The inside of the window
covered in white paper, where
they are remodeling the interior
and want no peekers, someone
dropped a cup of coffee, and
its splatter slashes the window
as it floats on the surface
of the glass.
i call it art.
i call it "Someone dropped the coffee:
the sacrilegious desecration of spirit
in mankind's postmodern polymorphic
duality."
And puff my chest, because big words
make me look smart, despite the way
i am dressed & bequeaths me status
to dic-t-hate that which is...art.
Yes.
No.
Yes.
No.
Oh, no. Really?
I ejaculate judgement & blessing
as i pass, and while you are already
marking me an ass - trust me i know
what you are thinking - but truth is
those that tell you what you want
to hear, you can find them anywhere---
Who do you have that will say what
you don't and won't slip you rose
colored glasses, blowing smoke
up your various orifices?
unless you like that,
who am i to argue your preference, i just
struggle in the transaction of saving comfort
for progress without labeling it laziness
and i'd rather see the scythe that cleaves coming
over leaving, or more masochist than a faux
silk kiss, iron on iron
sharpen my knife
sharpen my knife
sharpen my knife
and the three blind mice
coincidentally are also
now tail-less, regardlessspilt coffee moves me to tears
far more than milk, yes,
No.
Yes.
yES.
Oh, YeS!
Art.
OpenLinkNight @ dVerse Poets, the premier place for poets on Tuesday nights, opens at 3 pm EST hosted by the lovely Natasha Head. Go write something poetic and dont worry if I think its art or not, smiles. Its time to get your poetry on. See you there.
Posts
114 comments:
OMG...am I first? I love the internal rhyme in this, Brian. Those always smiling faces can be quite puzzling.
So well said Brian. I do love it...and PLEASE do not tell me what I WANT to hear...just be brutally honest!!!! I am head over heels for this new word...dic-t-hate.
I think it applies to sports as well. Please don't pretend that I am good at a sport by not playing at your best--I won't be able to grow unless I hear the bad as well.
I found it confusing. First one way, then the other. Plus I sure don't want to say what you might WANT to hear, because then you might come after ME with that cleaver. :-)
But it IS Art.
Brian,
"sacrilegious desecration of spirit
in mankind's postmodern polymorphic
duality."
Gosh! that is a mouthful! Powerful in words and movements. I could feel it. Something inside me moved. Great!
Hank
i need to splatter my BUX more!!!!! this is great - hope you are doing well my friend!
i hear you djan...my preference would certainly be to tell me the truth regardless of good or bad...(like you did, smiles)...
Thanks for stopping by mu blog, Brian ... and thanks let me discover yours ... there is so much excellent writing! ... oh, to bad about the 3 blind mice ... I really like mice ... :) Love, cat.
you had me at the coffee over milk. Please don't let anyone mess with your brain, we like it fine...
Sandi
good one brian. so much is covered up in white papers that it takes long, long time to understand the true colour.
Yes I too would rather know the truth every single time
Then some overbloated fake chime
Only way you will ever get better at all
Unless all you want as an increased ego at your hall
When really you just keep making crap
That wants to make one have a nap
Agree with slamdunk and sports too
Rather be beat 50,000 times and turn blue
Then let win
That's just a sin
Oh and you used pass
And the delightful end to my send off little rhyming "ass"..haha
I don't believe people who only ever smile. We all get pissed and angry here and there, any less is not normal and natural, the trick is, to try and not take out those bad feelings on others,get them under control and let whatever ticked us off just, go.
One person's art is another person's piece of junk eh!
How many times can someone say, another fabulous piece from you? Not enough, obviously! ;)
Used to work with someone who would always say "Yes ..... but no." Looked at her one day and told her to pick one and say what she meant, that she was pissing off the world at large. (She was my boss and I was leaving).
Spilt milk ..... the dogs will feast. Spilt coffee would reduce me to tears!
Good stuff, the best rant that I have read all day!
I prefer the truth. Yes, cut off my tail. :)
i wonder if most of us prefer to hear the truth why most of us still go around lying/pleasing ... ?
nice one Brian, happy days!
Sometimes its not what we want to hear its that we need to hear it! Truth hurts, but its reality. Great write!
Progress over comfort, most definitely. Keep the rose colored glasses, but please do not be premature in your ejaculation of judgments. I liked this a great deal.
Time to get our poetry on indeed! You've got some fantastic word play rocking this piece Poet. Fierce as always, but at the same time reader friendly...please don't go way big wordy on me...I so loath needing a dictionary to enjoy my poetry...but then again, that's just simple me! Missed you all!!!!
I need more espresso before I try to process this one.
"sacrilegious desecration of spirit
in mankind's postmodern polymorphic
duality" shows up in my brain as, "why the hell haven't you eaten breakfast yet?"
Clearly, coffee is required.
Nice write, Brian. I always want the truth....no matter what it is...it's the only thing that matters.
I read your blog. And get inspired to write myself.
Art is so subjective. But I know what I like and I like this :) Very much!
Spilled coffee as art... I suppose when you give it a title like that, it makes people think about it and almost forces it to become art.
By their very nature blow a lot of smoke. A LOT.
This one resonates with me, Brian. It is a pet peeve of mine.
Having said that, I had to smile thinking that you might be disappointed more often than not if you expect to hear the negative on your own work...It's not easy to take a knife to the word sculptures you create.
=)
Big words, Big chest, Big poet, BRIAN!
All funny...but I'll tell you this: Brian IS big Art--Artist
Thank you, friend................
Haha what fantastic humour, observation and detail ~ made me laugh ~ love it! Poetryman
:) I'd like the truth with more things than just my writing...
...and, I would define this as art so it gets a "yes" from me :)
This one delivers the goods in a very skilled variety of ways, under the stylistic bits of incoherence which sort of gilds all your poems with extra personality--you start with a simple image, you add a sarcastic/sardonic interjection of pomposity, then you go for the knives. The strings of yes-es and noes really do seem ejaculatory here--something I would never have thought of. Amazing work throughout brian, and accelerating language from "faux silk kiss, iron on iron.." (!) makes a killer finale.
Ejaculate judgement...wow...that's a very strong line. Well placed though.
I haven't been blogging much recently, but It's always great to hear your written voice Brian.
Your writing has a style of all its own!
Wonderful write, as always!
I always want the truth!
Nice to be visiting again, Brian.
Not much time to be writing these days or visiting as I'm getting ready for a new (first) granddaughter.
My daughter and her husband will be blessed with a baby girl in Jan.
Lo and behold you've achieved the goal of contemporary art: ambiguity. We get you but we don't. You will but you won't-- this feels like a fevered write to me. xxxj
you know I only blow World Colored Glasses...the false accolades only serve to deny opportunity for growth and the savage assaults surely express the insecurities of the jurist...it is through honest dispersal that we develop and accept both Love and critique
art may be subjective, but honesty is undeniable...you are an honest man
Peace
in the eyes of the beholder, I guess...I tend to see art pretty much every where...but, hey that's just the way my eyes behold.
lol you never fail to just blow my mind! god I LOVE reading you! fab fab fab!!!
Kellie
Follow me! @BackyardPonders
Artsy-fartsy.
Yes No Yes - I like it.
Waaasup brother - excellent piece brian - you really caught my eye with the tone - err ear with the tone...doh! some scenes within remind me of some of the BS conversations ive had re;art - in smokey rooms with beardo dudes - excellent cutthru - i hope you always tell me the truth...because lies hurt my eyes - lol. Excellent
always brilliant, Brian! the rhythm and your word play are amazing. LOVE this! ♥
I prefer the truth. But tell it to me nicely....
Loved this one! Dark and funny and I want to read it again a few times. This made me laugh:
unless you like that,
Yes, no, yes, maybe, but one thing
for sure, Art with a capital A is something
we are force fed by the media, from
fashions to technology, and it is just
damned good that there is sanctuary
from such horse shit caviar when we
visit dVerse, and jump the poetics
like a tomcat on a rat, with passion
and lethal intent, needing to wring
the art, small a, out of the language,
out of the dripping souls and bursting
hearts of the droves of poets who
gather here/there; and now I am one.
The price of coffee moves me to tears
and milk gives me phlegm.
I generally don't use that f-word, but this is frigging amazing Brain. I read so much into it about judging on appearances and that's one of the things I struggle with. Gotta go back for another read.
I ejaculate judgement & blessing
as i pass,
Your word choice is always so refreshing and so appropriate for the overall tone of your pieces--big smile!!
I hear this part particularly in a strong rapper kind of voice: "I ejaculate judgement & blessing as i pass, and while you are already marking me an ass".
wow you sound a bit defensive now
but I love your art-title, it made me giggle
Who do you have that will say what
you don't and won't slip you rose
colored glasses,
we often push such people away .. weird ways !!
Ah now for the hard stuff - delving deep into satire. This is truly difficult to achieve yet you make it seem easy, not sarcasm here nor judgment - truly raising awareness of the reader to that which is discerned, to that which makes art. Love many lines. This explores so many things at once..found art, supercilious critics, ambiguity and it's weight in assaying worth.
Calling the spill an art, now I know how you think, find myself looking for art in everything I see, it is like the shop, waiting for the opening day to see what it offers
think i read two things in this...those that blow up like balloons, judging art by what they think is good and stab people with their crit...and then those who always say what others want to hear.. the artistic world goes down with both of them.. iron on iron..sharpen my knife.. yes..though i prefer small doses of truth on big pieces of sugar..smiles...esp. when i'm vey tired...smiles..
Your title is actually pointed as you do bring smiles to all our blogs with your comments and *smiles*.
"to dic-t-hate that which is...art."
And you know what I admire you, you don't impose your views or style of writing on anyone. You always us to freedom to write, which may come out good or bad or not so artful. But still you celebrate the art of our writing....*smiles*
Cool piece, I often think of things like this. The question of what is and what isn't art is so heavily debated, I always look at as art is what you see it as, open to endless interpretations, the eye of the beholder thing. Yeah and I get that idea of sunshine and roses to a tee. I write in a unique style, and I know I'm not perfect but if I only went by the comments I get I probably could trick myself into thinking that. So I look at all the views that don't comment and think they all think my work stinks-lol Really great job here, love the manner in which you put it together, and the wordplay and hesitation near the end was truly a nice touch here. Thanks
Great write, Brian. I agree that people who tell you what you want to hear can be found everywhere. So many people like that. I truly prefer authenticity, as I know you do. If someone doesn't understand my poem, I want them to say so. I truly am not one for platitudes. Lord, this poem cut to the quick! Commendations to you.
Cool. You argue with yourself because no one will argue with you. I know it's only rock n roll but I like it, like it.
The comments here are almost as interesting as the words that inspired them...Good for you, Brian.
The world is full of pople who see themselves as arbiters of taste. Sadly, many of them wouldn't know taste if they were choking on it.
You are so not one of them.
I love your art; always have.
Heather
I loved that it went both ways. I think it's so important to recognize the dichotomies? the paradoxes? that we all carry around.
Its definitely art :)
Always smiling faces can be irritating sometimes
This one really cheered me up.
Goes to show I am used the mania talk. This was so normal to me. The little bricks being thrown at the glass window in the form of words and not breaking any glass, only a few coffee stains left on paper. So many people seek out doctors and friends who will tell them only what they want to hear. Bad idea in my opinion. Apparently you agree.
this slices right to the heart... i am in love with the title!
i'll take honesty any day, i tend to be blunt myself, but i've learned, as i age that honesty must be tempered by kindness, not falseness, kindness.
then there are the people who tell you the truth, when you weren't even looking for it
In visual art, at least, sometimes it seems that a catchy title is all that stands between a mistaken splatter and Art.
Liked this piece a lot Brian. Deep rooted and something we all free about art and life in general. Great write.
Sorry I didn't make the pub this week..killer writing assignment that I finished up though. :)
"Someone dropped the coffee," I love that line. Great read Brian. I enjoyed this very much. I call it art. :)
Ah Art! (The three blind mice more than tailless, also blind.)
You are doing a lot here. For me, the issue is narcissism--I don't mean you! I mean Ah Art!
I love the line about spilt coffee being more moving than spilt milk==I love it as a line, but I'm not sure about it as a reality. (Of course, that spill, of coffee, more likely to affect the poet.) But you know what I mean.
Interesting issues--and yet I think you come down on the right side of it, from my perspective, which is with irony. K>
Hey, Brian, you're sporting a new haircut there, aren't you?
I love how your rhymes sneak up on me. :-)
"Puff my chest, cos' big words make me look smart.. " - can relate to this. Nice word play.
Now that you have mentioned it, Brian, I expect to see the Coffee Splatter School of art here in L.A. any day now. Probably will have a corporate sponsor.
As for those who lie, I personally don't mind it much. As long as they tell a good story! Raise the rhetorical pedestal and peddle it all over town!
You always make me smile, Brian, you smarty pants! Yeah, mean what you say and say what you mean...all for that. You are a font of wisdom, disguised as everyday man...and you're a hoot besides! Love this write....again!
I dunno. Am I sensing a little anger between the lines, Brian? I liked the mood of this piece, in particular.
Great topic Brian... what a lot of shite is spoken about art..
I like the to-ing and fro-ing of this - thro the dialogue and internal rhymes - the back and forth of words and how they reflect the speaker rather than reveal the work.. Lots to get my teeth into here and this is a killer stanza:
and i'd rather see the scythe that cleaves coming
over leaving, or more masochist than a faux
silk kiss, iron on iron
I got stuck on the same phrase as DJan, and had to go look up polymorphic, but it was so worth it. I likes the brutal tone of this, juxtaposed with the academia words welded like sledgehammers.
I find you amazing Brian, that you can write like this daily while working and having children. Mind blowing.
I did the circuit three times with this one, Brian. Give me truth every time.
honesty is a forgotten art...how I wish dear Brian
Does spilt coffee really move you to tears? You're scaring me>)
This is such an honest poem. Love it, Brian. We are such a race of pretenders...
Art? Yes!! Your words...art!!!!
Hugs
SueAnn
:) "big words make me smart, despite the way I am dressed & bequeaths me status to dic-t-hate that which is"
THAT is cutting and beautiful! Beautiful!
dazzling use of words Brian. so caught up in the images and emotion of this. great job!
Ha! This is great. I always enjoy the way you bend words, and it works so well in this poem. Truth, yes. But no, coffee, spilled, is always art.But in small spills, yes? Big spills- no! no!-are just a sad waste of coffee. Tiny coffee rings, ah yes! Therein lies art. And so on.
You had me at the coffee and throwing knives. Original poem...you got style B.
"...I ejaculate judgement & blessing
as i pass, and while you are already
marking me an ass - trust me i know
what you are thinking - but truth is
those that tell you what you want
to hear, you can find them anywhere---"
I think we all judge, and based on our own preference and taste. I would rather have honesty and constructive comments (or no comment at all) rather than false praise. You got quite to the heart of the matter here, Brian. Good point made.
I just love the image of coffee slashing the window. And the playfulness in the second & third stanzas. You should get "dic-t-hate" into the dictionary! So many great lines here - fantastic poem, Brian.
If art is to conceive the truth of beauty or to recognize the beauty of truth, then you,sir, are an artist extraordinaire.
(Never apologize)
splashes of coffee.. an Art! Wow :)
Flow in this sings...the taking of simple in extraordinary done so well within your words. ~ Rose
This one is a veritable cracker. Splendid post.
You speak some wise and wooly words here..Brian, about art and art criticism.
We don't grow until we are watered with the critiques of others, and there is no excuse saying that 'in poetry...it's toooooo subjective to crit."
Just my opinion.
This is very good, Brian....subtle like a brick, too.
Lady Nyo
Wow! great write springing from spilt coffee.
Coffee! nectar of postmodern polymorphic man!
a thorough scouring of PC, by un-abashedness.
very nice write. I enjoyed reading this very much.
dic-t-hate and ejaculate judgement! Nicely constructed. I think you have some understading of a certain segment of art critics. :-)
Found this one confusing :(
Its not the big words that make you look smart, its writing creations like this that does the trick.
As always, totally unique and very clever word artistry.
I was going to call my next poem "The sacrilegious desecration of spirit in mankind's postmodern polymorphic duality" but you stole it! Damn.
well, this just sucked! nah - just playin' witcha. I couldn't have said it better myself (really, I couldn't have.) You have a way with words.
Remember my post about good vs. bad poetry a while back? This is exactly what I was talking about.
Really enjoyed this, Brian (no faux silk kiss here, either)
Struggle in the transaction of saving comfort for progress without labelling it laziness... so easy to stay in the comfort zone and not stick your head out... Interesting write, with something to ponder! :)
Brilliant wordplay, Brian! Dic-t-hate! I am so stealing that turn of a phrase someday soon.
Brilliant art!
Now back to my coffee and danish...
Cheers,
Mark Butkus
I am always amazed at what sound like rants in your poetry, Brian. They are in such contrast to the sweet soul you offer to all of the poets you visit on the blogs. Clearly, as evidenced by the 100 comments above, you are beloved by all the poets, including me of course, who know I will see your name among the first to visit anything I write.
You have touched upon a big, sensitive topic, with so many facets that could be discussed...but it's easiest (and most pc) to admire everyone's work or follow the old adage "If you can't say something nice.."
Clearly, I like your breeching this subject but taking your work line by line, I'm puzzled about your exact meaning in many places. I did chuckle at the "art" of coffee spilled on the window ;-)
Brian, you leave me breathless. (A great Ray Charles tune by the way.) I am enamored of honesty always - it's only brutal when the recipient is thin of hide, or when the giver is offering it mean-spiritedly.
Everything is art.
Everything causes cancer.
And that's life in a nutshell! Peace, Amy
http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/12/05/christmas-tree-with-a-schmear/
"I ejaculate judgement & blessing
as i pass, and while you are already marking me an ass"
Hilarious :)
I love this poem. You've really got the subject nailed to the wall, squirming no doubt with your sarcasm and wit. There's so much that goes as art these days, that's why I often prefer the company of philosophers and crime story writers. Seriously, who could disagree with this. I guess I am left asking, though, for a more definite object on which to hang the noose.
i can almost hear the smirk in parts of this. ;) some great internal rhyming-- think this would do well as a spoken word piece, yes? loved the "ejaculating judgment..."
Well I too much prefer truth, spoken in love! And like Claudia, I also hear another message... regarding art, what it is or isn't, and who's to say. Nice, poet-artist!!
Softly you encroached upon the serious side of the thought and made me feel great to have read it..
"and i'd rather see the scythe that cleaves coming
over leaving, or more masochist than a faux
silk kiss, iron on iron"
beautiful...
Shashi
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/12/whispers-buddha-song.html
At Twitter @VerseEveryDay
I ejaculate judgement & blessing
as i pass,
This is a great skewer of the artistic/cultural/political/social pundits that pollute our airways and our lives. Fine judgement might better be a personal matter than a communal consensus (I say that in a non-judgemental way, of course!!!). What you say here needed saying. Super!!!
One man's flotsam is another's jetsam. Critics of art see something that resonates within them. But something else may resonate in another.
I ejaculate judgement & blessing
as i pass, and while you are already
marking me an ass - trust me i know
what you are thinking - but truth is
those that tell you what you want
to hear, you can find them anywhere---
Not sure where these come from, I sense that someone complained about one of your readers on giving 100% positive comments......
You have presented the issue gently, especially when you consider the image of a splashed cup of coffee on window glass as art, so, we do need to remain neutral or encouraging when it comes to commenting, it keeps one from continuing writing and enjoying poetry if everyone is picky.
Now, who labeled you "ass"?
Never underestimate yourself, you are not perfect, but you are a poet who has talent, works hard to impress, and inspires hundreds of poets online to write and share.
keep it up.
I won't tear this apart to analyze it, but having said that, I liked it a lot!
Like this: "And puff my chest, because big words
make me look smart", very well told.
Andnow you can celebrate the stars, starting this year, december.
I like this a lot Brian, it seems to me a very pertinent question in the poetry blogisphere...
Kudos.
(and spilling my coffee makes me very sad...such a waste!)
You won't believe this, but my reaction to this one was sadness. I guess I focused on bitter truth, and truth is I fear it. Still, I know there's no use in denying it, or not confronting it.
I guess art depicts the artist's truth. What I see in you is that you write your truth so honestly, never wanting just to please, or get an empty smile.
Post a Comment