Muffins or War

[paula_hansen]

I am thinking of posting a new poem soon and I thought I should try it out on this thread first as I know I am highly respected here.


WAR WHAT ARE YOU GOOD FOR
ABSOLUTELY MUFFIN
I SAID WAR WHAT ARE YOU GOOD FOR
SAY IT AGAIN.

I think this could be a song as well.

I welcome comment and analysis although not by angry people.

[Dairy Farmer]

I think the poem is a poor poor copy of a famous soul/protest song. I suggest you put your energy into campaigning for the rights of Agricultural practitioners instead.

[tom.d.stiller]

Dear Paula

you throw your pearls before the swine, or maybe before the dairy cattle, as dairy's post seems to prove.

Maybe you'd be better off adding syrup to the muffins.

You realized, of course, how destructively Dairy treated your latest product. I think he himself should give a try at being poetic instead of simply insulting your poem as a "poor copy". Which protest song ever was so "absolutely muffin"?

Yours respectfully

Tom

[paula_hansen]

Dear Tom

are you mistaking me for the Bellicose Paula. I have never cast pearls, and swine are more like the business of that rude Farmer person.

I post a piece of inventive poetry and get slammed for trying.

[tom.d.stiller]

Dear Paula Hansen,

how could I mistake you for the other Paula, you chose to call "Bellicose"...

The pearls you cast - please take it for a poetic license to name your poems as pearls, like Shakespeare took some license saying "Those are pearls that were his eyes..."

But you will distinctly remember that the "rude Farmer person" doesn't deal with swine but with some sort of dairy cattle, insisting they're not cows?

I take for granted that you were referring to the "keeper of sheep" when you said that you "got slammed for trying" to "post a piece of inventive poetry", as you know that I would never try to slam you.

Humbly I offer you a free muffin the next time we meet.

Respectfully yours
Tom

[Dairy Farmer]

One of the first things you learn about keeping cows, is to keep them "stiller". So, my next calf will be named Tom in your "honour".

You probably don't knwo the work of The RABDF? It is the only independent organisation addressing the many issues facing the UK Dairy Industry today.

Let me give you a quote from a recent address from our Chairman- " Milk producers must account for the cost of family labour in their dairy enterprises in a realistic way. Widespread failure to do so is probably the biggest single factor leading to misconceptions about the real cost of milk production in the UK, said Tim Brigstocke, Chairman of the Royal Association of British Dairy Farmers"

Further, he added Few farmers actually pay themselves, or include in their budgets a realistic salary level that takes account of their practical and managerial skills. The minimum figure included should reflect the average salary packages of herd managers – currently around £25,000 a year, plus a house and use of a vehicle, as well as extras such as telephone expenses.”

Labour is not the only common area of miscalculation in the true costs of milk production, Mr Brigstocke added: “Although most producers know their margin over concentrates and gross margins per cow, per hectare or per litre, few know the true extent of their fixed costs and farm overheads, as these apply to their dairy enterprise.

“Fixed costs, and an allowance for reinvestment and growth, simply have to be included in the calculation of the cost of milk production – as they are in all other types of business. It’s much more difficult to apportion fixed cost items correctly, but it is not impossible. The RABDF is working with all the main farm data recording agencies to produce new guidelines to help the industry resolve this in a straightforward way.

I hope this clears the pervasive ignorance displayed throughout this thread.

[lizzytysh]

Hi Paula ~

"Casting pearls before swine" being akin to "can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear" ~ your punny, little poem was delightful, though I'd have done something different somehow with the last line. I've reread it several times and still not quite sure of its meaning or purpose. Be that as it may, I still enjoyed your ditty. That's my comment and "analysis" . I'm definitely not angry, so I'm guessing my input will be considered .

~ Lizzytysh

[Arthur42Dent]

http://www.muffinfilms.com

[tom.d.stiller]

Democracy is coming to the USA -
Poetry is coming to the British Dairy Industry -
(or was it the other way 'round?
well, it'd be about time for both...)

Deary Dairy,
I proudly accept the honor you so kindly offered. The RABDF offered me honorary membership once, too, but I had to refuse. They wanted me to either turn to a more cow-wardly attitude, or to become a cowboy myself. Both options would have collided, however, with my other duties, as a chairman of "Muffins against the War", as an active member of the "Royal Campaign for Verbal Disarmament", as President of "Make Cheese Not War" and the "International Syrup League"...

Thank you for detailling the common mistakes in dairy farmers' business administration that - as one can argue - might make it preposterous to demand "£25,000 a year, plus a house and use of a vehicle, as well as extras such as telephone expenses”, while those in business who are not prone to make such mistakes get less than 25,000, and have to pay the rent etc. from that...

You see that, by naming one of your beloved calves in my honor, you might make it more difficult to keep them "stiller" with each passing day. Of course if you want to make Democracy come to the cow barn, it could prove a very wise way of starting things.

Always on your side, though,
Yours sincerely
tom.d.stiller

[Dairy Farmer]

Always on your side, though,
Yours sincerely
tom.d.stiller

easy to say. but where were you in the Milking Shed at 5AM on Easter Monday,

sincerely

A Dairy Farmer

[Stephen Kind]

I think, with respect, Dairy Farmer you are making acommon mistake here.

We are all entitled to our opinions without first hand experience. It has always struck me, for example, as crass to ask whether you would throw the switch to execute someone, as if you are not otherwise allowed to support Capital Punishment.

We may not be in your Milking Shed, DF, but we can still feel the passion of your arguments, believe me!

[John the Shorts]

Paula H

I must say I enjoyed your verse. Ignore the negative comments I think, to be frank, you're almost ready for Hollywood.

JTS

[paula_hansen]

Well thank you so much. I put a lot of work into the poem, although to be honest, any talent I have comes from G-d. I am blessed and say thank you often in a row.

On a personal note, may I ask if you are related in any way, to John The Baptist.

Paula

WE ARE ALL G-D'S CHILDREN

[Paula]

Can I just mention Edwin Starr died a couple of months ago in the UK I don't know what made me think of him - good poem Paula H

[John the Shorts]

Paula H

As I always say (sometimes) praise where praise is due.

I am not, as far as I am aware, related to John the Baptist (Althogh DNArew would be the best one to ask) while in my drum playing, long haired, rebellious youth some people would call me John the Baptist (when I had a beard) or Meat Loaf (When I didn't) I do not believe there was any genetic basis for this.

Paula Not H

I was not aware that Edwin Starr was dead, maybe it was serendipitous that Paual H's poem made you think of this otherwise I would have been remained in ignorance.

JTS (It's not often I can mention John The Baptist, Meat Loaf and Edwin Starr in the same post and still say that I've honestly answered the questions posed )