Comments on: Bad 9-11 poetry: ‘Freedom Flight 93,’ ‘Our Nation Weeps’

By: thejoeinme

thejoeinme — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 22:34:15 +0000

Eric said in another entry that no one requested it, and that the Herald – like most newspapers – never publishes poetry sent in by readers. They just forwarded all the stuff to him and said do something with this. I’m quite positive that’s how it went.

By: Cali

Cali — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 06:05:59 +0000

When I read of Crystal Ann Pett’s joy at being a father of three my brain hurt. Then I read the next line and realized she wrote from someone else’s perspective. Why did I expect her to be writing from her own POV?

Also: The Herald didn’t request this, did it? Surely not. Surely the newspaper didn’t commemorate 9/11 by asking for poetry contributions.

On the other hand, I can totally imagine a newly minted poet feeling the adrenaline while dropping her commemorative poem into the mailbox on the corner. You were inspired to write that poem, my dear. The undercurrents of the collective unconscious have found voice in your talent, and readers will obtain collective release in reading your work. And say, maybe other papers will pick up the poem, after having it sent to them by awestruck readers of the DH. Immortality and reprints in Dear Abby are surely not far behind.

By: OMallen

OMallen — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 01:46:27 +0000

I can’t even read this poetry, it is so bad. It hurts. It causes me physical pain to read it. What was the the Herald thinking when it requested Provoans (Provoers? Provosticans? Provoers?) send in poetry? I think they were trying to get Eric to quit!

By: David Manning

David Manning — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:55:07 +0000

Yeah, that’s pretty bad…

By: Karen

Karen — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:02:55 +0000

When faced with a song without a tune, I always sing the words (in my head) to the tune of the “Gilligan’s Island” theme. It doesn’t quite fit with the (nonexistent) meter of this “poem”, but it’s amusing to wrap the words around. Try it while reading the Sorting Hats songs in the early Harry Potter books.

By: thejoeinme

thejoeinme — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:02:40 +0000

“I felt the sun arise me with itâ€™s rays.”

My favorite line in the “song” “poem”. And not just because it’s two letters from a completely different (and much more amusing).

By: stupidramblings

stupidramblings — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 20:44:04 +0000

Ick.

When I read these poems I feel
like I’ve been kissing an eel
a thousand times a day
since 1978

Now that’s poetry.

By: AdamOndi

AdamOndi — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 19:04:29 +0000

I hope all the people who sent these in read this blog. And I hope they feel shame. But most of all, I hope that they never again attempt any form of poetry that does not start with the words “Roses are red….”

I do wonder, though, about this stanza:

“So many people
Have lost their lives,
Such as Grandparents, children,
Husbands and wives.”

Why name grandparents (and why capitalize it?) and children, but no just regular parents? Husbands and wives are mentioned, but apparently only childless couples lost their lives. Trying to apply any form of reasoning to this horrible poetry makes my teeth hurt.

By: Ian Cook

Ian Cook — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 16:55:11 +0000

I too couldn’t make it through the song. My guess is that the sadness and sorrow of the event got in the way of better judgement here. These people are probably pretty happy that these (poems?) weren’t actually published. And hopefully none of those people read this blog…

By: Randy Tayler

Randy Tayler — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 16:01:53 +0000

I couldn’t even bring myself to reading the song.

Words are powerful. Nowhere else is this so evident as in bad poetry.