Comments on: The Poetry Of Deeds

By: sledpress

sledpress — Wed, 02 May 2012 20:23:05 +0000

A small class of kids in a private school is likely to be less barbaric than the average day care or grade school class, which I liken to a prison population — thrown together in large numbers, given half-ass supervision mainly aimed at maintaining a certain regimented order, and basically allowed to evolve their own primitive society. So I can believe it happened pretty much as narrated.

“Common and dry” is a good characterization for the choice of words, though there is a passion to the phrasing that breathes in some life. The rub is that so few people can even construct sentences (read any Internet forum or Facebook page) that people who can convey complex thoughts in what is essentially still prose occasionally think, somewhat understandably, that they have reached the pinnacle. Sigh. I want the pinnacle to be higher than that.

By: heretherebespiders

heretherebespiders — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:11:56 +0000

Agreed – not what I would consider poetry, but still moving. The language is a bit sparse, common, dry, for it to be poetry…I didn’t get many mental images despite being asked to make them. Usually poetry doesn’t need to ask for my brain to be busy. A good story, even if I actually find it hard to believe as I also dislike kids.

By: sledpress

sledpress — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:09:56 +0000

If screaming profanities at them counts, I have done that. The only reason I have not shot-put one is that I do not have time for the court case.

I really don’t want to ever be around them, at least until they are at the age (varying with the kid) when they are willing to admit that other people actually have feelings and carry on a conversation in complete sentences, without feeling entitled to rush up and down the greensward (bookshop aisle, restaurant atrium) emitting shrill cries. In my experience that happens no earlier than nine and in some cases as late as thirteen.

Just the sight of a child being pushed along in a stroller or tagging at a parent’s heels can curdle me with loathing.

But it’s still a good — if not a poem, at least an oration.

By: imagenmots

imagenmots — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:04:51 +0000

A moving story even without rhymes. And, dear Sled, you claim too often to be a kid hater for it to be true.
Once in Court a lawyer, trying to prove his client was a bit crazy asked me, on the witness stand :” IS it normal for a mother to wish throwing her baby on the wall?” I answered very calmly: ” I raised three children and yes it’ s normal at times to want to throw them against the wall. What is not normal is doing it; to my knowledge your client never did it”. The judge held back a desire to laugh.
The guy eventually lost the case.

By: azahar

azahar — Tue, 01 May 2012 08:38:02 +0000

*in tears*

By: sledpress

sledpress — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:44:46 +0000

Agreed, though there is a certain suspended chord in the notion of a Viking ship (however miniature) solemnly fired in front of a synagogue.

I wish people who wanted to be poets would refrain from telling us what to feel, too.

By: jenny

jenny — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:34:51 +0000

I don’t mind (sorry for repeating myself) the absence of assonance and alliteration. For my tastes, though, whether it’s called a poem or performance piece, I wish it were not so explicit, so clear.

I think of Duke Ellington: You have to find a way to say it without saying it.

Still, liking things (even part way) is a good idea.