Speaking Turtle's Cafe

Dear Mwalim -

For a college Perfesser, your spelling is surprising. I'd suggest you enroll in a Remedial English course. For starters, please understand that "quite" and "quiet" are two different words with entirely different meanings.

i'm sure he lured some of his unsuspceting victims through Craig's list (smile)

Gwendolyn Brooks was a poet I heard speak here on the Cape, so I think she could be considered a spoken word poet. I'm sure she would have had something to say about this particular category. She's was a very moving speaker. We Real Cool....

It is with a queasy feeling of history in retreat that poetry lovers discover that WBAI (http://WBAI.org) long the radio flagship of cocky resistance to government excess, decided last week that it couldn't risk a 50th anniversary broadcast of the late poet's recording of "Howl." The station retreated out of fear that the Federal Communications Commission would levy large obscenity fines that might bankrupt the small-budget station.

UMD rules ;)

Thanks editors. While I think people should be free to express what they like, there needs to be some respect regarding personal attacks and the like, as I think is stated in policies below.
I try to keep my comments productive and make it my own policy not to respond to negativity.

10-4
(prefer u-masss amherst anyway)

Please refrain from mentioning this blogger's place of employment (UMass/Dartmouth) in a negative way in the comments, or making personal attacks against the blogger. It is neither fair to UMass/Dartmouth nor relevant to this blog posting. - the Editors

Sulking Moon for all her petulance
Was still beauty uncompared
So, sad were they - those mortals spurned
Who soared closer than she dared…

Burma Shave! =;)

.

This is a great poem. I can see where it could have been drug induced; especially when he starts with the 'twas brillig in the slithy toves.'

c'mon, what is this guy on? and he's teaching school? whatever he's paid, it's too much. save those tuition dollars...

diana, you doin' the prof? remove that poker first!

"The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright-
And this was odd because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done
'It's very rude of him,' she said,
'To come and spoil the fun!'"

your royal ostentatiousness, i would rather watch roseanne.

I don't think drugs make a person more creative. While the above mentioned author's end results proved to be important literary works, maybe without the drugs they would have been even more creative and interesting. I am not sure there is medical research stating one or the other, although, I think in the end drugs (opiates and the like) tend to make us more despondent and less creative. I guess it is mostly about perception.

Understandably - after some neglect, it took a bit of kickin' before the engine sputtered back to life… Vrooom, vrooom, Mwalim's got his groove back!

(Thanks for your perceptive & generous characterization of my 'body of work' here; just as yourself, I try to hide the profound behind the profane. However, I cringed at learning you felt personally attacked, as all's in my heart was intended to cajole. Lastly (& this is a biggie -) my folks - even unto death - were characteristically reticent to acknowledge ever having shared a single 'proclivity' between them, never mind the four which were self-evident. Well, no offense, Mwalim, but it took me several seconds to wrap my mind around your news, but I now have to say I'm overjoyed to have just learned I have a baby brother! Welcome to the 'family' bro; c'mere & gimme a big hug!)

;)

Balognasamich,

I was in fact being redundant. Thanks for pointing that out. I would direct you to the biographical info on Lewis Carroll, Samuel Taylor Coleridge, and Franz Kafka were all well known users of opiates. Coleridge dreamt of "Rime..." while nodding out on opium in fact. Charles Baudelaire was of the French salon crowd where hashish smoking was en vogue, and it is noted that much of his poety was written in such a state. 'Naked Lunch' is self explanatory. E-mail me if you want some references.

As for gilligan... I'm sure I join many readers in wishing his or her meds would kick in... or that the caretaker looks in when they're done watching Roseanne.

correction; your=you're=you are

'Nope, folks on drugs write things like Alice In Wonderland, “Rime of the Ancient Mariner,” Metamorphosis, and Les Fluers De Mal are examples of altered-state writings.'
All I'm asking for is proof fo this particular statement. First of all, you are stating that these works are written under the influence of drugs. Then, you proclaim they are examples of 'altered state' writing. Which is it? Is there a difference? Can it be both? What's your source? I'm eager to learn. Those other guys were clean? That's big time news to me.
What are you on, anyway?

"It can sometimes be amazing, that with the presence and popularity of such animated shows as Family Guy, King of the Hill, and The Simpsons, how folks still can’t recognize allegory, metaphor, absurdity, and satire."
Your supposed to pass the pipe when watching those shows, then everyone's mind is in the same arena. Much like Sat. Night Live in the 70's. Perhaps that's where you went wrong with your blogs lol

Mwalim,
Thanks for your post. I wanted to say the same thing, but felt like, why bother giving an explaination, it's such a kick in the you-know-wat for people to assume there must be some kind of substance abuse because your writing is different, interesting and creative.
Toni Morrison opened the door for me, but I think I already had an understanding from being an artist, I think you need to have a creative grasp on literature to understand what she meant and what you mean. Are you certain those are examples of altered state writing? just curious.

Deltaman,

For some reason, as I look at the thread of your comments, albeit well intentioned, I'm consistently being advised to rise above it all (however, I thank you for not quoting MLK). Let's not get it twisted. If folks attack the actual content of my work, that's one thing. However, yes, as any human being, I get a bit p*ssed off when folks want to make it personal attacks.

In actuality, nothing would give me more immediate satisfaction then to tell some folks about my speculations and/or knowledge of their mother's sexual proclivities. But I refrain.

Nope, not claiming superior anything, just providing a context.

dude, what the hell are you on? you're writing a dictionary about your superior intellect?

"Apologist?" Sh*t, that period in your literature went right over my head too, Mwalim; how very humbling…

(On the other hand, I do recall detecting some past reticence to accept back, that which your penning provokes!)

:( ):


;)

Holy crap, Dag - You once tried to convince me that you'd be a boring date! See? I knew better!

I heard he burnt his lips on the muffler of a 82' Grand Prix!

Zounds, Mwalim -Absurdity already abounds elsewhere in this Blogosphere!

Now that you've got our attention, what are you going to do with it?

;)

I heard he drove his Chevy to the levy....but the levy was dry?

Hey Buzz,

He wasn't able to afford it, that's why he lost it. If you please, maybe you can explain Absurdism to Shecky. It's obviously beyond his/ her capacity.

Mwalim,

Peter Paul's salary was only $43k per year. How is he able to afford that big shiny Chevy?

Someone get this idiot to a drug rehap or something.
His bio says he is an Assistant Professor of English and African/ African American Studies at UMass Dartmouth and the Chairman of Education for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe.
If he represents the leadership, no wonder the tribe is trouble !

I think he loaned Peter Kenney his car...

Morgan ~ Mwalim, at least one of your semi-huge adoring fan base is concerned, man; your pre-hiatus blogs customarily sparked lively & even (sometimes) constructive discussion…

However, your recent posts, with their singular theme -have raised concern that you're possibly imbibing combustibles better-suited for use in a carburetor… Are you stuck somewhere? Need a ride/ticket home? - Call…

A lonely man takes matters into his own hands....

"Strip you down like a Peter Paul Almond Joy.... let me tell you baby, I'm a talented boy."

Prince- at the Palladium in NYC- was one of the five best shows I've ever seen.

Maggie, Nate, please add a manual authentication step to user registrations, which prevents low-life spammers from creating bogus accounts like this! May they all rot in Hell! (and soon!)
---------------------
Thanks for the idea. That comment is deleted. - Editor

ok dm....talk to you later.

Yeah, especially those who get as emotionally involved with their vehicles as Mwalim's alleged perps!

Hey, I think that I have your email & will be testing it out shortly - turn off your twit filter, or ck spam bucket in AM, OK?

=;)

yeah...that is funny/scary. that could happen easily around here...so many people shouldn't be driving.