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Open Poetry #37
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Copperdoctor
| Open Poetry #37 |
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Copperdoctor |
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Dragot Junior Member
since 2006-04-30
Posts 11 |
What is a Coppperdoctor? It’s my first memory of the Spoken tongue. It was a word I invented When I was three living in Sauk Centre. Our two story house was in the countryside Nestled in 7 acres of pines and oaks. Perhaps it was just gibberish, a Play on words, yet It became the matter of discussion to my mother and me Long after we left the country, when I was still a Child. What is a Copperdoctor? We considered that it could be a police car, There is the word “cop” in it. I tried To recall seeing a policeman in his uniform Knocking on our door, but We were country folk, they Never came out here for my three-year old eyes To see, And it would be many more years before my father’s Alcoholism would drive him to the arms of the law. I suggested a helicopter. In my youthful enthusiasm at seeing This hovering steel bird in the sky, Could I have shouted out my name for it, as If I was some daring explorer discovering a species For the first time? We decided probably not, and It would be many years later that the helicopter would Fly my father to the Mayo Clinic after his Drunken collision. I had other memories of language beyond Copperdoctors. After my invention of language, I became a superior Reader of signs. The family would drive along Main Street in our Blue minivan, and I’d shout out my claims of being able to read street signs And store signs. They’d never believe me, just like they Never believed in Copperdoctors. “That one says Hardware Store! Toasters on sale!” We’d take a left, head down a side street, “That’s Sinclair Avenue! Now we’re at the Ding Dong!” We ate our dinner at the small diner and my father Told us he was getting a job in New Ulm, he was going to be The postmaster, with long hours and responsibility. We arrived in the city just in time for me To start the first grade. I was excited To be getting a real education. Mrs. Love Was my teacher. She taught me how to cross My t’s and dot my i’s. She showed me how to spell words I could only say, “M-u-c-u-s, S-p-i-n-i-c-h.” The schooling of the big city also taught me There is no such thing as Copperdoctors. |
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| © Copyright 2006 Dragot - All Rights Reserved | |||
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
very cute. I remember when my first born was learning to read signs.He was so excited to be able to read a large sign above a shop. Anti - ques! We laughed but he was not far wrong reading antiques! And we sure did praise him. martyjo |
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latearrival Member Ascendant
since 2003-03-21
Posts 5499Florida |
almost forgot to say Welcome to PIPs. |
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XOx Uriah xOX Senior Member
since 2006-02-11
Posts 1403Virginia |
hmm When my oldest son was very small...He had the same word. With him it was a combination of... Dragonflies (sometimes called "snake doctors") and being cautious of copperheads. Hence...dragonflies became "copperdoctors" ::shrugs:: LOL Wonderful write! |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
You are mistaken, Dragot. There ARE such things as copperdoctors (though what they are, is a matter of verrrrrrry interesting speculation). Firstly, you saw them and you named them. Secondly Uriah's son named dragonflies, copperdoctors. Thus, the word has at least 2 meanings, though you may never (re-)discover what the first meaning is. I enjoyed your poem very much. Minimising and pushing the sad parts into the background made for a very good poem, but made me sad for you. However, at least your father was around - that is something. Oh, yes, welcome to Pip - a very good place to be. For you to see exactly how good a place it is, I suggest you go into Announcements and Links and read "Prayers for Martie" to see how much we all care for a wonderful Pipster, Martie, who had a brain tumour and had an operation on Friday and had us all holding our breath. The operation went better than expected and there were no complications, and although we all had great faith that all would be well, it is certainly easier to breathe now that it is all over. - Owl |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Where or what is the Sauk Centre? I am South African, and presumably you are American. Probably all Americans know where or what it is. - Owl |
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Earth Angel Member Empyrean
since 2002-08-27
Posts 40215Realms of Light |
Greetings, Dragot! Welcome to pipTalk! Is your username a word you coined from other words? I enjoyed your story poem. I believe in copperdoctors because I was married to one! ~ as I just realized! He was a policeman who also flew helicopters in search and rescue missions! I'll have to let him know that I now have another name for him!  Giving you a warm, welcoming hug, Earth Angel  |
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Susan Caldwell Member Rara Avis
since 2002-12-27
Posts 8348Florida |
Got to tell you this was not only an interesting read, but very well written.. I am going to be looking for you around these pages. Welcome to Pip! "too bad ignorance isn't painful" |
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Dragot Junior Member
since 2006-04-30
Posts 11 |
So many people to reply to :P Latearrival - Thanks, glad to be here  Uriah - That's kinda funny, Who would have thought that a word as odd as copperdoctor would have been used by another? OwlSA - Trust me, no one knows St. Cloud, it's a very small town in northern Minnesota. It's only claim to fame is the esteemed author Sinclair Lewis (thus the street name) wrote a book about it. As for the meaning of Copperdoctor, this poem is the first draft, so some reworks. While it's origin is true of how I came up with the word, I am trying to get its meaning in the poem to represent the loss of innocence (be that from growing up, country to city, or harsher realities like alcoholism, etc). Earth Angel - Actually, yes, on the name. When I was a teenager and big into role playing games and stuff, i always had the chat name "The Dragon King," when I joined AOL, the name was taken. I kept trying variations until Dragot worked. The name stuck and 10 years later I haven't bothered changing it LOL. Not a great story, but what can you do? And I hope your hubby enjoys his new nickname Susan - Thanks Susan, I hope it isn't the last thing I post. I'm majoring in Creative Writing right now, so I'm just starting to learn how to write. So, I only have a limited supply of stuff to post -Dragot |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thanks for the explanation, Dragot. I'm still a little hazy whether the Sauk Centre was IN St Cloud or whether it IS St Cloud, but at least I know that you were writing about a small town in northern Minnesota. I love small towns, generally. I don't want to stop you editing the poem if you want to, but I think you expressed very well the "loss of innocence (be that from growing up, country to city, or harsher realities like alcoholism, etc)". - Owl |
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Dragot Junior Member
since 2006-04-30
Posts 11 |
oops...my bad....st. cloud is a city near sauk centre...lol...ignore the st. cloud in my reply, my bad. It's all sauk centre that Sinclair wrote about and the poem is about. -dragot |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thanks for de-confusing me! - Owl |
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