David, I think your poem is terrific. Thank you for "volcanic sadness," among so many other phrases. Part of what inspires me to write distinctly non-journalistic and non-political "stuff" is that I don't want to have the "experts on the news" control all the language we use and hear. We have to keep alive the idea that it's okay not to know everything, and it's even okay to have some optimism. I am going to share this poem with others. Thank you.
Once upon a time at art school, I studied sound and video art installation- I am of course drawn to the visual of video monitor Talking Heads in your post. Well one of our Visiting Artist teachers was Shikegu Kubota , married to Nam June Paik, a Korean artist, considered the Father of video art installations- during this workshop class with his wife who is Japanese we discovered that her close friend was Yoko Ono - so ALL we wanted to know about every class was about John & Yoko. That was the year the MCA in Chicago honored his artwork. I live near , grew up around Worcester Art Museum who has one of Nam June Paik's video sculptures entitled " Robert Goddard" who worked on rocketry in Worcester, MA. I haven't read your poem offering thoroughly yet as I am struck by visuals and that memory layer, so thank you.
“I can't comprehend people who
lie so religiously
you don't understand a word they say”
with concepts so foreign to God
they might as well be
instruments of torture
designed to be used exclusively on children
David, I think your poem is terrific. Thank you for "volcanic sadness," among so many other phrases. Part of what inspires me to write distinctly non-journalistic and non-political "stuff" is that I don't want to have the "experts on the news" control all the language we use and hear. We have to keep alive the idea that it's okay not to know everything, and it's even okay to have some optimism. I am going to share this poem with others. Thank you.
David Lerner died in 1998, but his writing lives on at zeitgeist-press.com.
He wrote a very funny and true poem about Trump before leaving us called, I think ,We Are Being Driven Mad..
Thanks, Bruce, for that information.
Lying has become an international sport. Great post!
So much to the point! Superb! Thank you.
why some stunned slut of a reporter
can grin into a steel eye so fateful with power
it changes everything it sees
oh how the western news has been so complicit in the injustice and pain of the world. a worthy piece, as an ol war journo, i approve this poetry. <3
Once upon a time at art school, I studied sound and video art installation- I am of course drawn to the visual of video monitor Talking Heads in your post. Well one of our Visiting Artist teachers was Shikegu Kubota , married to Nam June Paik, a Korean artist, considered the Father of video art installations- during this workshop class with his wife who is Japanese we discovered that her close friend was Yoko Ono - so ALL we wanted to know about every class was about John & Yoko. That was the year the MCA in Chicago honored his artwork. I live near , grew up around Worcester Art Museum who has one of Nam June Paik's video sculptures entitled " Robert Goddard" who worked on rocketry in Worcester, MA. I haven't read your poem offering thoroughly yet as I am struck by visuals and that memory layer, so thank you.
F**KIN' A ❤️☮️
I really like this poem. The first sentence simply draws me in - “experts on the news, wholesaling cheap wisdom at retail prices.”
So good - so many beautifully formed lines!
An Introduction to David🔥Lerner:
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/blog/uncategorized/49698/david-lerner
“A birthday party for horror to which they’ll bring practical gifts”
…damn
Beautifully written!
To quote another substack, "It is all so tiresome!"