[stylist] a different take on everything

[Chris Kuell]

Hi Jackie,

I enjoyed the poem you shared, and think comparing your thoughts to those of 
the female baboon's was a wise choice, especially when the reader imagines 
the brutality of the male baboon. While domestic violence is a very 
important topic, I tend to agree with shawn in that I don't know how much of 
an audience there would be for it. Sure, there are far too many women caught 
in terrible situations, but they are trapped in psychologically complex 
mindsets (I don't feel comfortable generalizing) and I don't know if they 
would really be interested in such poetry, and I don't know if they could 
even see themselves in it. And while the general public would also benefit 
from raised awareness, it's been my observation that America changes the 
channel from World News Tonight to pretty much anything else that's mindless 
as soon as they are made to feel uncomfortable.

A year and a half ago I started a book discussion group with a friend, and 
it's been going quite well. The book we are reading this month is 'The 
Invention of Wings' by Sue Monk Kidd, a novelized version of 2 real women, 
Sarah and Nina Grimskey, who were very vocal abolitionists and feminists in 
the early eighteen hundreds. Within the novel are a few descriptions of how 
slaves were treated in those days, and in her author notes, Kidd explains 
how the punishments (tortures) were historically accurate.

Last week I talked with 2 women in the group, both of who complained that 
the book was 'too heavy', and can't we pick something lighter to read in the 
future? Basically, we try to read literary fiction and non-fiction, and yes, 
much of it is heavy. But in my view, if it isn't heavy, it's probably not 
worth reading, and then what would we talk about? Now before I start an 
uproar, I enjoy a mystery novel as much as the next person, and I've been 
known to read YA work, science fiction, horror, and even romantic comedy 
type books from time to time. But I don't really discuss these books, I 
don't grow as a person--they are primarily entertainment. Yet, they are what 
America wants, they are what sells.

If it were me, I'd sprinkle your domestic violence pieces among your other 
work, and that's probably the best way to have it read.

chris