Apparently My Poetry Is a Pile of Bourgeois Crap

With a mag called POETRY, I spent time
Hoping to find verses sublime and sage
And for all I read, not two words that rhymed
Just chopped up prose splayed all over the page.

This left me just a little bit perplexed
So I decided to investigate
What I did find on Google left me vexed.
It seems that rhyming is so out of date!

Some academics, who think they could note
A cultural conservative leaning
By meter and rhyme: For whom I would vote
An implicit Bourgeois type of meaning!

To which I exclaimed out loud, “Shucky gee,”
‘Tis such a shameful verbal undressing.
The poems that I write are not P.C.?
Imagine the poor folks I’m oppressing!

perhaps if I wrote a bunch of random
                                                                                          words
                                  and arranged them 
                                                bizarrely
                                             on the page and didn’t
                                                                     capitalize
and ensured a total lack of rhyme or rhythm
then, then some establishment of
                                                                   Persuns
                who make their living criticizing other people’s writings
                                                               and maybe even write themselves
                           would call it poetry?
     I thought the idea here was to communicate?
                                  How naive!

Oh the stuffiness
Self-important silliness
Such puffiness
Self-conscious no-frilliness

Whoops! I hate when I do that.  Such a chump!
Breaking into rhyme like a “middlebrow.”
Kneeling at the poetic shrine of Trump.
Please, Mr. Self-important, show me how!

My thoughts on this are as follows: Bollocks!
This steaming pile of misinformation,
Your verbal equal of Jackson Pollock,
My heart’s best means of communication?

I want to have the “right” feelings and thoughts
And express them just like all you smarties.
Sans emperor’s new clothes, I have been caught
May I go to your frankfurter party?

3/11/16
Copyright © | Year Posted 2016

Poem

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La France Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 7:56 PM
Tom, great write, loved it, sometimes I write my free verses in random words, (guilty)inspired by the late great, EE Cummings, but I do love rhyme also, and whatever form you want to write in, do it, no matter what anyone, or any google says...
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:41 PM
Whoops! That reply got transposed from someone else's comment. I hope to write something worthwhile in many different forms--just don't care for the ridigity, judgmentality.
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:38 PM
or Nyuknyuknyuk...heehaw would maybe even be lowbrow. :-)
Lawless Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:45 AM
BUY YOURSELF A BOURGEOIS CAP TO SHIELD YOU FROM THIS BOURGEOIS CRAP. I though that this was gourg-e-ous then found out it was bourg-e-ous
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:43 PM
:-) Funny. Here, lemme fix it: Hamstrung Tax Collector Euphor- -ia. There. Much more mod.
Allison Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:10 AM
Great rant Tom. I love to write in rhyme but will try other forms especially for contests - I don't give a toss if someone thinks my poems are a pile of poop I write for me and am happy if other's enjoy my ramblings:-) hugs Jan xx7
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:46 PM
Thx Jan! I agree. I want to try different stuff, but am most likely to pick a form that communicates what I have to say and is most fun to write--not paying the bills with this--:-)
Turner Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:02 AM
I was taught in school many many years ago, poetry that leaves a longer impression and draws the reader in, rhymes and has meter. I tend to lean that way. Poetry is poetry and prose is prose. that's why there are two different words and definitions. Keep the beat my friend, I prefer rhyming words at the end. Peace:)
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:44 PM
Thanks! Having a rhythm helps it to flow, too.
Foster Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 7:07 AM
Keep beating your metre, Tom. Good work.
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:47 PM
:-) Thanks!
Lane Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 7:01 AM
I say nay to the Bourgeois ~ they commit the faux pas... Call me an antique, but I'm a rhyme freak. Very well done, Tom.
Quigley Avatar
March 11, 2016 at 8:47 PM
You are quite a rhymer, and it makes your stuff fun to read!
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