PoetryCircle
ContemporaryPoetryForum
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
« PoetryCircle • The Writing • Submit your poetry • Topic: 3rd-grader »
ThreadTools
Print
 (Read 403 times) [1]
  3rd-grader
« on: November 12, 2009, 08:17:23 AM » by Tom Riordan
My 3rd grader
knew he mustn't
say "retarded,"

couldn't find
"developmentally
disabled,"

and came up
with "gross."

I thought, Yes,
call it
as you see it.

Something
begins there.
Logged
  Re: My 3rd-grader
« Reply #1 on: November 12, 2009, 10:26:45 AM » by Casey Quinn
ha - i can see the scene. good snapshots tom, enjoyed it. funny the breakdown in coming to gross, the catchall phrase
Logged

Casey Quinn
My second poetry chapbook Prepare To Crash is now available from Big Table Publishing. Pick up a copy today !

Read some good short prose and poetry - Short Story Library
  Re: My 3rd-grader
« Reply #2 on: November 12, 2009, 11:13:32 AM » by milner place
Yep.

milner
Logged

'Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar'
- Antonio Machado

Latest book 'naked invitation' $15 or £10, p&p inc milnerplace@msn.com
  Re: My 3rd-grader
« Reply #3 on: November 13, 2009, 02:38:46 PM » by cherylleverette
o my.  bless his heart.  all this 'political correctness' just doesn't work the way it's supposed to sometimes.  and even 3rd graders understand it.

cheryl
Logged

"I have no intention of explaining how the correspondence which I now offer to the public fell into my hands....The sort of script which is used...can be very easily obtained by anyone who has learned the knack...."~C.S.Lewis
  Re: My 3rd-grader
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2009, 10:06:54 AM » by Stewart Grant
Tom--Very funny and a wry comment on the political correctness that is finding convenient labels for us all. Only nit I have is changing 'and' in l6 to 'so'. Feels like more of an arrival at the end of a thought process.
Logged

i have all the right scars, but i'll never learn from them

mediavirusmagazine.wordpress.com
  Re: My 3rd-grader
« Reply #5 on: November 16, 2009, 02:22:21 PM » by Tom Riordan
You're probably right, Stewart. Now "and so" comes to mind, so let me start to get this sorted out...Thanks, Tom
Logged
  Re: My 3rd-grader
« Reply #6 on: December 05, 2009, 10:15:13 AM » by Tom Riordan
Quote from: Tom Riordan on November 12, 2009, 08:17:23 AM
My 3rd grader
knew he mustn't
say "retarded,"

couldn't find
"developmentally
disabled,"

and came up
with "gross."
Logged
  Re: 3rd-grader
« Reply #7 on: December 06, 2009, 11:31:31 AM » by Tom Riordan
I'm pleased to hear you say so, Annie. Been thinking about this, what to make of it, so added those lines. Thanks, Tom
Logged
  Re: 3rd-grader
« Reply #8 on: December 06, 2009, 11:50:45 AM » by cherylleverette
Just my thoughts:  call it as you see it and something begins there are great thoughts, great lines, excellent fathering, but if you were the mother of a mentally disabled child, would you really want your third grader to call it as he sees it?

And I do understand what you're saying.  It would be wonderful if we could begin a new generation and dispense of all political correction and euphemism, but that's unlikely to happen.

I'm sure there are some mothers who things like this don't bother, but there are many that are.

Having a brother in law who's 'retarded', I've always wondered why we even have labels at all for the innocent and young.

cheryl

 
Logged

"I have no intention of explaining how the correspondence which I now offer to the public fell into my hands....The sort of script which is used...can be very easily obtained by anyone who has learned the knack...."~C.S.Lewis
  Re: 3rd-grader
« Reply #9 on: December 09, 2009, 10:24:40 AM » by Tom Riordan
I completely agree, Cheryl. What "Something begins there" meant to me was not dispensing with respectful language but starting out in the direction of real respect (not just euphemisms) by recognizing our true reactions/feelings, and progressing from there. Tom

moving from Workshop to Submit board-
Logged
  Re: 3rd-grader
« Reply #10 on: December 09, 2009, 07:35:09 PM » by richardhe
A stream of words flowing from your heart, reaching the reader's top thought. Well done. Best wishes.
Logged
  Re: 3rd-grader
« Reply #11 on: December 09, 2009, 10:25:25 PM » by Tom Riordan
Richard, thanks for the peek and the encouragement. Tom
Logged
 (Read 403 times) [1]
Jump to:  
MemberTools
Home
Help
Calendar
Members List
Statistics
Login
Register



LatestNews
Like us on Facebook!

SiteStats
182641 Posts
17371 Topics
1497 Members
Latest Member: Gregory DiPrinzio

Support PoetryCircle







PoetryCircle | Powered by SMF 1.1.15.
© 2005, Simple Machines. All Rights Reserved.
Simplicity design by BlocWeb