Is this offensive?

[vampiredust]

I've posted this in a couple of places and have gotten mixed reactions to its meaning. One person seemed to think it was anti semitic. What do you guys think?

Finding a wasps nest in my Aunt's house

I found it nestled in the corner
of a wintering cupboard, a paper
coral made out of regurgitated
wood pulp and last month's news.

The wasps hummed their Talmud
as I slept that night, every word
creeping through the floorboards
into my head.

But they wouldn't be there tomorrow.
The hooded scarecrows would flood
their home with mustard gas, under
an auspice of peace,

falling as if it were a biblical scene.
But there would be no one to sweep them
up and bury them as the sky mourned.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

I don't find it the least bit anti-Semitic or offensive.

 

[Retrieval]

Dont pay any attention to those paranoid, overtly Politically correct cocksuckers. Say whatever you want .

 

[cherries_on_snow]

Not to me

but i might take out a but or two.

 

[Fantasies_only]

I think the word "wasp" was taken out of context, meaning a gentile spoiled princess (non jewish slur).

 

[Lauren Hynde]

There are no words out of context in poetry. The wasp/WASP connection is one of the better things of the poem, and still not offensive in my view.

 

[Maria2394]

Hey Chris

Remember, there are those who would find offense in just about anything, and if you allow it to stifle your creativity, then I would find that offensive.

however, I have read work that offended me, and just did not read that author again. its as simple as usiing a remote control to change a channel. we dont need a big brother-type telling us what is right and wrong when it comes to art.

write on, gifted poet



maria

 

[champagne1982]

I see this as an astute metaphor to the situation the world finds itself in. People would see it as anti-semetic even as those who deny the holocaust insist that those starved bodies were local volunteers working for the war effort.

Someone else's misinterpretation, could be fact in the analysis of another poem.

Only you know what you mean, the reader can merely surmise the point.

 

[Remec]

Maybe if you were taking an overabundance of joy at the wasps fate, I could see where the antiSemitism comes from; but just 'cause you make a comparison of the drone of the hive to the prayers coming from a synogogue, doesn't mean you view their demise with the same glee a brown shirt might have had on Krystalnacht. *shrug*


But, then again, people can be overly sensitive to pretty much anything. Especially these days.

 

[Liar]

You know, for some people, you can't even blow your nose without being seen as an anti whateverthatguyis.

Didn't offend me.

Except that you spelled aunt with a capital A. Is that the proper way to do it?

 

[LeBroz]

Chris

I'll second Maria's sentiments. I see nothing offensive in what you wrote; I took what you wrote at face value and found it to be quite vivid.

What I find offensive is when an artist surrenders his vision in the face of any criticism. Changing the style as a result of feedback may help an artist better present his vision; there's nothing wrong with that as long as the artist stays true to his own vision. Present the vision and let the chips fall where they may.

Leon

 

[cherries_on_snow]

You know, for some people, you can't even blow your nose without being seen as an anti whateverthatguyis.

Didn't offend me.

Except that you spelled aunt with a capital A. Is that the proper way to do it?

Familial titles like Aunt, Uncle, Brother, Father and Mother are always capitalized UNLESS they are preceeded by 'my'. Uncle Tom knows my uncle, Joe.

In other words, good eye, Liar!

 

[EriAliSaa]

It is what it is. To me it is hard and uncompromising. But so are the Christian Children's Fund ads. It is become to much for the reader than it is better than a TV or computer... you just stop reading if you don't like something.

The theme is obviously a semitic one, and has an unflinching and even brutal approach. Of course not much way to flower up the subject and make it nice is there? I don't think that it is anti-semitic. And I think it is really good too.