NationStates Jolt Archive

Just thought I'd share, as I've used this poem in my classes to show that you can indeed write a poem about anything.

The Pope's Penis

It hangs deep in his robes, a delicate
clapper at the center of a bell.
It moves when he moves, a ghostly fish in a
halo of silver seaweed, the hair
swaying in the dark and the heat -- and at night
while his eyes sleep, it stands up
in praise of God.

Have you any favorites--preferably not widely known--that you'd like to add?

Err -- what class do you teach? You don't teach at a school which receives state funding, do you?

Err -- what class do you teach? You don't teach at a school which receives state funding, do you?

How hilariously loaded! :rolleyes:

And I write poems about whatever I feel like.

None of them make sense.

You have inspired me.

I'm Ruffy, I create random poems.

Err -- what class do you teach? You don't teach at a school which receives state funding, do you?

I teach Literature, Composition and Creative Writing at a state university, which definitely receives public funds. Whatcha gonna do about it?

Just thought I'd share, as I've used this poem in my classes to show that you can indeed write a poem about anything.


It's so true. When I was in high school, my creative writing teacher once assigned our class to write a comic poem about one of a list of objects he gave us, which list he said he came up with because "it would be impossible to write a serious poem about these things." So, me being me, I promptly bet him that I could, in fact, write a meaningful and serious poem about any item he cared to name.

The next class, I showed up with a sensitive and moving poem written from the point of view of an avocado, and collected a dollar and an A on the assignment. :)

Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" is by far my favorite poem, but they don't get much more "well-known" than that.

Here's another one of his that I like, less well-known for obvious reasons:


White workers of the South
Miners,
Farmers,
Mechanics,
Mill Hands,
Shop girls,
Railway men,
Servants,
Tobacco workers,
Sharecroppers,
GREETINGS!

I am the black worker,
Listen:
That the land might be ours,
And the mines and the factories and the office towers
At Harlan, Richmond, Gastonia, Atlanta, New Orleans;
That the plants and the roads and the tools of power
Be ours:

Let us forget what Booker T. said,
"Separate as the fingers."

Let us become instead, you and I,
One single hand
That can united rise
To smash the old dead dogmas of the past-
To kill the lies of color
That keep the rich enthroned
And drive us to the time-clock and the plow
Helpless, stupid, scattered, and alone-as now-
Race against race,
Because one is black,
Another white of face.

Let us new lessons learn,
All workers,
New life-ways make,
One union form:
Until the future burns out
Every past mistake
Let us together, say:
"You are my brother, black or white,
You my sister-now-today!"
For me, no more, the great migration to the North.
Instead: migration into force and power-
Tuskegee with a new flag on the tower!
on every lynching tree, a poster crying FREE
Because, O poor white workers,
You have linked your hands with me.

We did not know that we were brothers.
Now we know!
out of that brotherhood
Let power grow!
We did not know
That we were strong.
Now we see
In union lies our strength.
Let unions be
The force that breaks the time-clock,
Smashes misery,
Takes land,
Takes factories,
Takes office towers,
Takes tools and banks and mines.
Railroads, ships and dams,
Until the forces of the world
Are ours!

White worker,
Here is my hand.

Today,
We're Man to Man.

It's so true. When I was in high school, my creative writing teacher once assigned our class to write a comic poem about one of a list of objects he gave us, which list he said he came up with because "it would be impossible to write a serious poem about these things." So, me being me, I promptly bet him that I could, in fact, write a meaningful and serious poem about any item he cared to name.

The next class, I showed up with a sensitive and moving poem written from the point of view of an avocado, and collected a dollar and an A on the assignment. :)

I once wrote a poem in the voice of a marijuana eating goat. A sestina, no less.

I teach Literature, Composition and Creative Writing at a state university, which definitely receives public funds. Whatcha gonna do about it?

I believe it is highly inappropriate to share such a poem with students. Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country? You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people. Do you mind naming the school at which you teach, or are you afraid that your actions violate the boundaries set by the Constitution?

I once wrote a poem in the voice of a marijuana eating goat. A sestina, no less.

What was the subject? (I mean, what would a marijuana-eating goat talk about, anyway?)

I believe it is highly inappropriate to share such a poem with students. Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country? You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people. Do you mind naming the school at which you teach, or are you afraid that your actions violate the boundaries set by the Constitution?

I don't give two shits what you think is appropriate or inappropriate to be discussed in a classroom. As to where I teach, well, at least one other poster has figured it out, so if you put a little skull sweat into it, you might be able to suss it out as well.

But let me explain something to you about the university world, troll.

There are no sacred subjects in the academy. Everything is challenged. Everything is subject to dispute. Everything is subject to ridicule. If you can't handle that, then don't come. If you're sensitive, better get a helmet. Because if what you're playing at on this forum isn't an act, then you'll get knocked around a lot in college.

What was the subject? (I mean, what would a marijuana-eating goat talk about, anyway?)
It was based on an old news story from New York. Some cops had found a marijuana field on Staten Island near a gypsy encampment--the gypsies claimed not to know anything about it--but the article noted that the goats had been eating it and had shown no ill-effects from it. The cops burned the field, and my poem was the goat mourning the destruction and watching the fire.

...If you can't handle that, then don't come...

There may be other reasons entirely...

As to where I teach, well, at least one other poster has figured it out, so if you put a little skull sweat into it, you might be able to suss it out as well.

How do you propose that I do that? Should I take a college-level course on psychic readings?

How do you propose that I do that? Should I take a college-level course on psychic readings?
You act like you're a smart guy. You figure it out. Think of it as a homework assignment if you want to.

I once wrote a poem in the voice of a marijuana eating goat. A sestina, no less.

That's pretty wonderful. :)

You act like you're a smart guy. You figure it out. Think of it as a homework assignment if you want to.

Heh. Intelligence doesn't mean that I can read your mind. It's impossible to "figure out" where you teach, just like it's impossible for you to figure out how old I am or where I work.

I believe it is highly inappropriate to share such a poem with students. Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country? You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people. Do you mind naming the school at which you teach, or are you afraid that your actions violate the boundaries set by the Constitution?
It's college for christ sakes. The point is to challenge and question everything and anything. Writing about the popes penis is hardly inappropriate. Unless you suggest that we do away with all theology schools that recieve public funding, or schools that look into moral codes. Or schools that teach English, as the Bible is central to English lit.
How do you propose that I do that? Should I take a college-level course on psychic readings?
If you can find one, go for it.
Heh. Intelligence doesn't mean that I can read your mind. It's impossible to "figure out" where you teach, just like it's impossible for you to figure out how old I am or where I work.
take that as a hint. Nazz isn't about to share where he teaches...believe me, I've tried. And my reasons, I assure you, were not malicious.

as for being on topic...hmm...I have to think for a sec.
For absurd topics handled in an absurd way, I think we can only look to the assorted mock epics. Mac Flecknoe (http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Texts/macflecknoe.html) and its closing fart joke comes to mind, as does Pope's The Rape of the Lock (http://poetry.eserver.org/rape-of-the-lock.html)


shorter poems, Jubilate Agno amuses me.
For I will consider my Cat Jeoffry.
For he is the servant of the Living God, duly and daily serving him.
For at the first glance on the glory of God in the East he worships in his way.
For is this done by wreathing his body seven times around with elegant quickness.
For then he leaps up to catch the musk, which is the blessing of God upon his prayer.
For he rolls upon prank to work it in.
For having done duty and received blessing he begins to consider himself.
For this he performs in ten degrees.
For first he looks upon his forepaws to see if they are clean.
For secondly he kicks up behind to clear away there.
For thirdly he works it upon stretch with the forepaws extended.
For fourthly he sharpens his paws by wood.
For fifthly he washes himself.
For sixthly he rolls upon wash.
For seventhly he fleas himself, that he may not be interrupted upon the beat.
For eighthly he rubs himself against a post.
For ninthly he looks up for his instructions.
For tenthly he goes in quest of food.
For having considered God and himself he will consider his neighbor.
For if he meets another cat he will kiss her in kindness.
For when he takes his prey he plays with it to give it a chance.
For one mouse in seven escapes by his dallying.
For when his day's work is done his business more properly begins.
For he keeps the Lord's watch in the night against the adversary.
For he counteracts the powers of darkness by his electrical skin and glaring eyes.
For he counteracts the Devil, who is death, by brisking about the life.
For in his morning orisons he loves the sun and the sun loves him.
For he is of the tribe of Tiger.
For the Cherub Cat is a term of the Angel Tiger.
For he has the subtlety and hissing of a serpent, which in goodness he suppresses.
For he will not do destruction if he is well-fed, neither will he spit without provocation.
For he purrs in thankfulness when God tells him he's a good Cat.
For he is an instrument for the children to learn benevolence upon.
For every house is incomplete without him, and a blessing is lacking in the spirit.
For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats and the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt.
For every family had one cat at least in the bag.
For the English Cats are the best in Europe.
For he is the cleanest in the use of his forepaws of any quadruped.
For the dexterity of the defense is an instance of the love of God to him exceedingly.
For he is the quickest to his mark of any creature.
For he is tenacious of his point.
For he is a mixture of gravity and waggery.
For he knows that God is his Saviour.
For there is nothing sweeter than his peace when at rest.
For there is nothing brisker than his life when in motion.
For he is of the Lord's poor, and so indeed is he called by benevolence perpetually -- Poor Jeoffry! poor Jeoffry! the rat has bit thy throat.
For I bless the name of the Lord Jesus that Jeoffry is better.
For the divine spirit comes about his body to sustain it in complete cat.
For his tongue is exceeding pure so that it has in purity what it wants in music.
For he is docile and can learn certain things.
For he can sit up with gravity, which is patience upon approbation.
For he can fetch and carry, which is patience in employment.
For he can jump over a stick, which is patience upon proof positive.
For he can spraggle upon waggle at the word of command.
For he can jump from an eminence into his master's bosom.
For he can catch the cork and toss it again.
For he is hated by the hypocrite and miser.
For the former is afraid of detection.
For the latter refuses the charge.
For he camels his back to bear the first notion of business.
For he is good to think on, if a man would express himself neatly.
For he made a great figure in Egypt for his signal services.
For he killed the Icneumon rat, very pernicious by land.
For his ears are so acute that they sting again.
For from this proceeds the passing quickness of his attention.
For by stroking of him I have found out electricity.
For I perceived God's light about him both wax and fire.
For the electrical fire is the spiritual substance which God sends from heaven to sustain the bodies both of man and beast.
For God has blessed him in the variety of his movements.
For though he cannot fly, he is an excellent clamberer.
For his motions upon the face of the earth are more than any other quadruped.
For he can tread to all the measures upon the music.
For he can swim for life.
For he can creep.
The funniest part of the poem is one of the footnotes my book has in response to For the Lord commanded Moses concerning the cats and the departure of the Children of Israel from Egypt.

The footnote readsNo cats are mentioned in the Bible.



by the way, Nazz, how goes your own works? Any good progress?

I believe it is highly inappropriate to share such a poem with students. Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country? You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people. Do you mind naming the school at which you teach, or are you afraid that your actions violate the boundaries set by the Constitution?
KUSOKURAE.

Since you are a bit slow...

[overly slow voice]
It means "up yours" in Japanese. Nazz can write about whatever he wants, including the little man in the lower regions of the Pope's robes. So fuck off.
[/overly slow voice]

One of my favorites, appropriate for the season ...

Ancient Music

Winter is icummen in,
Lhude sing Goddamm.
Raineth drop and staineth slop,
And how the wind doth ramm!
Sing: Goddamm.

Skiddeth bus and sloppeth us,
An ague hath my ham.
Freezeth river, turneth liver,
Damn you, sing: Goddamm.

Goddamm, Goddamm, 'tis why I am, Goddamm,
So 'gainst the winter's balm.

Sing goddamm, damm, sing Goddamm.
Sing goddamm, sing goddamm, DAMM.

And I love Kit Smart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Smart)'s My Cat Jeoffrey. When Smart had been confined for madness, Dr. Johnson visited him and thought he should not have been put away, observing that Smart's main fault seemed to have been wanting people to pray with him, "And I'd as lief pray with Kit Smart as with anyone."

take that as a hint. Nazz isn't about to share where he teaches...believe me, I've tried. And my reasons, I assure you, were not malicious.
At least one person put it together just based on my posts. Now, if anyone wants to root through nearly 10K worth of posts, they can probably figure it out as well.

as for being on topic...hmm...I have to think for a sec.
For absurd topics handled in an absurd way, I think we can only look to the assorted mock epics. Mac Flecknoe (http://newark.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Texts/macflecknoe.html) and its closing fart joke comes to mind, as does Pope's The Rape of the Lock (http://poetry.eserver.org/rape-of-the-lock.html)


shorter poems, My Cat Jeoffry amuses me.
It's actually called "Jubilate Agno," and Chris Smart was quite out of his mind. He spent most of his adult life in an insane asylum.


by the way, Nazz, how goes your own works? Any good progress?
It goes. I have four poems at last count being published in journals next year, and a few others under consideration. Right now, most of my effort goes into putting manuscripts together for contests in the next month or so.

KUSOKURAE.

Since you are a bit slow...

[overly slow voice]
It means "up yours" in Japanese. Nazz can write about whatever he wants, including the little man in the lower regions of the Pope's robes. So fuck off.
[/overly slow voice]

Thanks. I only wish that was my poem, or that I had Sharon Olds's reputation.

At least one person put it together just based on my posts. Now, if anyone wants to root through nearly 10K worth of posts, they can probably figure it out as well.haha...it wasn't al that difficult. Hell, I was shocked enough that you revealed who you were back in the day of Pedro the Squirrel


It's actually called "Jubilate Agno," and Chris Smart was quite out of his mind. He spent most of his adult life in an insane asylum.hmm....go figure, the book I read it in made it look like "Jubilate Agno" was a larger work, and this poem was an excerpt. I hate Norton even more now. Thanks for the correction. And now, I know I got atleast one question wrong on my midterm :(



It goes. I have four poems at last count being published in journals next year, and a few others under consideration. Right now, most of my effort goes into putting manuscripts together for contests in the next month or so.
If you ever get bored, feel free to send some over this way. I'm always on the lookout for something new to read.

I once wrote a poem in the voice of a marijuana eating goat. A sestina, no less.

I love that poem!

haha...it wasn't al that difficult. Hell, I was shocked enough that you revealed who you were back in the day of Pedro the Squirrel

Well, thanks. You've saved me the bother of going through his posts from May, 2005 to December, 2005. Only 7,000 posts left to go through!

KUSOKURAE.

Since you are a bit slow...

[overly slow voice]
It means "up yours" in Japanese. Nazz can write about whatever he wants, including the little man in the lower regions of the Pope's robes. So fuck off.
[/overly slow voice]

Oh, wow, you cursed at him in Japanese. Big man.

This isn't your fight, and MeansToAnEnd has just as much of a right to believe that the pope's groin is an inappropriate topic as we have to think it is.

I believe it is highly inappropriate to share such a poem with students. Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country? You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people. Do you mind naming the school at which you teach, or are you afraid that your actions violate the boundaries set by the Constitution?


Means ....not to be mean or anything....but are you aware you come off as being a couple cans short of a six pack at times ?

You go to COLLEGE to share OPEN discourse all subjects are open to discussion and the idea is too be open minded and LEARN how to think and make decisions for yourself.

College isnt kindergarden . NOR is it sunday school .

What if your in a history class and you are talking about how the Pope allowed millions of Jews to be sent to the death camps ?
Are you supposed to censor what you are saying because ITS THE POPE OMG ????

Get real dude.

You want to learn go to college .

You want indoctrination go to Sunday school .

There's your seperation of Church and state.

I am suprised you neglected the first ammendment part of the constitution while you went looking for
the part that says the government wont endorse any paticular religion.
I dont see how talking about the Popes dick being a clapper in a bell endorses a religion .


While your ....ummmm....... pondering all this...if you bother...how can you teach history without discussing religion ? Should history be banned as a subject or censored because it may mention a religion or a figure from a religion in a positive or negative light ?

Your saying a english Lit teacher should CENSOR what he teaches ?

If he did he should be FIRED .

Are you supposed to censor what you are saying because ITS THE POPE OMG ????

Would you allow the following "poem" to be taught to the class by a teacher:

Conservatives suck, religion sucks.
Bush wants to fuck a duck.

Of course not. How about this one:

Religion is horrible. People need to be atheists. Yeah!

You couldn't, in good faith, allow such a "poem" to be recited by a teacher and the students forced to listen to the ensuing discourse regarding the poem. We have separation of the church and state for a reason; unless it's history class, religion has no place in schools, nor does ridicule of religion.

MTAE, besides, the constituition does not set boundaries, it protects his right to make fun of anyone, including the pope. just because a school is state funded does not mean religion cannot be discussed there. The school should just not endorse a particular relgion, or something similar. Your logic is not exactly incorrect, it just follows a more extreme path than most take.

In response to the post directly above this, of course I would allow them to be taught. I would not allow the teacher to endorse a view on them, but as long as the teacher's view remains neutral, it is fine. Religion is fine in schools as long as it is not endorsed.

haha...it wasn't al that difficult. Hell, I was shocked enough that you revealed who you were back in the day of Pedro the Squirrel


hmm....go figure, the book I read it in made it look like "Jubilate Agno" was a larger work, and this poem was an excerpt. I hate Norton even more now. Thanks for the correction. And now, I know I got atleast one question wrong on my midterm :(
The larger poem is Jubilate Agno. I've never seen it with another title as the excerpt, so you might have gotten it right.


If you ever get bored, feel free to send some over this way. I'm always on the lookout for something new to read.
Tell you what. I was just nominated for a Pushcart Prize. I'll send you a tg with the link to the poem.

Would you allow the following "poem" to be taught to the class by a teacher:

Conservatives suck, religion sucks.
Bush wants to fuck a duck.

Of course not. How about this one:

Religion is horrible. People need to be atheists. Yeah!

You couldn't, in good faith, allow such a "poem" to be recited by a teacher and the students forced to listen to the ensuing discourse regarding the poem. We have separation of the church and state for a reason; unless it's history class, religion has no place in schools, nor does ridicule of religion.I wouldn't teach it because it's a crappy poem, not because of the subject. And I've taught incredibly religious poetry as well--stuff by Gerard Manley Hopkins and Thomas Hardy and Dante. Should that be kept out as well, under the auspices of separation of church and state (which doesn't apply anyway). Cut religion out of the arts and you lose most of it.

Well, thanks. You've saved me the bother of going through his posts from May, 2005 to December, 2005. Only 7,000 posts left to go through!I can almost promise you won't find anything worth searching for.

The larger poem is Jubilate Agno. I've never seen it with another title as the excerpt, so you might have gotten it right.ahhhh...okay, I get it now. I still hate Norton tho. Friggin 5000 page brick.



Tell you what. I was just nominated for a Pushcart Prize. I'll send you a tg with the link to the poem.Awesome, and congrats on the nomination!

I wouldn't teach it because it's a crappy poem, not because of the subject. And I've taught incredibly religious poetry as well--stuff by Gerard Manley Hopkins and Thomas Hardy and Dante. Should that be kept out as well, under the auspices of separation of church and state (which doesn't apply anyway). Cut religion out of the arts and you lose most of it.Don't forget about those cheap works like Paradise Lost, the Bible, the assorted Puritains (ie, the earliest of the American Lit canon), Weiland, Moby-Dick...the list goes on and on and on. And can't forget to cut all of those poems and lit that is critical of religion.

Cut religion out of the arts and you lose most of it.
Two birds with one stone!

Don't forget about those cheap works like Paradise Lost, the Bible, the assorted Puritains (ie, the earliest of the American Lit canon), Weiland, Moby-Dick...the list goes on and on and on. And can't forget to cut all of those poems and lit that is critical of religion.

Poetically and literarily, the Bible is trash.

Poetically and literarily, the Bible is trash.

You've got it backwards. Literarily and poetically, the Bible is brilliant. Outside that, it's not much, especially as a historical document.

Poetically and literarily, the Bible is trash.

Have you ever read the Hebrew?

Separation of Church and state does not apply, because college is not mandatory.


here's a poem


Weaving in and out
dropping down into
nothingness? more like
squeak BOOM
goes the click under the dirt
red everywhere
painted earth, men
balance is everything
watch your step
or wheel
horn blonks
whistling
you hear click
moving quick
slow it down spiral up
or down spiral nowhere
into time (6th dimension)
or space (3rd dimension)
and come back to
jester
on a half bike
in a field
claymores


name it, and you get a cookie.
name what i title it, get the whole jar.

Poetically and literarily, the Bible is trash.

poetically, it really depends on your translation. I prefer KJV if you want poetics. Literarily, depends on which story. Most of them are incredibly complex and infinatly interesting to delve deeper into.

Not to mention, it is the basis of a good chunk of Western, specifically British and American literature.

btw, Nazz, TG back

I like Roger McGough's poetry. But he's pretty well known so I guess he doesn't count for this thread.

Sassoon and Graves' poetry about WWI are excellent. Great companion to Grave's autobiography, 'Goodbye to all that'.

I always felt that their poetry, his autobiog, Faulk's 'Birdsong' and the movie 'A very long engagement' (and perhaps the original, 'All Quiet on the Western Front' also) would make great English unit. But that's beside the point.

A man, a woman, and their three children.
Lived in a house too small to live in,
Too big to afford.

The father worked for the local gas company,
The mother, a secretary.
Both lived under the weight of debt, stress, and guilt.

The oldest son worked construction under the table.
The middle child, a girl, made jewlery that she sold to her class mates.
The youngest, Jonny, at the age of 8, spent his time playing with legos, unaware of the worries his family had.

Day in day out the family worked.
Day in day out bills came to them.

If only they had the insurence when poor Jonny fell ill..

Jonny now sleeps.
The father in a haze,
Mommy cries her days away.
Sister doesn't design jewlery anymore,
Brother doesn't build houses.

The parents, charged with neglect.
The children sent to foster homes far apart.
The family is no longer stressed with debt.

In this day and age,
The welfare check feeds,
But does not help.

Latest Ruffy random.

:cool:

Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country?


In the United States, yes. In fact, it is that very principle that guarantees my right...


You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people.


...to ridicule whatever I very well please, including old men in funny hats speaking dead languages.

The number of people involved has no bearing on the justice or correctness or truth of something; "a billion people" are, in my opinion, simply wrong. The same is true for democracy, which is why liberal democracies tend to have measures put in place (bills of rights, constitutions, checks and balances, etc) to regularly remind the People that they are, in fact, mentally deficient baboons. I see no reason why religion should be exempt from the same measures, including freedom of speech.

Would you allow the following "poem" to be taught to the class by a teacher:

Conservatives suck, religion sucks.
Bush wants to fuck a duck.

Of course not. How about this one:

Religion is horrible. People need to be atheists. Yeah!

You couldn't, in good faith, allow such a "poem" to be recited by a teacher and the students forced to listen to the ensuing discourse regarding the poem. We have separation of the church and state for a reason; unless it's history class, religion has no place in schools, nor does ridicule of religion.


No because they are not poems they are statements . If they were poetry I would teach them as examples of poetry that really sucks . And by doing that are you saying I could convince students to be atheist ? Or that Bush wants to fuck a duck ? God forbid you have a discussion about the Wizard of Oz in class....I can see all my students looking for a balloon to get to see the midgets and the cool poopy firelds. Except for the ones that think the yellow brick road is made of gold and want to jump into a tornado to see Oz and get rich .

Going over a the creation and mechanics of a poem is not the same as teaching someone the Pope has a dick , or that the Pope should be direspected. The students should ALREADY have moral values and have a good Idea about the Pope BEFORE they hit the classroom...the classroom is for learning ...morality you learn at home and on your own .

In fact by using the Pope as an example you can teach the student to stretch the normal confined boundries of his / her normal constipated thought proccess . So its actually a good and thoughtfull way of making a point because you are shocking the student into thinking about what else he can do now that the Pope barrier is down .

This is comming from someone who's Dad tried to pull him out of catholic School because they were teaching the song "imagine " He made a point to tell the teachers and the head NUN or Supior mother what he thought of his kid being taught communism . ( Not many schools more conservative than catholic schools...trust me on this ..at that time " Godless communist " were frowned upon .:D ) .

I ended up in Central high...an elite school for public high school students in Phila. NOW you want to talk about a LIBERAL education ...:D Dr. Frankel my English lit teacher taught the Marx bros.....Groucho and harpo :D
My history teacher was Dr. Strangelove and my art teacher was a flaming gay dude and a brilliant artist...My dad almost had a stroke when he had to come to school to meet the teachers ...:D :D :D

Most fun I had in high school outside of Girls High .:) ;)

So there ya go.... ( I stayed BTW ) . Made sure I went to Public school after 8th grade though .

Edna St. Vincent Millay's What Lips My Lips Have Kissed

Found it


What lips my lips have kissed, and where, and why,
I have forgotten, and what arms have lain
Under my head till morning; but the rain
Is full of ghosts tonight, that tap and sigh
Upon the glass and listen for reply,
And in my heart there stirs a quiet pain
For unremembered lads that not again
Will turn to me at midnight with a cry.
Thus in winter stands the lonely tree,
Nor knows what birds have vanished one by one,
Yet knows its boughs more silent than before:
I cannot say what loves have come and gone,
I only know that summer sang in me
A little while, that in me sings no more.

The story of my life
by Andrei Stepanovich (me)

I know I've been barely getting enough sleep,
and I'm spending my days
in a bleary eyed haze
for want of a doze so deep.

Originally Posted by Sharon Olds
The Pope's Penis

It hangs deep in his robes, a delicate
clapper at the center of a bell.
It moves when he moves, a ghostly fish in a
halo of silver seaweed, the hair
swaying in the dark and the heat -- and at night
while his eyes sleep, it stands up
in praise of God.




A haiku by Not bad



that poem disturbs
On several levels
And I'm not the Pope

I believe it is highly inappropriate to share such a poem with students. Do we not have separation of Church and State in this country? You can't just ridicule the leader of a religion adhered to by over a billion people. Do you mind naming the school at which you teach, or are you afraid that your actions violate the boundaries set by the Constitution?

Really? It would be seen as perfectly acceptable and not noticeably controversial here in the UK. Some of the poems we read last year were rather weird to say the least. I remember one of them was written from the point of view of a necrophiliac.

Really? It would be seen as perfectly acceptable and not noticeably controversial here in the UK. Some of the poems we read last year were rather weird to say the least. I remember one of them was written from the point of view of a necrophiliac.

Different pokes for different folks, every country is different. If necrophilia is fine in the UK who am I to complain? Just quit looking at my dead grandma's grave that way please.

Langston Hughes' "Let America Be America Again" is by far my favorite poem, but they don't get much more "well-known" than that.

Here's another one of his that I like, less well-known for obvious reasons:

Ooohh.. Excvellent choice. Hadn't read that one. I like. Thanks..

[QUOTE=MeansToAnEnd]Would you allow the following "poem" to be taught to the class by a teacher:

Conservatives suck, religion sucks.
Bush wants to fuck a duck.

Of course not. How about this one:

Religion is horrible. People need to be atheists. Yeah!

You couldn't, in good faith, allow such a "poem" to be recited by a teacher and the students forced to listen to the ensuing discourse regarding the poem. We have separation of the church and state for a reason; unless it's history class, religion has no place in schools, nor does ridicule of religion.
I wouldn't teach it because it's a crappy poem, not because of the subject.

I'd say teach it if he's offering it up. I vividly recall my fave proff (poli theory, but his comments work well for lit) saying that he'd love to teach a class on bad writtings, just so students would have an appreciatrtion for why the good stuff was good.

And I've taught incredibly religious poetry as well--stuff by Gerard Manley Hopkins and Thomas Hardy and Dante. Should that be kept out as well, under the auspices of separation of church and state (which doesn't apply anyway). Cut religion out of the arts and you lose most of it.

Indeed, indeed.

Just thought I'd share, as I've used this poem in my classes to show that you can indeed write a poem about anything.

Reminds me of George Carlin and his commentary on appropriate subjects for jokes:
Ohhh, some people don't like you to talk like that. Ohh, some people like to shut you up for saying those things. You know that. Lots of people. Lots of groups in this country want to tell you how to talk. Tell you what you can't talk about. Well, sometimes they'll say, well you can talk about something but you can't joke about it. Say you can't joke about something because it's not funny. Comedians run into that shit all the time. Like rape. They'll say, "you can't joke about rape. Rape's not funny." I say, "fuck you, I think it's hilarious. How do you like that?" I can prove to you that rape is funny. Picture Porky Pig raping Elmer Fudd. See, hey why do you think they call him "Porky," eh? I know what you're going to say. "Elmer was asking for it. Elmer was coming on to Porky. Porky couldn't help himself, he got a hard- on, he got horney, he lost control, he went out of his mind." A lot of men talk like that. A lot of men think that way. They think it's the woman's fault. They like to blame the rape on the woman. Say, "she had it coming, she was wearing a short skirt." These guys think women ought to go to prison for being cock teasers. Don't seem fair to me. Don't seem right, but you can joke about it. I believe you can joke about anything. It all depends on how you construct the joke. What the exaggeration is. What the exaggeration is. Because every joke needs one exaggeration. Every joke needs one thing to be way out of proportion. Give you an example. Did you ever see a news story like this in the paper? Every now and then you run into a story, says, "some guy broke into a house, stole a lot of things, and while he was in there, he raped an 81 year old woman." And I'm thinking to myself, "WHY??? What the fuck kind of a social life does this guy have?" I want to say, "why did you do that?" "Well she was coming on to me. We were dancing and I got horney. Hey, she was asking for it, she had on a tight bathrobe." I'll say, "Jesus Christ, be a little fucking selective next time will you?"

Much like a good joke, good poetry needs to often (but not always) be needs to be out of proportion.

Have you any favorites--preferably not widely known--that you'd like to add?

Here's one I really like that shows the darker side of a poet oft seen as comic, and that is nicly appropriate to todays politics:

The March of the Dead

by Robert Service
The cruel war was over -- oh, the triumph was so sweet!
We watched the troops returning, through our tears;
There was triumph, triumph, triumph down the scarlet glittering street,
And you scarce could hear the music for the cheers.
And you scarce could see the house-tops for the flags that flew between;
The bells were pealing madly to the sky;
And everyone was shouting for the Soldiers of the Queen,
And the glory of an age was passing by.

And then there came a shadow, swift and sudden, dark and drear;
The bells were silent, not an echo stirred.
The flags were drooping sullenly, the men forgot to cheer;
We waited, and we never spoke a word.
The sky grew darker, darker, till from out the gloomy rack
There came a voice that checked the heart with dread:
"Tear down, tear down your bunting now, and hang up sable black;
They are coming -- it's the Army of the Dead."

They were coming, they were coming, gaunt and ghastly, sad and slow;
They were coming, all the crimson wrecks of pride;
With faces seared, and cheeks red smeared, and haunting eyes of woe,
And clotted holes the khaki couldn't hide.
Oh, the clammy brow of anguish! the livid, foam-flecked lips!
The reeling ranks of ruin swept along!
The limb that trailed, the hand that failed, the bloody finger tips!
And oh, the dreary rhythm of their song!

"They left us on the veldt-side, but we felt we couldn't stop
On this, our England's crowning festal day;
We're the men of Magersfontein, we're the men of Spion Kop,
Colenso -- we're the men who had to pay.
We're the men who paid the blood-price. Shall the grave be all our gain?
You owe us. Long and heavy is the score.
Then cheer us for our glory now, and cheer us for our pain,
And cheer us as ye never cheered before."

The folks were white and stricken, and each tongue seemed weighted with lead;
Each heart was clutched in hollow hand of ice;
And every eye was staring at the horror of the dead,
The pity of the men who paid the price.
They were come, were come to mock us, in the first flush of our peace;
Through writhing lips their teeth were all agleam;
They were coming in their thousands -- oh, would they never cease!
I closed my eyes, and then -- it was a dream.

There was triumph, triumph, triumph down the scarlet gleaming street;
The town was mad; a man was like a boy.
A thousand flags were flaming where the sky and city meet;
A thousand bells were thundering the joy.
There was music, mirth and sunshine; but some eyes shone with regret;
And while we stun with cheers our homing braves,
O God, in Thy great mercy, let us nevermore forget
The graves they left behind, the bitter graves.
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/bluffs/8336/robertservice/marchofdead.html

(Would that a certain president attend even a single soldiers funeral. Arlington ain't that far away, Mr. Bush!)

Have you ever read the Hebrew?
I don’t need to. The plots are absolute trash, and that isn’t going to change with translation.

You've got it backwards. Literarily and poetically, the Bible is brilliant. Outside that, it's not much, especially as a historical document.
I don't have it backwards at all. Just because I said the Bible is trash as a piece of literature doesn't mean I don't think it is trash in every other aspect. The Bible is utter shit, period. It isn’t even historically accurate.

I don't have it backwards at all. Just because I said the Bible is trash as a piece of literature doesn't mean I don't think it is trash in every other aspect. The Bible is utter shit, period. It isn’t even historically accurate.
That's what I said. But as a cultural snapshot, it's fantastic, as well as the literary aspects. You may not like it--that's fine, different strokes and all--but it's not shit.

Here I sit
Broken hearted
Come to shit
And only farted

That's what I said. But as a cultural snapshot, it's fantastic, as well as the literary aspects. You may not like it--that's fine, different strokes and all--but it's not shit.
I have a couple of Indian friends who would heartily disagree with you there. The only reason it’s respected at all is because it is engrained in Western Culture for no rational reason at all.

I don’t need to. The plots are absolute trash, and that isn’t going to change with translation.

Poetically and literarily, the Bible is trash.

I was referring to the first element.

Come friendly bombs and fall on Slough!
It isn't fit for humans now,
There isn't grass to graze a cow.
Swarm over, Death!

Come, bombs and blow to smithereens
Those air -conditioned, bright canteens,
Tinned fruit, tinned meat, tinned milk, tinned beans,
Tinned minds, tinned breath.

Mess up the mess they call a town-
A house for ninety-seven down
And once a week a half a crown
For twenty years.

And get that man with double chin
Who'll always cheat and always win,
Who washes his repulsive skin
In women's tears:

And smash his desk of polished oak
And smash his hands so used to stroke
And stop his boring dirty joke
And make him yell.

But spare the bald young clerks who add
The profits of the stinking cad;
It's not their fault that they are mad,
They've tasted Hell.

It's not their fault they do not know
The birdsong from the radio,
It's not their fault they often go
To Maidenhead

And talk of sport and makes of cars
In various bogus-Tudor bars
And daren't look up and see the stars
But belch instead.

In labour-saving homes, with care
Their wives frizz out peroxide hair
And dry it in synthetic air
And paint their nails.

Come, friendly bombs and fall on Slough
To get it ready for the plough.
The cabbages are coming now;
The earth exhales.