# Dangers of Invisible Strangers



## RC James (Feb 26, 2018)

[FONT=&quot]
(In a time warp, Emily Dickinson confronts the Internet)

As mother might have said, 'goodness gracious me,
the things you see in broad daylight these days,
and things in the dark do have an irritating glow.'

I have seen the asphodel bloom in sequence,
my mind gauging the splendor about to appear,
but these whining, shining metallic totems
that send answers to any inquirer is not one tad
short of astounding. I fear to approach them
for entanglements that might ensue.

Our Indian brethren believe the lens captures
their souls for an eternal display; for me,
these sparkling screens, not photographic,
and their endless verbiage, will entangle me
in my own words, endlessly spinning,
as the Indian soul within distorted visions;
vowels would be hurled by shifting figures.

Bring, Oh bring the boxes of sad implements back
whence they came, leave me my quiet meditations
to wallow in doubts and insecurities, for
out of the maelstrom, the fire, come surviving phrases
that, through mean human efforts, dig themselves into
our conscious, everyday thoughts where our soul
finds solace and sufficiency in perceptions hard earned.​[/FONT]
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## ned (Feb 26, 2018)

hello - nice poem with a humorous and ultimately, serious message, perhaps.
that kept it interesting, for me.

good writing, but perhaps, a bit too dense in places - collisions of ideas -
and the uneven, and unnatural line breaks stem the flow.

bring back whence they came? surely, take back........

too many souls involved here - I would try something more creative.
and a shame there is no rhyming in the Emily tradition.

enjoyed...........Ned


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## sas (Feb 27, 2018)

Enjoyed the read. A good enough poem to not let go. Always prickly to affect a believable dialect. Bear in mind that Emily also was notorious with her use of the "em dash". Any poem she would have written would have been loaded with them, to the point of distraction. But, she wrote to no reader. She wrote for herself. Pity she never knew the fame she would have. I often think of myself that way. LOL. 

You have a writer's gift, and you are creative in theme. I never miss your work.


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## RC James (Feb 27, 2018)

sas - I debated the "em dash" and decided against it as I wasn't attempting
to mimic Emily's style so much as her person. Her destination for most of her 
work was, you're right, not to any reader, but to the bottom drawer of her
bedroom dresser.  Always has been my girl - lovely, shy, brilliant em - RC


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## Nellie (Feb 27, 2018)

RCJames,

This is an interesting POV.  Growing up, I lived near an Indian reservation and the friends I did make at school did not want their pictures taken for the reason stated in the poem. Ironically now, I have a daughter who grew up in the south and SHE married a "Native American" (what they preferred to be called now) since we moved back out west. He doesn't mind having his photo taken, but he does have some "strange" beliefs about human consciousness, etc. He also seems like an invisible stranger to the family because he doesn't attend holiday family dinners.

Anyway, thanks for the good poem. Enjoyed.


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## CrimsonAngel223 (Mar 1, 2018)

I used to read a lot of Dickinson when I was in my early twenties now it seems that this poem has nothing to offer, and like ned said there are no dashes which need them to be there for it be at least a Dickinson poem, and with rhyme of course. I also don't like that 'our' as I think they should be removed.


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## RC James (Mar 1, 2018)

It's *NOT a fuking poem by Emily - it's a fuking poem by me - ABOUT Dickinson.

*_ I also don't like that 'our' as I think they should be removed._ * Well, my pretty, prissy, petrified miss you can remove them from thy sight by not considering the poem a jot longer.

*_this poem has nothing to offer, -_ * I'm searching for a clue as to exactly what you have to offer. 

If you can prove to me that Emily used dashes in her CONVERSATION - I'll put them in.
Emily DASH can you hear me?  DASH  nope DASH  guess she's not  DASH home DASH IT! 

*


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## Kevin (Mar 1, 2018)

Geesus... Settle down beavis


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## RC James (Mar 2, 2018)

How old are you people? I am outta here


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## Nellie (Mar 2, 2018)

> good writing, but perhaps, a bit too dense in places - collisions of ideas -
> and the uneven, and unnatural line breaks stem the flow.



Perhaps some are a bit dense to let ideas flow naturally....... 
geez, can't anyone let it go?


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## sas (Mar 2, 2018)

Shocked at response.


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## Firemajic (Mar 2, 2018)

RC James said:


> How old are you people? I am outta here




I am old enough and mature enough to NEVER be rude and disrespectful here... in the poetry thread, out THERE.. in RL, I can be rude... but usually I make the choice to just let it the %%#$ go.... life is just too short to get twisted up in knots ... here's the thing... and it is our own fault I guess... when someone posts a poem, then most of us assume that comments and feedback are welcome, and will be appreciated... or at the very least..  tolerated with politeness...but, I wont be making that asinine assumption anymore....


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## sas (Mar 2, 2018)

Fire, et al....

I am quite watchful to see which direction WF is allowed to go.  I am not as active, due to concern. Thanks for speaking up. Few seem to. Best. sas


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## Nellie (Mar 2, 2018)

sas said:


> Fire, et al....
> 
> I am quite watchful to see which direction WF is allowed to go.  I am not as active, due to concern. Thanks for speaking up. Few seem to. Best. sas



Really? Who?


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## Chesters Daughter (Mar 2, 2018)

*I respectfully request that we get back on topic which is the work itself. Thank you.*


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