Phantom Poet lets out a primal scream about winter

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April 16, 1993
Mike Edgerly - Reporter, Unknown - Interviewee
Listen: Phantom poet lets out a primal scream
0:00

MPR’s Mike Edgerly interviews Phantom Poet, who shares his frustration with winter. Phantom Poet also reads a poem about spring.

Transcript:

(00:00:00) We were planning to scream and I think we will probably scream

(00:00:04) I've had it and it's April for crying out loud, but depending on the weather it if we

(00:00:10) get more more sunshine and if it's not 93% cloud cover then we're probably going to scream.

(00:00:17) It's about time

(00:00:19) three times just like Dorothy did in The Wizard of Oz we think it might work

(00:00:22) because somebody has to start telling Mother Nature that we're not going to take this anymore.

(00:00:28) Mother nature mother nature.

(00:00:30) I I've just I've really had enough of this putting Mother Nature on notice. They're just putting Mother Nature on notice. I mean the whole mood of the town of both st. Paul am both Minneapolis was absolutely

(00:00:40) horrible yesterday and the day before

(00:00:42) and it was because of the weather and we can either keep it inside of ourselves or we can have a primal scream.

(00:00:47) Do you have a you have a spring poem for us? Mr. Phantom poet? I do have a spring poem which is not quite as Whimsical or and it is a little slower and more serious, but

(00:00:57) Something

(00:00:58) like this. The willow warms the cold in my bones. It stands alone and welcome spring. It can't sing like a robin or Bloom like a crocus, but when it's colors change I know spring is here. The gray has gone the leaves are yellowing and becoming green. It's spring spring it last. We

(00:01:22) hope if we don't if we have another another April with to snow mornings

(00:01:29) back-to-back. I'm going to be out on that bridge. This is the beginning of a tradition. I've had enough.

Transcripts

text | pdf |

SPEAKER 1: We were planning to scream, and I think we will probably scream, I've had it! And it's April, for crying out loud. But depending on the weather, if we get more sunshine and if it's not 93% cloud cover, then we're probably going to scream, it's about time, three times, just like Dorothy did in The Wizard of Oz. We think it might work because somebody has to start telling mother nature that we're not going to take this anymore.

SPEAKER 2: Mother nature?

SPEAKER 1: Mother nature. I've just-- I've really had enough of this.

SPEAKER 2: Putting mother nature on notice then?

SPEAKER 1: We're just putting mother nature on notice. I mean, the whole mood of the town, both Saint Paul and both Minneapolis, was absolutely horrible yesterday and the day before, and it was because of the weather. And we can either keep it inside of ourselves or we can have a primal scream.

SPEAKER 2: Do you have a spring poem for us, Mr. Phantom Poet?

SPEAKER 1: I do have a spring poem, which is not quite as whimsical, and it is a little slower and more serious, but it goes something like this. The willow warms the cold in my bones. It stands alone and welcomes spring. It can't sing like a robin or bloom like a crocus, but when its colors change, I know spring is here. The gray has gone. The leaves are yellowing and becoming green. It's spring. Spring at last.

SPEAKER 2: We hope.

SPEAKER 1: [CHUCKLES] If we don't-- if we have another April with two snow mornings back to back, I'm going to be out on that bridge. This is the beginning of a tradition. I've had enough.

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