POEM: 21 APRIL 2010
by Greg ~ April 21st, 2010. Filed under: Poems.Don’t be
A Song of Negation
Don’t be silent. Don’t be loud.
Don’t be doubtful. Don’t be proud.
Don’t be white or black or brown.
Don’t do that. You’re not allowed.
Don’t be early. Don’t be late.
Don’t be normal. Don’t be great.
Don’t be bent. And don’t be straight.
Don’t be clever. Vegetate.
Don’t be frightened. Don’t be mad.
Don’t be silly. Don’t be sad.
Don’t be noisy. Don’t be shy.
Don’t be dumb. Don’t reason why.
Don’t ask others. Don’t ask me.
Don’t you get it? Don’t you see?
Don’t be human. Don’t be free.
All that you can be – don’t be.
Greg O’Connell © 2010
April 21st, 2010 at 9:45 pm
That explains a lot…
Good post.
April 22nd, 2010 at 2:44 am
Don’t be so perfect all the time. As usual, a great one. I’ve enjoyed them all.
April 22nd, 2010 at 3:26 am
No wonder I was so confused!
April 22nd, 2010 at 6:48 am
Harrison Bergeron likes this.
April 22nd, 2010 at 10:01 am
This is a ode to my childhood, and, dare I say it, the current socio-political climate here in the UK.
April 22nd, 2010 at 12:17 pm
We really do give our kids conflicting messages, don’t we? This poem captured that well!
April 22nd, 2010 at 12:39 pm
OMG, Greg…I just re-lived my twelve years as a middle school teacher. Each year, I did an exercise with my CORE kids about mixed messages. I loved this! Amazing job! Thanks!
April 22nd, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Great lessons!
April 23rd, 2010 at 2:41 am
Great poem. Should forward it to the USA’s Children’s Poet Laureate!
I think these imperfect messages are given to children by adults who were raised hearing the same imperfect messages. Unfortunate.
April 23rd, 2010 at 7:55 am
Oh Yes! I agree with Therese and all of the above