Miscellaneous Poems
Viewing comments for Chapter 16 "Not my house"Poems not in other books
23 total reviews
Comment from lyenochka
Good pun. It's always more a shock when leaders of a religious organization flagrantly commit the very sins that they preach against and should know that they are even more under God's scrutiny.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Good pun. It's always more a shock when leaders of a religious organization flagrantly commit the very sins that they preach against and should know that they are even more under God's scrutiny.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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I would describe it more as disappointment and horror than shock, Helen. I think everyone is past the point of being shocked. Thanks for the kind review. Craig
Comment from Dawn Munro
Craig, this is such a clever poem and brilliant play on words in light of recent news. Heaven forbid 'breeding ground' be interpreted one way! It is a most POWERFUL poem -- these cardinals finally outed (not just Cardinal Pell). You are absolutely right about what you say in your notes, too. It is the 'ultimate shame' and betrayal, the ultimate hypocrisy.
Well done, my talented friend. Best of luck in the contest. I seldom spend a six on a tiny poem, but this demands it. It is exceptional in every way.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Craig, this is such a clever poem and brilliant play on words in light of recent news. Heaven forbid 'breeding ground' be interpreted one way! It is a most POWERFUL poem -- these cardinals finally outed (not just Cardinal Pell). You are absolutely right about what you say in your notes, too. It is the 'ultimate shame' and betrayal, the ultimate hypocrisy.
Well done, my talented friend. Best of luck in the contest. I seldom spend a six on a tiny poem, but this demands it. It is exceptional in every way.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Yes, the implications of that phrase didn't escape me when I wrote it, Dawn. Many thanks for the wonderful review, and the delightful rating. I appreciate it is hard to justify them for very short works, so am even more grateful :) Craig
Comment from LIJ Red
The generation had not passed when the Son came again, as he said, and gathered his Elect. Then came Titus...and when the dust settled, an early Godfather said, "Hey, I see money in this!" So they elected the first Antichrist(pope) and have been on top ever since...a genuine five seven five and right to the point...fivers.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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The generation had not passed when the Son came again, as he said, and gathered his Elect. Then came Titus...and when the dust settled, an early Godfather said, "Hey, I see money in this!" So they elected the first Antichrist(pope) and have been on top ever since...a genuine five seven five and right to the point...fivers.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Thanks very much, appreciated :) Craig
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
A very well-written 5-7-5 poem, I can understand your anger, I would be too when something like that happens in my church. I can assure you there are people who truly follow God's doctrine, the ones who abuse their powers will be held responsible before God's judgment.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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A very well-written 5-7-5 poem, I can understand your anger, I would be too when something like that happens in my church. I can assure you there are people who truly follow God's doctrine, the ones who abuse their powers will be held responsible before God's judgment.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Thanks very much for the kind review, Sandra. Appreciated -- Craig
Comment from MissMerri
You must, after all, have some reverence in your heart for God, if you think His house is shamed by the deeds of a Cardinal. I cannot disagree. It is a pitiful shame anytime a child is abused or used in this way, and it happens in places far from the church as well. (I wonder why you didn't label your poem philosophy and commentary, since it seems to fit that category.) It is well written with an economy of words and a depth of meaning that is not easy to achieve all in the same poem. I found it most troubling and certainly thought-provoking, as I'm sure you intended it to be. My mind is whirling with so much I wish I could say. Good luck in this contest.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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You must, after all, have some reverence in your heart for God, if you think His house is shamed by the deeds of a Cardinal. I cannot disagree. It is a pitiful shame anytime a child is abused or used in this way, and it happens in places far from the church as well. (I wonder why you didn't label your poem philosophy and commentary, since it seems to fit that category.) It is well written with an economy of words and a depth of meaning that is not easy to achieve all in the same poem. I found it most troubling and certainly thought-provoking, as I'm sure you intended it to be. My mind is whirling with so much I wish I could say. Good luck in this contest.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Hi MM,
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. It has been claimed many times over that the incidence of child abuse is no greater within the church than outside it, as if that is an acceptable defence. The evidence indicates that's not true. Also, another often made claim is that priests are somehow "forced" into this action because of their vows of celibacy. With respect, that makes no sense. Either self-gratification or consensual relations with a woman (or man) would get around the problem. Sure, those actions might be "sinful" in the eyes of some religions, but are they more sinful than raping children? To make such a claim is putting the cart before the horse. These people are pedophiles, and the church attracts them because of the protection and opportunities it offers them. It is not the cause of their behaviour. As you said, so much more to say.
Sadly, I don't hold the reverence you hope for. Neither do I hold animosity towards God. I hold God is an invention of man (kind of a reversal of the Biblical account), so to do so would be quite silly. I believe man, and man alone, is responsible for our actions.
Thanks once again :)
Craig
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I have not one ounce of sympathy or respect for ANYONE who abuses children, no matter what title they wear. There is no excuse. It somehow seems worse though, when they are protected by a church organization that teaches love. It is the worst hypocrisy. I do not however, believe humans could make up a God so perfect as the one I know. Where, then, would we get our standard of perfection? Why do we look to Jesus as our model? Did we make Him up too? No, that really makes no sense to me at all. The Bible is too miraculous a book not to have been God ordained and sanctioned. Yes, I know humans wrote it, but under the direction of the Holy Spirit. It is the most amazing book I've ever read. ;") There, thanks for letting me say what I think. ~~ M
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You're most welcome ;-)
Comment from --Turtle.
Blessed are the wicked healed by my hand.
It all makes my stomach ache.
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Repression does bad things to the psyche... and I bounce around wondering if what about the breeding ground is a foundation that appeals to get perverts to join up drooling at the chance to get kids alone, or if it's a twisting of having no normal, natural outlet ... thus leaving people who might not resort to perversion all perverted after x years assigning any desires to the evil bin, when maybe if they'd been allowed to yank a tissue they'd have been okay?
Or is it just the blanket of shhhhh that allows for infestation to build because of lack of reprocussion?
Maybe a little of all. Gods club ... meets power ... meets vulnerable victims and alone time ... meets a human animal who isn't allowed to have healthy relations with their junk without condemnation, thus... bla.
On to my thoughts of the poem,
Nice job with the play on words, using a double entendre? of Cardinal here... with the literal Cardinal sinning, and the term cardinal sin.
The use of breeding grounds for bad judgement, and shame, and house of god... all stack in this 5-7-5 in a clever arrangement.
Strong, relevant and long duration theme
tie-able to current events... and a larger issue at hand than any one off situation.
Well done all the way around for this contest entry.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Blessed are the wicked healed by my hand.
It all makes my stomach ache.
: /
Repression does bad things to the psyche... and I bounce around wondering if what about the breeding ground is a foundation that appeals to get perverts to join up drooling at the chance to get kids alone, or if it's a twisting of having no normal, natural outlet ... thus leaving people who might not resort to perversion all perverted after x years assigning any desires to the evil bin, when maybe if they'd been allowed to yank a tissue they'd have been okay?
Or is it just the blanket of shhhhh that allows for infestation to build because of lack of reprocussion?
Maybe a little of all. Gods club ... meets power ... meets vulnerable victims and alone time ... meets a human animal who isn't allowed to have healthy relations with their junk without condemnation, thus... bla.
On to my thoughts of the poem,
Nice job with the play on words, using a double entendre? of Cardinal here... with the literal Cardinal sinning, and the term cardinal sin.
The use of breeding grounds for bad judgement, and shame, and house of god... all stack in this 5-7-5 in a clever arrangement.
Strong, relevant and long duration theme
tie-able to current events... and a larger issue at hand than any one off situation.
Well done all the way around for this contest entry.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Hi Turtle,
As usual, your review is most insightful. And, as usual, you manage to get to the heart of the matter. The question you pose is one myself and my other half were discussing last night. Rather than retyping it all, I'm just going to paste in what I said about to to another reviewer:
It has been claimed many times over that the incidence of child abuse is no greater within the church than outside it, as if that is an acceptable defence. The evidence indicates that's not true. Also, another often made claim is that priests are somehow "forced" into this action because of their vows of celibacy. With respect, that makes no sense. Either self-gratification or consensual relations with a woman (or man) would get around the problem. Sure, those actions might be "sinful" in the eyes of some religions, but are they more sinful than raping children? To make such a claim is putting the cart before the horse. These people are pedophiles, and the church attracts them because of the protection and opportunities it offers them. It is not the cause of their behaviour.
Thanks for the kind comments, and the delightful rating.
Craig
Comment from RodG
This "ultimate shame" of what has been revealed about the third most powerful Cardinal in the Vatican is devastating, I am sure, for most Catholics. What can the Pope do to overcome the damage? Your last line, though sardonic, really shows the moral decline of many priests. Rod
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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This "ultimate shame" of what has been revealed about the third most powerful Cardinal in the Vatican is devastating, I am sure, for most Catholics. What can the Pope do to overcome the damage? Your last line, though sardonic, really shows the moral decline of many priests. Rod
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Much appreciated, Rod. There is little the Pope can do, I feel. To be honest, it appears the church, while crying crocodile tears for the victims, is all about "damage control", and zero about stopping the victimisation. They are still spending billions to protect pedophiles and cover up the truth. Anyway, thanks for the fine review. Craig
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Craig, I think you summed up the situation accurately. Rod
Comment from dmt1967
This poem is sad as it is true. But things like this have always gone on. I have seen the thorn birds and that was in the 80's. The poem says everything that needs to be said. Good luck in the contest and thank you for sharing.
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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This poem is sad as it is true. But things like this have always gone on. I have seen the thorn birds and that was in the 80's. The poem says everything that needs to be said. Good luck in the contest and thank you for sharing.
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Thanks for the kind comments. Yes, it is nothing new. Cheers, Craig
Comment from Sharon Haiste
I think your short verse is a good entry for the 5-7-5 Contest.
You touch on a terrible subject here. It's one of much controversy.
Well told. Good luck to you with the contest.
Sharon
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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I think your short verse is a good entry for the 5-7-5 Contest.
You touch on a terrible subject here. It's one of much controversy.
Well told. Good luck to you with the contest.
Sharon
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Thanks for the kind comments, Sharon. Much appreciated -- Craig
Comment from HealingMuse
Hi CD,
This is a great 5-7-5 and you certainly address a horrible scandal.
I've never understood the need for an intermediary to intercede with the divine. After all, they are human as well and, in such cases, turn out to be the monsterous dynamic of human. I certainly hope more people will think rationally about their beliefs and where they are putting their trust.
Let's hope these men don't get the Epstein deal to virtually skate for the horrid rapes of children. Both cases should carry the death penalty in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing and good luck in the contest.
Jan
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Hi CD,
This is a great 5-7-5 and you certainly address a horrible scandal.
I've never understood the need for an intermediary to intercede with the divine. After all, they are human as well and, in such cases, turn out to be the monsterous dynamic of human. I certainly hope more people will think rationally about their beliefs and where they are putting their trust.
Let's hope these men don't get the Epstein deal to virtually skate for the horrid rapes of children. Both cases should carry the death penalty in my opinion.
Thanks for sharing and good luck in the contest.
Jan
Comment Written 26-Feb-2019
reply by the author on 26-Feb-2019
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Yes, let's hope they don't, Jan. So many have already benefited from the "Melbourne solution" -- where victims are paid a pittance to buy their silence, on agreeing they will never take legal action, and never speak of what they suffered. What sort of "penitence" is that? Thanks for the thoughtful review. Craig
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Grrrrrrrr! (Growling with, not at, you. LOL)
That is ridiculous, shameful, and should be criminal, although, I'm sure it's perfectly legal. It would be here in the States. Disgusting! And I'll bet people continue to show up weekly and throw money into their dirty, greedy baskets. Barf. I certainly hope people have stopped entrusting their children to these rapists! Jan