Nothing much new is coming, except this ditty. All critique welcome.


Oxymoron No. 1

A hemorrhage destroyed the brain
of one whom everyone thought sane.
The instant cause was plain to see:
he tried to speed read poetry.

Greetings, David! Great to see your face.

At first I asked myself... Is he writing about me?! ... but then I realized... nah... no one ever thought I was sane before I'd tried to do what you describe. Someone else musta done it too!

Lightly scannin', Daniel

Daniel:

Nope, not about you. Just something that came to me.

NDG

DEar NDG,
What happens to the brains of those who read aloud with emphasis?
Cheers, Ron jgd

Hey again, Dave... I hope that your response to me is just as tongue in cheek as mine to you... and as the piece itself!

deLightin' in your work with short forms as well as long ones, Daniel

P.S. The only oxy moron that I knew growing up was Moose in the Archie Comics books... but he probably went on to be an NFL star and retired after 8 years of destroying his brain even further with concussions... and built his own personal assylum from the millions he got playing the game.

This post has been edited by JustDaniel: Sep 6 07, 16:16

Hmmm. It's interesting that you are equating bleeding into the brain with insanity-- and that you've used it in light verse. I'm sorry, but to me neither instance is something to make light of.
I"d suggest another direction entirely:
It taxed his overburdened brain
and left him babbling inane
words. The cause was plain to see
he tried to speed read poetry.
LB

Thanks Ron and Liz for coming by, and Daniel for a second visit.

Yeah, Daniel, I figured you were just messin' with me in your first post, but just in case I was misinterpreting, I figured I'd better come clean.

Ron: I guess, if they read it aloud for emphasis, they aren't speed reading and so should improve their brains.

Liz: Well, I'm not shooting for accuracy with medical terms. If so I would have consulted my RN wife. I'm just trying to say that speed reading poetry makes no sense. Actually, even the speed reading is a non-sensical, overstated euphamism for reading too fast, for not dwelling on poetry--the most distilled and complex type of writing--to capture its full impact. So the insanity and hemorrhage are just overstatements of the impact of reading too fast for comprehension. It's all overstatement, intending for humor while trying to state something I've seen stated over and over in poetry textbooks: reading poetry takes real time. Sorry this seems to have struck you as inappropriate. I do appreciate your time, and will look at your suggestions and see if they make sense for the intent I have for this epigram.

Best Regards,
NDG

I understand the intended message and accuracy of medical terms is not the issue. I only thought you might find a better way to relay your message than making light of serious and/or life-threatening illness. Perhaps I'm the only one who sees it this way, and if so there is no reason for you to change it. The technicals are fine.

LOL!

Dear Norman,
What IS it with everyone? I think just about all the poems I chose to read tonight are funny. Loved this one!

Hugs,
M