminder of the times to see these artists in different backdrops around the city, brought together by the beautiful sounds of Antonn Dvok’s String Quartet No. 12 in F Major, “American”- Il. Lento.
Our Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic “teaser” for today will also look familiar to those who have perused our Artistic Antidote archives. The piece for today is the poem by Dr. John Patrick Murray “Bouquet” that we shared back in April. Written by a physician in response to caring for severely ill COVID patients, this piece is elevated when it is recited by healthcare professionals to the pulse of hospital equipment.
Slowly Exploding” with Porch Portraits
Today’s Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic “teaser” might be familiar to some of our earlier subscribers. We shared the song “Slowly Exploding” by Julia Bloom back in April, and now we get to share it performed with the band Cabin of Love. Even better, the video is enhanced by a selection of Scott Streble’s “Porch Portraits,” a moving photography series of people standing outside their homes during quarantine. A perfect snapshot in time.
Today we take a pause from our normally scheduled programming to share an exciting upcoming project happening with the Center for the Art of Medicine and Twin Cities PBS (TPT)- Hippocrates Cafe: Reflections on the Pandemic. Today, through its digital premiere on Thursday, September 10th (RSVP here!), we will be sharing 6 “teaser” videos of the production, a night of music, art, animation, photography, story, poetry and dance hosted by Drs. Renee Crichlow and Jon Hallberg.
Today, on the first day of September, we pause with this short clip from “Dance and BMore,” a Baltimore based ensemble of musicians, dancers, and theater-makers committed to strengthening communities through the arts. We all have a lot going on right now, and we hope this video, and all of the work we are doing with the Artistic Antidote to a Pandemic, gives you material you can use to center yourself when you’re feeling a little overwhelmed.
Over the weekend, many watched this year’s MTV Video Music Awards, which, unsurprisingly, looked a little different this year. We celebrated their new categories of “Best Music Video from Home” and “Best Quarantine Performance” earlier in the month. Today, we celebrate another new category: “Everyday Heroes,” which lifted up healthcare providers and the videos they were sharing with the world during this pandemic.
To finish out the week, we pause with a YoutTube video by Timothy Williams, who has a youtube channel, TwinsthenewTrend, dedicated to diving deep into songs and deciphering their meaning. The channel promotes intergenerational and intercultural exchange and discovery, and it’s surprisingly fun to watch someone hear a song for the first time and react to it, pulling out examples that resonate from their own lives.
Today, during another hard week, we pause with a poem by Audre Lorde titled “A Litany for Survival.” Audre Lorde served as the New York State Poet from 1991-1992. Her words characterize life as a “state of permanent fear of personal extinction, even during the best of times, for those of us who belong to vulnerable populations.”
Today we pause with a poem by Narasha Olakodun, a poet and essayist based in Madison, Wisconsin, titled “Black Credit.” We will let Natasha explain how this poem came to be and what it means to her in her own words.
Today we pause with a gorgeous ode to summer written by Leslie Pickney Hill. We see the days getting shorter, and while today is hot it will soon cool. Enjoy these beautiful days and take the opportunity to reflect on Hill’s words. Paired with a photo by Jon Hallberg.
We’re having a lot of conversations about how to prioritize mental health. As we prepare for back-to-school, whatever that will mean for you, it is more important than ever to make sure you have a way to relax and reset. Today we offer up another Google Arts and Culture offering- “A Musical Journey Through the Wheat Fields with Van Gogh.” It’s a simple concept- beautiful classical music playing while the camera zooms lazily over the serene landscape that Van Gogh has created- but it works wonders to relax the mind and center your thoughts.
Today we pause with heavy hearts thinking about the defacing of George Floyd’s memorial. The memorial represents a lot for a lot of different people, and it is devastating to think about the vandalism that occurred. Let’s not lose sight of our destination. We hope this powerful song, “Sweeter” by Leon Bridges will help renew our conviction.
We’ve talked a lot about sleeping and dreaming during the pandemic. It’s affected all parts of our lives, including the kind of sleep we get and the kind of dreams that we experience. Today we pause with an interesting reflection on sleep, titled “The Sleeping” by Jacinta V. White. The author, in addition to being a poet and artist, is a certified corporate trainer. She works with individuals and groups using art as a catalyst for healing.
A flashlight, a hoodie, a bag of chips. What do these things have in common? They are objects that police say were a catalyst to proceed in their use of violence against unarmed black people. This project is called Dangerous Objects, and if you visit the website, you will see each icon can be clicked on to reveal more about the incident that sparked police violence, which often resulted in mortality.
Today we pause with a poem from Myra Viola Wilds’ poetry collection “Thoughts of Idle Hours,” published in 1915. This poem, “Dewdrops,” contains the timeless message, “like the dewdrops, let us scatter/Gems of love along the way.” Take some time to notice and appreciate the simple beauty of nature today, and spread some love along the way. Paired with a condensation-laden patio light photograph, reflective of these last weeks of August as days start to shorten and cool.
Today we pause with another “Instagram art museum,” titled “Save the Boards Mpls,” this one dedicated to preserving and sharing the plywood-board art that has popped up over broken windows in Minneapolis following the protests surrounding George Floyd’s murder. Two women, Kendra Zeller-Smith and Leesa Kelly, have made it their mission to collect the board art and display it on their Instagram page.
Who remembers American Girl Dolls? They are still a thing, but the “original” crew of dolls, Kirsten, Molly, Samantha, Felicity, and Addy, all came with sets of novels that depicted their lives as girls living in America. Today we pause with a piece by Kortney Morrow titled “American Girl Dolls Attend Mandatory Diversity Training.”
Every year, millions of people flock to Europe to soak in the splendor of cultural establishments like the Louvre. This year, that’s not really an option. However, if you want to get a dose of culture and do a deep dive into your favorite art piece, Google Arts and Culture on Youtube has you covered. Today we pause with an installment from one of their collaborations, Art Zooms, which brings together iconic voices to explore the classic masterpieces.
Today we pause with a song by a cappella vocal ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock. In this video they perform Ella’s Song with the VocalEssence Chorus. The lyrics and spirit of this song, written by the founding member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, Bernice Johnson Reagon, were inspired by Ella Baker, a civil rights activist who promoted grassroots activism and radical democracy. She has been called one of the most important African American leaders of the twentieth century and perhaps the most influential women in the civil rights movement.
We have talked about the new forms of art and expression arising out of quarantine and pandemic conditions. It probably comes as no surprise that students and alumni of Juilliard School of Performance put together a riveting, inspiring, and astounding piece at the end of April titled “Bolero Juilliard.” While words can’t do the video justice, it was inspired by the question, “what can we do together even while we are alone?”
Today’s pause from The New Yorker titled “The City Recovers” by Jorge Colombo, is a series of drawings from the author as he revisited the city of New York for the first time since March. His drawings show a city still ruled by the shadow of COVID, but finding ways to return to a semblance of how things were. “We are living in a state of transition, heading toward a future unknown.”
Many things have changed over the last few months (understatement, much?). Did you know that in light of the new world we are living in today, the MTV Video Awards have added two new categories? Best Music Video from Home and Best Quarantine Performance.
Today we share a collection of reader submitted stories compiled by the New York Times for a weekly column titled “Tiny Love Stories.” Each submission is less than 100 words and showcases some facet of the way love shows up for us, even when the world is in crisis mode.
Today we pause with a recently “discovered” Langston Hughes poem titled “I Look at the World.” This was one of several poems that he wrote inside covers of a book, discovered in 2009. This poem was written amidst the Great Depression, but bears as much weight today, ending with “And I see that my own hands can make/The world that's in my mind.” We are still very much in the process of creating the world in his mind. Paired with a photo from the protest aftermath showing a burnt out building on Lake Street, symbolic of the “silly walls that oppression builds--that will have to go.”
Today we pause with a beautiful, heart wrenching song by artist Ruth B. called “If I have a Son.” This song, according to the artist, is “an honest reflection of how I have been feeling. The murder of George Floyd has served as a wake-up call for a lot of people, but for black people everywhere, this has always been a reality. I hope that one day we live in a world where I don't have to be afraid to have kids solely because of the color of their skin. It has been awe-inspiring to see the unity and change that is already happening because of George Floyd.”
Today we pause (very literally) with a short tanka by June Jordan. June was a poet, essayist, teacher and activist who was passionate about using Black English in her writing, encouraging others to treat it as its own language, an important outlet for expressing Black culture. This tanka, a Japanese poem consisting of five lines, paints a beautiful picture of the author having perhaps an imagined conversation with author Alice Walker, spending time in nature, and reflecting on their place in it. Paired with a photo of a Redwood tree in California.
We think a great way to end the week is with VocalEssence covering “Seasons of Love” from Rent, by Jonathan Larson arranged by Roger Emerson. VocalEssence is a local acapella group that believes love inspires change, pursues justice, and creates change. VocalEssence is dedicated to inspiring people to use their voices to make a more equitable world for all. This song is a great example of the power of our voices to create change and come together.
Today we pause with a visual poem by Crystal Valentine titled “This Little Light of Mine Speaks (Following Anna Mae Bullock’s Expulsion From Church, 1946)”. Crystal Valentine draws inspiration from Anna Mae Bullock, otherwise known as Tina Turner. Tina’s story continues to inspire Crystal, who transcribes poetry into sheet music.
The pandemic continues to spur creativity and innovation. The New York Times published a few poems submitted by readers on life during the pandemic, and today we offer up this submission who had some fun role playing Emily Dickinson if she were living in 2020. Paired with a beautiful painting by Jill DeBoer titled “McFarland Perspective.” Jill is the Director of the Health Emergency Response Office and the Deputy Director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, who still manages to create beautiful art while helping lead our University’s COVID response.
We’ve been talking and living through a lot of change. Today we pause with a sure-to-lift your spirits song, “O-o-h Child” by The Five Stairsteps. While change is often difficult for us to cope with, things will always get brighter and easier. Keep this anthem on deck when you are feeling overwhelmed or nervous about our near or distant future.
Today we pause again to think about change and the possibilities ahead of us with a song by Minnesota natives Herb Ronnell and Pat Devon called “A BIG Change.” From their Youtube Channel: ““a BIG change” is the latest release from Herb Ronnell and Pat Devon. The track ushers in a new era of music with its rawness and timeliness. Sure to carry the torch forward, “a BIG change” is a cry for racial equity and social justice. There are fiery speeches integrated and chants from protests and riots that keep the vibe of this song booming. Together, Herb and Pat have a vibe here that will certainly keep the baton moving forward in our race to establish anti-racism.” Read more about their song writing process and the feelings that went into this anthem for change here.
Today we pause with a beautiful performance by Esparanza Spalding performing “On The Sunny Side of the Street” at the White House in 2016. Originally written during the Great Depression, this song encourages you to cross over to the sunny side of the street and live intentionally, despite all the things that could potentially get you down. Let’s take this positive sentiment with us into the weekend and try to focus on the positives in all of our lives.
Today we reflect with a prophecy made by Hopi Elders in June 2000. Reading this 20 years later, we find ourselves in a time where “the river is flowing very fast and there are those who will be afraid. Know the river has its destination.” The opportunity to change meaningfully is happening all around us. Will we be the ones we are waiting for? This was shared by Wendy Nickerson, Department Administrator for the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health. Paired with a photograph by Christi Belcourt titled “The Wisdom of the Universe” that was shared as a part of the Minneapolis Institute of Art’s “Hearts of Our People:Native Women Artists”- the first ever museum retrospective of Native American and Canadian female artists.
Today we offer up a poem by Yesenia Montilla titled “a brief meditation on breath.” From the author: “I started this poem at the beginning of the pandemic. I could not help but make the correlation between the inability to take in breath- a symptom of COVID-19 and the loss of breath at the hands of the police- a reality of being Black in America. This was before we knew that this virus would take us in such higher numbers compared to white folks. This was before George Floyd and all that has happened and continues to happen and will continue to happen as we try to get free.” A line in this poem also foreshawdows the location of George Floyd’s murder on Chicago and 38th: “I walked 38 blocks…” . An uncanny and haunting reflection on what was to come and what continues to be. Paired with some mask street art from Bryne, Norway by street artist Pobel, titled “Lovers.”
On this rainy day, we pause with a new release from composer Eric Whitacre, with the help of Virtual Choir 6, a group that’s been practicing social distancing before we even needed it. Here are some notes from the composer: “Ten years ago we created the Virtual Choir with a simple question: is it possible to make beautiful music together, no matter how far apart we are? After multiple virtual choir projects featuring over 20,000 singers from 124 different countries, the answer is a resounding yes.
We continue the journey with a new piece I’ve written especially for the Virtual Choir during these challenging times, Sing Gently. Come join us and let us once again make beautiful music together.”
Today we want to honor the passing of the great John Lewis, longtime US congressman and civil rights leader. Lewis will be remembered for his participation in sit-ins, as a Freedom Rider, and as a keynote speaker at the historic March on Washington. We pause in his memory with “Sing Out, March On,” written and performed by Joshuah Campbell at the Harvard Commencement Ceremony in 2016 as a tribute to Congressman Lewis who was the keynote speaker. Rest in power, Mr. Lewis.
We pause today with a poem by Rainer Maria Riike titled “Let This Darkness Be a Bell Tower.” This poem urges us to harness the anxieties creeping to the surface in all of the chaos around us and transform them into action that can move us into a better place. A welcome reminder of the transformative power of difficult times. Aptly paired with a photo titled “Power” by Jeff Karp, DMD, MS- the director of our Pediatric Dentistry Residency Program at the School of Dentistry.
Times of crisis and unrest often produce the most magnificent artwork. Did you know there is a digital museum dedicated to curating COVID-19 inspired art? The Covid Art Museum lives on Instagram (@covidartmuseum) and features submissions from artists all around the world who are documenting COVID-19 from their unique perspectives. Their tagline reads that “the quarantine of millions of people has provided us with time and reflection, and has birthed a new movement of art; art in times of quarantine.”
In honor of Bastille Day, we offer the following song, Ne me quitte pas ("Don't leave me"), written in 1959 by the singer-songwriter Jacques Brel. This version is sung by the incomparable Nina Simone. (We've included an English translation of the lyrics below.) As healthcare professionals, these lyrics might be interpreted in a second way, different from the love song that the author intended, but as a plea for dying patients, “don’t leave me…”. In either interpretation, enjoy the dose of culture on this gloomy day.
We're excited to share with you the first commissioned project between the Center for the Art of Medicine and Motionpoems, a Minneapolis-based nonprofit whose tag is, "Our films are pure poetry."
This film, "On Lockdown," was created to reflect on the loneliness so many of us have felt during the pandemic, while also acknowledging George Floyd's death and all that this tragedy represents.
Todd Boss, poet and founder of Motionpoems, and London-based filmmaker, Calum Macdiarmid, perfectly capture our feelings during this disturbing and challenging time.
Today, we share "Keep Your Head Up Child," a song written and performed by Sara Bareilles and Joe Tippett. Joe, a Broadway actor, and Sara, a Grammy Award-winning recording artist, wrote this beautiful song for the graduating residents of the Mount Sinai Department of Medicine to thank them and celebrate their tireless efforts on the COVID-19 pandemic. No resident could have expected that they would be on the frontlines of response to a disease like this. We share this to thank them, our residents here in Minnesota, and all residents around the world who gave and continue to give so much of themselves during this pandemic.
Today we pause with the song "Who I Am," by Victory. The lyrics on this are heavy and convey the inherited struggle that BIPOC children are born into. The burdened lyrics give way to a hopeful ending verse: “C'mon, everybody, we're on our way to victory
We're gonna march toward our destiny until we live in liberty
We'll rise above poverty and change the whole society
We're gonna get up in the morning and make our dreams reality.”
We could all use a little more kindness in our lives, and I don’t mean niceties or politeness. True kindness requires perspective and compassion for everyone, regardless of their situation. Today’s offering “Kindness,” by Naomi Shihab Nye, is beautiful on its own but even more moving when you hear the story behind what inspired her words. Sometimes it takes a very tough situation to reveal the kindness of humanity to you, and remind you of how we ought to treat each other.
Today we offer a beautiful virtual recording of the "Song of the Birds," arranged and played by the Minnesota Orchestra cello section to honor George Floyd and all victims of injustice. This moving piece gives us a powerful, melancholy space to reflect on everything that has happened since his murder on May 25th.
Today we pause with a beautiful cover of The Beatles’ song “Blackbird” sang by 16 year old student Emma Stevens. Ms. Stevens translated the song’s lyrics to her indigenous language, Mi'kmaq, to raise awareness for the importance and significance of keeping our indigenous languages relevant.
By now, you’ve likely at least heard of the Broadway sensation “Hamilton.” To celebrate July 4th, we pause with the original cast recording of “Alexander Hamilton.”
Today we pause with a beautiful poem by Nikki Giovanni titled “Allowables”. This poem explores the response that fear creates and the overarching theme that fear does not warrant death. This bears a deeper look into the many black lives that have been lost to police violence. Just because something scares you doesn’t mean you have the right to take its life. Paired with a very literal compliment--a photograph of a spider.
On Friday, June 19 (Juneteenth), the Grammy Award-winning Twin Cities-based choir, Sounds of Blackness, released their newest song, “Sick and Tired,” for radio broadcast. Today, the group released this video version.
In honor of the last day of Pride Month, we pause with this beautiful rendition of “You’ll Never Walk Alone” from Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Carousel” sung by J. Hoard with the Young Swangers Orchestra. This song has been recorded many times throughout its history, taking on a special meaning with each rendition. Interestingly, this song has also become the UK/European anthem for healthcare providers facing the COVID-19 pandemic. We love this version with the Young Swangers Orchestra showing support for all members of the LBGTQ+ community.
Today’s offering by British-Ugandan artist Michael Kiwanuka tells a tale of finding yourself in a world that wasn’t created for you. His experience growing up in middle class England, and then coming to America to perform to universally white audiences shaped the lyrics of this song- constantly finding himself stuck between white culture and black culture. Read more about his experience here and watch the powerful music video.
Today’s Daily Pause is a powerful song and video by Keedron Bryant. Just 12 years old, gospel singer Keedron Bryant posted a video of himself singing an original song written by his mom called “I Just Wanna Live” on Instagram. She wrote the words after watching the video of George Floyd’s murder.
Today’s words come from a San Francisco Chronicle compilation of poems on unrest. ‘Normal,’ by Glenn Dizon is a reminder that the “normal” we once knew might seem comfortable to us as we go through these changes, but it was a normal that was sweeping so much unrest and injustice under the rug. If we don’t learn from these events and make changes to our society, what was this all for? Paired with a photo showing the juxtaposition of a George Floyd poster on a white picket fence, the old symbol of middle class achievement and acceptance. Is this our new normal?
Today’s pause comes from poet Joshua Bennett, who writes it as a reflection for life during COVID- having to attend his mom’s funeral via Zoom, seeing his wife get her first ultrasound for their son over FaceTime- these important moments that we are no longer able to feel through together physically, so we create our own togetherness. The poem ends with hope for his son to be born into freedom, a world different from the one before, ‘swinging darkness into song.’ Paired with another installment of neighborhood art, a reminder of the importance of love in all we do.
Today, we pause to remind ourselves that it is okay to feel lost, drained, or unsure of the future at this time. We are in the midst of a deep societal reckoning, a global pandemic, and looming economic recessions. We offer up this collaborative and energizing video from Playing for Change, a movement created to inspire and connect the world through music. Here, they cover the song Chan Chan from around the world and it is a pleasant respite from the deep uncertainty and stress surrounding all of us.
Today’s Daily Pause comes from The New York Times’ Book Review, where two prominent American poets were asked to write original poems responding to the historic moment in our country. Weather, by Claudia Rankine, lifts up the uncertainty and the chaos of COVID-19 that provided the backdrop for the murder of George Floyd and the ensuing protests. Paired with a photograph of stormy skies taken over Memorial Day weekend. “We are here for the storm that’s storming because what’s taken matters.”
In honor of Juneteenth, we offer this just-released song, "Never Gonna Break My Faith," sung by Arethra Franklin and the Boys Choir of Harlem. This song was originally recorded in 2006 for the film "Bobby" (about the assasination of Robert F. Kennedy), but was re-released in this special solo version today, June 19th, to coincide with this holiday celebrating freedom.
Today’s offering comes from poet Pamela Sneed, titled “I Can’t Breathe.” It poignantly pulls together all of the things we are lifting up and focusing on this month: Pride, anti-racism, and the background pulse of COVID-19. As a community of health professionals, it forces us to dwell on the question of why we treat different races differently in medicine. Research has shown that black patients are systematically undertreated for pain, likely stemming from studies like this that show a survey of medical students and residents perceived blacks as feeling less pain than whites. Paired with more of the beautiful Minneapolis street art that are simultaneously brightening our neighborhoods and reminding us of the ongoing struggles in our communities.
Today we reflect on one of the most important poems in American history, “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou. As Maya Angelou shares below in this powerful video of her reciting the poem, “each of us in the world has gone to bed one night or another with fear or pain or loss or disappointment, and yet each of us has awakened and arisen, seen other human beings and said ‘Good Morning! I’m fine thanks, how are you?’ That’s the nobleness of the human spirit, despite it all.”
Today’s offering, “A Change is Gonna Come” by Sam Cooke is an inspirational and haunting anthem for change on its own, but even more when you know the story behind the song. Written after being turned away from a Holiday Inn in 1963 and released on an album in 1964, this song immediately became an anthem for the civil rights movement. Sam Cooke was going to release it as a single in December of 1964, but was shot dead at a motel before that happened.. “Generation after generation has heard the promise of it. It continues to be a song of enormous impact…. And that makes it almost endlessly adaptable to whatever goal, whatever movement is of the moment”- Sam Cooke’s Biographer, Peter Guralnick from an NPR piece titled “Sam Cooke and the Song that Almost Scared Him.”
Today we pause with another offering from Dr. Rubeena Anjum, a psychologist by profession and poet by choice. She wrote Silver or Sable as a dedication to the memory of George Floyd and every other fighter who stands for justice, freedom, and equality. She uses the words Sable and Diabolical Dye as inspiration for this piece, derived from Phillis Wheathley’s poem, ‘On being brought from Africa to America’. Paired with street art created by the Performing Institute of Minnesota (PIM) and shared on their Facebook page.
Today we find pause in Langston Hughes’ poem “I, Too.” Written almost 100 years ago, it still encapsulates the black experience in America: the darker brother sent to the kitchen to eat when guests are visiting. The speaker holds out faith for a day when he will be recognized for his beauty and those who forced him into hiding will be ashamed for their actions. Paired with another beautiful street art offering depicting George Floyd, found on Lake Street.
If the current state of protests and cries to “defund the police” seems sudden and shocking to you, please listen and read the lyrics to Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” Written in 1969, the lyrics of the song are inspired by violence and police brutality in America. 50 years later, and we are still experiencing and witnessing the same cries for reform.
Today’s Daily Pause comes from Fatimah Asghar. A beautiful poem that reflects on two of the most devastating man-made creations that we are reeling from the effects of in our country: environmental issues and systemic racism. This is paired with another picture captured of street art featuring George Floyd in a vigil setting surrounded by cactus, flowers, and plants against a backdrop of the cityscape.
Our offering today comes from Maya Angelou, beloved African American poet and author. This poem will be familiar to many, but might take on new meaning for some in light of recent events. She uses the metaphor of two birds, one who is free to live as a bird should live in the wild, and the other who is caged. This caged bird uses song to cope with its confinement and to express longing for the day it will be free. This is paired with the first of many photographs of street art that has popped up around the Twin Cities, an outlet for many to cope with the loss and tragedies we have seen as well as a reminder of the work we have ahead.
We took a week off to reflect and act on all the events occurring around Minneapolis, the country, and world. We have decided to dedicate the rest of the month to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BI-POC) artists as a way for us to show solidarity while we continue to reflect, support, and find ways to act meaningfully towards lasting change. We welcome your suggestions and submissions; please send them to arts-antidote@umn.edu.
Meaningful words are hard to come by at this time, but these words by Nina Johnson, Plymouth Church Children and Youth Manager, resonate. Paired with a beautiful clay sculpture titled “Resilience” by Silvia Balbo, PhD, Associate Professor in the School of Public Health and the Masonic Cancer Center. Silivia uses clay modeling as a way to deal with stressful and frustrating situations. Use this weekend to work through the many emotions we are all feeling very vividly at this time, if you are able.
L.A. Prayer," by Francisco X. Alarcón was written in response to the devastating L.A. riots in 1992. In light of what the Twin Cities has been through, and continues to endure, over the past three days, his words ring especially true. Paired with this is visual art “Shine Anyway” by Daryn Holdsworth, Bereavement Coordinator and Ordained Minister operating from Chesterfield, Missouri.
The last couple of days have been wrought with hard news- from an international spotlight on Minnesota for all the worst reasons to ICU capacities being reached as we ease coronavirus restrictions. Today’s offering by Twin Cities music group Cantus called “Wanting Memories” is beautiful both sonically and lyrically, with this stanza giving me hope for better days, and a better future for us collectively.
Today’s offering comes from Twin Cities artist Liv Lane, who shares the following: “I thought I’d share a painting, called Moving Pictures, and the accompanying poem that I finished exactly a year ago, in the midst of treatment for triple negative breast cancer. Even if I could only muster the energy for a minute or two of creating daily, I found it so healing and helpful even on my hardest days, and still do as we navigate this pandemic. It is such good medicine.” A good reminder for all of us to channel our creativity, even for a few moments, to negate the feelings of stress and anxiety intrinsic to a pandemic. Maybe, just maybe, something beautiful will come out of these moments.
Since mid-March, the way we conduct clinical visits has changed, seemingly overnight. We've moved from mostly in-person visits to mostly virtual visits, mainly through video and telephone. While this has been an exciting development for some, for others, especially for those in communities of need and where English is not a person's native language, it's become another barrier to receiving healthcare easily and effectively.
Today’s offering, "Ode to Stopping," written by Rochester resident Jean Prokott, is relatable in many ways, because who among us hasn’t ignored some kind of “check engine light” or brake pad wear because we didn’t know what to do about it or didn’t have time to investigate it? This parallels easily with COVID- we saw the warning signs, we knew something like this might happen, but we couldn’t be bothered to slow down and take inventory.
During this time of self-isolation, many of us are venturing outside and are noticing the natural world more than we ever have before. With less noise pollution, bird calls are more noticeable, naturally drawing our eyes and ears to the birds making those sounds--especially now, during the spring migration.
Sara Olson, from the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, brought the following poem, by Naomi Shihab Nye to our attention. It's perfect for this sun-filled day.
Art can be restorative in many ways. Madeline Buck, Coordinator of International Health and Safety in the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance at the U, uses art as a way to play and take a break at the end of her day. As she describes, "The process of cutting out and then playing with colorful shapes is low-risk decision-making that results in something colorful. It's like a puzzle! The process brings me as much joy as the final product, which usually ends up being rainbows." Today's Artistic Antidote is a lovely time-lapse video of that process entitled, Playing with Shapes that we hope will inspire you to play with art too!
The weekend's quiet, steady rain was a blessing for dry ground, made manifest in an abundance of green and growth today. But, grey days can be wearing, as pediatric resident Holly Belgum reminds us, and we hope for sunshine ahead. Dr. Suk Yin Chan-Colenbrander from the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine also finds hope outside the window. Her beautiful watercolor is entitled, "Hope".
This beautiful, simple poem-video by Susan Schaefer, a Minneapolis-based freelance communications consultant, writer and photographer, is a perfect close to the week, especially on this stunning spring day. After you listen to it, find a moment to get outside and look up at the sky, and revel in the gift of all the new green leaves and fragrant blossoms.
With the news of the "Stay at Home" orders ending next week, many of us find our anxiety levels increasing rather than decreasing, knowing this move will certainly lead to more cases of COVID-19 infection. While so much of this time of pandemic is characterized by uncertainty, isolation, and loneliness, there are some things that are certain--like the power of spending quality quarantine time with those we love.
John Mark Nelson & The Quarantine Chorale - You Are The One [OFFICIAL VIDEO]
In the heart of the COVID-19 global pandemic, I started thinking about ways that I might be able to bring people some hope and joy, even while quarantined in...
It has been well documented that many of us are experiencing vivid dreams- and remembering them during quarantine. Researchers attribute this to the loss of our “normal” routines and environments, plus the added anxiety and stress that this pandemic has created. For local poet Greg Watson, whose work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including The Saint Paul Almanac, and The Wind Blows, The Ice Breaks: Poems of Loss and Renewal, these dreams are fodder for thoughtful poems that show the delicate balance between life and dreaming. Accompanying this is a dreamlike photograph submitted by Anja- Katrin Bielinsky, PhD- Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics (among many other titles). This image is the shadow projected from her garden onto the wall of her basement. For her, the flowers symbolize hope and the color scheme evokes a sense of peace. If anything, may our crazy dreams provide us with artistic inspiration during this time.
It can be difficult to see the world that we know and the places we love changed into something unrecognizable. Dr. Rubeena Anjum is a psychologist and poet who reminds us in her poem--a love letter to the city of New York--that we must hold tight to the faith that this moment in history will pass and that we can have hope that the world will emerge from this better than it was before. Dr Anjum is a member of the Dallas Poets Community and the Richardson Poets Group. "Breakthrough" is a visual arts piece that similarly seeks to provide hope and positivity in these trying times. Dr. Tim Mulcahy is the former (2005-2012) Vice President for Research at UMN and a Professor Emeritus in the Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology and Biophysics. "Breakthrough" is #17 in his COVID-19 series.
Between endless Zoom meetings, overflowing inboxes and on-line learning, it can be hard to escape our screens these days. Tracy Kugler, PhD (a research scientist and product manager at IPUMS/the Institute for Social Research and Data Innovation) and Alex Boucher, MD (a hematologist working in both the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology and the Division of Hematology, Oncology, and Transplantation) remind us of the beauty that surrounds us when we step outside, even if it's just in our own neighborhood. Back in 2016, Dr. Kugler wrote a short prose poem each day of the year inspired by something she observed on her daily dog walks in my neighborhood park, on her bike commute, or elsewhere outdoors. The selection below are some of her favorites walks through the cycle of the year. Dr. Boucher's series of acrylic paintings are entitled “Appalachian Trail” and, to him, provide a glimpse of some of the beauty that one form of social distancing—hiking—can represent.
Social distancing has impacted nearly every aspect of our lives and work. Physician-artist Yu-Hui Huang beautifully articulates what this means for those on the front lines of medicine. Dr. Huang is finishing a transitional year at Hennepin County Medical Center and will be beginning her residency in Radiology at the U of M. See more of her work here.
Even as we are physically distanced, we are still a community and we still ground ourselves in hope. Miigwech to Dr. Carson Gardner for today's poem. Dr. Gardner has been a family physician for over 40 years and is a member of the Anishinaabe/Ojibwe community. He currently serves as an elder-helper in the White Earth Nation/Mahnomen County Emergency Operations Center. His poem speaks to the predicament of frightened-but-determined healthcare fieldworkers who look inside for strength and meaning to share with frightened-but-determined community citizens.
Trying to imagine what the "new normal" will be like post-pandemic is impossible to predict with any certainty. That being said, one thing is certain: we simply must take our lessons learned and create a new and better normal. This idea is explored in Minneapolis native Dan Wilson's song, "The Real Question.”
Dan Wilson - The Real Question
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May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an important effort even in non-COVID times. The Twin Cities-based ensemble, Cantus, recently put together this version of the Beatles "She’s Leaving Home," a piece that's equal measures beautiful and poignant, driving home that idea that we're all alone together."
Cantus: She's Leaving Home
Listen as Cantus sings their stunning arrangement of The Beatles' timeless 'She's Leaving Home,' from the APM radio special 'Alone Together.' Even sheltering...
Buds are bursting, flowers are blooming, and bird songs fill the early morning hours. Spring is upon us and today's poem and collage by Neeta Adhikari, PhD, Senior Scientist in the Lillehei Research Institute, reminds us of that hope that comes with this season.
Today's Artistic Antidote was written by Minneapolis poet Diane Jarvenpa. Her poem came as a result of all the daily walks and hours in the kitchen she and her daughter have shared during their Stay At Home time. Ms. Jarvenpa is the author of poetry books published by New Rivers Press and Red Dragonfly Press, and appears in the new anthology, Rocked by the Waters—Poems of Motherhood, Nodin Press. She is a teaching artist with the Alzheimer’s Poetry Project MN and a singer/songwriter who records under the name Diane Jarvi.
As United Family Medicine resident Ngoc Pham reminds us in her poem today, when the world around us feels chaotic and strange, there is great comfort in the rhythms that never change.
Even before COVID-19 upended our routines, many of us experienced challenges as we tried to gracefully navigate our personal and professional roles. For so many, those challenges have been amplified these past weeks. This poem by Dr. Maren Olson speaks to those tensions and offers a bit of hope.
Dr. Olson is a pediatric hospitalist and an Associate Program Director for both the Pediatric Residency Program and the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Fellowship.
Today's poem first appeared in The New Yorker magazine in 2015. It depicts the Russian physician and writer, Anton Chekhov, torn between his love of writing and his duty to care for the sick. In the poem he's taking care of TB patients, and it's easy to imagine this exhausted physician taking care of COVID patients.
Even while we are in the midst of this situation, it is good to have hope.
Recovering from a significant hospital and ICU stay with COVID-19, well-known local musician Nachito Herrera recently celebrated his recovery by improvising this beautiful song called “Esperanza.” Hope. With thanks to Mr. Herrara and his family, we are able to share it with you.
Because on this Monday, this week, this April, this year―we can all use a little more hope.
The news over the past few days has been both exciting (the promise to test tens of thousands of Minnesotans) and sobering (mounting cases and deaths). This poem reminds us of those things that cannot die, like seasons and silence and air and love.
The following haiku were written by Ellen Benavides. They were inspired by daily phone conversations with a friend in an attempt to stay grounded during the COVID-19 pandemic. She's been wanting to write for years, but hasn't worked up the courage to do so--until now!
Ellen is a health policy and nonprofit consultant.
Today's offering is a poem about gratitude and the multitude of little things to be grateful for--even in a time like this, a "time of drought”. Happy Earth Day.
Kevin Kling, a Minnesota treasure and master storyteller, granted us permission to share this pandemic-related story with you, one he posted recently on Facebook. Enjoy!
Judy Brown is a speaker, writer, poet and educator from Maryland who has worked with the University of Minnesota's Rothenberger Leadership Academy. She shared this poem recently with one of the program's organizers, as it speaks to the on-going sense of grief so many of us are feeling during this time.
This poem, published in JAMA on May 21, 2019, is full of light and hope and is "gentle as a prayer." This seems the perfect way to close this week as we ready ourselves for the next.
In light of *crosses fingers* spring weather arriving (again), please enjoy this entry from Adam Overland, Principal Editor/Writer for University Relations, who edits the Brief newsletter (among other things), and has also been published as part of the Southwest Journal Poetry Project!
Today's offering by Holly Belgum, a third year pediatric resident here at the U, is especially appropriate given our crazy weather the past few days, weather that seems to match our emotions in this ever-changing time. Holly has also authored a children’s book about quarantine that is a lovely way to share some comfort during these long and strange days.
While driving to work last week, listening to MPR, Cathy Wurzer introduced a song written in response to the pandemic. The minute I heard the opening lines of "Julia Bloom's beautiful "Slowly Exploding," I knew I needed to share it as one of our Artistic Antidotes.
This poem was composed last week by Jo Jo Holcomb, Twin Cities-based freelance dramaturg/editor. She perfectly captures the eerie quiet of this time and makes us contemplate: What will be the first real sounds we hear again? What will life sound like after the pandemic?
This poem, originally published in JAMA on May 7, 2019, reminds me of all those working tirelessly in ICU's around the world, doing everything they can to keep patients alive, imagining what more might be done.
I was moved by Queen Elizabeth II's televised speech last week, especially so when I realized she had addressed her nation during World War II during the Blitz, a time of unimaginable terror, a time when children were often sent away from their families for their safety.
The merciless threat slipped into America, emptying its streets, shuttering its stores, wrecking its economy and forcing its people to retreat indoors.
In this new country, once crowded cities now feel abandoned, as if everyone suddenly moved out.
The novelist Arundhati Roy wrote this last week in the “Financial Times”:
Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next.
This hopeful poem was written by Joyce Sutphen, professor of English at Gustavus Adolphus College who currently serves as Minnesota's Poet Laureate, a position she's held since 2011.
Today I'm pairing a poem (with a title and tone that speaks to Minnesota this week) set in Cambridge, Massachusetts, with a photograph from Rome as we reflect on all that Italy has gone--and is going--through. This poem was suggested to me by Harvard-based physician-poet, Rafael Campo, who is also the Poetry Section Editor at JAMA.
It is a person's unquenchable thirst for wonder
That sets them on their initial quest for truth.
The more doors you open, the smaller you become.
The more places you see and the more people you meet,
We're all experiencing a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, so Mary Oliver's poem, "I Worried," seems especially appropriate now.
During this time of quarantine, uncertainty and fear, many of us are able to escape, even momentarily, through music.
This poem speaks beautifully to the hard work we're doing, "the work that is real."
What if you thought of it
as the Jews consider the Sabbath—
the most sacred of times?