talk

[barrie]

conversing with balaam
about his horsepiss talking ass
moving into politricks
the art of zenful lies
smoothtruthfully related
to all of adams relatives
and lileth
his first wife
who now eats kids
for gods sake
and herds up demons for anothers
makes good sense in moons own quiet
in the dark that deafens touch
in the light that lies to eyes
cauliflower ears that feel too much
keep your right up watch your guard
the left are hooks
the right are straight
trust your local candidate

[juliadebeauvoir]

Is it voting time in Britian?
A smorgasbord of thought--strung together artfully. The political lies that numb the general public. The gossip that truthfully or untruthfully ruins the platforms of candidates (i.e. Child devouring ex wives named Lileth).
Nice references to the grand negotiator, Balaam's donkey (he couldn't help that Balaam was the ass).

makes good sense in moons own quiet
in the dark that deafens touch
in the light that lies to eyes
cauliflower ears that feel too much

I had to work hard on the above verse. Wasn't sure if you meant the voters, the politicians or both. When I think of Cauliflower ears, I conjure up images of old men politicians--or maybe just people who have been fooled by the process and propaganda. Either way I got it--good, sound ending.

Cheers,
Kimberly

[twoleftfeet]

Barrie,

I like the sparring analogy - score points from your opponent's tactical errors but never leave yourself open by giving a straight answer.

The reference to the left/the right in the plural confused me at first until I realised you meant
the people on the Left/Right.

I like "smoothtruthfully" , butI'm not sure about:
the art of zenful lies
- capitals might help, or perhaps more words from the book title.

Good 'un
Geoff

[Globus]

Nice.

The final rhyming couplet pins the poem down very well, and I like the implied hooks / crooks that precedes it.

I'm not versed int' Bible, so I've been googling up to speed but may be missing some of the depth; my fault not yours.

Agreed with JuliaDB; around "in the dark that deafens touch" is the weak spot; I cant really grip on how it relates and it lacks the vigour of the rest of the piece.

Otherwise, the mix of vernacular, myth, imagery and politics is ambitious and nicely managed.

[barrie]

Thanks Kim - There has been talk of an autumn election because of Labour’s surge in recent polls, Brown won’t confirm it, neither will he dismiss it - He’s keeping Eton Cameron on the back trotter. According to the results of the latest poll, Labour’s lead has been cut to one point. Usually they never tell you who conducts these polls or who is questioned, even where the polling took place - I could take a poll in a Conservative club and come up with a result that 95% of people would vote Conservative with 5% being unsure.

The piece you quoted includes everybody, or at least those influenced or doing the influencing.

Lileth, according to Hebrew myth was Adam’s first wife. Apparantly they fell out when she wanted to assume the superior posion during sex and that was that. She was later demonized and credited with eating new born babies along with her progeny, all spawned from relationships with demons. Probably marks the shift from a matriarchal to a patriarchal society - They also banned the worship of Yahweh’s consort, Ashera, although traces of her still exist in the OT. If you don’t like something - ban it.

Thanks Geoff -

‘I like "smoothtruthfully" , butI'm not sure about:
the art of zenful lies
- capitals might help, or perhaps more words from the book title.’

You had me googling for a book called ‘The Art of Zenful Lies’ after I read this. It came up with no results - What did you mean ‘more words from the book title’?

Thanks Globus - int’Bible ther’s loads o’reet good stuff. Really, it’s fascinating stuff (well, I think so) - It all links up with Egyptian, Greek and Mesopotamian myth, as well as Roman, Celtic and Teutonic - Dip in.

The bit you mentioned -

‘makes good sense in moons own quiet
in the dark that deafens touch
in the light that lies to eyes
cauliflower ears that feel too much’ - Lies and confusion, that’s the diet that they try to force feed us with.

Cheers all

Barrie

[twoleftfeet]

Barrie,

I thought you were giving a nod and a wink towards the book "ZEN and the ART of MOTORCYCLE MAINTENANCE"

[barrie]

Good book that - ‘Zen and the Art of Archery’ isn’t bad, but nowhere near as good as ‘Motorcycle Maintenance’. Then we had a flood of them…..

zzzzzzzzz…………………

Zen and the Art of Coping with Alzheimer’s
Zen and the Art of Websites
Zen and the Art of Small Claims
Zen and the Art of Debunkery
Zen and the Art of Castle Maintenance
Zen and the Art of Sex Guidebooks
Zen and the Art of Post-Operative Maintenance
Zen and the Art of Triathlon
Zen and the Art of the Internet
Zen and the Art of Divebombing
Zen and the Art of Non-Profit Technology
Zen and the Art of Ferrets - (it’s true!!!)………etzzzzzzzzzz ad infinitum

I googled “Zen and the Art of” - only 3,300,000 results. There is, however, no “Zen and the Art of Zen and the Art of” - so there’s an opening here.

Cheers Geoff.

[twoleftfeet]

Barrie,

The sequel "Lila: an Inquiry into Morals" is pretty good too - I bought a hardback copy in a library sale for 80p
(It had had ZERO lendings - Jeffrey Archer 1 Zen Archery 0 )

[Bombadil]

Lilith it's said also became brood mare to the fallen angels, being fucked six ways from Sunday (all positioning her on top evidently)...

excerpt: http://gnosis.org/lilith.htm Adam complained to God: 'I have been deserted by my helpmeet' God at once sent the angels Senoy, Sansenoy and Semangelof to fetch Lilith back. They found her beside the Red Sea, a region abounding in lascivious demons, to whom she bore lilim at the rate of more than one hundred a day. 'Return to Adam without delay,' the angels said, `or we will drown you!' Lilith asked: `How can I return to Adam and live like an honest housewife, after my stay beside the Red Sea?? 'It will be death to refuse!' they answered. `How can I die,' Lilith asked again, `when God has ordered me to take charge of all newborn children: boys up to the eighth day of life, that of circumcision; girls up to the twentieth day. None the less, if ever I see your three names or likenesses displayed in an amulet above a newborn child, I promise to spare it.' To this they agreed; but God punished Lilith by making one hundred of her demon children perish daily; and if she could not destroy a human infant, because of the angelic amulet, she would spitefully turn against her own.



Very fun stuff Cyril.

Cheers,

K.

[barrie]

The book that the extract is taken from, Hebrew Myths by Robert Graves and Raphael Patai, is a fascinating read. Even more fascinating is an in depth look at some of the myths and midrashim in a book called The Hebrew Goddess by Raphael Patai. There's a full 'history' of Lileth, from Adam's failed bride, to the bride of Samael (Satan), and as God's consort during the Kabbalistic age.

She certainly did the rounds.

Sumerian Marriage & Dating Agency