[New-Poetry] Thought for the day after the elections

[Anny Ballardini]

I am digging down to some mails I did not read before. I find that the idea of a movie on the murder of anybody is disgusting, the more against the President. I think this lack of respect towards Constitution will hit us hard when we will be older, the new generations show less and less respect. Many times with the teachers we talk of the carelessness of our students, and I teach at a private school run by nuns, thus model students compared to the public. From a questionnaire addressed to teachers what ended up recording the highest score under what does not work at school now were the Parents of the Students. If you give an insufficient mark be sure that on the following day you will have to deal with the Headmistress who was pestered on the phone by a mum or a dad, and at the first meeting with the parents of the "poor sensitive child beaten by your wrong evaluation". Not even in front of a test all corrected in red will they surrender. Is this education? What is this, a market to forge donkeys? 
As I think that Levertov's poem stinks, if it is what she wrote. 
As revolting is another poem I read on another list that indirectly praised the atrocity of 9/11.

 
I am sure that James Finnegan didn't see the situation in this way. He was talking from his personal point of view which is also mine. We know that politicians are usually corrupted (you should come to Italy for a while before speaking) and bring forth their own immediate interest. Would we do the same were we given enough power? I do not know, since I never had it, but yes, some would pay for what I had to endure, I might limit myself it to my personal sphere.

  From: Rsgwynn1 at cs.com 
  Sent: Saturday, November 11, 2006 12:29 AM



  Read Levertov's poems c. 1972 when she describes throwing napalm into Kissinger's face and stabbing Nixon.  This kind of courage could only exist in a society that protects free speech.  Did Levertov suffer any recriminations?  Nope.  Are you aware that a movie that depicts the assassination of the current President is now in release (though some theater chains have chosen not to show it) in this country?  Still, it will be available on dvd in a few months.  I'm sorry, but American poets who pride themselves on being "courageous" don't fork much lightning with me.  How many of them have ever voluntarily made themselves available to read their poems in a VFW hall?  

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