20 Comments
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Jack Lhasa's avatar

Love it. Absolutely excellent.

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Jean-Paul's avatar

This seems very Rumi-esque, somehow. I am also reminded of the Zen master Ikkyū Sōjun who found enlightenment only after he left the monastery, and would regularly attend drinking houses.

In vino veritas!

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

I think not. this is just sleazy and superficial. There may be a need for "humor" in meaningful poetry, but this ain't it. I hate the word "shit." I like to think of its increasing public use these days as a bi-product of the coarsening of culture ushered in by that midless, infantile shit, Donald Trump..

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kathlene kelly's avatar

i think “sleazy” is going a bit far. it may not be your favorite piece but it’s clearly made some people smile, some people frown, and created a small debate in its wake. that’s art doing its job. if the poem left its audience feeling wholly apathetic, it wouldn’t be living up to the most basic requirement of creativity: to engage an audience.

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

Well "engagement" is good, I spoze, but it ought not to be galavanized at any price.

Creating "Debate" is no great accomplishment in itself. It reminfs me of an old New Yorker cartoon, wherein a teacher is remarking to a rather smarmy-looking pupil, "It's not enough to be a genius, Billy. You have to be a genius AT SOMETHING! Same with being "debatable." It's no great virtue ON ITS OWN.

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kathlene kelly's avatar

hmm...as i feel neither shocked nor unduly urged to act and, thus far, have spent little in the way of emotional labor...i'm forced to say that "galvanized at any price" may be an experience determined in the eye of each beholder.

debate, as a sincere exchange of ideas and perspectives, stands on its own feet without needing to proclaim its worth to all and sundry. ON ITS OWN, debate remains a valid variety of conversational-ish exchange and requires only situational context which, in this case, it has provided. you think the poem is valueless. i think it's doing its job. something doesn't have to be The Iliad to promote critical thinking.

the most interesting part of this discussion isn't the poem itself but that you know why you dislike it. THAT is more laudable than, say, hearing someone say they hate something but be unable to articulate why. that's just laziness. art is supposed to make you feel something...to think about what you feel...and to provide the impetus for thoughtful conversation. as things go, we're quite successful so far. yay us!

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

True stuff to the point of Truism. You certainly are prolix!

Let's just leave it alone now, okay?

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kathlene kelly's avatar

and you like to make attempts at insulting people. hurray. now we both know who we are.

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

My gawd that's crude and ugly.

I'm really appteciate your not contacting me again--ever.

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T R Poulson's avatar

There’s really not enough humor in contemporary poetry. Love this funny poem with serious undertones

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Rochelle Jewel Shapiro's avatar

A funny poem is much needed. Thanks.

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Markéta N. | Poetry's avatar

This is brilliant, loved it!

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

Brilliant??

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Markéta N. | Poetry's avatar

That is the reaction I felt in the moment, it felt relatable to me, and brilliant felt like the right word for it

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

well, you know, opinions can't meaningfully be argued with. So I reckon the poem is indeed "brilliant' for you.

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Markéta N. | Poetry's avatar

Coming to the surface from his grumpy grounds,

on Substack appeared a man called Gary Dault.

He wanted to engage but didn’t know how,

so he decided to criticise based on his personal style.

I want people to feel supported where support is due.

Remember, if you don't like something, it simply wasn’t written for YOU.

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Gary Michael Dault's avatar

Geez what a pinched, smarmy, petulant, obtuse comment! I fervently wish to hear no more from you about anything, whoever you are, Markets 'Sophie' N.

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