Weber State Cqallege Comment, April 1988, Page 8 poetry _ The 68 year old man who stepped onto the stage of the Austad Auditorium was short, had a full mane of silver hair, and numerous, well-worn concentration lines on his forehead that wrinkled his otherwise smooth face. “I’m the luckiest man in the world because I get to write every day,” said Ray Bradbury, one of this century's most prolific science fiction writers. Bradbury has written numerous science fiction books stories, but he said writers should be in love with all kinds of writing. His own repertoire of accomplishments include hundreds of short stories, plays and operas, and poetry. He gave WSC students a glimpse of his poetic abilities by reading two of his poems during a March convocation lecture in the Browning Center. The stars hold a fascination for Bradbury, and while looking at the night sky he suddenly realized that man is the only creature who looks at the stars, he said. “You've never seen your cat out in the back yard looking at the stars. Or any cow, or any monkey. Maybe dogs look at the moon and howl, but that’s about it. So I wrote this poem: They have not seen the stars When he had finished that much of the poem he showed it to his friend Carl Sagan. might soon be able to manipulate cells to resurrect extinct studies have shown that some migratory birds have a sort animals caught his attention, and resulted in a poem. “Can of genetically-provided star chart in their brains that they use to guide their annual flights south. “T was a little disgruntled by this, and I went back and you guess what Bradbury asked. finished the poem. Here’s how it goes: not one, not one No beast of all the beasts has stood on meadow land or plain or hill and known the thrill of looking at those fires our soul admires what they, oh then have never known. Five billion years have flown in turnings of the spheres, but not once in all those years has lion, dog or bird that sweeps the air looked there, oh look, oh God, the stars Oh look, look there.” as on that morn when all the flesh of ancient time was born and knowing want to touch those fires to grow until the mighty brow of man, Lamarkian tall, knocks earthquakes striking moon then Mars then Saturn's rings instead of ancient wings So think on this: We're first, the only ones whom God has honored with his rise of suns. For us as gifts El Deberon, Centauri, homestead Mars. Wake up, God says. Look there. rebuild the pterodactyl give him flight erect tyrannosaurus in the night wake brontosaur who dreams in tar pit deeps go tip toes when the euhippus sleeps Then with the recombined DNA thrives slimes and muds where stegosaurus stays Be God. Provoke his medicines. and ali the lost beasts just how to fly with dreams Go fetch The stars, Oh Lord, much thanks, the stars. You doomsters now are prime endangered species. “If you want to be a writer you have to sacrifice,” Bradbury said. “But really this is no sacrifice for me.” He added, “I never labor over my work. If I do, it is no good. I write mostly in the morning. I wake up hearing voices and I have to write them down before they disappear.” Bw” literature students up. Inside of your head is everything you’ve known in life until now. That’s Cry, light! wake raise up from night. Ecologists beware. These are our theses. Students gather in one-of-a-kind lit. conference Students from across the nation gathered at the college recently for the third annual National Undergraduate Literature Conference, the only gathering of its kind in the nation. Over 85 students representing 40 schools presented papers during the Merch conference which focuses on undergraduate students, said Mikel Vause, a conference director. “Our main concern is to give students —continued from page3 “What you lack is the tools to bring it first?” With recombined DNA recall from dust the beasts that once were ours were printed in their sweet, genetic dreams or so it seems But see, but really see and know addresses the foundation.” To bring out the creativity Bradbury suggested writing two lists. ‘List the things you love and write about them. Then write down what you hate, and kill them. That will be you, your story.” For would-be authors he suggested writing about an idea the instant the thought strikes. “Do it, finish it, then think about it. Just write it, then worry about the grammar.” Bradbury also warned against talking an idea to death. “From this day forward never discuss an idea with anyone. Show them on paper at Weber State an opportunity to compare Ray Bradbury, one of this century's best-known science fiction writers, addresses WSC stude.its. first. If you talk about it, you destroy it, and you’ll never do it,” Bradbury said. He is the author of some 500 science fiction short stories. His novels include “Fahrenheit 451,” “Dandelion Wine,” “The Illustrated Man,” “The Martian Chronicles,” “The Golden Apples of the Sun,” to resurrect and turned southward because star charts Bradbury 30 at the time. That story became one of his most famous works. Film director John Huston read the published article, and hired him to write the screen play for the movie “Moby Dick” because he saw in Bradbury a love of writing, and a love of monsters, Bradbury said. “What if I'd given up my love of dinosaurs at age 12 or 16 or 25 or 29? I wouldn’t be standing here today,” he said. Following his work with Moby Dick the directors of the New York World’s Fair asked if he could filla $50 million building with metaphors and poetry that would, in 17 minutes, tell the history of the United States. “T said, ‘Yes, I can do that.” Walt Disney next asked him to put together a presentation depicting 2,000 years of ideas in 15 minutes with a full symphony orchestra. Then came Disney’s invitation to create the symbolism in the Spaceship Earth building at the Epcot Center in Florida. “The phone rang for me because I stayed true to all these mad loves,” he said. Each person, if he remains committed, has within him all the information he needs to be creative, said Bradbury. I’d want to keep in trust shape mammoth fresh and new all other beasts of all the creatures on this world in all the ages since the sands first touched the wind beasts Oh yes, perhaps some birds, some nights Have felt Orion rise and tuned their flights and growing, hope to show not one, not one A newspaper article about scientists who thought they Sagan told Bradbury that “Something Wicked This Way Comes,” and a dozen others. He has published poetry and short stories in many national magazines, and he is the author of a number of screenplays including “Moby Dick,” “It Came From Outer Space,” “The Picasso Summer," “I Sing the Body Electric,” and “Something Wicked This Way Comes.” He formed his own theatre group in 1963 to produce his plays, has written musicals, and has themselves with students across the nation,” Vause said. ““Many people feel that when they come here they’re coming to an underrated school. They don’t realize the advan- tages they’re getting here. Students are getting a lot more for their money. The conference shows them they can compete produced a nuniber of operas. His most current work, and the one of which he is nationally,” he added. most proud, is a murder mystery titled, “Death Is A Lonely Business,” he said. “Tt all started because I stayed in love and never let go,” Bradbury said. “T want you to remember what I say, and when you leave stay in love with the craziest, nuttiest, most insane thing that you’ve ever loved and never let go, and you ll have a good life. Otherwise, forget it. You’re going to get sick, and get old soon. You’re going to have ulcers and you’re going to die young. It can’t be. I don’t want that for you.” often picked by judges as the strongest, Papers penned by WSC students are he said. But the conference benefits more than WSC students. Students who participate have the opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the best known authors of modern writing, he said. This year’s conference featured Ray Bradbury and Alan Cheuse. “Financing is always a problem, conference is well worth the money This year we were greatly aided by erous gift from the Blanche Rich dation,” Vause said. but the spent. a genFoun- —— shares a Bradbury