(11-05-2016, 02:07 AM)RiverNotch Wrote: Hi river,
no line-by line on this as you have done a fine job on the workshopping. Suffice to say,and I will stick to my guns on this, randomised line and/or stanza breaks never works. If it serves no purpose it saves no poem. I made that up just for you.
Babal
for Kim
1. Mother Earth
-- Babylon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised usI would leave Plotinus out of this...he is drinking man's thinker with his inviable "opinion, science, illumination". Just saying.
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2. Grave Old Men
--my mother
and my father plagued me
when they raised me.
Or rather blessed,
how the knowledge of old age
confused youth's understanding. Incredibly convoluted sentence no matter where I start or end it. Needs a re-structuring, that's all. you can do it.
Yet have I grown enough to shave
this hircine curse's shape Are we talking goat or hunter here? Any references to Greek or Roman mythology tend to diverge from the original rather than converge to the present...so I get lost and cannot be bothered to look up the multiple meanings. It must be clear for me and this is not...made worse by splitting the clue away from the question by an inch or so. Is this quantum entanglement and who the hell am I?
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized Pacific with a capital
across Katipunan avenue Avenue with a capital
between my Philippines and your Mexico.
3. Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell. The King and Queen of Corinth
were far from old when they raised me,
Teiresias the sex-changing cataract no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said fleshly woman is a child.
Dare I subscribe? You know how tragedy works: Like[b/]
I am become an Indio Abelard,
grafted to cursed flesh, to shattered stone,
and you remain afloat, a child of God
a blinding angel, mute and genderless.
[b]4. Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Tower of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
Third workshop edit:
Babal
for Kim
1. Mother Earth
-- Babylon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2. Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
how the knowledge of old age
confused youth's understanding. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe these calluses born of school
with balm, that I should judge? to shave
this hircine curse's shape
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue
between my Philippines and your Mexico.
3. Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so when Lucifer
confused his craving for love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4. Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Tower of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
"...Katipunan avenue" - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side.
"...Ozy and Millie" - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
Second workshop edit:
Babal
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
could coexist with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm, to shave this hircine curse
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so when Lucifer
confused his craving for love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, spread
like pâté men across the earth.
"...Katipunan avenue" - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side.
"...Ozy and Millie" - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
First workshop edit:
Soulmate
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
could coexist with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm, to shave this hircine curse
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the Jewish doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, spread
like pâté men across the earth.
"...Katipunan avenue" - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side.
"...Ozy and Millie" - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.[pre verse]
Earlier drafts, with the corresponding edits having been cosmetic.
[pre verse]Soulmate
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
could coexist with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm, to shave this hircine curse
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue 1
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible
grows overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the Jewish doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie 2
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
1 - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side. 2 - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
Babal
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
coexisted with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm? To shave this hircine curse's shape
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue 1
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible
grows overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the Jewish doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie 2
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their God-hated maker not a man
but a child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
1 - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side. 2 - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
(12-13-2016, 09:12 PM)tectak Wrote:
(11-05-2016, 02:07 AM)RiverNotch Wrote: Hi river,
no line-by line on this as you have done a fine job on the workshopping. Suffice to say,and I will stick to my guns on this, randomised line and/or stanza breaks never works. If it serves no purpose it saves no poem. I made that up just for you.
Babal
for Kim
1. Mother Earth
-- Babylon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised usI would leave Plotinus out of this...he is drinking man's thinker with his inviable "opinion, science, illumination". Just saying.
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2. Grave Old Men
--my mother
and my father plagued me
when they raised me.
Or rather blessed,
how the knowledge of old age
confused youth's understanding. Incredibly convoluted sentence no matter where I start or end it. Needs a re-structuring, that's all. you can do it.
Yet have I grown enough to shave
this hircine curse's shape Are we talking goat or hunter here? Any references to Greek or Roman mythology tend to diverge from the original rather than converge to the present...so I get lost and cannot be bothered to look up the multiple meanings. It must be clear for me and this is not...made worse by splitting the clue away from the question by an inch or so. Is this quantum entanglement and who the hell am I?
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized Pacific with a capital
across Katipunan avenue Avenue with a capital
between my Philippines and your Mexico.
3. Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell. The King and Queen of Corinth
were far from old when they raised me,
Teiresias the sex-changing cataract no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said fleshly woman is a child.
Dare I subscribe? You know how tragedy works: Like[b/]
I am become an Indio Abelard,
grafted to cursed flesh, to shattered stone,
and you remain afloat, a child of God
a blinding angel, mute and genderless.
[b]4. Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Tower of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
Third workshop edit:
Babal
for Kim
1. Mother Earth
-- Babylon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2. Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
how the knowledge of old age
confused youth's understanding. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe these calluses born of school
with balm, that I should judge? to shave
this hircine curse's shape
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue
between my Philippines and your Mexico.
3. Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so when Lucifer
confused his craving for love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4. Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Tower of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
"...Katipunan avenue" - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side.
"...Ozy and Millie" - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
Second workshop edit:
Babal
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
could coexist with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm, to shave this hircine curse
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so when Lucifer
confused his craving for love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, spread
like pâté men across the earth.
"...Katipunan avenue" - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side.
"...Ozy and Millie" - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
First workshop edit:
Soulmate
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
could coexist with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm, to shave this hircine curse
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible grows
overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the Jewish doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, spread
like pâté men across the earth.
"...Katipunan avenue" - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side.
"...Ozy and Millie" - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.[pre verse]
Earlier drafts, with the corresponding edits having been cosmetic.
[pre verse]Soulmate
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
could coexist with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm, to shave this hircine curse
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue 1
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible
grows overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the Jewish doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie 2
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their "God-hated" maker no man
but child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
1 - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side. 2 - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
Babal
for Kim
1 - Mother Earth
-- Babalon stole her architects
from Egypt, her engineers from Greece, her doctors
and priests from Israel: that is why our tongues
are tied with Şibboleths. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, and Plato,
Plotinus, Valentinus, lied to us. They promised us
angels for wives, mortal gods for husbands, yet all we got
were grave old men, anxious Jocastas.
2 - Grave Old Men
-- my mother
and my father plagued me
as they raised me. Or rather blessed,
the fact that the knowledge of old age
coexisted with the understanding of childhood
confused me, in my youth. Yet have I grown
enough to soothe my student's calluses
with balm? To shave this hircine curse's shape
into a Spanish beard? Galleons sail
on pacific currents concretized
across Katipunan avenue 1
to and fro two colonies, my country and your Mexico.
3 - Mexico
-- what a Şibboleth! Our old school's shattered stones
are now the home to snake-like trumpet vines, just as your English
is no longer the same as mine, and your Bible
grows overshorn, incomplete. Truly, meat
is the sweetest sin, so that when Lucifer
confused his craving for a love, he was cast down
to diabetic hell, his eye blinded,
his leg severed, yet by the Jewish doctor's hand
his consoling treats tied shut. Ozy and Millie 2
were far from old when they raised me,
Dana their God-hated maker not a man
but a child: Plato did speak truth
when he said woman is a child. And yet,
accursed flesh, am I a woman who here stands,
as she with the ruddy hair is man
and you with the mortal light is genderless?
4 - Hermaphrodite
-- what a devilish love! It was no storm
but flesh-dissolving bile that broke
the Thoor of Babel, that spread
like pâté men across the earth.
1 - A tale of two universities in Quezon City, with the state-sponsored University of the Philippines to the west, and the Jesuit-sponsored Ateneo de Manila University to the east. The road itself is a haven to capitalists, with expensive malls, expensive restaurants, and expensive dormitories lining each side. 2 - http://ozyandmillie.org/ One of my favorite comic strips. Its creator is Dana Claire Simpson, and she is a transgender female. It was through that work that I learned what transgender means, though not directly, as I remember it never dealt with the issue -- I just did my research, once I got engrossed.
