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Um?

sad monkey
So I seem to recall everyone was gushing about Lisa Bradley's "we come together we fall apart" in the Stone Telling queer issue a while back but I didn't actually read it until today because my Internet TBR pile is truly enormous and I am months behind on almost everything unless it was written by someone I've friended somewhere. And even then, I'm often behind.

Anyway, now that I've dragged my late-adopter butt to the party, I have to say it's a really well-done poem. With beautiful language, complex emotions, &c, and the "multiplicity of self" aspect struck a chord with me that I don't want to talk about right now.

But.

I couldn't help but notice that the reason the whole family falls apart (and a lady gets strangled?!) is because this one guy comes out as asexual to his wife. That is the trigger point that sets all the other bad things in motion, mainly because his wife goes into a spiral of "OH NOES THIS IS THE MOST TERRIBLE THING and now I must CHEAT ON HIM RIGHT AWAY." No one calls her on this at any subsequent point.

And I mean, it would take an actual asexual person (probably with a degree in poetry or something) to do a proper analysis of what is going on here, but I can't be the only person who is just a little bit uncomfortable with it.

Comments

rose_lemberg
May. 13th, 2012 01:04 am (UTC)
Not sure if you are interested in my PoV as the editor. I do not want to jump in and "defend" the works we choose from the readers' critiques - that may create an atmosphere in which the readers feel they are not welcome to critique, while truly the opposite is the case. Please let me know.
ada_hoffmann
May. 13th, 2012 01:42 am (UTC)
As long as you're *not* doing the jumping in and defending thing, I would be curious about your PoV, especially in terms of whether there are nuances to this that I'm missing.
rose_lemberg
May. 13th, 2012 01:46 am (UTC)
There are many aspects to this I can talk about; it is a very complex - and yes, uncomfortable - piece. Parts were on the poet's mind, parts were rising from the poet's subconsciousness.

As long as you're *not* doing the jumping in and defending thing, I would be curious about your PoV

What would constitute jumping in and defending for you, at this stage? I am glad to share my thoughts, but it is not a simple matter, nor are my thoughts on this matter simple.
ada_hoffmann
May. 13th, 2012 01:48 am (UTC)
At this stage for me, as long as you aren't going "HOW DARE YOU CRITICIZE THIS POEM THAT I WAS THE EDITOR FOR," and are instead engaging in thoughtful dialogue, you're not jumping in and defending. ^_^
rose_lemberg
May. 13th, 2012 01:52 am (UTC)
I was very much hoping readers would engage with this poem, and I am happy you have done so. Far from trying to shut anyone up, I am sincerely hoping that readers WILL point out anything and everything they consider problematic in our work. Without thoughtful dialogue there can be no growth.

Let me work on this, and I will post later tonight.
ada_hoffmann
May. 13th, 2012 01:54 am (UTC)
Okay, great! I'll look forward to your post.
rose_lemberg
May. 13th, 2012 01:55 am (UTC)
I was editing my comment as you posted. I was trying to add this: "Also, it is absolutely your decision, but it is a bit uncomfortable for me to be having this discussion under lock, where not all of the members of the ST team can see it, not to mention the poets. Would you perhaps consider unlocking the post?"
ada_hoffmann
May. 13th, 2012 02:00 pm (UTC)
Hmm, I had the post locked because I was worried people who don't know me would be uncomfortable if they saw it... But it seems from what you just said like it's actually the other way around. (I don't actually know anything about this - aside from Nancy Fulda's "Movement", which was much more simplistic, this is the first time I've ever tried to start a conversation of this nature on my LJ.) So yes, I will need to think about it a bit, but I will certainly consider unlocking the post.

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