Jeter's Rich
And so is Jordan
The *Empress has removed her gown.
The Bankers leer
while teachers cheer
and lawyers starve....
and artists sneer
uh....because the world is upside down.
uh....because the world is upside down.
(......but, never for the Wiedelmeyer's of course. )
*Lady Liberty
____________________
Well. What do you think of my new poem Jeeves?
"A sincere and thoughtful literary effort Sir."
Much quieter than the banjolele what?
"Indeed Sir."
You see Jeeves, Jeter and Jordan are symbols here, as I attempt to show what it is our capitalistic culture and society holds in high esteem and inordinately rewards. Priorities in other words. I have nothing against them or baseball or basketball per se. But really, look how far baseball has come here as far as it being corporatized (is that a word?) goes, since the dead ball era. There was a time they used to say that Babe Ruth made more than the President. Safe to say that Jeter does that and much more vis a vis, or rather compared to what drops in after the eagle flys over the White House. So the poem is just a reflection on that maybe, and maybe a response to the bathetic (with a "B" for all the Liberal Arts haters, you see Jeeves, ........but Jeeves, what was that line again from Shakespeare? One without art is fit for treasons and strategems or something or other?
"I do not recall the exact quote sir, but I seem to remember: He who is without music is fit for treasons, strategems and spoils!" Said Jeeves.
Oh yes. But anyway, like I was saying.........the documentary and journalistic efforts about of Ken Burns with respect to baseball, post his Civil War Doc. and the exalted style of Frank Deforge (spelling) on the old stick and ball game. I recall Deforge sounding almost like the Whitmanesque (if that is a word) descriptions of the boys swimming in the surf, or something, in his descriptions of Baseball players on an NPR segment I heard once. He might as well have said that Baseball players are akin to glistening gods or warriors ready to do battle over an adverse possession claim with the neighboring Gods on Mt. Olympus, or about to tear that very mountain up by the roots (much to the annoyance of Zeus, and all the other poolside revelers in his gang) and toss it and all the other local mountains around al la satan and the angels (like in that old blog entry by Milton) straightway after Mariah Carey finished the old SSB , hopefully without flubbing the lines.
And re: Capitalism, it has its pros and cons (Ho Hum) Nothing is ever all good or all bad. And the gown bit implies selling out our founding ideals or principles for money. Hence the leering or lust. The teachers, or the ones with the knowledge in a society, and who ought to know better about what is going on are paradoxically acquiescing and cheering, like one would at a sporting event--so much a part of American life (i.e. the Superbowl is beyond huge) Something like that.
I'm mulling over a surrealism aspect that comes when the embalmed Rolling Stones, or supposed "Artists" in this society do a half time show and I ought to add a stanza, if I am able, about that, with an oblique comparison, or maybe a sly faced allusion to Rush Limbaugh paying Elton John a million dollars to sing at his wedding. (just to keep the surrealism bit rolling along)
Like the game of baseball, the nature and tenor of the band have evolved in a similar way, I think, which leads to other ideas for the poem.
Did I mention just how huge the superbowl is now? (only kidding) But seriously, when I was a kid, it was a big deal. But now it is a really, really big deal--almost religious, or like a National Holiday. Why?
Is it because of the latent imperialistic or territory acquisition aspects of the game? What was it Thoureau said about our games partaking of that old quiet desperation?
"Are you alluding perhaps to Thoueau's line which says: "The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation?" asked Jeeves.
No, no, it's a different line. I'm sure if it. It's in that book. You know Jeeves...the one about the pond and all.
"Very good sir."
Oh, anyway, I realize I'm no expert on Thoreau, and a lot of his writings are over my head, but still I used to think about Thoureau a lot while painting during the growth of the Housing bubble, with no end in sight, and how he really pondered just what makes up a real home for a human being. A very simple question which seemed to be lost in the shuffle of utilizing a home as a financial investment, and hoping to flip it or build a spec house and make a profit. In that sense, the Human Home became subject to the same purposes as did the simple sandlot game of baseball.
In fact, if you read Thoreau, it is very much like a blog. He pauses, and adds little illustrations etc.
Anyway, I hope I can sleep a little bit.
* I'm up, and just wanted to add, that the elements for Adverse Possession are AOAC:
1.Adverse
2. Open and Notorious
3.Actual Entry
4. Continuous for the Statutory Period. (10 years in NY I think)
See? That cost me 300K. So I'm glad I still remember it.
"A very large sum of money indeed Sir!" Said Jeeves.
And don't ask me if I know the Rule in Shelly's case, or the rule in Dumpors case. Because I don't.
In fact, I'm not sure anyone can explain RIS to me and make me understand it. Ever.
"No one can remember, or understand the Rule In Shelly's Case, said Jeeves."
-----------------------------
So forget all that rubbish from last night, and go back here, because the Vicar is waiting, although JD Painter has yet to give him either a name or a sobriquet:
http://esquirepainting.blogspot.com/2011/05/i-want-to-be-thessolonian-im-running.html
And relax, it's a blog.
But if you want me to put all the depressed stuff that was here last night back, I will.
Oh....anyway....sorry Jeeves. Two lumps please.
"Very good sir."
