https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/category-860-week-of-02-04-08 en 2005-2012 shakespearesmonekys@gmail.com 42.65593 -71.33391 Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:11:58 GMT yacs http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 70 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7376-some-thoughts-on-the-fertility-of-turtles https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7376-some-thoughts-on-the-fertility-of-turtles Not being conversant in 'critique', I accept the notes below may constitute utter bollocks - but they may also reflect the extent to which poetry can capture the imagination of the reader. I've recently read a host of comments in the discussion thread regarding 'bad poetry'. For me, bad poetry is stuff written and published for the exclusive benefit of the writer, to fulfill a personal need, with no regard for the reader. How do you identify a writer's motives? Well, I have no idea - that's as far as I got :> Perhaps it's a gut feeling, although the comment process usually proves to be a solid indicator of attitude. So, anyway - a personal appreciation/exploration of... The Futility of Turtles - Austin Gorsuch  Title - two aspects...does it make me want to read the poem? The Futility of Turtles? Why? I have no idea, but I care because it's a statement, and I'm a sceptic - so that's a 'yes'. Does it say something meaningful about the poem? How should I know? Revisit... The car did not stop. Wheels continued to spin as my father and I looked to the curb - the struggling turtle attempting to work its way back onto its feet. "The car did not stop." Classic first line delivery - monosyllabic, abrupt. Impact - the importance of first impressions/primacy. A line with consequences, preceded by caesura/endash. "The struggling turtle" - (intention behind the use of) definite article (i.e. not a/any old struggling turtle, but the/this one) - implying that the turtle in question has been noted/noticed prior to the reader's attendance, an integral part of this story. So, was it struggling before the (assumed) incident with the car? Or is the car incidental, yet also relevant in metaphoric terms? Does this epitomise the futility of turtles? Did it merely fall off the pavement and tip over into the road, onto its back? If the result of an RTA, wouldn't this have been 'the turtle, struggling, attempting to...'? So perhaps - turtle struggling, car doesn't stop = life goes on, wheels continue to spin, and the reader constructs a drama to accommodate meaningful interpretation? Its legs, splayed to the sunlight, flailed in the crisp breeze of a day just beginning. Observation - no intervention, no interpretation, attitudes or feelings expressed, purely (superficially) descriptive (detached?), with no indication as to where this is going, beyond 'a day just beginning' (there's more to come..) Suggestion of assonance (splayed, flailed) and onomatopoeia (crisp breeze) Contrast (re. 'Later') - sunlight, crisp breeze = a fresh, new day Later, I went out with Mother. She told me stories about how she had been dreaming of being raped, of shooting her husband, and as I tuned the voice of convolution into a studded white noise, Mother capitalized, no 'possessive' pronoun. Formal/impersonal? Alien? Contrast between 'my father and I', + two stanzas of shared experience - and 'Later, I went out with Mother.' - stark, unembellished one-line event. Stories - fantasies/self-indulgence, emphasised by combining 'stories' with 'dreaming' (intentional redundancy). Contrast 'dreaming' with violence of rape and shooting. Joined-up writing ...tuned/voice/white noise. Convolution (compare revolution/evolution - progress/outcome) Studded? Sardonic allusions to...? Ornamental? Hard (rivetted, but not rivetting?). Star-studded? (many connotations e.g. poetic aesthetics & media) Also, interesting (re. discussion thread on use of commas) to see end-of-line comma combined with double line break - says 'this is connected, but' (?) (hesitation - example of the art of manipulation?) And finally (yeah - right)...'being raped, shooting her husband'. The relationship, or not (and the relationship) - repression/distortion > inverse displacement & aggression - fantasy/futility. I began to imagine her, on her back, her arms reaching in futility for the sky from the dark recesses of her verdant shell. The turtle metaphor doesn't appear out of nowhere, we've already 'seen' the 'real' turtle, so this readily paints a picture and forms a strong impression. "I began to imagine" - where/how far would this have gone? Sentiments of (unknown) depth. The 'Mother'/turtle pose - portrays helplessness/hopelessness, but also consistent with a 'rape' scenario and even suggestive of someone having been shot? (irony/poetic justice? - hmm) But the BIG one - 'verdant'. Verdant?! That's a flag - ambush ahead :] Too clichéd to be anything else? Perhaps, but also marked as lush, fertile . Considering implications of 'lush', but probably too far removed. Verdant qualifying shell - no, too involved for my limited resources. I laughed (foolishly). Why foolishly? Shame? Embarrassment? Indifference towards the plight of the turtle? Applying the turtle metaphor to Mother? The mocking of Mother's dreams? Painting the shell green? Or was it foolish to laugh - Mother is looking at me like I'm weird/stupid/disrespectful. Pay attention! More misdirection? Ha! How stupid is that - making such an elementary error. (which one?) After all, her shell has no color. "After all" - seemingly innocuous, but replete with overhanging meaning here. Conclusion, whether explicit or implicit - as important as first lines even when misunderstood, or a complete mystery, as long as it looks/sounds/feels like a conclusion. So, even metaphorical turtles have shells & shells have colour - which leaves a further metaphor... shell = no life = no colour? And the title...The Futility of Turtles...that's a 'yes'. Final note: If you're still awake - really, you should get out of your shell more often :> Final, final note: I always attempt to approach every poem as being entirely fictional, irrespective of what I may or may not know (if anything) about the writer. Assumptions lure, attribution theory rules... ... more aphasic Aphasic's athenaeum of illiteration Wed, 11 Jan 2012 16:57:40 GMT /section-519-aphasic-s-athenaeum-of-illiteration#comments 10 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7376 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7376 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7376 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7372-hollywood-s-fast-and-furious https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7372-hollywood-s-fast-and-furious draft anstey Cats with Opposed Thumbs, Chalices of Mucus, and Several other Oddities to Avoid Whilst Poeting Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-509-cats-with-opposed-thumbs-chalices-of-mucus-and-several-other-oddities-to-avoid-whilst-poeting#comments 3 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7372 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7372 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7372 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7332-if-art-really-matters https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7332-if-art-really-matters first draft -- this is not about being elitist or arrogant, it is about recognition of greatness and the search for the sublime anstey Just a Nastey Journal Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-30-just-a-nastey-journal#comments 15 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7332 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7332 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7332 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-6412-lying-in-bed-being-beautiful-next-to-you https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-6412-lying-in-bed-being-beautiful-next-to-you Inspired by a Shakespearean at Midnight Anne My Words, My Time: Poetry of Anna Blake Godbout Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-183-my-words-my-time-poetry-of-anna-blake-godbout#comments 9 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/6412 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/6412 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A6412 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7403-monkey-business-02-09-08 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7403-monkey-business-02-09-08 Greetings to all you Monkeys anstey Site News Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-11-site-news#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7403 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7403 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7403 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7327-regarding-upgrade https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7327-regarding-upgrade Well folks, I've upgraded the software a bit. You might find some minor changes, if you have any questions let me know anstey Site News Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-11-site-news#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7327 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7327 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7327 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7345-the-histology-of-an-eternity https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7345-the-histology-of-an-eternity part revision aphasic Previously on anotherplace.org... Sat, 01 Nov 2008 19:24:40 GMT /section-520-previously-on-anotherplace.org-.#comments 6 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7345 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7345 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7345 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7400-granite-and-silk https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7400-granite-and-silk I'd love major feedback on this one Jasmine Mann Jasmine's Poetry Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:39:20 GMT /section-72-jasmine-s-poetry#comments 6 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7400 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7400 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7400 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7404-i-failed-to-see-what-was-not-there https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7404-i-failed-to-see-what-was-not-there something was amiss... eyes open for the business of pleasure as usual familiar furnishings and decor a crowd of acquaintances dressed in best behaviour interacting as one would expect lips at work while music played words delivered in correct order gestures and expressions produced in appropriate manner reciprocated accordingly it seemed that everything was in its proper place a flawless function - and yet an essential something was missing I was not present and in my absence I failed to see what was not there aphasic Previously on anotherplace.org... Wed, 27 Feb 2008 19:41:06 GMT /section-520-previously-on-anotherplace.org-.#comments 11 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7404 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7404 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7404 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7356-flame https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7356-flame   We had a pet cat My Kids called him Flame Much to my shame I tested the name With petrol and matches Set fire to the cat He went Woof! not Miaow How ironic is that? poetrydog Beware of poetrydog Wed, 20 Feb 2008 12:49:55 GMT /section-417-beware-of-poetrydog#comments 8 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7356 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7356 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7356 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7382-the-word-on-the-water https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7382-the-word-on-the-water The speech on     the stream      white-whispered      echoes and babbles        and bubbles             from an angry mountain          crag that ripped the guts           from a black cloud and spilt           its gore in a split torrent        of dropping wet-wisdom, mountain sliding through gullies (not hiding) yet streams (it seems) are not sodden   dreams but decisions       of sopping visions the         bob and nod and dip on             a long ocean trip...each                drip coaxed to unfold from                     Jesus tears to sweat and                          his fears; blood and bile                                spat Roman defiled                                   and Romulans                               then Reavers                         deceivers-then             jeweled each bayed Seether.         Fleeing believing and        tricking deceiving a molecule talks hydrogen walks and oxygen stalks twice  snubbing the      want of a quiet-killed            word.The word on                the water is scene-shaken                     lightly and stirred (or preferred)                          by a receiving sea; ocean ichors                           standard banks rusty anchors                      and the sweat-led wisdom;                 subterranean kingdoms            submerging each motion,         bursts surface       tension relentless snipping a   grey turf urge      tripping as the sun's          bony fingers             proboscis                 probed lingers                    licking and                       swigging ideas                          field-stripping                             above wet blanket                                covers as words wet                                    discovers cirrus                                     and seeding precipitous                                pleading, heaven ascension                           as ideals and themes and                        sorrowed damp dreams                     again combine a                  sublime setting,              forgiving         (forgetting?)    ... more La-shout La-Shout Let Loose Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:59:24 GMT /section-522-la-shout-let-loose#comments 12 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7382 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7382 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7382 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7405-tuesday https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7405-tuesday (Revised) Kat Kat's poetry Thu, 14 Feb 2008 12:50:39 GMT /section-427-kat-s-poetry#comments 14 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7405 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7405 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7405 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7399-morte-regis https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7399-morte-regis Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:02:54 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7399 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7399 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7399 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7398-covert-war https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7398-covert-war Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 22:00:59 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7398 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7398 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7398 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7397-pressure https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7397-pressure Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:59:37 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7397 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7397 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7397 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7396-help https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7396-help Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:57:54 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7396 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7396 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7396 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7395-master https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7395-master Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:56:34 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7395 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7395 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7395 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7394-quail https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7394-quail Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:54:40 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7394 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7394 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7394 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7393-fatal https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7393-fatal Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:52:41 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7393 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7393 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7393 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7392-words-iii https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/article-7392-words-iii Interminably Consternation Mosquitobyte MosquitoBytes Volume 05: Interjaculate Love - 2005 Fri, 08 Feb 2008 21:51:08 GMT /section-518-mosquitobytes-volume-05-interjaculate#comments 0 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/post.php/article/7392 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/comments/feed.php/article/7392 https://dev.shakespearesmonkeys.com/links/trackback.php?anchor=article%3A7392