Glacier

Metaphors are only pretty if you don’t look too closely.

 

I have a great metaphor for myself

I’m one of those

whatdoyoucallit

moving ice river-thingies

 

But then

the fact I can’t remember the word that would be perfect

as a personal description

represents me more dramatically and accurately

than some cheaply painted prop


Comments

9 responses to “Glacier”

  1. That is so cool.

  2. Ha! Awesome.

  3. poeticgrin Avatar
    poeticgrin

    I like this voice you’re exploring lately. Quirky-strong.

  4. There’s something kinda cool about writing about writing.

    Thanks, friends for your comments.

  5. Excellent phrase :”Metaphors are only pretty if you don’t look too closely”.

    “Look at almost any passage and you’ll find that a paragraph has five or six metaphors in it. It’s not that the speaker is trying to be poetic, it’s just that that’s the way language works”S.P.

    Which implies metaphors main function is not to make texts prettier.

  6. “But then

    the fact I can’t remember the word that would be perfect

    as a personal description

    represents me more dramatically and accurately

    than some cheaply painted prop”

    All I can say is, this feels like wisdom.

  7. mariana–I agree that metaphors aren’t around just for their prettiness. They serve a purpose–to link unfamiliar situations/things to familiar situation/things. However, my point is metaphors, no matter how seemingly “perfect,” eventually break down and the differences between the unfamiliar and familiar fail to connect.

    My, queerlefty, what a compliment! Thank you.

  8. You left me thinking (kind of randomly, I am also medicated)

    1.Metaphors are there for a series of reasons, the linking unfamiliar situation one I think is fundamental, I think it is also that needs to be studied deeper, but one of It functions might be the transitions between the tone of the speach (formal, informal, hypotetical, real)
    2. “What I am having doubt about is when you say metaphors, no matter how seemingly, perfect”, they are not ment to be the real thing, the perfect analogy, and therefore they are not used for playing that part in the discourse..
    3. But I coudn’t agree more that they eventualy fail to connect, they always fail. Maybe they conect only because humans needs to see they do make sense.
    Anyway it moves me emotionally your poem, this almost makes me cry

    “But then
    the fact I can’t remember the word that would be perfect
    as a personal description
    represents me more dramatically and accurately
    than some cheaply painted prop”

  9. I find that medication is key in any intellectual discussion. 🙂 I appreciate the discourse. And of course, I am glad you feel something when you read this piece. Many thanks, mariana.

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