No Papier Mache Doll, This
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- Posts: 40
- Joined: 23 Jan 2022, 15:37
No Papier Mache Doll, This
Meena Kandaswamy,
when she was just twenty
badmouthed Gandhi
who got us ‘Freedom’-
I hid my embarrassment, but
bounced as quickly back
to the Muses and poetry.
Meena Kandaswamy’s
goddesses kill, strip,
bay for blood, climb
on to a stranger’s lap
brave bombs, belittle kings,
take on the sun.
They do not write into patriarchy
they take after her,
her goddesses militate.
Meena Kandaswamy
poet from South India,
tweets to announce
the politics of being a woman.
Meena Kandaswamy
is no papier mache Golu doll.
Siva Ramanathan
Edited using Bob’s suggestion
Meena Kandaswamy,
when she was very young
badmouthed Gandhi who got us ‘Freedom’;
for a second I hid my embarrassment
bounced as quickly back to the Muses.
I love Meena Kandaswamy’s take
on our village goddesses-
she with her original Tamil tongue
and her non sexy attitude.
How she pokes at the hierarchy,
thinks original, that is poetry!
Meena Kandaswamy
poet from South India, rocketed,
to the cloud where tweets announce
the politics of being a woman.
Meena Kandaswamy
is no papier mache Golu doll.
Siva Ramanathan
when she was just twenty
badmouthed Gandhi
who got us ‘Freedom’-
I hid my embarrassment, but
bounced as quickly back
to the Muses and poetry.
Meena Kandaswamy’s
goddesses kill, strip,
bay for blood, climb
on to a stranger’s lap
brave bombs, belittle kings,
take on the sun.
They do not write into patriarchy
they take after her,
her goddesses militate.
Meena Kandaswamy
poet from South India,
tweets to announce
the politics of being a woman.
Meena Kandaswamy
is no papier mache Golu doll.
Siva Ramanathan
Edited using Bob’s suggestion
Meena Kandaswamy,
when she was very young
badmouthed Gandhi who got us ‘Freedom’;
for a second I hid my embarrassment
bounced as quickly back to the Muses.
I love Meena Kandaswamy’s take
on our village goddesses-
she with her original Tamil tongue
and her non sexy attitude.
How she pokes at the hierarchy,
thinks original, that is poetry!
Meena Kandaswamy
poet from South India, rocketed,
to the cloud where tweets announce
the politics of being a woman.
Meena Kandaswamy
is no papier mache Golu doll.
Siva Ramanathan
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- Posts: 2688
- Joined: 03 Jun 2016, 21:03
Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
I like the simplicity of this, and am intrigued by Meena Kandaswamy. But I'm curious. What is her "take on our village goddesses"? Show us an example of her poking at the hierarchy, how she thinks "original". Specifics will make the poem even better.
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- Posts: 40
- Joined: 23 Jan 2022, 15:37
Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
I have used Meena's words in the poem.Is that permitted?
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- Posts: 2688
- Joined: 03 Jun 2016, 21:03
Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
This is better! Good poem.
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- Posts: 1987
- Joined: 02 Mar 2016, 18:07
- Location: Between the mountains and the sea
Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
As I understand it, to use another poet's words in a poem is plagiarising.
Hence when I used lines from Bernie's poem to introduce my poem
Frosted Garden (1st Place 2017 IBPC), I posted them as an epigraph
and gave the name of Bernie's poem -'Winterset (2007) and his name.
Bernie fully approved of this and thanked me.
I would advise whatever you do make sure the reader knows
the words are in parenthesis and who's poem they belong to.
Hence when I used lines from Bernie's poem to introduce my poem
Frosted Garden (1st Place 2017 IBPC), I posted them as an epigraph
and gave the name of Bernie's poem -'Winterset (2007) and his name.
Bernie fully approved of this and thanked me.
I would advise whatever you do make sure the reader knows
the words are in parenthesis and who's poem they belong to.
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- Posts: 1619
- Joined: 01 Jun 2008, 09:17
Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
I do not think it plagiarism to use a poet's words in a poem about the poet. The definition is to try and pass the work off as one's own.
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- Posts: 40
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Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
Thank you Frank and Kenneth.
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- Posts: 2154
- Joined: 18 Apr 2005, 04:57
Re: No Papier Mache Doll, This
Hi Siva,
Given the title, the last 2 lines
"Meena Kandaswamy
is no papier mache Golu doll"
aren't needed.
But I workshop-suggest including "Golu" in the title.
Michael ✍ (MV)
Given the title, the last 2 lines
"Meena Kandaswamy
is no papier mache Golu doll"
aren't needed.
But I workshop-suggest including "Golu" in the title.
Michael ✍ (MV)