Nice People Thread No. 15, a Cyber Summer

bugslet

chris_m wrote: »

OK, so what makes something poetry rather than just a passage of text?
Serious question

Poetry, and I'm not an expert, allows the writer to condense a feeling, you don't need a mass of explanation, it can be a snapshot. It frequently has a linguistic aesthetic that prose doesn't, be that rhyme, rhythm or in the case of the aforementioned poem, repetition. But it doesn't have to.

I thought the poem was OK, fair play if someone wants to have a go. It lost me because it went on too much, brevity is an admirable quality.

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what do you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

Famous poem, Late Fragment Raymond Carver.

It doesn't rhyme, it's not repeating, its rhythm is there, but it doesn't flow, but it pretty much punches you with its force. I can't imagine it working as prose.

zagubov

chris_m wrote: »

Now, to me the first one is definitely a poem but not just because it rhymes but also the line couplets (if that's the right term) scan similarly.

The second one, however, I wouldn't call a poem, not so much because there's no rhyming but because the last two lines don't (to me) scan well.

I do't know if t's got a proper metre, but it's got a rhythm to it that prose wouldn't be expected to have.

I had trouble scanning a poem in an exam when I was a student; it was about the effects of old age. When I left the exam hall I could hear the other students discussing that it had the rhythm of a heartbeat slowing down!

michaels

GDB2222 wrote: »

I've just received my BT gift card. It's a completely unnecessary bit of faffing around. They must be counting on people forgetting to apply for the card or forgetting to use it up.

I have one of those to use up but am in the midde of some new amex ofers which come first. Good thing is I am now leaving bt after 6 months because of thir inflation busting price rise. If the cashback hadn't failed I would have made a big profit on the deal....

Pyxis

chris_m wrote: »

Now, to me the first one is definitely a poem but not just because it rhymes but also the line couplets (if that's the right term) scan similarly.

The second one, however, I wouldn't call a poem, not so much because there's no rhyming but because the last two lines don't (to me) scan well.

Ah, but they do, because they both contain four stressed syllables.
The lack of the last unstressed syllable is poetic licence!
It was deliberate.

SingleSue

PasturesNew wrote: »

I think that's in part due to the height difference, not the disability. It's tough talking up to people, or down to people, as they're not at the same height as you - so I figure most people will just feel "easier" talking to the pusher as they're probably closer to their height. I bet if you stopped by somebody sitting down s/he'd speak to you first because you're closest to their height.

No they actually do the speaking slowly (and loudly) and with simple words to me and ask questions about me to one of the boys as if I wouldn't understand what they are saying.

It's reminiscent of what I saw in a care home.

Pyxis

SingleSue wrote: »

No they actually do the speaking slowly (and loudly) and with simple words to me and ask questions about me to one of the boys as if I wouldn't understand what they are saying.

It's reminiscent of what I saw in a care home.

Oh dear.

Unbelievable that that still happens.

vivatifosi

I have been experiencing some of your swirly wind Pastures.

Huge noise at front of house. External rubber doormat had taken off, smacked against the wall, then landed in the same spot upside down. It's like having a poltergeist.

PasturesNew

vivatifosi wrote: »

I have been experiencing some of your swirly wind Pastures.

Huge noise at front of house. External rubber doormat had taken off, smacked against the wall, then landed in the same spot upside down. It's like having a poltergeist.

It is odd when stuff goes up in the air! I used to get things throwing themselves against the patio doors... fine in daylight with the curtains open, but at 2am you do wonder if you'll be staring a hoodie in the face when you peek round the curtains to check what's loose

Pyxis

PasturesNew wrote: »

Since the buildings were demolished mine seems to have almost stopped entirely - the swirly gigs and the wind tunnel appear to have most probably halted... of course I can't really tell until the new builds are finished and have been in position for a year, but I think it might turn out all right here.

It is odd when stuff goes up in the air! I used to get things throwing themselves against the patio doors... fine in daylight with the curtains open, but at 2am you do wonder if you'll be staring a hoodie in the face when you peek round the curtains to check what's loose

Perhaps they were portals into another dimension?

You'll never know, now!
(Perhaps you could have directed your annoying kids into them?)


The blackbird is in full voice outside my bedroom window!

vivatifosi

Ooh, did I mention I have a phone bird again?

Until they chopped the trees down in my neighbours garden, there was a bird (which I suspected but didn't know was a blackbird) that would wake me up in the morning with its fine telephone impersonations. Then it disappeared and this made me sad as I wanted to know it was ok following its habitat loss.

So now I have a new phonebird, which is wonderful. All the old tunes plus a new repertoire of ring tones. Lovely.