Terms like slippery and baggyness suit well enough. Yet look what that sly old fox did to us, Julie, he gives us just enough to intrigue and has us reading this over and over trying to uncover the poem's secrets. I haven't been so obsessed w/ sleuthing a poem since my last good Dean Young piece. If he'd laid it out more simply and eloquently, we'd have read the poem a few times, thought how touching a tribute and moved on. I first read it not knowing the specifics of the continuing tragedies in Ferguson, though I know of the general issues, so the poem seemed timeless enough to me. That fox had me up until 5 am digging up the news on it and trying to tie it all in.
You thought the poem too dated and before your time and I thought it went back to draw in all the names and events leading up to now and how they intertwine. These names and events are still very much in the public mind, I'd even guess most of it to the younger generation. Even more so if you're black. The writer is white-bred, for sure, but there's inclusiveness. (I'm 47 and will choose to call myself middle aged into my 60's, just because I want to. Pretty sure.) So the conversation continues and will some more...
Ian, You're a big Seidel fan, hope you'll roll up your sleeves and wade in too.
Michael, Liked your point about those lines being profoundly true and profoundly false. I agree.
Jeanne
Last edited by Jeanne G; 11-30-2014 at 10:49 PM.
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