I've got my war and my TV - pipTalk Forums

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bsquirrel

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-01-03

Posts 7855

0 posted 2003-03-19 01:16 PM

I've got my war!
Wrapped in shiny hopes
and just enough suffering
to make compelling television.

There's bad guys
and good guys
and flag decals on soldiers' shoulders
trimmed in gold thread.

The buildup,
the slow grind of armored vehicles,
the way tank treads
displace the dust.

I can't wait for things to break!
Will it be neon-wet tracers,
snaking bright shapes
that obliterate buildings?

Perhaps the opposition,
under an Arabian moon,
will lob a few rockets
to enhance the spectacle?

It's been a slow news cycle.

When the infrastructure is smashed,
when the government falls
and the street fighting is over
and the dead are miscounted
and the buildings are shattered fists
throwing swords of light and smoke,

I can turn it off
and on,
at my leisure,
and hear of the cleanup efforts
and the rebuilding,
and how wonderful it was for the military
to take out the main road --
that really helped lessen the casualties.

Fetishized by headlines,
objectified, unstoppable!
I've got my war. Who can't agree
that it makes compelling television?

Stella was a diver and she was always down.
Interpol

Earth Angel
Member Empyrean

since 2002-08-27

Posts 40215
Realms of Light

1 posted 2003-03-19 01:25 PM

Yes, war does make compelling television--and your poetry makes compelling reading!

Peace & Light,
Linda

Aenimal
Member Rara Avis

since 2002-11-18

Posts 7350
the ass-end of space

2 posted 2003-03-19 01:46 PM

Squirrel love your rapier wit and sarcasm.

And of course how could this not be compelling? Especially how they sell it! Just the right music for each lead in, those perfect action shots and the dreamy nightime vision glow of tracer bullets..it's magical. Grab your popcorn kiddies this is must see tv.

wandering glider
Senior Member

since 2001-04-04

Posts 501
aloft

3 posted 2003-03-19 01:50 PM

The ultimate "reality tv".
"Blow 'em off" with DU and MOAB's

w.g.

Anvrill
Senior Member

since 2002-06-21

Posts 710
in the interzone now

4 posted 2003-03-19 02:04 PM

I still say this reads very Manson. And I'm now going to go curl up on the couch and watch as many non-war movies as I can in one sitting, to get my mind off it all. I just don't handle things like this.

remember the sound
that could wake the dead
but nobody woke up at all

rs

Ceinwyn
Member Elite

since 2000-07-09

Posts 2175
VA

5 posted 2003-03-19 02:14 PM

blah...that's why I sleep all the time

If at first you don't succeed destroy all the evidence that you tried.

Cpat Hair

Member Patricius

since 2001-06-05

Posts 11793

6 posted 2003-03-19 02:28 PM

yeah squirrel dude... you nailed this one bud..

tight and concise sarcastic delivery with muted tones.....

enjoyed.

bsquirrel

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-01-03

Posts 7855

7 posted 2003-03-19 02:40 PM

Thanks, everyone. This was inspired by overhearing an office conversation yesterday. It went something like this:

Editor 1: I just started thawing some beef a day ago. I'm hoping it will be completely thawed by Wednesday night.

Editor 2: Oh?

Editor 1: I just want to grill some beef, grab a beer and turn on CNN.

Editor 2: I hope this war is more spectacular than the last one.

etc.

littlewing
Member Rara Avis

since 2003-03-02

Posts 9655
New York

8 posted 2003-03-19 02:53 PM

Hey - you are sending these - arent you? To the papers I mean - brilliant - and that conversation you posted there - God that sickens me . . . always thinking xxoo

bsquirrel

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-01-03

Posts 7855

9 posted 2003-03-19 03:01 PM

littlewing,

I don't dare send this one off to the papers. Joe Strummer (R.I.P.) once sang "You have the right to free speech, as long as you're not dumb enough to actually try it," and, especially during wartime, that holds true.

And I wasn't sickened by my co-workers comments. I mean yes, it made me think "What is wrong with this country?" in a sort of bemused way. But the harmless zeal with which they were talking about this was sort of humorous.

Finally, I remember during the first Gulf War, Time magazine had run off a pretty map with entry points and detailed lists of what weapons we had compared to theirs, and my dad was actually smacking the list and laughing out loud at our superiority to the enemy. It was then that I realized being human is only a skin deep enterprise. I can't fault people for being animals at the core, as we all are.

In a way, this poem is a damning of that mentality, but also an admission to it. Ratings are going to spike. And I'm going to watch as little of this war as possible, but even the little glimpses will be an orgy of emotion.

Mike

Stella was a diver and she was always down.
Interpol

Ratleader

Member Rara Avis

since 2003-01-23

Posts 7026
Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass

10 posted 2003-03-19 04:41 PM

Strummer is wrong. You have freedom of speech, as long as you're willing to accept responsibility for the consequences of your speech.

I once gave up a college scholarship rather than back down on my support of a colleague who spoke out on an issue (a war) over which we strongly disagreed. If you take a stand -- on anything -- there will be a result, and you have to be prepared to take it. If we do away with personal responsibility, what's being called freedom is really license, and that's something we don't have.

Nice work here, BTW -- the delivery is perfect for this content.

~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº>
______________Ratleader______________

bsquirrel

Member Rara Avis

since 2000-01-03

Posts 7855

11 posted 2003-03-19 05:11 PM

I admire your ideology. And glad you enjoyed.

[This message has been edited by bsquirrel (03-19-2003 05:11 PM).]

Aenimal
Member Rara Avis

since 2002-11-18

Posts 7350
the ass-end of space

12 posted 2003-03-19 08:13 PM

I don't think Strummer was wrong, Strummer knew too well the power of words and excercised his right to free speech openly. He was also a person with biting sarcasm and cynicism. So don't take the quote literally rat it's more a flippant remark. That said it is also a truth to some degree, though a gross generalization.
In times of war and after 9/11 we saw too many people who simply questioned their government and it's past, met with incredible hostility and have their patriotism and values questioned.

[This message has been edited by Aenimal (03-19-2003 08:14 PM).]

Mistletoe Angel

Member Empyrean

since 2000-12-17

Posts 32816
Portland, Oregon

13 posted 2003-03-19 08:18 PM

(big hugggssssssss) As much as I can agree people will watch it, I am not going to watch it and to me, it all feels just like another reality TV series! (sad sigh) Almost like Joe Millionaire Meets Survivor! (sad sigh) The ratings will be healthy and that is what disturbs me, how our nation mourns after tragedies like 9/11 or Columbine High School yet everyone is curious to learn more about what happened and so we accept violence basically! This is powerfully written, sweet friend, I'll just keep my TV off and work on some songwriting, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Michael, thank you for sharing!

May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

"Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..."

Shakira

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