Tomorrow Congress - gmw
----------------------------------
Tomorrow Congress debates
About whether they ought to debate
Or would rather not debate
About a nonbinding resolution
Decisively uncertain
About another troop buildup.
Meanwhile the troops
Are built up
And torn down
As life
For most of us
Carries on.
Tomorrow Congress
Hi Greg ~
Is it necessary for me to know anything about poetry to comment on this?
If it's not, I want to say how powerful it is in its irony; in what looks like wordplay, except that the words are the reality; and in the sad truth of the frontlines, no matter the results of the debate.
If it is, I want to say, as my editorial comment on your brief poem, how powerful it is in its irony; in what looks like wordplay, except that the words are the reality; and in the sad truth of the frontlines, no matter the results of the debate.
Take your choice of my comments. The rhyme scheme seems rather 'irregular' and top-heavy, but then so are the elements of your topic. I like the poem and for me that's what matters. Perhaps, I could make that my sig, eh
?
~ Lizzy
"I like the poem and for me that's what matters."
Is it necessary for me to know anything about poetry to comment on this?
If it's not, I want to say how powerful it is in its irony; in what looks like wordplay, except that the words are the reality; and in the sad truth of the frontlines, no matter the results of the debate.
If it is, I want to say, as my editorial comment on your brief poem, how powerful it is in its irony; in what looks like wordplay, except that the words are the reality; and in the sad truth of the frontlines, no matter the results of the debate.
Take your choice of my comments. The rhyme scheme seems rather 'irregular' and top-heavy, but then so are the elements of your topic. I like the poem and for me that's what matters. Perhaps, I could make that my sig, eh
?~ Lizzy
"I like the poem and for me that's what matters."
But it doesn't rhyme 
Leonard Cohen Newswire / bookoflonging.com (retired) / leonardcohencroatia.com (retired)
.
.-
BoHo
Too mush! Welp, aren't we on the warp-path this lovely morning? Guess you'll just have to dumb-drown droll-down a bit, Tom-Tom, L!Tom Sakic wrote:But it doesn't rhyme
It's actually a very effective — nay, inspired — use of the device of repetition with the word "debate" echoing over and over in the subconscious reaches of the reader's mind, a delicate touch, one speaking to the fact that all Congress seems to do is debate, debate, debate, the point the poem makes both explicitly in content and implicitly in form. Puts one in mind of "repent" repetition on TF. Nice touch.
BoHo
--
Shakespeare's Coined Words:
http://www.theatrehistory.com/british/s ... re031.html
The Beauty of His Weapons:
http://www.penguinclassics.co.uk/static ... are01.html
Tomorrow Congress debates
About whether they ought to debate
Or would rather not debate
I love the humour and juxtaposition of lines four and five here, relative to lines one, two, and three. When's the last time you debated about whether you ought to debate, or would rather not debate about something quite meaningless, anyway... [none of us may want to answer thatAbout a nonbinding resolution
Decisively uncertain
].~ Lizzy
Hi Manna ~
I also like, as I've mentioned the 'top heavy' aspect, how so many concepts, ideas, words, strategies, etc. are a part of the first verse; whereas, in the second verse, where the rubber hits the road and the reality of it all resides, everything is so sparse [including troops, per the 'job']... and, that, a reflection of the overwhelming reality of it all... talk, talk, talk, talk, talk... whilst troops are sent, and reduced through death and injury [sorry, can't say "come home," as that's become so rare], as our lives [holding very little 'space' as compared to the debates and the build-ups/tear downs] carry on. Likewise, the decision-makers hold more ground [in the poem and real life] than those who are actually on it [to riff off Joni ~ stoking the war-making machinery behind the 'popular' waaaarrrrr ~ and the pawns fighting it]. Whhhoooops... taking this a measure more political, huh. As already mentioned by Judith [above], this poem in its form/physical structure and choice of verbiage underscores and, with force, drives home its meaning. Funny, too, now that I think of it, its title... with the always-elusive "tomorrow." In addition, the nebulous nature of that concept, and we're always reaching out to them, unable to ever get a real grasp... and since all our "tomorrow"s have different beginning and ending points, if we reach them, at all vs. the concrete of "Congress" ~ the hard-decision lawmakers. Seems to reenforce the idea of 'debate, debate, debate ~ about something uncertain, anyway' ~ just in a slightly-angled, different way.
Sure do like this poem. Noticed ?
~ Lizzy
I also like, as I've mentioned the 'top heavy' aspect, how so many concepts, ideas, words, strategies, etc. are a part of the first verse; whereas, in the second verse, where the rubber hits the road and the reality of it all resides, everything is so sparse [including troops, per the 'job']... and, that, a reflection of the overwhelming reality of it all... talk, talk, talk, talk, talk... whilst troops are sent, and reduced through death and injury [sorry, can't say "come home," as that's become so rare], as our lives [holding very little 'space' as compared to the debates and the build-ups/tear downs] carry on. Likewise, the decision-makers hold more ground [in the poem and real life] than those who are actually on it [to riff off Joni ~ stoking the war-making machinery behind the 'popular' waaaarrrrr ~ and the pawns fighting it]. Whhhoooops... taking this a measure more political, huh. As already mentioned by Judith [above], this poem in its form/physical structure and choice of verbiage underscores and, with force, drives home its meaning. Funny, too, now that I think of it, its title... with the always-elusive "tomorrow." In addition, the nebulous nature of that concept, and we're always reaching out to them, unable to ever get a real grasp... and since all our "tomorrow"s have different beginning and ending points, if we reach them, at all vs. the concrete of "Congress" ~ the hard-decision lawmakers. Seems to reenforce the idea of 'debate, debate, debate ~ about something uncertain, anyway' ~ just in a slightly-angled, different way.
Sure do like this poem. Noticed
?~ Lizzy
-
BoHo
Not a bad imitation; but, I rarely make spelling and grammar mistakes, Sweetheart; and, I don't use a spell-checker.Manna wrote:Ah, Lizzy.
You've very eloquently said I would have said if I had given this a bit more thought for why I liked it so very much.
And, I certainly wouldn't repeat "repetition" again as a troll. So, back off. I have nothing further to add to this one. Have a nice life (and an even nicer death where clouds go to die, I mean, of course).
Try it again, I'll have to start reading the "riot act" about all things "in congress." ACK! <*G*>
BoHo
--
THE ITEM THAT HE SENT HER:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/leonardcohen.html
ADAGIOS III — ELECTRA'S BENISON, BOUND!
http://www.oberonpress.ca/titles.pl?v=new
JUDITH FITZGERALD'S EVER-EVOLVING WRITESITE:
http://www.judithfitzgerald.ca/
LEONARD COHEN'S OPEN BOOK OF LONGING:
http://tinyurl.com/yno7z7
POET PARLIAMENTAEIRIAL JUDITH FITZGERALD:
http://tinyurl.com/38ssjq
THE AMERICAN BOOK REVIEW:
http://tinyurl.com/2h6op6
SUNITI NAMJOSHI'S BRIGHTSITE:
http://tinyurl.com/37jjvy
J.F. ON AL PURDY & ELI MANDEL @ CBC:
http://tinyurl.com/2vdrdq
Huh?Not a bad imitation; but, I rarely make spelling and grammar mistakes, Sweetheart; and, I don't use a spell-checker.
If you're upset because I said pretty close to what you said, please accept my apologies. Truth is, I hadn't read the previous posts before I posted my response to the poem. It's a habit of mine because I don't want to influence my initial response with someone else's.
Of course, if you're joking around, I guess I don't know you well enough to tell your jokes from your serious stuff. So if I'm feeling contrite for no good reason, please let me know.
Sorry for the mispelling. My little friend must be napping, but he really doesn't care so much about spelling as he does for grammar.