Ralph. in response to your barmaid poem, let me first affirm your absolute right to share misygynistic poetry that reduces a female barstaffperson to sexist stereotyping.
And second, I need to voice that I am disgusted that such denigrating stereotyping is considered in any way acceptable on a list serv devoted to professional development, at least in part. Imagine a poem about a tattoo a man's penis warning wouldbe partners of the price of a bar. . . it is deeply offensive to me to read about the price of beer being tattoo's on a woman's body. On 4/22/05, Ralph Copleman <[email protected]> wrote: > Raffi and all, > > Well, Raffi, you had quite a workout with your excerpt from the Tao. > Congratulations on moving the system (and opening some very cool spaces) > with poetry. > > You asked where the idea came from, or if I invented it. > > It's not my invention. I saw an advertisement in the New York Times > proclaiming "Poem in Your Pocket Day" It suggested it would be a good idea > to carry a poem in your pocket and read it to anyone and everyone all day > long. I thought this was a lovely idea, so I selected a poem called "The > Metaphysicians of South Jersey" by Stephen Dunn, typed it up and prepared to > read it at the drop of a hat, as we say, anytime Thursday. (But the only > time I left the house all day, I forgot to place the poem into my actual > pocket.) > > There is nothing official about the idea, and as far as I know it is not on > anyone's list of "international" days or celebrations, thought I believe it > should be, certainly. I think some publisher must have cooked it up. I > like the idea a lot. I've been known to read poems at odd public moments, > so it fits well with my personality. > > I think, however, that my taste in poems may serve as much to close space as > to open it, but that, as someone once said, is another story. > > In closing, let us not maqke the assumption that poetry we read (or write) > must be pregnant with great significance or philosophy. For example, one of > my all-time favorite poems (by an unknown but brilliant author) is this: > > Upon the breasts of a barmaid from Vail > Was tattooed the price of pale ale. > And upon her behind, > For the sake of the blind, > Was the same information in Braille. > > (Shakespeare, eat your heart out.) > > Ralph Copleman > > * > * > ========================================================== > [email protected] > ------------------------------ > To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, > view the archives of [email protected]: > http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html > > To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: > http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist > -- Warmly, Therese Fitzpatrick * * ========================================================== [email protected] ------------------------------ To subscribe, unsubscribe, change your options, view the archives of [email protected]: http://listserv.boisestate.edu/archives/oslist.html To learn about OpenSpaceEmailLists and OSLIST FAQs: http://www.openspaceworld.org/oslist
