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| | (1 recommendation so far) | Message 1 of 13 in Discussion |
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To be small is no excuse
with these lives we're pushed
to make ourselves tall
tall if we're tall, and if we're small.
The large nation to our west
holds its flag up high;
they know their song and sing it.
Where is that here?
The flag's commanded by our rulers
tall or high as they choose -
so what if you don't agree with them?
Should I sacrifice it, for them?
their stealth of our innocence,
who may not believe why people fight -
the fight born from greed,
and I was born here, born
to make myself tall.
I can sculpt that height, I believe
without needing to salute
to a flag which isn't really mine. |
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| | From:  Zydha | Sent: 4/15/2005 4:27 AM |
What an interesting poem, Katy. I really enjoyed pondering here for a while. Free verse is the only way this would have carried your message with such smooth meaning, well done. just one hiccup...'The flag's' If you meant 'The Flag is commanded' then I think it would be better if it was said in full, and if you meant 'The flags' plural, it doesn't need the apostrophy. During the war, we had 'Conscientous Objecters' who did not wish to fight (as was their right) and they ran the gauntlet for their beliefs, but someone had to stop Hitler...or we would not have lived free as we did after the war. An interesting thought provoking piece, Katy...as I find much of your writing, 'night, Zydha |
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Good political piece Katy, asking some fundamental questions...I like the opening stanza tho' at first glance it appears you use the word 'tall' too much, but read aloud it works well, giving emphasis to the point you are making. Good poem!
: )lb |
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So did all of my R.S class recently - we were studying the 'I have a dream...' speech and then the discussion turned to this. Ah, yes, I meant 'The Flag is commanded' . Does seem much better like that, I'll change it. We were also looking at the differences between the way Martin Luther King and Hilter performed their speeches i.e Hitler was usually above the people, Martin Luther King was amongst them. It's not that I won't fight for something - if I believe in it I'll never give up, it's just that if I don't, then I'll refuse. Thank you for your reply, Katy |
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Hi lb I changed my options at school yesterday - realised I'd made a huge mistake not opting for a history, but thankfully all's changed now. You've just reminded me, I must remember to have a look at this place which does performance poetry. I did think about that, but yes, I read it 'aloud' in my head, and it seemed okay. Thanks, Katy |
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| | | From: Zydha | Sent: 4/15/2005 2:32 PM |
Other great differences between Dr. Martin Luther King and Hitler, Katy, was their opposing views on brutality, and equality, amongst people of any race. I suppose that was reflected as you say, in their relative positioning when delivering their speeches. Dr Martin Luther King was/is one of my greatest heros of the 60s. I wish we'd covered such interesting topics at school (but it was hardly history, before I left) instead of The Stuart and The Tudor Periods 'in particular'. Ugh....so much of it. Zy |
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Hi Zy, The thing I find most peculiar about Hitler (not as if you can ever sympathise with his motives) is how he didn't have the typical features which he wanted for 'his race'. I think the way that Martin Luther King didn't use hand actions generally, and Hitler did, also shows their different opinions towards violence. I can see why! Oh - we just have a fabulous R.S teacher - the rest of the classes never get to discuss things or do interesting work. Ah, yes, we did those in the earlier years of school - not that anyone really found it interesting - the best part was getting to design Tudor homes, more arty than anything! Katy |
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| | | From: Zydha | Sent: 4/15/2005 3:12 PM |
wow! Katy, so times haven't changed all that much in school??? lol I loved the study of architecture also, lol, in fact that may have been one of the deciding factors for studying art way back then, my favourite part of history. In Edinburgh we went deeply into Scottish history and I really didn't enjoy that much more, lol. You are so right, Katy, and that Hitler was not the epitemy of Arian features (blonde hair and blue eyes) but I think his obsession was to move in the opposite direction from the appearance of his (believed) enemies. But you are the first to ever bring that point to notice and yet I have often wondered why he didn't experiment on himself for 'purification' in image. Then again, bullies are usually the greatest cowards. Zy |
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Hmmmm....interesting discussion going on here...you say that King's lack of hand movements was due to his opinions of passivity ....and thereby Hitler's movements betrayed his aggresivity ?.....could be.....but could it also be that King had a physical presence, he was an imposing figure, whereas Little Hitler was a midget with no discerning physical characteristics ? Added to that the fact that Hitler was a tyrant with a regime and King had a 'following' consisting of 'equals'...and as Hitler's regime was of course a military one, then to salute was quite acceptable...rumour has it that Hitler ordered the straight long arm salute to make himself appear taller...lol....as for Hitler's lacking Arian appearance...well he was Austrian, and there are lot of theorists out there trying to prove that he was actually of jewish 'abstammung'. Either way, both ´King and Hitler possesed a wonderful talent for polemic, with one major difference....Hitler was speaking to people that had been downtrodden and mistreated for years and he excited them enough to ATTACK their oppressors...King on the other hand, was talking to people that had been downtrodden and mistreated for years and he excited them enough to DEFEND themselves against their oppresors....I wonder if the two were interchangable ?
: )lb |
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Lol, not to say the curriculum doesn't need reinventing though!! Ohh gosh! - I can't not ask questions about what you studied now (I've heard you mention your interest in art, but not so much in reply to me). So, what did you end up studying - did you study it at college or uni, or both? Does that mean you had a job in the art sector? Aaah - patriotism, lol - it all links back. I see where you're coming from though; I much prefer looking at people's motives, and finding different evidence and things, then deciding immoral/moral factors. Perhaps he was secretly afraid of his own self and so tried to de-tract the attention away from his features? That is an interesting point, like you say, perhaps the risk of it not working was one of the reasons why he didn't. Katy |
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Hi lb, Those were my thoughts. Humm..now I don't know what to say because I am not tall, yet there's nothing I can do about it, though I shouldn't be thinking about that. Lol, I can see why. But wouldn't that draw attention to the fact he was small? And since when did a leader of any regime want to be considered small - either physically, or with impact? I wonder how much is known about his family line. It wouldn't prove anything more than he was more of an awful figure than people presently perceive him to be. But they made different choices. Martin Luther King didn't decide to see white people as people who black people should fight against, but for both to unite as one nation, not a nation divided. Hitler just confuses me - how someone can have acted in such a way?! Yet I can see one thing. Surely, if you've already began the war against one thing, it's going to be even more difficult to then change it - without severly denting your pride, to take the other path. Like the words from Macbeth: 'I am in blood Stepp'd in so far that should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o'er' Katy |
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Hi Katy, I don't think there is much more I can add to this - its been very interesting reading the thread to all of this. I studied the cause and effects of the 2nd World War in history, and found it a fascinating time. Good poem Emma |
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Hello Emma, Thank you. I've enjoyed it too. The sort of history I like. Katy |
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