[stylist] Poem - "Antoinette"

[Applebutter Hill]

Bill,
This is a great connection you've noticed. Kudos.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L
Houts
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2014 12:52 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem - "Antoinette"





HI Thea,

Good questions all.  The speaker of the poem isn't nailed down quite so
specifically as that.  The thing is, the title is meant more than a little
ironically.  The poem expresses something about the current world situation,
and the way in which we Americans sit in a privileged position, much in the
same way that Marie Antoinette did a few centuries ago.  That's  the sneaky
thing about poets, I guess;  they don't always dot their i's and  cross
their t's.  Some poets are more polite than that, but it seems that I'm not
one of their number, LOL.


--Bill








On 3/17/2014 9:37 AM, Miss Thea wrote:
> Was this Marie Antoinette speaking?
> I really liked your use of language.
> Question: How did the movie house and the web get into Antoinette's day?
> Or was she looking as into the future?
> Thea
>
> -----Original Message----- From: William L Houts
> Sent: Monday, March 17, 2014 11:36 AM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: [stylist] Poem - "Antoinette"
>
> Hey Peeps,
>
> Here's a poem I wrote this summer, recovered this morning after some
> hard drive archaeology.  I think it has legs; your mileage may vary, ha.
>
>
> --Bill
>
>
> ---
>
>
>
> For fifteen years
>
> it's been a hard life, poverty rife
>
> and replete with disease.
>
> It's not complaint, I'm just
>
> speaking up. IN this country,
>
> we scrub heaven's streets
>
> with wire brushes and eat
>
> our dolor like cake.
>
> The movie house helps, and the Web,
>
> and the cheap greasy eats which
>
> will kill us all grinning.
>
> Most days, I hardly bitch.
>
> Cold unhoped for water
>
> spills tapwise, filling my
>
> cups, faithful as falls.
>
> I void in toilets,
>
> in peaceful, clean, unhoped for
>
> waters, always granted.
>
> Unhoped for too, these graces,
>
> by billions who squat, and bear
>
> their stench in public streets:
>
> filthy, betrayed, and naked as fire.
>
>
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>


--
"Let's drink a toast now to who we really are."

           --Jane Siberry


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