MADE FOR YOU AND ME 1: hive Being (Stanzas 2016—part 20)
Let's workshop this stanza sequence, which includes 'stumbling upon' family-member porn, swaddled roaches, Shamu, awareness of fidgeting when high, a mom's tears about her bad seed, shaved snatches
“Yep, just like your thumb, Princess” hung in the morning, fresh with life the first tune, however small, to haunt someone’s head papier-mâché wall repairs shivering oneself warm ducking eyes in want of late rent so many dreams, desperations, amassed in crowds imam snores amplified throughout his city, the prayer mic still on thoughts fed by the sun through the blinds you watch her, home from the conference with your teacher, crying eye-liner over the steering wheel cleaning out your dead loved one’s apartment— from Chinese takeout menus and fridge magnets to diaries read, dirties sniffed, and shirts tried on before curves, she was allowed to get muddy with her brother in shorts and a t-shirt gluten-free hipsters magic the rotting relics of industry, the bombed-out ghost factories, into wine-swirl galleries and million-dollar lofts stunned that it comes from you, that there could be such an unwilled intensity harbored within you, the surge of tears comes once again unsuspected the bunk leader at Boy-Scout camp coaching the scrawny killer in private not to be shy about how he looks naked aware of how open to ridicule his pink hair has him, the teen in the high-school hallway resists the urge to look down with red face the one always there for the bartender’s last call painters using Parkinson’s twitches to their advantage meditate on all the people who share your problem cynicism for succor against the absurd attachment to your melancholy dying on a run we all share that we have yet to die fleeing the state to escape the drug can change your sex legally but not your age?! going through life never seeing, let alone hugging, a dead human in the raw said in 2010: “most adults who will die next week within our borders know, like us, who ‘Shamu’ is” that your lawyer was a true friend was clear in that she threw you a birthday party you did not want a picture of the subject made clearer by means of a caricature anatomically impossible that need behind our pressing the artist to provide some profound raison d’etre for his productions mosquitoes daring citronella borders— heat and C02 from preggos human milk not curding with lemon juice thigmotropic creatures— swaddled babies, creviced roaches art prizes confer status and, in many, a boldness to make pronouncements beyond even one’s purlieu of expertise our constant micro-movements— twitches, adjustments, fiddlings— unrepressed from mind on weed the same disgust felt thinking of a woman mounted by a dolphin is felt thinking of a white woman mounted by a black man—well, at least still in some pockets death as an excuse to splurge on memories, snacks, TV, porn, rage pendulous jowls one can count the waves in a painting of the sea we are in such an uncharitable age of entitled victimhood that to offer S some reasons for why R actually might not have intended to offend S is violent speech against S, a rejection of her lived experience, of her truth however highly you speak of your coaxing enchantments, she was down from the start, Mr. Magic Mike, if she showed up baby bald masturbating before working out how to feel about porn clips found— exhumed, more like?—of your niece
This is a portion of an ongoing mosaic poem called Made for You and Me. This portion is from the first installment: hive Being (Stanzas 2016-2020). More specifically, it is from the 2016 portion of that five-part work.
Painting: artsandculture.google.com/asset/nude-on-a-couch/ZgFIsewGY20qKw?hl=en
SAFE SPACE REPORT
This fragment of MFYM, like the whole, is a disjointed series of observations, thoughts, and experiences that touch on various themes related to human behavior, morality, identity, and societal norms. The use of a free-form structure and enjambment creates a sense of fragmentation and disjunction, mimicking the chaotic and unpredictable nature of life itself. Here Istvan touches on themes of power dynamics, sexuality, death, memory, and cultural expectations. This selection, in particular, challenges readers to confront uncomfortable or taboo subjects such as masturbation, pornography, death, and racism, while also exploring more contemplative themes such as identity, perception, and the human condition.
While artistic expression should be celebrated, but only somewhat! It is true that this mosaic poem is an expression of the complexities and contradictions inherent in the human experience, and the ways in which we struggle to make sense of and navigate the world around us. Unfortunately, the content of the expression is inappropriate for audiences, containing as it does explicit and potentially triggering content (such as references to incest and pornography, as well as violent and disturbing imagery).
As educators, we have a responsibility to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students, and this includes protecting them from material that may cause harm or discomfort. Exposure to such content can be traumatizing for some students, particularly those who may have experienced similar traumas or have cultural or religious beliefs that deem such content inappropriate.
Furthermore, it is important to consider the potential legal and ethical implications of exposing students to such material. Parents and guardians may have valid concerns about their children being exposed to explicit and disturbing content, and the educational institution could potentially face legal action if such material is deemed inappropriate or harmful.
Therefore, it is in the best interest of the educational institution and its students to avoid exposing them to potentially harmful or triggering material, and to instead promote a safe and inclusive learning environment. While artistic expression and creativity should be celebrated, it is crucial to prioritize the well-being and safety of our students above all else.