[Newspoetry] U.S. poet laureate invokes troubling metaphor

[Ranjan Banerji]

I think perhaps both phrasings are appropriate.  I'm sure someone's noticed
the shiva-lingam aspects of these targets...one target is a pair of huge
phallic objects, the other a large vaginal ring?  I can't be the only one
seeing this...

--
Ranjan Banerji              "I know you believe you understand
ranjan at banerji.net          what you think I said, but I'm not
Luminary, Sage, Thinko      sure you realize that what you heard
The system shall comply.    is not what I meant." --Hiyakawa


> -----Original Message-----
> From: newspoetry-admin at lists.groogroo.com
> [mailto:newspoetry-admin at lists.groogroo.com]On Behalf Of Mike Lehman
> Sent: Tuesday, September 11, 2001 3:06 PM
> To: NEWSpoetry
> Subject: Re: [Newspoetry] U.S. poet laureate invokes
> troubling metaphor
>
>
> I propose the gender-specific term that I think applies in this case
> bets.
>
> "America was circumcised."
>
> Our injury is in large part self-inflicted because of our blind
> obedience to a our cultural tradition, in this case bombing other
> people, etc, and not expecting them to be able to react to it.
>
> It also could be seen as a fundamental attack on our (pardon the term,
> but it fits in the context) manhood. Although it seems horrible right
> now, it pales in comparison to what we have done to many other people.
> Ouch! it sure hurts! but we will get over it, in spite of the
> horrendous
> pain it will cause to many.
>
> We have to be careful that we don't turn around and do this
> or worse to
> the first target we can lash out at in anger, despite the
> fact that, if
> we could just break free from our cultural tradition, expansive
> capitalism and imperialism in this case, we could probably free
> ourselves of most of this pain in the future.
>
> Mike Lehman
>
> Joe Futrelle wrote:
> >
> > NPR asked the U.S.'s poet laureate for some thoughts.  He described
> > today's events as America "losing its virginity", so to speak.
> >
> > ... aren't there some better metaphors we could use?
> >
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