poemranker ::Safe Distance, 10-10-02 by Frass

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Free verse № 19857

Safe Distance, 10-10-02

by Frass

Member since 2002 · Posted 10 Oct 2002 · 14 comments

Last night a man who worked for my firm stood near his car, pumping gas in Manassas and was shot dead, in cold blood from a safe distance the sniper thought. The distance a coward uses for his aims while searching through the heart of himself, a well brimming with self-pity, for another reason to hate all of us. The innocent the victims of such hate are not distant from our prayers and thoughts; but, there is no distance safe enough the sniper knows that our justice will find him.

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14 comments

[8] horus8 10-Oct-02/1:18 PM Reply
the sad thing is deep down he wants to be. caught, that is
and spanked with his mothers 11 inck black dildo. 8.
[n/a] god'swife 10-Oct-02/2:38 PM Reply
Well, someones been doing their exercises. I love the way this piece looks, and also "pumping gas in Manassas" the last lines at the end of S1 & S2 should be eliminated. Lines 3,4, & 5 in S2 need tiobe re-worked slightly. S3 needs to be re-worked. Sounds like a hurried after-thought.
[n/a] Frass › god'swife 10-Oct-02/6:27 PM Reply
Thanks, yes, I usually rewrite poetry 83 times that I first wrote years ago, then post it; but, I've been influenced by some of ya'll posting freshly written poetry and since the gas station where Dean was shot is 8 minutes from my house, and I've bought gas at the very pump where Dean met his maker, I just thought I'd throw something together. As the Clash sang "I fought the law, and the law won"....they're gonna get the sorry sumbitch who's doing all this shooting. 7 deaths from 9 shots in 7 days.
[n/a] god'swife › Frass 10-Oct-02/7:00 PM Reply
I'm so sorry Frass, it's surreal isn't it. Everythngs going to be o.k. I mean geez Death waits around every corner, but things have got to be insane over there right now. I was praying for you today. didn't know it was you personally, but I was praying for you. The thing is, your going to walk out of this with a keener appreciation. 7 out of 9. 7 out of 9.
[n/a] Frass › god'swife 10-Oct-02/7:57 PM Reply
No worries, justice finds a way. When it started last week, some people immediately jumped to "Arab terrorist", just like they did with the Oklahoma City bombing. Methinks, like with that event, this is one of our own homegrown wackadoos. NRA bumper stickered, military or police experienced, white anglo saxon protestant fucked up guy.
[10] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. › god'swife 10-Oct-02/8:05 PM Reply
Pray for me, benevolent one. I'm a nasty flailing sauce-merchant.
[n/a] god'swife › -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 10-Oct-02/8:35 PM Reply
I'll ask the Lord to send you more shit and AIDS. Now go make your mother proud. By the way, what's bukkake?
[10] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. › god'swife 11-Oct-02/5:24 AM Reply
Type it into Google and click 'I'm Feeling Lucky'.
[10] -=Dark_Angel=-, P.I. 10-Oct-02/7:59 PM Reply
Wow!! I didn't know the best way to express vague righteous anger was to write adolescent poetry and amateur psychoanalysis! "A well brimming with self-pity". Are you sure you wrote that? I could've sworn my 14-year-old sister won some sort of poetry contest for that the other day. More to the point, how is it you have such expert knowledge of the sniper's motivation? You seem to forget that not everyone in the world is such a beautiful tortured soul as you.

Let me get this straight: a) the sniper think's he's safe, b) the sniper knows he isn't safe, c) killing people from a distance is cowardly (as opposed to gutting them on a street corner, which is extraordinarily brave)? Well strike me down if you don't win the Pseudo-Insightful BS Award 2002! Congrats!! 10!!!

P.S. I hate to tell you this, but justice is what allegedly happens to people *after* they're found.
[8] Christof 11-Oct-02/1:41 AM Reply
It must be strange, knwoing someone who's a victim of this weirdo. Thanks for your comment by the way - I don't know why 'Instructions to a Sculptor' has taken off in the way it has, but it makes me happy!
[7] Blue Magpie 11-Oct-02/5:43 AM Reply
Good, I liked this, though I would take heed of the good advice already given.

[7] Nicholas Jones 11-Oct-02/5:59 AM Reply
This is very brave, but perhaps it's all too close to write about.
[1] razorgrin 11-Oct-02/6:35 AM Reply
Sorry someone you knew is dead. That said, I'm afraid I agree with Dark Angel. This isn't that great a piece of writing. It's pretty cliched and really, what do you know of his motivation? The piece lacks fire if that was what you were going for and also sadness if that was your goal. I came in with an open mind for this one, but I was disappointed.
[2] Tintagiles 18-Oct-02/1:51 PM Reply
The ending is bad. Perhaps he doesn't know. Perhaps your justice won't find him. And perhaps he doesn't hate anyone. It could always just be target practice. Or fun. Or something.