In The Year Of Our War 2010

[Dinkleberry2010]

xxxxx

[Maryd.]

Wow, Jer, very deep. What inspired you? - Dare I ask.

[Dinkleberry2010]

The title of the poem is a take-off of the phrase "In the year of our Lord."
What inspired me to write it is the hypocrisy that goes on concerning hunger and famine ranging from the United Nations to presidents to senators and congresspeople to bleeding heart liberals and compassionate conservatives, and all the other hypocrits who profess to be so concerned about worldwide hunger and famine, but in the end they don't do a damned thing about it.
It goes on--millions die of starvation.

[Buh4Bee]

Once again it's being preached
there will be a chicken in every pot,
but take a step outside
and look in our eyes.
Humanity is dying.

This reminds me of the yearly food drives (Thanksgiving) done in schools to address the needs at local food pantries. But what about the rest of the year? I personally like the Heifer Foundation and buy my Xmas donations through there.

Nice message, it's easily forgotten.

[9 Bean Rows]

Hunger is a memory never forgotten.

[MorpheusSandman]

Forgive me for the criticism but I think it's a bit too preachy but I certainly admire the attempt to bring some awareness to the problem. FWIW I'd really stay away from cliched phrases like "the rich keep getting richer".

[Maryd.]

Forgive me for the criticism but I think it's a bit too preachy but I certainly admire the attempt to bring some awareness to the problem. FWIW I'd really stay away from cliched phrases like "the rich keep getting richer".

Ok, usually I don't argue... I am usually the saint :angel: of litnet. But what is wrong with preachy anyway? Hmmm is preachy a word?

[MorpheusSandman]

I don't guess there's anything inherently wrong with being preachy; it just tends puts people off because there's often an innate hint of condescension. Preachy is a word:

"Inclined or given to tedious and excessive moralizing; didactic."

I'm not a big fan of didacticism in the arts unless the artist in question happens to be a genius and expert on whatever they're "preaching" about. Two examples in different mediums might be Akira Kurosawa and Leo Tolstoy.

[Maryd.]

I don't guess there's anything inherently wrong with being preachy; it just tends puts people off because there's often an innate hint of condescension. Preachy is a word:

"Inclined or given to tedious and excessive moralizing; didactic."

I'm not a big fan of didacticism in the arts unless the artist in question happens to be a genius and expert on whatever they're "preaching" about. Two examples in different mediums might be Akira Kurosawa and Leo Tolstoy.


So you like dictionaries, Kurosawa and Tolstoy. Bravo, so do I... It seems we have something in common. :nod:

[MorpheusSandman]

:D I have a Dictionary.com toolbar on my Firefox browser! And, yeah, Kurosawa is my favorite director and Tolstoy is probably my favorite novelist.

[Maryd.]

:D I have a Dictionary.com toolbar on my Firefox browser! And, yeah, Kurosawa is my favorite director and Tolstoy is probably my favorite novelist.

Yeahhhh! I am so excited. We agree on somethings. Bonus ha? Now, is ha - a word... Do tell.

[Dinkleberry2010]

Morpheus, although I agree with you that it's generally a good idea to stay away from cliched phrases, I don't think "the rich keep getting richer" is a cliched phrase. I also agree with you about being preachy, but in some instances I think that didacticism works. It depends on the degree that it's used, how overt or excessive it is, and the context in which it is used.

I think that my poem "In The Year of Our War" contains cliches--one is the "chicken in every pot" phrase, and I think the poem is preachy to an extent, but I don't think the cliches or the preachiness is excessive.

[firefangled]

This is a very powerful statement.

[Dinkleberry2010]

thank you for reading it, firefangled

[Dinkleberry2010]

bumped