酷我-北美枫

[ericcoliu]

Reading, Writing, and Life on the Page

White Picket Fence

Although your face
was always partially blocked

For years it seems
I've known you
from casual glimpses
through gaps in the fence
in the backyard
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[[ericcoliu]]

Reading, Writing, and Life on the Page

White Picket Fence

Although your face
was always partially blocked

For years it seems
I've known you
from casual glimpses
through gaps in the fence
in the backyard
_________________
Time is nothing but a disquiet of the soul

[Lake]

[[Lake]]

[ericcoliu]

[[ericcoliu]]

[星子]

I try to take up Toni Morrison's challenge to "avert critical gaze from the racial object to the racial subject ... from the described and imagined to the describers and imaginers"

This comment reminds me of the describtion of "Banana" for the Chinese who were born in Canada. When I talked with a Chinese girl who was born here, she told me it was true. She accepted people called her "Banana", even her mom called her the same. So sometimes it is hard to define the racism upon the word being used.

Here the poem raised the problem of knowing each other, the title "white Picket fence" hinted you were blocked forcefully. But I am interested in knowing more...

Do you mind if I bring this to my next poetry workshop to ask western poets' comments?
_________________

[[ANNA]]

I try to take up Toni Morrison's challenge to "avert critical gaze from the racial object to the racial subject ... from the described and imagined to the describers and imaginers"

This comment reminds me of the describtion of "Banana" for the Chinese who were born in Canada. When I talked with a Chinese girl who was born here, she told me it was true. She accepted people called her "Banana", even her mom called her the same. So sometimes it is hard to define the racism upon the word being used.

Here the poem raised the problem of knowing each other, the title "white Picket fence" hinted you were blocked forcefully. But I am interested in knowing more...

Do you mind if I bring this to my next poetry workshop to ask western poets' comments?
_________________

[ericcoliu]

[[ericcoliu]]

[Lake]

I'm glad I interpreted it right for I was afraid I may have read too much into it.

I agree with Eric's comment on 'banana', a disparaging word.

[[Lake]]

I'm glad I interpreted it right for I was afraid I may have read too much into it.

I agree with Eric's comment on 'banana', a disparaging word.

[Champagne]

[[Champagne]]

[fanfan]

[[FFFFFF]]

[Lake]

[[Lake]]

[ericcoliu]

[[ericcoliu]]

[星子]

In yesterday's poetry event, I read your poem.

Thanks. I printed your poem and I read it to them. They thought the title very good.

They suggested.

White Picket Fence

For years it seems
I've known you
from casual glimpses
through the Picket Fence
in the backyard

Though your face
was always partially blocked
_________________

[[ANNA]]

In yesterday's poetry event, I read your poem.

Thanks. I printed your poem and I read it to them. They thought the title very good.

They suggested.

White Picket Fence

For years it seems
I've known you
from casual glimpses
through the Picket Fence
in the backyard

Though your face
was always partially blocked
_________________

[ericcoliu]

[[ericcoliu]]

[星子]

my typo...
_________________

[[ANNA]]

my typo...
_________________

[非马]

I enjoyed reading Eric's poem very much. 星子's suggested version is more compact and thus more effective. I don't think you need to capitalize the first letters of "picket fence" in the poem though.

Even without the racial connotation of WHITE, I think this poem is still very powerful in depicting the sad situation of the alienated society in today's world.

[[FFFFFF]]

I enjoyed reading Eric's poem very much. 星子's suggested version is more compact and thus more effective. I don't think you need to capitalize the first letters of "picket fence" in the poem though.

Even without the racial connotation of WHITE, I think this poem is still very powerful in depicting the sad situation of the alienated society in today's world.

[ericcoliu]

Thank you for reading and commenting on my poem. It's very helpful.

This poem is written for my critique of the "white flight" or "white withdrawal" phenomenon, which I personally have experienced for the past two years. The dominant colour of the picket fences in Canada is yellow, and I deliberately use the white colour to stress the more subtle aspects of Canadian racism because the image of the “white picket fence” has inscribed in the North American psyche.

[[ericcoliu]]

Thank you for reading and commenting on my poem. It's very helpful.

This poem is written for my critique of the "white flight" or "white withdrawal" phenomenon, which I personally have experienced for the past two years. The dominant colour of the picket fences in Canada is yellow, and I deliberately use the white colour to stress the more subtle aspects of Canadian racism because the image of the “white picket fence” has inscribed in the North American psyche.