* By What Right Poem by Terence George Craddock

* By What Right

Rating: 5.0


(a study questioning prejudice and intolerance)

The fly bothers me
with its buzzing
its flight about upon
my naked sun soaking up skin
in this moment of need
for autumn sun soaking relaxation.

The fly bothers us
several flies buzzing alighting
upon my bare legs my knees.
I will not tolerate it
I will kill it.
Does it have a right to live?

A fly. Flies.
Have but a moment
to live to die.
The man bothers me us
with his smell
his unbelonging personal hell.

My tolerance does not allow
for him for differences
for reality in which he lives.
The man bothers me
the drunks the gangs the fighting
the dysfunctional lives.

I will not tolerate it.
I will not accept it.
I will reject it.
They are but the dregs of society.
The wash-outs no hopers drug addicts thieves
the cause of all evil in our society.

I kill them with indifference
as surely as I kill the fly
with my intolerance.
They have but a moment
to live to die.
We have but a moment to die.


Copyright © Terence George Craddock

Friday, April 24, 2015
Topic(s) of this poem: lifestyle
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Written in May 1998 on the 2.5.98.
Today April 24 2015, I found the original hand written simple draft of my poem 'By What Right' which was written in six line stanzas. This was rather surprising, I must have decided to sacrifice the uniform stanza arrangement in the two split image copies I had, 'By What Right? Do We Live Do We Die? ' and 'By What Right: Does Intolerance Rule? ', to promote the seriousness of the issue I was writing about.

I revisited the original poem after finding the original copy and write the extension 'By What Right? A lesson In Intolerance! '. This is the original version of the split images 'Fly Buzzing Naked Skin', 'Flies Buzzing Bare Legs', 'Intolerance For Homeless Humanity' and 'Intolerance Fuels Social Tensions Conflict' by Terence George Craddock.

Many people seem to believe the persona and tone of a poem reflects the belief system of the poet, but persona and tone if used skilfully create emotive responses, desired thought upon a topic identified and written upon. Misconceptions about my intentions, what I am actually stating earns me occasional stalkers, and hate responses, but if we do not address unpalatable social issues who will?
If we do not walk in the shoes of the underdog occasionally, reflect views of bigots, social prejudices who will? Sweeping wrongs of society under the mat does not address wrongs and promote needed change.
Long ago I decided to write slices of life, to reflect realities of contemporary society as I perceived them, both beautiful and ugly, which evolved into the concepts (Spectral Images and Images Of Light) and (afterglows echoes of starlight) . Thus I still address such issues. Those of us who care must occasionally be crucified upon our crosses.
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