A Dying Craft

Impotent seeds of thought
Bearing no fruit,
Inciting lifeless conversation
That withers underneath the sun's scrutiny.
Behold,
The dying art of discourse.

Tiny talk
As small as a grain of salt
And translucent too;
Spell-weaving a two-faced blanket
Of false security
And fickle familiarity.

The painted word,
Savor of an anonymous creation,
Gone rancid.



Post Edited (05-14-04 21:54)

================

Sobriety is overrated.

Welcome to e-mule, meriti. I like the way you describe the act of conversation.

In these two lines the word translucent seems an afterthough.

As small as a grain of salt
And translucent too;

How about changing that to:

As small and translucent as a
grain of salt;

Also in this line:

Savor of an anonymous creation


I would leave out the word "of".


I enjoyed the read, keep writing.


Les

Les, thanks for reading it and giving VERY good feedback. I will definitely consider changing

As small as a grain of salt
And translucent too

to

As small and translucent as a
grain of salt.

Good suggestion.

Leaving "of" out, however, could confuse (perhaps further) what I'm trying to say... I am saying that the painted (meaning "exhausted", OR "lacking substance", and also somewhat of a pun relating to the act of 'painting' reality with words) word is (or should be) the savor of an (otherwise) anonymous creation, yet it has gone (or is going) rancid, or has perhaps become less meaningful due to our inability to relate to each other in a 'real' way. Taking "of" out would make it difficult to discern that message... perhaps.

I'm from the south (North Carolina - currently residing in Atlanta, GA) and small talk is a daily fixture within my experience. Here in the south, particularly in small towns, it's somewhat of a dance filled with call and response and old addages and sayings that everyone seems to be familiar with. When you see someone, whether you know them or not, you are easily pulled into this dance of words and it is generally a beautifully meaningless exchange. But we all, for the most part, know the dance and are willing participants.

It seems that nowadays people are less willing to engage in small talk. Even when they do decide to engage in small talk, it is much less of a graceful experience than it could or should be. It seems to be an act engaged in out of a sense of unwelcomed obligation.

I still enjoy small talk... and if I must say so myself, I am good at it!

meriti



Post Edited (05-15-04 01:47)

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Sobriety is overrated.

I see, you're using the word as a noun like "taste" or "flavor", I was thinking along the lines of the verb savor. Like, I "savor" the taste of onions in my soup.

Thanks for the explanation. [www.onelook.com] />

Les



Post Edited (05-15-04 01:40)

Thanks again for your suggestions and also for the that link... I will definitely be using that site... It may be one of the best online resources for finding multiple meanings of words that I've ever seen!

meriti

================

Sobriety is overrated.

I like the creativity in which you express yourself especially your pssion for it. I loved the poem and its message. My question is : is it a craft?

Small talk? Conversation? Yeah, it's a craft (a skill, ability, etc.). I think there are is a level of mastery that can be obtained as it relates to conversing with people. I think that most poets at least strive for this in its written form... i.e. saying nothing well... (literary) small talk, perhaps.

meriti

================

Sobriety is overrated.

Don't you think conversation and communication is innate in human beings. It is far more internalized by nature than acquired by skill! It is true we are losing this ability to others, but I believe it will revive itself once the imbalance occurs and becomes critical enough. We cannot give up such a significant characteristic of us.It's not a choice, but inevitable!

Breathing is innate as well, but there are breathing exercises that are very beneficial (i.e. Pranayama) and place breathing in the realm of being an (innate, perhaps even innately impaired) activity that can be improved upon... There are several examples of innate human abilities/traits/activities/etc. that can be "perfected" to the point where they could be considered "gifts" or "crafts".

meriti

================

Sobriety is overrated.

I meant a craft is external to our being! We pour into it!
I need to think this further! thanks!

Les, I changed that line. Thanks again.

K.Q., What have you come up with? Can we "pour into" something intrinsic to our being? Something that is 'internal'... such as breathing... or spiritual development? Unless we get a lobotomy and remove our cerebral cortex, we will have an 'observer', ego, consciousness of being, etc. that could very well engage in such activity... Some "gurus" purport to be able to subdue (even erase) this aspect of our selves (this ego, individual self, etc.). Anything's possible... or so they say.

Here's the poem with the change.

meriti


A Dying Craft

Impotent seeds of thought
Bearing no fruit,
Inciting lifeless conversation
That withers underneath the sun's scrutiny.
Behold,
The dying art of discourse.

Tiny talk
As small and transluscent
As grain of salt;
Spell-weaving a two-faced blanket
Of false security
And fickle familiarity.

The painted word,
Savor of an anonymous creation,
Gone rancid.



Post Edited (05-17-04 16:54)

================

Sobriety is overrated.

My thinking has not led me to an answer yet! I think I just have always seen a craft as something you do with you hands and not Lips!!

I have HEARD of people that are extremely 'crafty' with their lips...

meriti

================

Sobriety is overrated.

A cattle auctioneer comes to mind.

I liked it too.

Knowed a feller oncet, with whom conversing was like getting a drink from a fire hydrant.

Tell ya about him soon.

Terry

lol

I love to hear 'bout this feller!

Thanks Terry.

meriti

================

Sobriety is overrated.

hey meriti...
since u say small tlak is a craft..and u regret that peple nowadays dont make the same graceful type pf small tlak...well..if it was graceful and beautiful and all that...wouldnt it become big talk..i meant
..if u kept conversing...about the weather and the sun an the moon n ...well....

i loved the poem...
if small talk is graceful....then why did u use the word lifeless with conversation
why is the talk translucent ?
then again im just curious

Thanks for reading and commenting Sonia.

What I'm describing in the poem is what small talk (which i happen to view as "big talk") has become. People don't seem to value the mundane anymore. Small talk to me involves truly relating on a most fundamental level... even with an absolute stranger. Such interactions are full and unforced.

Nowadays, you can actually sense the extreme effort that it seems to take for a person to be cordial... when it doesn't really matter; when there is no gain from it; no motive. Awkward and uncomfortable, choppy discourse; hardly graceful or rewarding.

meriti

================

Sobriety is overrated.

"I have HEARD of people that are extremely 'crafty' with their lips"

A different kind of craft! Well, I guess you can see small talk as a craft if you're crafty about it. Modern methods of communication and technology rob this generation the opportunity to exchange talk, but I still think this is a phase and our natural tendencies will redominate as a form of an innate immune system that will eventually save the day. Thanks for pursuing this!

another from the vaults

Hey Les and meriti. Thanks for reposting this little gem Les. There is good and profound reason the Southern writers from Falkner to Steinbeck to McCarthy to Tennessee Williams and the list is inexhaustable when discussing the "art" of small talk that makes their dialogue in prose so rivetingly real and truthful. Some of the history of that "inate" ability to elevate discourse to an art form is in the Irish heritage of so many great Southern writers. They simply carry on the minstrel and troubador heritage of Erin and apply that craft to there own contemporary surroundings whether it be the great depression for Steinbeck and Falkner or the more inner tumulteous dialogue of McCuthers. They all understand the narrative vehicle as part of their personal lexicon of communication. Super post and a great poetic. tom

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/2021 05:09PM by easyeverett.

This is one of the reasons I miss David so much. So many of the people from before that slew of crashes at the eMule, so many good people lost, who'd liven up things here with their strength and creativity.

Anyway, Thanks Les for reminding up of the 'old' days...sheesh, 2004.

Me, I also still hanker for the present and more great stuff from the people posting these days: Khalida, Sherry, Mary, tom, etc., etc.....

lol,

Peter