Post Edited (02-08-05 20:58)

Beautifully done Bruce. The key is here:

sustain my family and make them strong...


Les

Beautifully told and great ending. How you diffused the ghastly sight with the lines below:

bodies like rose petals arrayed around me,
peaceful faces looking skyward as they moved
in slow, stately spirals.

Mon petit chou,

This is long, and it held my attention captive the whole way through. Congratulations! You know how much that says about it I like how it's not overly filled with dramatic imagery (as your work often is), but there are still some bits and pieces here and there -- just enough to begin painting a picture that the rest of us can fill in by ourselves.

I hate to sound stu-- I mean, ignorant, but I didn't come to the same conclusion the man did. I didn't see that together, humanity is strong. What a horrid way to be strong! Was it that regardless of whether or not he was soup or stew, that the others would be boiled, too? If so, then I understand. If not, then I can't imagine why he would ask the rest to be boiled with him. Also, was he thinking/realizing that the prisoners and the natives were all being strong, because he was feeding them? Was he trying to help them out, those who captivated him?

Is this all supposed to be symbolic, like most of his work?!

Then again, Poe was a very disturbed, very odd man. Poor thing.

This fascinates me, and I look forward to your response. I really enjoyed this.

Lady of the Nutmeg



Post Edited (11-17-03 10:37)

I never conquered, rarely came, sixteen just held such better days.

Post Edited (02-08-05 20:59)

I know he chose Stew. I just don't know why.

Lady of the Night

i too knew he chose stew.

wow brucefur! as well as being an amazing erotica writer you are also an unbelivable story teller. a great tribute to Poe.

great line: like a sleep filled embrace...

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. (Aristotle)

Lol.. not sure you conveyed the stew very well?? How many lines did you write describing the other people tossed in with him? smiles and musses your hair Bruce, you're too cute sometimes.

(Feels kinda weird saying that to someone 17 years my senior... )

Nutmeg

Post Edited (02-08-05 21:00)

Given that I now understand that they all would've been eaten eventually, I see the moral. However... he didn't! He chose stew out of panic, he didn't really know the difference when he chose. Afterwards, yes. And I think that it's good that you had them drown first -- it made things more peaceful, with less suffering. At least they didn't boil to death.

This is a perfect subject for a beautiful debate, but I promise I won't start one here. I'll save it for when I see you online. Speaking of which...... you're on eMule, but not MSN. Not fair!

Femme de la noix du muscade

("du," because you're trying to say "of the," and you can't say "de le." It's not allowed in French, so they say "du" instead. If "muscade" is feminine, it'd be "de la" with no argument)

Du

slaps head

Femme de la noix du muscade,
I am using a iMac (cry for me!) so no MSN or other chats either. Can't even work properly on my own site.

Gwydion,

Thank you for getting the stew. You are a sweetie for doing so!

I don't know...I'm more of a Dylan Thomas, "rage, rage against the dying of the light," kind of guy.

I just don't believe I'd feel any better knowing that, with my dying breath, I was "sustaining" the lives of many...but, hey, that's just me.

All of that notwithstanding, the tale was fascinating and well spun. Nice job, Bruce.

joet

An enjoyable read, Brucefur. I honestly find it lauding euthanasia. If he calmed everyone down and they died from boiling to death that it would be about the acceptance of death. Instead it talks of not fighting for your life but in fact killing others and yourself less painfully. I therefore have mixed views on the message of your piece, but it doesn't change how great it is. Very nicely done!

Brandon

as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he

I've been stewing this over Bruce, and have come to the conclusion that I'm of the same opinion as Joe T - 'do not go gentle into that good night.'
Nonetheless it's a good poem, and I suppose if death is inevitable there's something to be said about accepting it with dignity.

JP

Post Edited (02-08-05 21:02)

Very nicely told. I had begun reading and was finished before I even knew it- That makes a good story. Congratulations!@!@!

cad

hehehe I'm glad you don't endorse cannibalism.

as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he

Brucefur - I hate that I didn't get to hear you finish reading this aloud the other day.

Though I was interrupted by a phone call, I could still hear bits and pieces of it, and thought I was mis-hearing things, but to my surprise, I wasn't!

You've done a good job with this subject - covered lots of territory with it. Just about the time I make up my mind about one layer of it, I realize the next layer deals with a different subject. Very interesting.

It's scary to think about something like this - but I like a poem that makes me think, "What would I do?"



Post Edited (11-18-03 21:02)

Wait, wait, wait. Where can I hear Bruce reading his poetry? What is this craziness?

Sir Brucefur,
are you reading at the cafe de'solei? or ?
how come we don't know of these readings, do you post a notice somewhere that I do not know off?

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. (Aristotle)

Bruce-

I have been waiting and waiting for you to explain the title to these nice people.
When I read this (and enjoyed it) I remembered the Potlach ceremonies of the Native-American-First nation-Aboriginal-Indians (did I cover all of my politically-correct bases?) as a gift-giving extravaganza that had nothing to do with cannibalism.
I went back to my old Pre-Columbian (I KNEW I missed one!) Civilizations text book.
Nope. Not a single mention of cannibalism. These Northwest Indians (your neck of the woods) were usually up to their totem poles in grub. They found it difficult to understand when Lewis & Clark & company came stumbling down the Columbia River starving to death.

I guess if you put live people in a pot, it BETTER have a latch!

Jack

Post Edited (02-08-05 21:03)

Hey Jack,

I was wondering if anyone would clue into that!

Yes, a potlatch is strictly First Nations in it's origin, but I just couldn't resist using it as a title; in a potlatch, everyone brings something (food-wise).

Sorry; can't stop laughing. Tres amused!

Tallyho...

thank you for the information kind Sir.

It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it. (Aristotle)

Hey Bruce, I followed the instructions, and I don't see Cosmic Poetry in Sports and Hobbies. Help!

*Pulls Brucefur by the ear, pulls him over to the side, and says, "You told them WHAT?! You know perfectly well that I told you I've written songs, but I'm a writer, not a singer. You had to beg me to give you the tune, and I finally caved just so you would hush! Kitty is the singer/songwriter in my house. No more rumors!"

Bob,

Sorry, I forgot to mention that it isn't currently up all of the time. I have it up now though.

I am on borrowed computers here, but once I am back in Prince George (within a couple of days, Dog gnilliw), it will be on almost 24 hours a day.

Christy,

The apple doughnut fall far from da tree!
tries to look innocent

Bruce, this is truly exquisite. I was rivited to the end. Such a blend of emotions, imagery and feeling. It is better to die with others then to die alone.........what a vivid message, I really like this. kam

Whew! I go away for a night and a day, come back, and look at all of the chit-chat. Too bad it's not that busy when I'm actually here.

Aboriginal... they're in Australia, darling, and so wouldn't be Native American.

Bruce, you puzzle me, mon petit chou. If a potlatch has nothing to do with cannibalism, and Native Americans weren't having problems with food, then why is your poem about cannibalistic Native Americans entitled potlatch...?

I think I'm missing something. Searches for a few neurons...

Lady of the Night

Post Edited (02-08-05 21:04)

I really don't get it, lol. If a potlatch is a really old version of a "potluck" (american term), or a "bring and share," (south african term), then it's meant to be a gathering where people each bring food (not people!), and everyone sits, eats, drinks, and gets married. SO... I still don't get it. Potlatch is a First Nations term (I don't know what First Nations is; I assume it's Native American in the northwest? I thought that's what someone said), this takes place in Micronesia....... oi. Maybe you should change the title?!?

Someone was trying to cover all their bases with the politically correct terms for Native American people, and one of the things he said was Aboriginal. That's where Australia comes in; I was correcting him.

Lady of the Night

Lady, one of the beauties of youth is their ability to charge in head first, even when they're mistaken.



Take a look at the encyclopedia article on this page below the definition, concerning the term "aboriginal".

[www.onelook.com] />

Les

p.s. Bruce knows what he's talking about, trust him.

Mistaken? Me? Of what speaketh thou?? Okay, I see what you mean. I stand corrected! I was half right, though! Thank you, Les, for finding that page for me. I've been meaning to mention for a few months now that you are incredibly resourceful, and you do a fantastic job of remembering "ancient" poems of eMule.

I don't doubt that Bruce knows what he's talking about -- I just want to know what he's talking about!! Lol.

Lady of the Night