On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 3:15:50 PM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 2:31:44 PM UTC-4, michaelmalef...@gmail.com wrote:
> > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 1:30:05 PM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> > > Michael Pendragon wrote:
> > >
> > > > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 7:33:47 AM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> > > >> Will Dockery wrote:
> > > >>
> > > >> > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 12:36:50 AM UTC-4, michaelmalef...@gmail..com wrote:
> > > >> >> On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 12:29:59 AM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> > > >> >> > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 12:25:47 AM UTC-4, michaelmalef....@gmail.com wrote:
> > > >> >> > > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 12:20:51 AM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 12:15:22 AM UTC-4, michaelmalef....@gmail.com wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > On Thursday, September 22, 2022 at 12:02:42 AM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > > Michael Pendragon wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > > > On Wednesday, September 21, 2022 at 9:43:44 PM UTC-4, Zod wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> Michael Pendragon wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > On Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 11:03:33 PM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > On Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 9:10:20 PM UTC-4, Zod wrote:
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Insane Peace
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > I will lose the insanity
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > In the oaks
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > For a white shuttle
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > She might smile.
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > While peace makers scowl
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Over morning news
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Might fly by night
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Over the bird lands.
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Swords and shields
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Ride interruptions
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Volcano lust
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > Like a slow orgasm.
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > --Zod
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > > ***********
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > > Keep up the great work, Zod.
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > > I thank you....
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > My honest opinion.
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> > 🙂
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> >> Cool...
> > > >> >> > > > > > >>
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> > So, General... are you going to keep your promise and tell me what your poem is about?
> > > >> >> > > > > > >>
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> > Enquiring minds, and all that.
> > > >> >> > > > > > >> Yes, what questions do you have about the poem..?
> > > >> >> > > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > > > Who is the "she" who might smile?
> > > >> >> > > > > > My guess is that's probably Loretta.
> > > >> >> > > > > That's all you've got?
> > > >> >> > > > For starters.
> > > >> >> > > >
> > > >> >> > > > I know Loretta was often the subject of Zod's art and poetry during that time.
> > > >> >> > > > > That doesn't tell me much about the poem, does it?
> > > >> >> > > > >
> > > >> >> > > > > Why might Loretta be smiling? What significance has her possible smile got in relation to the rest of the poem?
> > > >> >> > >
> > > >> >> > > That doesn't tell me much about the poem, does it?
> > > >> >> > > Why might Loretta be smiling at a white shuttle?
> > > >> >> > To be honest, I think it's either a sexual or drug reference, maybe both.
> > > >> >> How so?
> > > >> >>
> > > >> >> It doesn't remind me of either.
> > > >>
> > > >> > Okay, then like I said, figure the poem out for yourself, as I have.
> > > >>
> > > >> > HTH and HAND.
> > > >> >> If anything, I'm reminded of the ill-fated space shuttle disaster of 1986....
> > > >>
> > > >> I don't see that, my interpretation seems more likely to me.
> > > >>
> > > >> HTH and HAND.
> > >
> > > >
> > > > All you've done was to guess at the identity of the woman alluded to in it
> > > I've also pointed out what appear to be drug and sexual refences in the poem, which is more than you've managed to do, Pendragon, you whining little monkey.
> > >
> > The poem is titled "Insane Peace." A poem's title should point out, reinforce, or comment on, the poem's main theme. There are three probable interpretations of the title: 1) that the concept of "peace" is against human nature/impossible to achieve, and therefore "insane," 2) that there are both rational and irrational terms for achieving peace through a treaty -- fair terms vs unconditional surrender, and such, and 3) that the speaker has achieved a form of internal (emotional/psychological) peace through insanity (similar to De Broca's "Le Roi de cœur"). I'm going with a mix of Doors Number One and Three for reasons that shall be made clear below:
> > "I will lose the insanity
> > In the oaks"
> > The speaker seeks peace from his inner demons by dropping out of society and living in the wilderness... or, in the General's case, choosing to become a homeless derelict in a hobo camp along the Chattahoochee.
> > "For a white shuttle
> > She might smile."
> > This passage makes no sense, in or out of context with the rest of the poem. Perhaps the speaker is just spouting nonsense as a means of demonstrating his insanity to the reader?
> > "While peace makers scowl
> > Over morning news"
> > This passage also makes no sense. The peacemakers could refer to friends, family members, and doctors who have tried to cure the speaker of his insanity; or it could be referring to peacemakers in a war, a labor dispute, etc. Either way, their collective scowl over the morning news implies that their efforts to achieve peace are destined to failure.
> > "Might fly by night
> > Over the bird lands."
> > One possible reading is that military might (bombers) go on night missions to bomb jungles or other natural habitats. Perhaps the plane (might) is being symbolized by a large bird of prey and the human targets of its bombs by harmless songbirds?
> > "Swords and shields
> > Ride interruptions"
> > A reference to ancient warfare? "Ride interruptions" could possibly refer to the death of cavalry soldiers?
> > "Volcano lust
> > Like a slow orgasm."
> > This passage, seems out of place in a poem about war (which is one of the reasons why I don't think it is about war). The meaning of these lines is clear: lust builds up, and eventually erupts (via an orgasm) much like the eruption of a volcano.
> >
> > General Observation: Each of Zod's stanzas appears to contain two separate thoughts that appear to have been randomly forced together as a sentence. This may be an intentional use of fragmentation to disorient the reader (evoking the speaker's insanity)... or the General may be incapable of sustaining an intelligible thought for the duration of a sentence. I shall ignore my suspicions and give the General the benefit of the doubt.
> >
> > In terms of the Door Number Three reading, we have the following:
> >
> > The speaker, fed up with the insanity of modern life, decides to live in the wilderness as a Dharma Bum. Those who have tried to make their peace with the modern world, are left to scowl helplessly over the headlines in the morning news regarding warfare. Deep inside their psyches, their lust for warfare is slowly building up to erupt like a volcano in an unstoppable outburst of violence.
> >
> > No doubt, I'm attributing a plan (of sorts) to a poem that merely reflects the drunken ramblings of an emotionally disturbed mendicant... but reviewers run the risk of creating meaning where none originally existed.
> >
> > There are still several inexplicable passages in the poem: the identity/significance of the unnamed woman, the shuttle, the night birds, the ancient armies, the phrase "Ride interruptions" and, of course, how they all tie in with one another; but I have managed to apply some semblance of sense to it.
> >
> > Yay for me.
> Interesting interpretation.
>
> Not exactly the way I see it, but interesting

My interpretation is based upon the hypothetical supposition that its author is an educated poet.

Based on my knowledge about the author, I also see it a bit differently: Zod takes up residence in a local bum camp, suffers hallucinations about shuttles (penis imagery), murderous night birds (has violent wet dreams), and Roman gladiators (homoerotic imagery); which he makes peace with by masturbating 24/7.