Lesson 11

I was glad to find the meaning behind the Perelman poems, I think in an earlier class I was already told about Chronic Meaning, and find China even more wonderful now that I know the true meaning behind each of the phrases. I like the idea of writing through, because it makes a found poem that much more interesting when something is done to it. In one class we had to make chapbooks and a classmate, Kandi Rock-wal-ski (phonetics only) spliced together two random works of literature and made wonderful poems in the Mesostic form much like that explained by Kasey about John Cage. Sorry about the sidebar. As I further read I can feel myself grasping and losing concepts at the same time. The purpose of language poetry is to make the stone "stony" again without describing how stony it is but rather using some crazy cross reference and circular explanation? Professor Mohmmad is a very smart man? I am utterly confused.

The explanation through modern terms, finally!, however was what sort of brings this concept home. LOL for example is used all the time even when I or others aren't laughing out loud. Someone can say, "I'll be a few minutes late, mom is acting like a bitch" in a text message to me and my autopilot response is "lol its all good" when A-I am not laughing out loud, B-mom being a bitch isn't all good, and C-all good is a much better alternative to "its ok if you are late" considering I would rather have a meal that is "all good" versus one that is satisfactory. I could spiral like this forever since language is filled with accepted metaphors and similes and the common understanding of certain colloquialisms and I guess that is what this whole section is about.

I guess this poem is about the word poem and how it sounds. I'm sure there is a procedure to it but I don't know how to really explain it.

Poem

Po
Po Po
Police
Police Officers
Men and women who enforce the societal laws.

Po
Pour
to transfer liquid from one container to another

Po
Poor
without money

em
um
a place holder in speech, a definitionless word

em
them
those that are not us or like us

Poem
Po-em
Poor them
those people who are not like us because they are poor

Poem
Po-em
poor them
those people who are not like us and that is unfortunate

Poem
Po-em
Pour them
A number of liquids in one container that are being urged to be moved into others.