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"I am really very, very sorry that they have abolished capital punishment." - Miss Marple
Everyone was caught or died. A shot would be heard
as Poirot wrapped up, implying appropriate harm.
Or else the foppish coward who strangled his sponsor
would burst into tears and be dragged off to hang.
Ah, Justice! Old and chintzy, warm as tea.
England as it should have been: green and gay,
where evil rots like lost apples, fallen in the weeds.
"We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent us; we are their creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges." - Gene Wolfe
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Amazing!
Maybe I would go without your first sentence but simply love this:
"A shot would be heard
as Poirot wrapped up, implying appropriate harm."
cheers
Serge
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Thank you for your kind feedback, serge
"We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent us; we are their creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges." - Gene Wolfe
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I like the title too (a lot)
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Detective stories were all I read as a kid, so they've left a lot of residue in my imagination
"We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent us; we are their creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges." - Gene Wolfe
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I love Poirot (Belgian, right?)
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Yep
"We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent us; we are their creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges." - Gene Wolfe
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;-) they rock.
(your Marple quote is sooooo mean, you know. Love it.)
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(02-03-2013, 07:38 PM)Heslopian Wrote: "I am really very, very sorry that they have abolished capital punishment." - Miss Marple
Everyone was caught or died. A shot would be heard
as Poirot wrapped up, implying appropriate harm.
Or else the foppish coward who strangled his sponsor
would burst into tears and be dragged off to hang.
Ah, Justice! Old and chintzy, warm as tea.
England as it should have been: green and gay,
where evil rots like lost apples, fallen in the weeds.
Some nice choices here .Jack. I liked your use of appropriate harm, and your final image is stunning. The tone is what makes it work for me. It has the moral black and white rightness of the older mystery novel. Strangling is met with hanging. The old tea line is great. Chintzy is such a great descriptor. We have become too sophisticated for the crassness of punishment.
No nits from me.
Best,
Todd
The secret of poetry is cruelty.--Jon Anderson
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(@ Todd:
"We have become too sophisticated for the crassness of punishment."
yes in the US. And I don't get it.)
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(02-03-2013, 08:57 PM)Todd Wrote: Some nice choices here .Jack. I liked your use of appropriate harm, and your final image is stunning. The tone is what makes it work for me. It has the moral black and white rightness of the older mystery novel. Strangling is met with hanging. The old tea line is great. Chintzy is such a great descriptor. We have become too sophisticated for the crassness of punishment.
No nits from me.
Best,
Todd
Thank you for your kind feedback, Todd
I had to Google "chintzy" to make sure it was a real word
I'm glad the tone was consistent; it's something I feel like I struggle with.
"We believe that we invent symbols. The truth is that they invent us; we are their creatures, shaped by their hard, defining edges." - Gene Wolfe
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(02-03-2013, 08:59 PM)serge gurkski Wrote: (@ Todd:
"We have become too sophisticated for the crassness of punishment."
yes in the US. And I don't get it.)
Well, I'm in Texas, and I assure you that we place our executions right next to our stuffed bobcats and John Wayne commemorative plates. We don't let a little sophistication stop us.
Most of the US, I agree with you.
The secret of poetry is cruelty.--Jon Anderson
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ya, Tx. I find it a shame. I happen to love the US (critically).
Have you read: the Executioner's Song (by Norman Mailer)?
we place our executions right next to our stuffed bobcats and John Wayne commemorative plates.
That's so sick. It makes you (not you personally) a cold-hearted murderer
just like the guy you hang.
Heslop i am sorry for hijacking your thread. Todd, we better move to general discussion. Can you do that (as a mod)?
