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Open Poetry #9
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In Defense of Toerag (Repost)
| Open Poetry #9 |
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In Defense of Toerag (Repost) |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania 
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Not that I feel there is any defense needed here. Our poems are in jest. I wish he could get to a computer and offer some sweet words in response. But for those who don't know Toerag (and I never met him, myself), this little poem kind of tells you who he is. A Man Called Toerag He reveals himself in gesture Though his hands I cannot see He reveals facial expression Though his face unknown to me I can see into his spirit What he cannot see himself Though his treasure chest be empty It is full of human wealth I can feel the rhythm beating Of inquiet solitude Of a mind that knows no peace Until injustice is unglued I can feel the strong compassion I can see the teardrops fall I can feel the spirit moan When he sees writing on the wall He's a tough and weathered warrior He's accustomed to the streets He's been in and out and up and down With characters he meets He can speak the common language He can plod the common ground While inside there is an emptiness A dream he hasn't found There is laughter in the hallways There is love within the heart There's desire on his fingertips And every living part He rejoices in his playfullness In making others laugh He feels pride in standing up In another one's behalf There's a pain within his spirit There's a wit upon his tongue There's a restlessness about the past And songs he hasn't sung He is better than the best of them And wiser than the most And he fails to even recognize What other men would boast He hears rap within the strains of Bach T. Leary was his muse And he views Picasso canvases In pornographic hues He loves a short and swaying skirt A button popping blouse An inch above a tender knee And beer around the house He's self confronting, Self instructive Self defacing, Self destructive Self abusing, Self defaming Introspective, and self blaming But what I see and what I feel Are love and beauty in his soul A sensitive and tender heart Beyond the simple common goal A deep abiding sheer regard For every soul upon the earth A true and pure respect for All the qualities of greatest worth The hell-bent "bad boy" I have found Will in the end be heaven bound And I would hope some day to see This face that has enraptured me Love ya, Toe Liz |
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| © Copyright 2000 Elizabeth Santos - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Nan
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-20
Posts 21191Cape Cod Massachusetts USA |
Ditto....!! (did I say that?) |
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Kethry Member Rara Avis
since 2000-07-29
Posts 9082Victoria Australia |
Liz, I don't know Toerag, but I certainly got a sense of him through this poetry and it's nothing like LJA painted him. Someone's gonna be in trouble. Kethry "It is the image in the mind that links us to lost treasures; but it is the loss that shapes the image, gathers the flowers weaves the garland."- |
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Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774Ontario, Canada |
What a wonderful tribute Liz ... it's so important to see all sides to everyone. Sheer beauty and insight into someone's heart, as only you could do. Very nicely penned Liz!  Best wishes, /Kit |
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Corinne Member Ascendant
since 1999-10-28
Posts 5167state of confusion |
Written with such insight, and from what I've read from Tow, bang on! Corinne |
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LngJhnAg Member Elite
since 1999-07-23
Posts 3508Boot+Kitty=Poetry in motion |
psst, Liz - great poetry... I have just one minor improvement that would really make this poem stand out ... have you noticed that the words "Toerag" and "LongJohn" have the same number of syllables??? *eyebrows wigglin'* |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Nan, I believe "ditto"'s in the dictionary. It's a perfectly alright word, but I take it as a compliment Kethry, I don't know him either, just from his remarks, which are very telling. Now Balladeer and LongJohn will tell you different, but you can't believe everything you read. The four Muskateers can slice and splice words a bit, so you just have to try to pick out the little bits of truth Liz Thanks, Kit, I'm glad you enjoyed this, by far the easiest poem I've ever written Corrine, Another one who reads between the lines, good for you! LngJhn, Here he comes rattling those jealous bones again. Do I understand correctly that you want me to write a poem about your eyebrows? hehe. Sure, I can do that, but it won't be all that exciting You do make me laugh Liz |
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Mark Bohannan Member Rara Avis
since 2000-06-21
Posts 7269In the winds of Cherokee song |
Thank you so much for this. I now feel as if I have gotten a feeling for who toerag is now....I have to admit that I was sort of lost when no-one showed up that I could see as toerag. Your words leave no questions....well at least not ones that can be answered. |
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nando Member
since 2000-06-09
Posts 87Vaxjo, Smaland, Sweden |
Liz: The way you write this poem makes me just trapped within the words and the lines... I remember when I had my English exam some years ago, we got a poem by W.B.Yeats to analyze : Innisfree....That poem captured me in the same way as your poem did...So, summed up: I loved the poem  Ask me how to live your life, and this to you I´ll say: make your choises true and wise, so that when tomorrow will arise, you´ll smile at yesterday... |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
Once again, this poem has brought tears to my eyes. As many times as I've attempted to describe Toe or pay tribute to him, about the best I can manage is to say he's the finest man in existence. *S* But your poem does him justice... painted by a master who uses perception as her palette. To say it's a favorite is a major understatement. *S* |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Ah, yes, I remember when this poem originally appeared and the scandal that was caused when it came to light that Toerag had actually paid Elizabeth quite a sum of money to produce it! I thought that the court had ordered that all copies be destroyed and here it shows up again! Montezuma had nothing on Toerag!!! |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
LOL and ROTFLMAO.... First,...Elizabeth...what a wonderful tribute!!! To those of you who don't know Toe...and I don't aspire to insinuate that as I do, 'zactly, I just read.... Liz caught him perfectly.... and 'Deer is just jealous! Toe, if and when, come back soon! We Miss You So! |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
Liz, you really have done justice here. This is so well described, of such a wonderful person, with a big gentle heart! He is the greatest, and I wish he'd come around and read this as well. I sure do miss him terribly! |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Thank you all for your comments.I knew Suthern wouldn't mind a repost and I thank you for your kind words. AS for that court case, it was settled out of court with a kiss and I maintain the copyrights. As for Toerag, he has a tendacy to disappear and then pop up in the middle of a serious discussion with lots of down to earth views on it Thank you all so very much for your kind remarks Liz |
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suthern
since 1999-07-29
Posts 20723Louisiana |
ROFL @ bribe... and I sure wish one of those unexpected visits would occur SOON! *G* (Then we'll work on trying to KEEP him here! *G*) |
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Alison
since 2008-01-27
Posts 9318Lumpy oatmeal makes me crazy! |
I have some money, Liz. Would you write a poem about ME? Seriously, I love this and it brought a bit of a sigh and a tear. It's perfection. Alison |
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