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Billie Jean dreams that one day she will meet the love of her life, get married, buy a home and start her own business (maybe a McDonald's franchise). She lives near the city of Troy which claims to have the largest Flag Day parade in the country -- everyone comes out for it -- including Billie Jean. She had some big plans for this day. This documentary poem is read by Brenda Ann Kenneally, the photographer who has been photographing these women of Troy for the last 6 years.
Heads up: this poem contains some coarse language, and describes situations that may not be appropriate for younger listeners.
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Piece Description
Billie Jean dreams that one day she will meet the love of her life, get married, buy a home and start her own business (maybe a McDonald's franchise). She lives near the city of Troy which claims to have the largest Flag Day parade in the country -- everyone comes out for it -- including Billie Jean. She had some big plans for this day. This documentary poem is read by Brenda Ann Kenneally, the photographer who has been photographing these women of Troy for the last 6 years.
Heads up: this poem contains some coarse language, and describes situations that may not be appropriate for younger listeners.
2 Comments
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Terrific slice of lifeGreat listening - knockout subject, original delivery - different without souding gimmicky, just simple authenticity and a powerful story. |
Broadcast History
Originally broadcast on Studio 360 with Kurt Andersen on November 6, 2009.
Transcript
Hosted Version (hosted by Kurt Andersen) Version
HOST IN: I’m Kurt Andersen. This month, Studio 360 presents “In Verse” – a multimedia reporting project combining poetry, interviews, and photography. This installment takes us to Troy, New York. A century ago Troy was a seriously thriving manufacturing town. Today, it is very much not that. We’ll hear a poem called “Just a Girl,” by Susan B.A. Somers-Willett. It documents an afternoon with Billie Jean Hill, a 25-year-old woman with a young son, who lost her job in May. Heads up: this poem contains some coarse language, and describes situations not appropriate for younger listeners. Lu Olkowski produced this story.
BILLIE JEAN: My sister had her babies today! My sister had her babies…
NARRATOR: Her sister’s water broke this morning and her Cymbalta’s
not working and she’s soon to be homeless because those
twin nephews are fast on their way
BILLIE JEAN: if one of us ain’t o...
Read the full transcript
Unhosted Version Version
HOST IN: I’m Kurt Andersen. This month, Studio 360 presents “In Verse” – a multimedia reporting project combining poetry, interviews, and photography. This installment takes us to Troy, New York, where the median income for a family of 3 is under $17,000. We’ll hear a poem called “Just a Girl,” by Susan B.A. Somers-Willett. It documents an afternoon with Billie Jean Hill, a 25-year-old woman with a young son, who lost her job in May. Heads up: this poem contains some coarse language, and describes situations not appropriate for younger listeners. Lu Olkowski produced this story.
Read the full transcript
Intro and Outro
INTRO:[insert station name] presents “In Verse” – a multimedia reporting project combining poetry, interviews, and photography. This installment takes us to Troy, New York, where roughly one-fifth of the population lives under the US poverty line. We’ll hear a poem called “Just a Girl,” by Susan B.A. Somers-Willett. It documents an afternoon with Billie Jean Hill, a 25-year-old woman with a young son, who lost her job in May. Heads up: this poem contains some coarse language, and describes situations not appropriate for younger listeners. Lu Olkowski produced this story.
OUTRO:[PLEASE NOTE THIS OUTRO IS MANDATORY]
“In Verse” is a part of MQ2, an initiative of AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, Inc. with support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The project was created in partnership with Virginia Quarterly Review and originally aired on Studio 360.
Additional Credits
"In Verse" was created by Ted Genoways and Lu Olkowski
Poetry by Susan B.A. Somers-Willett
Poetry read by Brenda Ann Kenneally
Photography by Brenda Ann Kenneally
Production by Lu Olkowski with help from Erin Davis
Edited by Emily Botein
Mix assistance by Pejk Malinovski
“In Verse” comes to you from Public Radio Makers Quest 2.0, an initiative of AIR, the Association of Independents in Radio, Incorporated. This project is made possible with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. "In Verse" was created in partnership with Virginia Quarterly Review and originally aired on Studio 360.
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Rupert Allman
Posted on November 19, 2009 at 09:35 AM | Permalink
Terrific slice of life
Great listening - knockout subject, original delivery - different without souding gimmicky, just simple authenticity and a powerful story.