Preference is Not Law
terms of engagement
I am not a philosopher
but a social commentator.
I don’t deal in theories
and pie-high sky,
tie-dye, die-cast ideas.
I’m a shameless
English-language brutalist
with an eye for metaphor
and an ear for internal rhymes.
-
The bear may tear out my hair,
but if you dare step to me poetically,
then I shall stare thee down
and scare your soul —
ashamed it will be to show its face
in this or any place,
or liminal space.
-
There seems a misunderstanding
in form over formless expressions,
a question of laziness and ease
in weaving words free from the confines
of structure and tradition.
Any idiot with a pen can draft
a hogwash dishwash of stacked allusions
and petty allegories,
but then any dipshit can rhyme bear
with tear — hair, dare, stare, and scare.
-
Tell me my poetic arc
is weak abstraction,
that my cadence
is as off-meter as a drunkard
dancing with his bollocks
blowing in the wind —
but don’t dictate
the rules on preference.
*
Thanks for reading.
Author’s Notes: Mostly water I am, but not a philosopher. I welcome dissent and confrontation.
About the Creator
Paul Stewart
Award-Winning Writer, Poet, Scottish-Italian, Subversive.
The Accidental Poet - Poetry Collection out now!
Streams and Scratches in My Mind coming soon!
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Comments (10)
Well put, Paul. Loving the rhythm of this. <3
Well said, keep doing you king 👏😉
I see you are still getting plenty of inspiration from that comment. I truly appreciated the cadence of this piece, right up until it became a drunkard dancing with his bullocks blowing in the wind. It actually had a very rhythmic pace, felt a bit like a one sided rap battle. I also loved how you employed a variety of literary skills throughout this "lazy" free verse poem. It was kind of a mic-drop style boss move.
I'm sensing some tension here. LOL Boldly stated, sir. I appreciate free verse and have nothing detrimental to say about yours.
Preference surely isn't law. I agree. I think we should all write what we want and quit judging. I just left a similar comment on another piece. I have seen a ton of people bashing people for rhyming and it is annoying... Seems to be ok to talk about a hatred of rhyming but not ok to say anything in return. I love all forms of poetry. I was taught poems rhyme... So in my head, that's still true. It doesn't make it a fact. I have enjoyed almost everything I've read on vocal.. the exception being from an AI generated account that posted about 30 "stories" in a row containing about 5 words per post. I think everyone's stories are worthy of reading, poems included. No rhyming necessary. I obviously rhyme. Too much lol. 😅 I don't expect anyone else to do that ever. It's just my preference- which ISN'T LAW.
Am I being called out for being a snob? 🥂💖
This seems to be a reply to something/someone 👀👀
I come bearing neither dissent nor confrontation yet stand here mouth agape in awe and a small amount of wonder! mike Paton is trying to tell me of a real thing in the background..."pah - waves hand dismissively" its this here its this now and will live on!
nice one Sir Paul.
You do get yourself noticed and some striking lines here