Posted by Atticus on August 22, 2004, at 20:30:45
In reply to Re: poem ... Chocolate Milk » Atticus, posted by malthus on August 22, 2004, at 11:42:24
Thanks as always for your comments, Malthus (where did that posting name come from, by the way? I'm always curious about these things. I got asked about "Atticus" repeatedly when I adopted it, but it was actually my second choice; my first, "Yossarian" -- from Heller's "Catch-22", my favorite book -- was already taken.) In any case, your post reminds me of a documentary I once saw about the Mississippi Delta blues (which I love). An elderly African-American bluesman was being interviewed in one sequence, and he'd talk about all these Jim Crow horrors like lynchings, then give a nervous laugh. Our teacher asked us why we thought he was laughing, and one girl said, correctly, that he laughed every time it would be appropriate to cry. That's the essence of the blues, I think: to sing when you most feel like just crying, as a way to get through things. I'm glad my poems are helping a little. Believe me, I know what you're wrestling with on a very personal level. I can't sing or write music, but I guess these poems are my version of old-time blues music. Maybe yours work that way, too. All I do know is that expressing things this way, engaging in an act of creativity in the face of sometimes crushing sadness, makes me feel better than just journaling (although that works really well for a lot of people). Keep on postin' and I'll keep on reading. And I'm glad the bout between the Incredible Hulk and the Virgin Mary gave you a laugh. :) Atticus
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