I can't remember nothing beautiful,
the doctors say. No pretty songs, but just
the harder words of Amazing Grace. There's rust
above the Champ de Mars, and terrible,
the threat of gravity somewhere, swirling,
north of Flagstaff, Arizona. Dust
is all that I can think, if you asked, "What's
a sunset like?" And when I read my whorley
rushing words about the flavor of
a "tangerine"? They scare me. What mad man
dared such blasphemies against our God
of Heaven? Underlined and circled them
so violently his pencil lead broke off?
That's why I'm sitting in the basement, Todd.
That's why I'm sitting here in the basement, Todd.
Not a critique so much as I was just trying to figure it out.
Genevieve Went Down to Ask Him Why
I can't remember nothing beautiful, the doctors say. <- this is the premise
No pretty songs, but just the harder words of Amazing Grace. <- example #1
There's rust above the Champ de Mars, <- example #2 -- he can't see the beauty in the Eiffel Tower, only its rust
and terrible, the threat of gravity somewhere, swirling, north of Flagstaff, Arizona. <- example #3 ?? This is the one I can't figure out.
"Area 51" is northwest, not north, of Flagstaff -- but maybe that's close enough?
If not, does it have something to do with this?:
What is the North Pole Experience?
The North Pole Experience is a Christmas adventure of a lifetime that takes families on a trolley ride through the magic portal to Santa’s massive workshop in the middle of the forest. Children and parents are then guided off the trolley where they knock for the elves. Once families enter Santa’s toy factory headquarters, that is where the real magic begins.
Santa’s Workshop at the North Pole Experience is a complete, hands-on experience for children. Families work side-by-side with the elves, building toys and interacting with the workshop bustle. They receive access to Santa’s main factory floor with soaring toy slides and ceilings, attend Elf University, visit with Mrs. Claus and enjoy cookies and snowman soup in the bakery. Don’t forget Santa’s mailroom, his personal office, and his top-secret “Area 47″ Sleigh Hanger, featuring his famous sleigh, jam packed with some of the most advanced technology in the world, runway lights, radar systems and more. Families end the hour and 1/2 workshop tour with a private family visit with Santa.
The North Pole Experience™ is the critically acclaimed Santa Experience located in the idyllic and breath-taking resort ski/summer destination of Flagstaff, AZ.
Dust is all that I can think, if you asked, "What's a sunset like?" <- example #4
And when I read my whorley rushing words about the flavor of a "tangerine"?
They scare me. What mad man dared such blasphemies against our God
of Heaven? Underlined and circled them so violently his pencil lead broke off? <- example #5 ... he could only taste the bad side
of a tangerine's flavor, made notes about what it was,
and evidently got really perturbed about it.
That's why I'm sitting in the basement, Todd. <- A: the basement is so icky that it doesn't have a good side.
This means that it doesn't induce the conflict associated with examples 1 thru 5
so it's one of the few places he feels comfortable.
B: When he looks at Genevieve he can only see her ugly side which he calls "Todd"
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
(08-31-2015, 12:27 AM)crow Wrote: Genevieve Went Down to Ask Him Why
I can't remember nothing beautiful,
the doctors say. No pretty songs, but just
the harder words of Amazing Grace. There's rust
above the Champ de Mars, and terrible,
the threat of gravity somewhere, swirling, grand canyon
north of Flagstaff, Arizona. Dust
is all that I can think, if you asked, "What's
a sunset like?" And when I read my whorley
rushing words about the flavor of
a "tangerine"? They scare me. What mad man
dared such blasphemies against our God
of Heaven? Underlined and circled them
so violently his pencil lead broke off?
That's why I'm sitting in the basement, Todd.
That's why I'm sitting here in the basement, Todd.
the poem sounds good, has some good imagery, but in the end comes off a bit obtuse. who is Todd and why is he in your basement. The second stanza escapes me. It seems that at one point you could see the good in things, but now, that display of amusement disgusts you.
I just barely get a hint that the speaker is depressed. But who really knows.
I think it is made more obtuse because the point of view in the title does not match the point of view in the poem, I mean, is I in the poem, him in the title? or maybe it is Todd? Who knows,
Ray—I was talking about the Grand Canyon in example 3. And w the tangerine, he's reading his own notes about how excellent it tasted, and is saying they seem idolatrous or something
Qdeathstar, he's subbing "Todd" for Genevieve, a "not pretty" name for a pretty one, bc he can't remember pretty things. She's (Genevieve's) asking the narrator why the narrator stays in the basement all the time, and the poem is the answer. I thought the "why" in the title would tie to the why in the last lines
It's a joke poem, really. It's just an idea about stoics vs epicureans. That's my take, anyway
Just, for fun, this is me reading the thing
(09-08-2015, 08:23 AM)crow Wrote: Ray—I was talking about the Grand Canyon in example 3. And w the tangerine, he's reading his own notes about how excellent it tasted, and is saying they seem idolatrous or something
Thanks for filling those in.
But I NAILED the Genevieve/Todd thing!!!
When I listen to you read it out loud -- actually it's a performance, not just a reading -- it sounds
much better than when I read it on the page. Poetry (but not all) usually does.
Lyrics, well, that's what they're designed to do.
ray
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions
