Poetic Inter"Lude Is Like a Sex Session...

... metaphorically speaking, because both see tremendous motions, both vocal and other anatomical aids; the former has additioonal accessories of oral and written words, and the latter has added enhancements like coital and writhing cords; and their common destination and fruit is a child called Ecstasy, often serene for the former, and supreme for the latter. In both poetic adventures, you need to take a breather in between breath-taking moments of ecstasy.~~.......

ChallengiA: Who do you think is the author of the above quote?

Before you put thy legs on the table or on the sofa for a laid-back Sunday with CON or NON-CON BF, I don't care. I just wanna that my dear ER spend some precious time reading yesterday's Post -- DOING THE RIGHT, HONOURABLE THING by this hoRst, Desi, who doesn't ask for much, just your support, OR reservation, of thy own conviction!

I'm inclined to take the bloomstick on those who only watch on the sidelines. And this is not flirtatious. In All Seriousness.

Okay, with serious stuff off my small chest, I'm in the 'rite frame to Inter-Lude with my poetic friends. Even fiendish ones. Two days ago fellow blogger FashionAsia and I recounted our disappointing encounters with Salesmen.

Salespeople are a distinctive breed.
Like Bloggers.
They are both long-winded, luckily not dammed! I don't know about damned.

I'm sure many of my dear Readers have had similar experiences to share. About salesmen, I mean. Let The Bloggers Be, for now.
I'm sure you have been well acquainted with The Postman Always Rings Twice.
Who was that sexual actress, I think she's also the start in one King Kong's? I used 'sexual', not "sexy" ... you find out the difference -- this is sort of a semi-lit class, innit?

With the Salesman, unless and until he closes the deal, he keeps on ringing. Ain't that true to its ringing core of the dumb-bell? (This metaphor may not be right, just coined by this wordsmith. Free enterprise anyway. I don't know why, many Bloggers would say "anywayz". You win some, you lose sum!


To me, I've never met a frowning salesperson, have you, in thy face?
The Salesman is always smiling and sweet-talking when doing sales pitches; but once the transaction had been made, don't expect any "quality" after-sales service!
And he would take leave with that last smile -- on its fringes lurk the birth of a smirk, the trademark of a certain ex-PM -- once safely out of the front door, the "frowning" takes over the mien of his "......" face for the rest of the evening that he did not close at a "hi-er" price!:( I leave that 6-letter word for thee as an exercise. It starts with a "b" in the lower case which means IT does not enjoy the status of a proFUNity. Which IS one only with an Upper. Or isit Udder; sumtimes, my sperring not goode. Anak Merdeka, SOS!:) from D*Art.

And when you call any Helpline, more often than not You listen to recorded messages that direct you from one station to another, doesn't it? Until your patience runs out, and you curse to yourself ... well, that's the state of customer service in Malaysia! Check your blood pressure, please. As a L&E teaser has been lambasting us, IT may turn out to be a killer!

See, has tis journey so far been close to a sex encounter?
Back to the poetry.
I had told Fashionista that a Poet had described Da Salesman as an 'IT',
and I managed to track down that poet, named e.e.cummings.
Can someone tell desi why it (the name-lah!), not the salesman!, is in the lc. lc stands for lower case, not letter of credit. Don't just think of Sales, sales, sales.

Desiderata turns teacher today as Mitch and Morrie are still much on his mind. Also,
FAshionista on Teachers' Day thanked Desi -- minus the boucake! -- for teaching her English and poetry. So boys and girls, settle down with your Cuppa for some lesson on what Poetry is about, or not about.

Poetry is Versatile and Vibrant
It can also be Vivien and Vivacious.

I have quoited this before, I think, Arp in “Sound and Sense” wrote: “Poetry takes all life as its province. Its primary concern is not with beauty, not with philosophical truth, not with persuasion, but with experience. Beauty and philosophical truth are aspects of experience, and the poet is often engaged with them. But poetry as a whole is concerned with all kinds of experience – beautiful or ugly, strange or common, noble or ignoble, actual or imaginary. One of the paradoxes of human experience is that all experience – even painful experience – can be enjoyable when transmitted through the medium of art. In real life, death and pain and suffering are not pleasurable, but in poetry they may be.”

Arp added: “Poetry, finally, is a kind of multidimensional language. Ordinary language -- the kind that we use to communicate information – is one-dimensional. It is directed at only part of the listener, the understanding. Its one dimension is intellectual. Poetry, which is language to communicate experience, has at least four dimensions. If it is to communicate experience, it must be directed at the whole person, not just at your understanding. It must involve not only your intelligence but also your senses, emotions, and imagination. To the intellectual dimension, poetry adds a sensuous dimension, an emotional dimension, and an imaginative dimension. (Arp p.8-10)

Generally then, it is noted that it is difficult to define “poetry” adequately and comprehensively, as “there are so many kinds of poetry that almost any statement about one kind is untrue of another kind”, according to Elizabeth White, Joan Wofford, and Edward J.Gordon in “Understanding Literature” 6.

(That '6' intimates to the discerning poetry lover obviously the foregoing is extracted from an academic exercise tooth and nail. Yes, some protagonists involving in a cretain kind of kinky, or kingly?, exercise, do that.)

“Perhaps the one thing that good poetry cannot be is inaccurate. A good poet must say exactly what he means; he must use words precisely – being aware not only of their dictionary meanings, but also of their associations and overtones. (Emphasis by White, Wofford & Gordon p.529)

“A poet wants to use words that suggest emotions, attitudes, values. Everyone uses such words, but rarely with the accuracy or originality of the poet.”

Drums roll, trumpets sound! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cited as an example was the unusual line from a poem by a modern American writer, e. e. cummings: “a salesman is an it that stinks to please.”

Prose that stated the same ideas as conveyed via "a salesman is an it that stinks to please " would have to be something like this (p.530):
~~“I dislike salesmen. They seem like objects rather than human beings. There is something about the nature of their occupation – the necessity for pleasing others regardless of their true feelings – that seems corrupt and is unpleasant.”~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ends poetic chaos, you can wake up now~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is a good demonstration of the “economy” of words in composing a poem; yet, the essence of the human situation is so well captured by the poet that even today, as we read about the salesman, whether in old times or in the 21st century, most would nod their heads in swift recognition of the subject! Some “characters” in real life are unmistakeably unchanging through the passage of time! cummings’ observation of a salesman’s trait shows the power of a few, well chosen words at the hand of a wordsmith who has a “deep insight” into the human character. It shows the lasting impression created when the medium of poetry is used by one blessed with a well-honed craft!

The authors further stated that poetry often uses words with double meanings or words that suggest emotions, attitudes, and ideas beyond their actual definitions. “Because of this, more words than those used in a particular poem are usually necessary to express its meaning in prose. Maybe this is why many people find poetry difficult: it generally says so much more in a few words than is customary in other writing or in conversation.”

(That quoted, Desi adds that it means the majority of you! Desi's trying darn'd hard to cut down the numbers! Hey, but me a Sundae Con sumtime?:)

They also observed that “poets are more concerned with the sound of words than are other writers. Poets have no set rules about sound to follow, but a good poet tries to make the sound of a poem suit the sense of the poem. This is where rhythm and rhyme come in – and a great many other devices concerned with sound. The following line by (Lord Alfred) Tennyson is an example of words chosen for their sounds: “ ... while warm airs lull us, blowing lowly.” Notice the many l’s and w’s, the rhyme of blow and low, the similarity of lull and lowly. The effect is musical, which suits the meaning of the line.”

Often, metaphors, including simile and personification, are used by poets. Indeed, Robert Frost, once stated: “There are many other things I have found myself saying about poetry, but the chiefest of these is that it is metaphor, saying one thing and meaning another, saying one thing in terms of another.”

Why does a poet use metaphor? “The answer is simply that in using a good metaphor the poet does say what he means, and says it more quickly, more accurately, and more strikingly than if he tried to avoid metaphor.” (White, Wofford & Gordon p.556)

As an illustration, The Wayfarer, by Stephen Crane was quoted:

The wayfarer,

Perceiving the pathway to truth,

Was struck with astonishment.

It was thickly grown with weeds.

“Ha,” he said,

“I see that none has passed here

In a long time.”

Later he saw that each weed

Was a singular knife.

“Well,” he mumbled at last,

“Doubtless there are other roads.”


The seeker of truth is compared with a traveller (wayfarer), and the weeds likened to knives that can hurt, just as truth. Hence, it is seen that poetry is a very special medium of communication in that it aspires to convey more than just information, it raises the intensity of the experience by applying linguistic usage, including figure of speech, that goes beyond the ordinary meaning. Poetry goes beyond playing the main function of conveying information that is delivered by prose, although it is acknowledged that the latter still is dominant in our everyday communication, However, often prose is still not sufficient and adequate when circumstances call for sharing the human experience involving one’s senses, emotions and imagination, not just intellectual understanding.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ends poetry class~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now, where's my CON BF?
Steal no sign of Anak Merdeka, Kyels and Sabrina, and Theels.
Desi can depend on Howsy, Mave and Johnleemk, can't I?

But as "dessert", let me borrow from across the Cosway, our friendly neighbour exports~~~



A TIME FOR ALL

by JOEPSC


A time to plough,
sow hope in seeds
rid of wild weeds,
greet sprouts of green -a life renewed in May,
all things in cycles grow,
replacing those decayed
and buried in the snow -
in Spring.

A time to feel the warmth,
bask bare back in the sun,
bear hot burn all in fun,
on white sands by the sea,
in this one season of plenty -
when trees are strung with fruits,
and dreams made good;
and crops await to shed their weight -
in Summer.

A time to be reaping,
the crops are ripening -
sweet fruits of sweat and toil,
duly paid to them of the soil.
A season to harvest,
the barns to fill,
and hearts to thrill,
the hays to stack,
and tools to pack in racks.
Balding trees look solemn,
peeved by the falling leaves -
in Autumn.

A time to quiver in the cold
season - watch death unfolds;
to ponder and wonder,
upon a snowy cliff yonder;
a need for thick attire and fire,
for snow and wind do conspire -
in Winter.

A time to feel youthful vigour -
torn between heart and mind,
to stand for rights enshrined,
to taste silly blunders,
to court a girl to tease,
and win a wife to please.

A time to being old -
to live within a body frail,
and memory that surely fails,
yet paint the twilight years in gold.

A time to be happy -
to see the children grow,
to fish where clear streams flow,
to breathe the air of bliss daily,
to scale a mountain peak,
to peep at heaven's door,
to wade across a salty creek,
to comb the ocean floor,
to see the smiles that break,
at every turn you make.

A time to being sad -
to grieve a loss of one so dear,
to weep buckets when news are bad,
to live the years of pain in tears,
not knowing why or how,
except to pray and bow.

A time to be born free -
to leave a mother's womb,
into adulthood bloom,
to bring her tears of glee;
to tour the world light and easy,
like winds that howl in trees;
to have freedom to choose,
and bleed if you should lose.

A time to die -
to bid a peaceful bye,
to loved ones left behind,
to know they will be fine.
A faith kept close for years,
comforts as last breath nears.
Passing on is a must -
like flames flicker and die out fast,
as swift as wind in gust,
a body returns to the dust.
The soul is homeward-bound,
a mystery so profound -
for all time.


(by JOEPSC)




desiderata said...

Joe.psc:

You prove my belief that May
bringeth forth poets fertile hand
Reading thy words with their productive sway
I bow my head in salute
Thou art a poet in your own (w)rite.
This sundae, this poem I plan to steal
In another still of the moonlight:)

Wednesday, May 17, 2006 3:15:13 PM


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yes, the ChallengiA!
ChallengiA: Who do you think is the author of the above quote?
Give Desi the name, and quote the source.

E.g. "A rose, by any other name, would sme\ll as sweet ..." from Romeo & Juliet, Shakespeare.

Deadline:
Close of business, Monday May 22, 2006.
First 3 right entries get the September Prize.
Miss/Mr Patience, virtuous in thy second name.

Have FUN-D! Wilt Travel.