[stylist] Poem - "Email" - Firstish Draft

[Jacobson, Shawn D]

Whow!  "Death came from cyberspace" what a thing to think about as I work on the computer.

Shawn

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Lynda Lambert via stylist
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2014 2:00 PM
To: Jackie Williams; Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem - "Email" - Firstish Draft

Oh, I agree with jackie on this, too. There is something so precious and personal bout getting mail that one can hold in the hand - the heft of it in the hand, the feeling of something tangible. Even though I can no longer SEE the mail that arrives, I love the feel of it, smells, touch of the papers, and more. The thought that someone loved me enough to write to me so personally.  This is true of reading a physical, tactile book, as well.  I have a great collection of books and a library - this year I culled out about 400 of my books and donated to the local library for their fall fund raiser - bot, oh, I can never part with a book of poetry. They are objects, like a work of art, in my home and I cannot ever see that I would give any of the precious volumes of poetry to anyone. I do not even lend them out - to no one.  I know where each author's books are on my shelves - and I can put my hands on any author I want, whenever I want. I carry them about, move them around, and take them to my office on a different floor, and have stacks of them in many places besides the library. I sure understand this, Bill.  And, Jackie, that poem is wonderful! Lynda

-----Original Message-----
From: Jackie Williams via stylist
Sent: Friday, December 19, 2014 1:28 PM
To: 'William L Houts' ; 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem - "Email" - Firstish Draft

Bill,
I am not able to keep up with how prolific you are. Your poem gives great insight on why some folks always write a note instead of sending an e-mail, and what holding something in your hand means to many.
I cannot help sending you one on the same subject. It is a cinquain, that is, 2-4-6-8-2 syllables, non-rhymed.

E-Mail

Alone
at ninety-one
he pecked out messages.
Death came, from Cyberspace, sat in
his place.

Jackie Lee

Time is the school in which we learn.
Time is the fire in which we burn.
Delmore Schwartz


-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L Houts via stylist
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2014 8:58 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: [stylist] Poem - "Email" - Firstish Draft




Hi Gang,

Here's this morning's effort.  I've been meaning to get to this one for a while and finally, after realizing that I was not going to get any more sleep this morning, set out to get it down.  I think it's maybe half successful for an early morning jaunt, but your mileage, as always, may vary.

Happy Yuletide, everyone!


--Bill


---


Email

We name them email, our light-letters bright, and faster

than wheels, like horses photonical swift

and strange; how they change from a note without wings

or lifte to electrons and back, as if scorning

the air in between. But coursers and fowl can't carry the

metaphor now; our keyboards seize our greetings,

our griefs, and hurl our humanity forth:

our weddings, receipts, our taxes and statements

our shoddy conceits,our notes to gardening Mom.

I'm calm, even cheered about this switch or modern

advance,though something's surely betrayed:
love letters to Mom, Dad's cartoons, Granny's recipe for spice-rich chicken.
Such hands, our primate hands don't show on otherwise

luminous screens; we need paper for that,wood-skin and

black smelly ink. Understand, I write as well with cursor

ablinkon pristine white. And yet I think:

where is Granny?Whatam I?And where's our ape?











-- 


"Oh, Sophie!  Whyfore have you eated all de cheeldren?"

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