poemranker ::The Symbol by Dovina

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Free verse № 122338

The Symbol

by Dovina

Member since 2004 · Posted 24 Mar 2005 · 50 comments

Hung about her neck A symbol of cruelty blood and death swings above her heart. She’s a gang member’s babe indecent, vicious and punk not to be trusted or hired possibly terrorist probably AIDS else she’d trade that cross for some less gruesome symbol of death— a skull perhaps

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14 votes so far. Yours would make 15.14 votes so far

50 comments

[10] blacksoul 24-Mar-05/1:21 PM Reply
Offcially rated -10-
From the durrty south boyzs Baseball team.
blacksoul, nova, kilo, and link.
[n/a] Dovina › blacksoul 24-Mar-05/2:10 PM Reply
May the durrty south boyzs Baseball team beat the pants off the lily-clean north gurls team. No, wait while I rephrase that.
[10] jroday 24-Mar-05/1:27 PM Reply
I really feel you on this one D.
[n/a] Dovina › jroday 24-Mar-05/2:11 PM Reply
'Tis a way to look at it, isn't it?
[6] edpeterson 24-Mar-05/4:21 PM Reply
terrorist? -0-
[n/a] Dovina › edpeterson 24-Mar-05/5:08 PM Reply
Yes terrorist. Anyone wearing a symbol of perhaps the most painful form of execution ever devised might be wearing dynamite.
[6] edpeterson › Dovina 25-Mar-05/6:10 AM Reply
A symbol of your poetry?
[10] thepinkbunnyofdoom 24-Mar-05/5:41 PM Reply
I love the "probably AIDS" bit. I can't help but wonder if that wasn't just a bit of on the ranker humor though, or is it something else?

<3 Jason
[n/a] Dovina › thepinkbunnyofdoom 25-Mar-05/7:04 AM Reply
“On-the-ranker-humor”? Me? How could you?
[10] Dan garcia-Black 24-Mar-05/7:16 PM Reply
"Skull & Cross Bon Mots"
[n/a] Dovina › Dan garcia-Black 25-Mar-05/7:00 AM Reply
Why not?
[8] richa 25-Mar-05/1:12 AM Reply
What is this symbol round her neck though. Agree about AIDS, the cack handed grammar of it, that the narrator does not really know what she is on about.
[n/a] Dovina › richa 25-Mar-05/7:01 AM Reply
Would you mind rephrasing that in the English language using English grammar?
[8] richa › Dovina 25-Mar-05/7:04 AM Reply
would you mind being a bit less thick.
[8] richa › richa 25-Mar-05/7:12 AM Reply
That is to say. The question is what is the symbol of cruelty. The answer I presume a crucifix. The question that begs, why so coy?
[n/a] Dovina › richa 25-Mar-05/7:31 AM Reply
Coy? I thought it was a straightforward look at the cross as a symbol.
[8] richa › Dovina 25-Mar-05/7:35 AM Reply
There must have been a reason you refused to write the word crucifix in your poem. I think it is because you believe if your symbol is sufficiently vague it becomes transcendental and represents lots of thing.
[n/a] Dovina › richa 25-Mar-05/7:43 AM Reply
No, the cross is a symbol of the same death as the crucifix is. I was not trying to be vague.
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 25-Mar-05/9:53 PM Reply
You're wrong on both counts. Neither of them are symbols of death.

** TEST **
1. Show a crucifix to almost anyone in the modern world - preferably Christian, but really anyone will do.
2. Ask them, what does this represent to you?

Q: Would you say the crucifix/cross (sic) is still a symbol of death even though almost no one in the world has thought that for centuries?

Q2: Would you say it still is because it's a symbol of death for you, Dovina?

Q3: Would you ever consider writing a poem about something you HADN'T read on an email forward?
[n/a] zodiac › zodiac 26-Mar-05/4:26 AM Reply
ADDENDUM: The crucifix is actually a symbol for death-overcome - except in the case of poor (ie, Latin-American) Catholics, for whom it's a symbol for death-about-to-be-overcome.

Yes, you can argue, but it's going to be 10 years of Catholic School vs. you mangling an email forward mangling George Carlin.

PS- http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&amp;u=/afp/20050325/wl_asia_afp/philippineseastercrucify
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 26-Mar-05/6:05 AM Reply
Untrue on all counts. You fail.
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 29-Mar-05/9:34 PM Reply
No it's not. Have you asked anyone what the crucifix is a symbol for?

Here, I will:

*************************
QUESTION FOR THE AUDIENCE
*************************

Q: What is the crucifix a symbol for?
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 29-Mar-05/10:43 PM Reply
PS-I find it hilarious that the only thing you've ever taken -=Dark_Angel=-,P.I.'s word on is that I'm dim. Talk about openmindedness!!!!!!! LOL !!!!! L!!L!O!L!!!!!
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 30-Mar-05/10:27 AM Reply
The cross is a symbol of redemption, of the Christian faith, of acceptance of Christ's suffering for sinners, of His substitutionary death, of faith shown by the wearer of the cross in Christ, a good luck charm, a mockery, or a gruesome method of execution.
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 31-Mar-05/5:57 AM Reply
The cross is not a symbol of a good luck charm, nor of a gruesome method of execution. It IS a good luck charm and IS a gruesome method of execution.

As usual, your grammar's a total mess. How are we supposed to continue this discussion if you keep commenting like an epileptic uselessly flapping his spasm-riddled arms on the keyboard?
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 31-Mar-05/6:55 AM Reply
How are we to continue if you cannot see thourgh a grammatical error in a comment and address the comment rather than the grammar? Grammar is expected is poems, not in comments.
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 2-Apr-05/4:32 AM Reply
What do you mean, "see thourgh a grammatical error"? The topic of the conversation is whether or not the cross is a symbol of gruesome execution or an instrument of gruesome education. It think that makes it pretty relevant that you're trying to make the cross a "symbol" of execution by grammar-mangling.

PS-Don't whemy yourself. I disagree with -=Dark_Angel=-,P.I.
[n/a] zodiac › zodiac 2-Apr-05/5:07 AM Reply
"gruesome education" is a typo, but funny. Of course, I meant "gruesome execution".
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 2-Apr-05/7:34 AM Reply
I pardon your typo and agree - it's a symbol of grusome execution. I said that in the poem without any grammar mangling.
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 3-Apr-05/3:35 AM Reply
Who are you agreeing with?
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 3-Apr-05/7:03 AM Reply
You. I know it sounds unbelievable.
[n/a] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. › zodiac 31-Mar-05/12:28 PM Reply
You're both wrong.

The cross Jesus died on:
* Is a gruesome instrument of execution

Crucifixion:
* Is a gruesome method of execution

Symbolic crosses:
* Are symbols of a gruesome instrument of execution
* Are symbols of a gruesome method of execution
* Are good luck charms

Dovina:
* Is a buffoon

zodiac:
* Fills his bloomers daily
[n/a] zodiac › -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 2-Apr-05/4:35 AM Reply
Only figuratively. Since moving to the desert I'm lucky to fill my bloomers once weekly, and only with rabbit pellets at that.

What does a symbolic cross look like?

Who looks at a symbolic cross and thinks "hey, that calls to mind a gruesome method of execution!"?
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 2-Apr-05/7:36 AM Reply
Me, I do.
[n/a] zodiac › Dovina 3-Apr-05/3:36 AM Reply
I'm going to say, "Did you write this poem for anyone other than yourself?" You're going to say, "No." And I'm going to say, "What a load of crap."

I'm tired of this. Can we talk about something else?
[n/a] Dovina › zodiac 3-Apr-05/7:05 AM Reply
Yes, why don't you comment on one of my recent poems on which I received no comments. I feel neglected.
[10] al-naafiysh 25-Mar-05/2:48 AM Reply
Hey D. It's been awhile I love the poem.
[n/a] Dovina › al-naafiysh 25-Mar-05/7:02 AM Reply
Perhaps you love the cross too. Not many on poemranker are strong enough to love both.
[6] edpeterson › Dovina 29-Mar-05/9:46 PM Reply
The cross is awful. The poem is awful.
[n/a] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 25-Mar-05/3:23 AM Reply
When you wrote this poeme, did you imagine the "gang member's babe" as a black woman? Be honest.
[6] edpeterson › -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 25-Mar-05/6:09 AM Reply
Latina. With tattoos and saucily accessorized.
[n/a] Dovina › -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 25-Mar-05/7:05 AM Reply
No. But neither did I imagine her as not black.
[6] edpeterson › Dovina 25-Mar-05/8:13 AM Reply
You did not imagine her at all? Did you write this poem? -0-
[n/a] Dovina › edpeterson 25-Mar-05/10:36 AM Reply
I wrote the poem. I had nobody in mind, only the common practice of wearing a cross about the neck.
[10] francis nor capule › Dovina 26-Mar-05/10:01 PM Reply
tis the lenten season. for catholics... the cross actually symbolizes redemption. i just find it kinda ... ironic. you have to keep things in perspective though. you need to know you're readers sociology and orientation. i think resentment or perhaps just a hint of escape ... that's my opine.
[n/a] Dovina › francis nor capule 27-Mar-05/7:31 AM Reply
Redemption yes. Happy Easter.
[10] INTRANSIT 31-May-05/9:11 AM Reply
I must've missed this while on the road. I got it, and think it's fine.
[n/a] Dovina › INTRANSIT 31-May-05/9:20 AM Reply
Come off the road anytime, truckdriver.
[9] Jill Stockinger 28-Dec-20/2:07 PM Reply
Well done!
[0] Engelbert Humpalot 31-Dec-20/11:23 AM Reply
Boring tripe.