I was thinking today about my love of metaphor. I love it because of it’s poetic directness….now at first blush that may seem an odd pairing and of course, it is…because that is the very nature of metaphor…odd pairings. The basic underlying principle of metaphor as I understand it is to take two seemingly unrelated ideas and bring them together, show their connectedness, breathe their shared oxygen.
Somedays when I ponder metaphor I think it may actually be the solution to all the world’s ills…if only we made time to look deeply enough to see them.
These “odd pairings” though…consider this…the poetic nature of metaphor being the comparison,
your words are chocolate to me…
our God is a strong tower…
the undercooked shrimp was a timebomb….
We have the poetic and yet we have the directness too…I’m not saying your words are LIKE chocolate…they ARE chocolate. It is just that real. No wimpy simile here, direct, commited, unabashed. Metaphor is strong.
I write all this and yet the first thing I think whenever I write metaphor is Billy Collins‘ poem, “Litany” and I will post it now here for your enjoyment. If you EVER get the chance ot hear Billy read his work live and in person, I highly recommend this.
Litany
Billy Collins
You are the bread and the knife,
The crystal goblet and the wine…
-Jacques Crickillon
You are the bread and the knife,
the crystal goblet and the wine.
You are the dew on the morning grass
and the burning wheel of the sun.
You are the white apron of the baker,
and the marsh birds suddenly in flight.
However, you are not the wind in the orchard,
the plums on the counter,
or the house of cards.
And you are certainly not the pine-scented air.
There is just no way that you are the pine-scented air.
It is possible that you are the fish under the bridge,
maybe even the pigeon on the general’s head,
but you are not even close
to being the field of cornflowers at dusk.
And a quick look in the mirror will show
that you are neither the boots in the corner
nor the boat asleep in its boathouse.
It might interest you to know,
speaking of the plentiful imagery of the world,
that I am the sound of rain on the roof.
I also happen to be the shooting star,
the evening paper blowing down an alley
and the basket of chestnuts on the kitchen table.
I am also the moon in the trees
and the blind woman’s tea cup.
But don’t worry, I’m not the bread and the knife.
You are still the bread and the knife.
You will always be the bread and the knife,
not to mention the crystal goblet and–somehow–the wine



rant…
February 4, 2010 at 11:10 am (Politics-ish, Radical Thoughts, Social Commentary)
yes I’m going to rant and no you cannot stop me.
I got into a serious discussion the other day about a joke. Quite a number of people thought the joke was funny or at the very least clever but I did not. I thought it was cruel.
I’ve posted here before about sarcasm and how it cuts…how I’m working toward curbing my own sarcastic tendencies. Listen, do NOT get me wrong, sarcasm done well is genius, honestly. I’m merely pointing out that as a practice in daily life it’s not a terribly direct way to communicate. I mean, isn’t the very definition of integrity to say what you mean and mean what you say? If that’s so then sarcasm is actually the OPPOSITE…yes?
Ok, back to the joke which many people said was funny and I thought was offensive. Of course politics were the background, what else? I will not relate the joke in totality because I don’t want my friend to be called out and frankly I just don’t think it’s funny. I don’t think it’s worth the repeat.
What I will say is that the punch line included a tongue in cheek prayer to God to hurry along President Obama to the pearly gates and I found that offensive. I read the punch line as a wish for his death. Others disagreed, said I was not getting the joke (they were right) and that it was funny.
Others said it was a way to blow off steam in troubling times or release the pressure of a heated year in politics. Honestly though…is that what we do? Do we wish for death to those we disagree with? Do we joke about the passing of life? Ok, yes…I do take things seriously, I do take WORDS seriously. I believe words to be powerful. I believe in letting my yea be my yea and my nay be my nay. This is true of me, I admit it.
I do not see myself as being without humor, at least I hope not. I doubt I’d have any friends at all if I was the stick in the mud I perhaps appear to be after the above rant. Ah well…if that’s the chance I take every time I speak my mind I’ll take it and often, thanks.
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