January 27, 2009
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Tough New Year
Nothing says the new years like accusations. I know it it's only been one month into the new year, but it opened up with all sorts of wild accusations from certain colleagues of mine about incompetence. Namely mine.
I guess that's what happens when you land a $100K grant that's renewable for 10 years and they didn't (especially in these hard economic times--the smaller specialized classes help too when they have +40 in a class and I cap around 30). And in honor of them I decided to write this poem, though much of it was inspired by Cal Poly Pomona (the fake Cal Poly) administration as recounted to me by countless alumni:
Morlocks (1st draft)You know them well from ten to two.
Diligent at their nine to five.
--Though sometimes they're out to lunch,
Their job is always finished.Satisfied with government work
And their logoed business cards
--They toil away--
Confident in what you don't know.After all sweeping mines builds
Hand and eye;
Solitaire: critical thought.
Don't tread on their sacred rights!They earned it well by who they knew
By favors, race, or blood.
Better a nibble from everyone's plate
Than eating your children whole.
Comments (3)
we should get together sometimes!
Wow, this poem is great even in the early edition. Well done! I really like stanza 3. I think maybe the last line of the first stanza is the weakest, could use some work.
At least you're writing, unlike me. Here's hoping someday you have some happier inspiration, though!
Cheers,
@MattBarber - Yeah line 4 is a hard one. I was bouncing between "done" and "finished" but I can't seem to find the right word that fits rhythmically.
Line 8 and 12 were difficult too as transition lines. Not sure about the word "sacred."
Toying with the idea of changing "plate" in line 15 to "hand" for a more sinister feel. Not sure.
As for writing, you're not alone in that frustration. I barely had time to eek out these lines -- and it turned out totally different than when the initial ideal hit me a month ago--which annoys me a bit.
I was thinking about a longer lyric: a series of vignettes--word pictures--of actual, specific, examples of parasites--I mean, people
(I always make that mistake) I've encountered, met, & worked with. With the intent of it being recognizable to people who knew them and to expose them as the monsters and frauds that they are.
But time and work circumvented my sense of art and justice leaving me with this frustrated general piece--that I'm just going to have to live with.
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