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Benno's avatar

I like the many links you make in the poem, branching into other poems, which in contrast to the stonecutter engraving names of the dead gives something to think of, thanks.

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Josh Datko's avatar

Yeah thanks for that, it’s kinda a difficult thing I think to make references to other poems, in poetry. It is definitely asking a bit more from the reader, but idk, and I’m not quite sure I pulled it off here, but when done it really can make this very strong link to the past.

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James Hart's avatar

I agree with Benno; I appreciate the layers you put into this: relating stonework, anti-war sentiment and references to Flanders and of course "Bloody Sonnets."

One thing I've been thinking about lately: Dadaism, surrealism, etc. came about as a critique against the extreme rationality and reason that many believed led us to World War I. These days, we're very much ruled by a rationalist world ideology—and look what that's done to the level of fighting. I think maybe they were on to something. (I'd also make the argument that abandoning myth and intuition for reason and philosophy is what got both the Greeks and the Romans in serious trouble in the later parts of their empire.)

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Josh Datko's avatar

Hmm, that's also another McLuhan -ism. He says are culturals get more literate they get more violent. He associates war with an almost quest for identity.

But yeah, I can agree with you whole heartedly from a personal level as I felt myself become very rational and not liking where that was going. And if we think about it, psychopaths have zero empathy yeah?

Maybe thats a good metaphor for the path of hyper rationality.

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Daniel V. Gaglio's avatar

Very nice poem. I live in an area of Queens with a lot of WWI memorials. I'm going to look at them differently the next time I pass by.

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Josh Datko's avatar

I was trying to say this last night live but I'm not quite sure it came out. But part of me thinks these memorials should be nameless. There is something about a name on monument that makes you want to be on it.

It's almost a consolidation -- well, I'm bleeding out, but at least my name will be on a monument.

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Justin Patrick Moore's avatar

This one hammers it in.

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Josh Datko's avatar

:) an impression in stone seems to last a bit longer.

I gave this shot again at Lyric live where I think the context was better.

But I did a SECOND reading last night since it was a slow night and I read your “May I take your order” poem! I have to get the audio cleaned up a bit before I post it but it was fun.

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Justin Patrick Moore's avatar

Thank you Josh, that was very kind to read my work. I will look forward to listening.

Yeah, stone speaks. The megaliths are still here all these years later...

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Rea de Miranda's avatar

This touched my heart, Josh.

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