HermAphrodite and One Flu Over the Cuckoo's Nest
HermAphrodite is one of my newer poems, and Michael Salinger was kind enough to post it as 31 October's "Blind Review Friday" selection on the Cleveland Poetics blog (http://clevelandpoetics.blogspot.com). The point of "Blind Review" is to allow poets to give and receive feedback on their (and others') work without necessarily having to reveal their identities. I know if I post one of my poems on my own blog, most folks will say either good things or nothing at all about it. So I thought it would be interesting to anonymously throw one "to the wolves," so to speak, and see what response I got.
I originally submitted Can Do to Michael last month. But when he asked if I had anything "less scatalogical" (love that word), I ended up blogging "Can Do" and sending him HermAphrodite instead. I enjoy the comments and discussion that follow most of his Blind Review postings. Unfortunately, my entry did not receive nearly as many comments as most because it happened to appear during election week, while potential readers and critics were (rightly) paying attention to much more important matters.
Now that Obama has won and I'm feeling a bit more hopeful overall, I view HermAphrodite a bit differently than I did when I wrote it. But I'm still hoping to get a bit of feedback on the poem. So please click here to visit the Cleveland Poetics blog, read my offering and tell me what you think. Thank you very much!
A note on the poem:
My regular readers all probably know it already, but I'll say it for anyone else who happens to stumble upon this blog. The title HermAphrodite is a combination of the names Hermes (divine messenger and Greek god of thieves/poets) and Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love). War and love, male and female, yin and yang - we all have elements of each in us, I believe. And if we are made in God's image, as someone's book claims, I think it's fair to assume that God, if he/she exists or is distinct from us at all, has elements of each in her/him as well. Oh... and I mean for readers to pronounce the e at the end of the title "HermAphrodite."
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As for the flu, I believe I may be succumbing to it. Diarrhea and other symptoms too distasteful to discuss have visited me this morning, and now I'm wondering if I'll even be able to make it to the Zygote in My City poetry extravaganza this evening as planned. Even if I feel like going at 9 o'clock tonight, I'm not sure I should. Don't wanna infect my fellow artists.... I didn't even want to mention this in my blog, because my Mom (who reads it) tried to press me into getting a flu shot earlier in the week and I never got around to it. I suspect no one, especially a 42-year-old man like myself, likes to admit he should have listened to his mommy. But I feel I owe an explanation to the folks who expect me to be there. And it's easier to inform everyone in one fell swoop here than send out a bunch of individual messages.
Now I'm going back to bed - with my laptop, though I'm not sure how much I'll actually feel like doing with it.
Peace, love and poetry,
John
Me in bed with the laptop but without the flu in December 2006 [photo by Geri]
I originally submitted Can Do to Michael last month. But when he asked if I had anything "less scatalogical" (love that word), I ended up blogging "Can Do" and sending him HermAphrodite instead. I enjoy the comments and discussion that follow most of his Blind Review postings. Unfortunately, my entry did not receive nearly as many comments as most because it happened to appear during election week, while potential readers and critics were (rightly) paying attention to much more important matters.
Now that Obama has won and I'm feeling a bit more hopeful overall, I view HermAphrodite a bit differently than I did when I wrote it. But I'm still hoping to get a bit of feedback on the poem. So please click here to visit the Cleveland Poetics blog, read my offering and tell me what you think. Thank you very much!
A note on the poem:
My regular readers all probably know it already, but I'll say it for anyone else who happens to stumble upon this blog. The title HermAphrodite is a combination of the names Hermes (divine messenger and Greek god of thieves/poets) and Aphrodite (Greek goddess of love). War and love, male and female, yin and yang - we all have elements of each in us, I believe. And if we are made in God's image, as someone's book claims, I think it's fair to assume that God, if he/she exists or is distinct from us at all, has elements of each in her/him as well. Oh... and I mean for readers to pronounce the e at the end of the title "HermAphrodite."
As for the flu, I believe I may be succumbing to it. Diarrhea and other symptoms too distasteful to discuss have visited me this morning, and now I'm wondering if I'll even be able to make it to the Zygote in My City poetry extravaganza this evening as planned. Even if I feel like going at 9 o'clock tonight, I'm not sure I should. Don't wanna infect my fellow artists.... I didn't even want to mention this in my blog, because my Mom (who reads it) tried to press me into getting a flu shot earlier in the week and I never got around to it. I suspect no one, especially a 42-year-old man like myself, likes to admit he should have listened to his mommy. But I feel I owe an explanation to the folks who expect me to be there. And it's easier to inform everyone in one fell swoop here than send out a bunch of individual messages.
Now I'm going back to bed - with my laptop, though I'm not sure how much I'll actually feel like doing with it.
Peace, love and poetry,
John
Me in bed with the laptop but without the flu in December 2006 [photo by Geri]
Be better.. people were missing you last night and were looking forward to you being there tonight but will understand if your sick.
Unfortunately you'll have a slow progression of it through the household.. so brace yourself...
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Rose was totally incapacitated with it Thursday night. Though not totally over it, she seems much better today - so I'm thinking it's pretty much a 24-hour bug. Geri wasn't feeling well when she went to work this morning, so she may be getting it, too. The worst will be when the four little ones get it... alas.
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Interesting title, but I have yet to read the poem, but will sometime today.
Sorry you have the flu...you should ALWAYS listen to your mommy..no matter your age.
Get well soon!
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Thanks, Susan!
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Thank you for your comment. He will always be my little boy. And, I will always try to tell him what to do, haha.
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from what i read, flu shots are not only ineffective, but dangerous. mom got one every year, and every year felt bad for 1 to 2 weeks. i've never gotten one, never will.
like the word play in the poem. not sure of the poem over all though. might need a re-reading, might need my morning coffee.
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I didn't believe in or get flu shots for a long time. But on the rare occasion when I do get the flu, I think I mighta oughta shoulda got one.
I think the poem has some great parts - but also some weaknesses. Has some chaff with the wheat... and I was curious if other folks felt the same way, or had the same opinion as far as what parts were chaff. So I welcome specific suggestions/criticisms, even if I ultimately end up agreeing or not.
I appreciate/value your honest opinion, with or without your morning coffee.
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The flu vaccine is a dead virus and should not make one ill. So, I hope you change your mind and try it. For years, I thought the same way, but, finally started getting them. Stay well. Now, J.C.'s Mom is trying to tell everyone what to do, haha.
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It isn't dead virus, it is the previous year's virus. It is ineffective against the current year's mutation. In theory, it'll cause your body to build more antibodies against last year's virus which will help you fight off the current year's virus, but if you never got exposed to the previous year's virus, it will in fact give you the flu.
Last flu shot I got put me in the hospital for three days. Each of the five years before that, the shot incapacitated me for three to five days. In the 17 years since, I have only had the flu twice and both cases lasted less than 24 hours. Moderate OCD level hand-washing is FAR more effective at keeping the flu away than the shot.
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Well, I'm not about to argue with Mom, who's been a registered nurse for about 30 years, especially when my wife (also an RN) said she's pretty sure the virus in the "flu shot" is dead. So I did some research. I'm not saying the government is infallible, but here's what the CDC (the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) have to say on their website. That said, I've seen a lot of people get sick after taking them. But I went 11 years in prison without taking one - and when I got a flu shot after my release, I didn't get sick at all. Note that after one gets the shot, it takes two weeks for antbodies to build up. It's conceivable that one could catch the flu during those two unprotected weeks and attribute their sickness to the shot. But I'm no expert - I can only guess.
The following comes from: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/keyfacts.htm:
The single best way to protect against the flu is to get vaccinated each year.
There are two types of vaccines:
Each vaccine contains three influenza viruses-one A (H3N2) virus, one A (H1N1) virus, and one B virus. The viruses in the vaccine change each year based on international surveillance and scientists' estimations about which types and strains of viruses will circulate in a given year.
About 2 weeks after vaccination, antibodies that provide protection against influenza virus infection develop in the body.
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Hey there... How Perfect is THAT title!!! Still so creative even when sick. Well, I hope you feel better soon. Canned pears in syrup room temp very small bites at a time eaten very slowly will help. Okay, I agree Mom usually knows best...because I AM one and had one! :o) However; I also think natural immunity is much better than some foreign substance injected into your body with extra chemicals... besides there are tons of flu strains... the shot only protects against a few and they are usually wrong anyway! LOL okay that those 2 cents with a grain of salt and get rest, hydration and better quickly! Okay, going to read the poem now.
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Well, I must admit I thought of the "One Flu over the Cuckoo's Nest" line before I was sick, a day or two ago. I joked then, "If I ever get the flu I'll have to write a poem or blog with that line." So maybe it was a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts. Oy!
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me two, not feeling great and so busy.
reading the poem HermAphrodite now. Hey you look cool all zapped out - don't worry about a thing...
My son got the flu shot and was sick for an entire week afterwards so I wouldn't think that's any better. when he complained they told him "it's impossible to get sick from it" and I'm his witness. that's it for flu shots for him.
The poem brings up the conflicts, good & evil, bat wings & cat calls, tongued serpent God
woman man bitch beast, kind of as they all live inside of us...
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Thanks, Joy! Hope you feel better soon....
And in my half-brain state, I made a mistake when I posted this blog. Hermes is not the god of war (that would be Ares), but he is the god of thieves, liars and poets... lol. So the dichotomy still fits. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a whole brain again and can remember these things.
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http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc48/charlaxici/Saturday/10017557.jpg
this poor fellow had a frostbite nose
ying And yang
oppisites attract in nature as well as inn religion
people self important people taking far too many liberties with life
assailing one another in the fervor of the moment
using weapons and destruction to be mini-gods
fear is the weapon of today fear is all they have
to make the man afraid
wind and rain and snow and bad device
have left the haven of the rest
peace has replaced religion second blest
humble and poor is gets some rest
walking in the snow with someone love
upon my feet and treats and goodies
in my sleep please fortune comes and goes
like ying and yang
GET WELL GET SOME JUICES GET SOME SLEEP
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You poor kiddo. Hate to hear you are sick. I will not say that I told you so. That would be mean. Just get well. And, then, go get you flu shot. Hope all the kids don't get it. Who is going to help me eat stuffed pepers and pumpkin pie? I have officially moved you up to the top of my list. Love ya. Take care of yourself. Tonight sounded great. Sorry you are going to miss it.
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Thanks, Mama! Love you....
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Get well! Was hoping to see you there last night too, but you absolutely have an excused absence if you can't make it out tonight. Your health is always most important.
Take care! Hope to talk to ya soon!
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Thanks, T.M.! I heard a lot of good feedback after the event (both nights), and I'm sorry I couldn't make it. I'm thrilled to hear from Dianne that some of the Zygote featured readers (including you!) have agreed to feature for us at the Lix and Kix in coming months. Fantastic!
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I hope that you are feeling better soon and that the little ones don't get it. You know you can't go wrong listening to Mom.
I admit I am somewhat biased when it comes to reading your poetry, but I really do enjoy what you write. Sometimes I don't quite catch your meaning, so I appreciate the explanations. Sometimes I find my own meaning in one of your poems and I don't want to expose my thoughts or my ignorance to everyone, so I keep my thoughts to myself.
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Thanks, Tara! So far, I'm feeling somewhat better and the children seem to have escaped. But we'll see....
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let's start with the flu. Sounds like you have a norovirus which is not what a flu shot is for. Flu shots are for a respiratory virus that can have severe consequences for older folks and people with compromised immune systems. No such shot for norovirus. You just shit and vomit for two days till it's done.
As to the poem...the language is rich but I'd like to see if it could be grounded more in the world. Why a hermaphrodite (there aren't that many of them)? I get the duality of lots of things in it but would love to see it in the world. That said you do know how words work which is a good thing.
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Thanks, Jack! I'd never heard the word norovirus before (that I recall), and I appreciate the information.
I'm also grateful for your feedback on the poem. It's not as "finished" as most of my poems that end up online or elsewhere in public, but I probably wouldn't send one that felt "finished" to Blind Review. I did not have Hermes, Aphrodite, or a hermaphrodite in mind when I wrote this. I didn't make those associations consciously until I was looking for a title. But after I did, they seemed to fit the "Christian" god and the good/evil humans I was portraying. It portrays "God(s)" - but a God or Gods we've created in our own human, earthly image. So I believe you're right that the piece will benefit from being a bit more "grounded in the world." Thanks again!
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I think there is a book by Mary Shelley that you might find more interesting.
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And I've never read it, believe it or not. I've seen plenty of movies based on it, though.
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