they sell Hannibal Lecter two pack dvds,
on the discount rack,
& we can't get enough
pain
gore
fava beans, fava beans,
where is my chianti?
a woman walks into a room
fingering the clasps of her shirt
when the killer's music starts.
the shirt is white
to make the red blood pop
like buttons
button
button
killer pops the button
to give us a money shot
before he kills her.
ho hum
hum drum
desensitized, we
know what's coming
eee-eee-eee
a starving child
walks a mile
to fetch a pail of water
on his way, falls down,
far from town,
no one whats to know the after.
Africa,
Africa,
fava beans,
chianti.
out of sight, out of my mind,
it may seem, like a long way,
away, but all you
have to do
is open your eyes, to see
what's missed by,
desensitized, we.
One Shot Wednesday is a place where we gather to speak poetry. It's pretty simple, and doesn't even need to rhyme...so go write a poem, and come join us. The fun begins at 5pm, EST.
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113 comments:
we are all so desensitized by media......good job my friend
This kind of blew my mind .... great piece!
Very nice!
We truly ARE desensitized...TV and internet simply STRIP away our "shock" responses...not good...it is NOT GOOD.
Well done Brian.
I ♥ Hannibal Lecter and his wittines, but I sense a little bitterness.
I heart the pain, the murder and the gore. What else are movies for?
Desensitized, yes I think we must be. It starts with me but should end up as we.
I so agree with this...I like the rhyme to it. Like a nursery rhyme but with such a deeper meaning. I have never been into horror flicks. but we ignore what we dont want to deal with...Out of sight, out of mind...
reason to stay away from those types of movies, shows and games....real pain is not fake pain... real blood is not fake blood...and those children do not go on diets to fit the part in a virtual movie...great wake up piece...bkm
a great and thoughtful poem.
Yes, we are desensitized,
and you gotta be a brick if you can't smell what's coming.
Oooo
Oooo
that
smell!
Lost and found. It is a vicious cycle.
Joy always,
Susan
True, I'm amazed at the fact that my children seem unaffected by things that scared me to death (Jaws) etc. yet we've done it to ourselves....excellent writing...
You speak Poetry so well. Is it your first language?
i read a story of a girl who was eaten by hyenas on her way to school, in a small country. no one helps or sees.
nice work
What is seen on a regular basis on tv will desensitize anyone. Point well taken, B.
Desensitized unless there is a nipple involved. Then people lose their shit. Put a couple bullet or knife holes into the chest and it's alright, but actually show it naked?
Teen pregnancy.
i have heard about the process they desensitize soldiers to prepare them to kill - they show them horror scenes and mingle it with things and emotions they like - and sometimes i think they do the same with movies and computer games…
great write brian!
Very true and very poignant, Brain. The most shocking thing about the world we live in is that things no longer shock us. Desensitised...indeed, a perfect description.
I don't watch those movies. Maybe that's the problem. I could use some desensitization...
I like the juxtaposition, the made-believe truth of a movie, the real story of children in Africa. To us, they are interchangeable, one image for the other, turned off with one click. Desensitized, for sure.
Oh, isn't this so very true!! :(
lol super take on mate, chianti can feel my lips quiverin :)
great visions you have as you observe this life
Love this piece ;)
Oh, wow! Last night I watched way too much TV and today I keep wondering why I couldn't turn away.
Yes, I think to some degree we have become desensitized. TV and movies are a big part of it.
wow - so true - so sad.
powerful and sadly true
Unfortunately, we are desensitized. We are bombarded with horror and shock in real life and in fantasy. Movies and TV. Bummer. But there it is.
Are we desensitized or just don't care enough to see, watch, listen? I think a bit of both actually. It's people like you, though, who point it out and make others aware. That is something to which you can be proud of, for sure.
It seems that many are immune to pain and suffering and it's funny that the desensitivity comes mostly from make-believe sources. Excellent poem, Brian.
power words
Warm Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral
I like to think that I have preserved my sensitivity & I think that you have too Brian because this is what allows you to write as you do, from the heart.
I choose not to watch movies that depict such violence. This world is full of so much REAL tragedy that I need not fill my head with more than what it is designed to cope with.
I know exactly what you mean about desensitization...there is so much violence, cruelty in this world that the bad news from the media far outweighs the feel good stories, even though there are many out there to be told.
So much value is placed on having more, being more & wanting more that many have lost touch with what is truly important. I refer to it as a "What's in it for me society"
It is sad but it is happening.
This post really moved me Brian .. I think it is wonderful food for thought.
A sick society that, like most of the deranged, doesn't know that it's sick--and so we just plod along with that demented grin...
Well done!
Amazing and so true!
Ingenious display of your theme. I loved the formatting of the entire poem. Really great work, in my opinion. =)
I think we become so inward focussed our eyes take in the needs of others, but we never process the images enough to think outward. Call me guilty.
you strike with your words brian..a true poet ,one that is too rare to find nowadays..:) brilliant one shot buddy..:)
What an honest poem! It truly is a problem that we are so desensitized to the real world by the media.
awesome.
and you know, I am overly sensitive, so don't watch that sort of stuff
I actually am jaded by the internet I think.
I remember being the first time we saw real life horror on tv or in Time mag or something years ago and it would truly affect me deeply. Now I can flip through images with barely an intake of breathe. Sad.
Brian, thank you so much. Well done. As one who both writes & deals with matters inhumane on a daily basis, the most difficult moments of my day are those whn someone yawns (literally or figurately), & I restrain myself from bashing them over the head with my purse. Because that's not the message I want to send either. Oof.
This is so true my friend.
I also don't watch that kind of movies...but took my breath away!! What a great write my friend, you never ever seize to amaze us!! Have a great day my friend xx
I think we sometimes need the desensitizing. Our world has become so huge that we cannot take it all in. We cannot feel all of the world's pains, lest we sorrow til our own day's end. Yet, it seems incredible that some images that should shock, just pass under the radar.
Brian this is very unique and powerful writing...great one shot!!! :-)
Your words never cease to amaze me...the truth of your words cut to my core...we are desensitized by all that we watch and fill our minds with...we numb ourselves to all the pain around us...some of it is for survival...I know my bleeding heart crys easily and so if I am not careful I am a mess...yet I know others that have no desire to know or care...I think it's finding balance...yet I believe that there are things we see that should upset up and cause us to act...sadly so often we don't...we walk away and shut it out of our minds...
Brian....
As a Sociology major in College, we also called this Anomie...
Merton refered to this as Facelessness, or a breakdown of normalness..
You Rock Son...
great satire. you make me smile and think.
We are so desensitized by media, video games, society turns a blind eye...I at times seriously worry about where future generations are headed.
true take, Brian...funny little world we live in when we gotta turn on the tv for a dose of reality.
Rene
very true words indeed, Brian. i don't watch horror movies anymore...having kids changed all that for me....i definitely try and keep all of that out of sight!
Yes, we are! So Sad, I do remember a time I wasn't so jaded...
This is all seen on TV...the violence and the starving children in Africa. And which do we SEE? Which do we CHOSE to see?
As always, very intuitive.
PS. I have to admit, I watched Silence of the Lambs, but it was because I was in college, headed towards my current career and found it quite intriguing.
So very sad, but so true. I miss the simpler, less explicit times.
desensitized by media so much that we can ignore the real "horror" truly going on. Great write!
Every week I find that certain themes run through the poetry. I am going to set aside some time to consider why. This piece is quite the companion to John's (of Scribbles and Diversions) in as much as they force us to look at the world and know that words and actions make a difference.
(As God is my witness, Carrie Underwood is singing Just a Fool as I write this...is the universe talking to me???)
I think we all should stop and listen. The world changes by each person taking small steps. Very well written as usual. Thank you
i agree beachanny...some times it seems things/themes come int o synch and everything i read seems to resonate...need to jump back over to johns and see...
Well said... and once we do open our eyes, it's a little bit harder to close 'em up again - and that's entirely as it should be. :0) Thank you.
Powerful poem and very creative use of language. Reading the thread, interesting conversation w/ Gay (beachanny)... agree with you both: when you stop and listen, become "in tune," will at times perceive that synchronicity. Awesome writing! You rock, Brian!
There is so much truth in that poem!
That was a powerful post, Brian! Becoming desensitized is a huge problem for our society. I rank it right up there with porn on tv and the internet with the increase of crimes against women.
This is wow,and yes unfortunately we have become desensitized,,,may we take more notice.
Really Brian! I so agree with this! We display our darker side in movies..and then blame movie makers for the growing crime rates! How hypocritical is that!! Don't you think?
We relish this drama on the screen...we soooo relish (me included)! Sometimes, we get so carried away by the virtual/smoky/screen world, that we fail to see what sits before our very own eyes! The same drama awaits us in reality too! We just need to look indeed!
Very well brought out in your poem, Bri...you rock!!!
For some reason this reminded me of the television news. Sometimes I feel desensitized when all the horror just flickers before my eyes and I am not allow to process any of it...
You always have something interesting to say, dear Brian,
xo
Effective, honest, probably uncomfortable for a lot of people.
Horror films are within my comfort zone because I know they're (usually) fiction and f/x, but real world stuff - especially the corporate politics, rampant racism/arrogance, etc. of the real world - is the daily stuff that horrifies me. And I force myself to watch it, so as to be "informed".
Compared to the above realities, Freddy Krueger, Jigsaw, etc. are friendly finger puppet theater. At least they're (somewhat) honest about their fictionalized intentions.
You've raised an important point about the media here - and with such style.
Thought that was strong language considering a subject that seems near & dear to you. It is always impressive to see someone marshal their talents for a good cause. I loved the usage of color in the first few stanzas. Would love to see a version of this poem with continued thematic development of color. Loved what you have here.
Most excellent poem for the 1SW deal. Great buncha folks so far.
This a really brilliant and such an astute observation of something I have been discussing lately.
I don't watch TV but visited someone recently and the most awful, horrifying (real life)images were being shown on the tv and they just carried on eating their cake and drinking their tea and chatting while I felt like I had been hit in the solar plexus.
Excellent writing.
Aarrgh..Brian you're so right on how desensitized we're and i feel this deep hollowness and bitterness in me every time i see such on TV while out there so many suffer. You took me back to my old piece on poverty and it's an amazing oneshot~
This is one of your best, Brian.
Desensitized we truly are. There are so many reported murders these days that we've become somewhat blasé. And we watch the reports avidly as a change from political gloom. I hope to God it doesn't mean we stopped caring.
you quite nail it
we are so used to things that we should never get used to
Nice one!
Take care
Reading over your last few pieces there's a common thread of desperate hope. All's not lost, my friend.
One murder is tragedy, mass murder is news... this is the state of insensitivity of human being... we have short memory and long distance from the loss of others... you have beautifully captured the same in your verse, Brian and I like it so much... specially your take on the Humpty Dumpty and the sad conditions in third world...
Nice and thanks for sharing...
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
Connect with me on Twitter to receive one verse everyday on Life, love and longing @VerseEveryDay
One allows themselves to become desensitized. If you keep the fictiona BS of what you are watching in perspective you can watch the world with eyes wide OPEN.
I agree. I'm not big on horror flicks. But I am however big on heart warming, heart string tugging shows. I'll take those anyday. A reminder to love our fellow man and maybe do one little thing to help. A bunch of one little things...adds up to a big thing.
Love the metaphor
I know!! I can watch someone eat brains while I'm eating a bowl of ice cream and not flinch.. The good thing.. my kids have made me more sensitive to childhood issues..(thank god)
Gee, Brian, this post has sliced into my heart. How true, how very true, and I think especially here in Africa! Excellent post! I do think that some people are affected by violent movies. They put me off violence, but I can see how they could encourage and desensitise others. And surely we do not want to encourage desensitisation!!!
I'm actually the one who is very sensitized by these horrific news and that's why I try not to watch this kind of news, movies etc. Only I cannot live as a cave woman neither so I'm trying to check out the 'important' issues - politics a bit, environement, other then that I really don't want to know ... happy day Brian!!
Powerful and poignant, and so true. We are desensitized. We turn away from suffering because it's not at our doorstep so it's easy to ignore.
I believe this is a common theme amongst most of us writers. This piece is a fabulous example of why I come to One Shot. Love and Light, Sender
Brian
I am not sure what I can add to the comments here that has not been said already. It is a strong and meaningful poem, unfortunately it is also true, sigh, but then there are at least some of us who will step up with compassion, but it seems like there is greater need for helping then ever before as we have grown out of balance.
What is the answer I wonder?
Joanny
What else can I add? It has been already said here in the comments. Maybe we need lessons to go back to being sensitized..
ode to un-punctuated verses
A wonderful post. But I have the feeling that is part of what is going on. People are waking from the dream and I don't think that they like it. But unfortunately they do not recognize what they see, or who is to blame. Thanks Brian
Wonderfully written, truth and sadness flow within the poem, i love the sounds and images coming into my mind...^^
Wow brian this is awesome.I love the last paragraph summing it all up.
Outstanding, Brian. I like the intensity of this.
wow and you're so right!
The desensitization has indeed spread deep inside, like a festering disease. We just don't have the same reactions to certain traumas that people once might have had now...
Very provocative, enthralling piece. And it even came with chianti...
I really don't care about this poem, or Africa, or Hannibal Lecter 2-pack DVDs. Hello, my name is Eric and I'm an apathetic.
(Just kidding - your One Shot was right on target!)
compassion fatigue! Thanks for reading and commenting on my poem. Hope your week goes well.
yes -- well done.
yes -- well done.
A powerful, thought-provoking piece and yes, we have become desensitized until it happens to us or someone close to us.
Brian is lovely, dark and deep this week!
"We" is us, of course. I'd rather not say that, but that's what it is. And you captured us exactly.
So true. So true. What has happened to our sensibilities? our sensitivities?
Sad!
PG
you are so right....and the more we see the less we are bothered...i wrote an article about sex and advertising and how boundaries are being moved etc to the point that how far do you have to go before something is classed as tasteless? cheers pete
This bit read like a nursery rhyme horror story:
"a starving child
walks a mile
to fetch a pail of water
on his way, falls down,
far from town,
no one whats to know the after."
It was very well done.
Unfortunately history proves we don't need Hollywood or even distance to be indifferent to the suffering of others. It all just boils down to that one word right there "others".
Aww, you brought a tear to my eye. Excellent OS, as always.
hopefully we get some kind of jolt back into our hearts and do something.
excellent writing, brian.
truly wonderful
and dead on
wow nice poem....wow....just great....
):)(:(
I can watch neither the horror movies nor the sad commercials. Too sensitized.
Excellent B~
so very very true. This culture teaches us to desensitize--just DVDs and ability to watch things over and over again for kids has desensitized and entire generation to real pains and empathy for others.
Ooops...where did my comment vanish :(
So very true in many ways. I think that I am still way too sensitive though about hurt animals, hurt children, and hurting people who are trying to find work. I am sometimes ashamed of all that I do have in the face of how little there is for so many.
so true brian, sad but true...
I agree. I just can't bear to watch these kinds of movies anymore. Since I became a parent my desensitization filter has been ripped off.
We are so good at not looking at what we don't want to see.
Oh, truer words have not been "penned." All rather sick ... but wonderful poem, Brian. Thanks! :-)
Love this. Opening our eyes; awareness -- the first step toward taking action.
After a while, it seems people confuse fiction and reality.
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