BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years

Subject: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: harlowpoet
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 08:06 AM

Shocking news from the Guardian(UK) this morning. See here

Inspired the following limerick

A poets lifespan (if it's true)
On average is just sixty two
The news makes me haste
I've no time to waste
Twenty five years of drinking to do


Anyone else?

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: GUEST,Mr Red in poetry mode
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 08:11 AM

Old Poets never die at the end of their season, they just loose their rhyme and reason (and scansion).

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 08:44 AM

Of course, if you are Les Barker, it means a few more years of me!!!

When you're ready Mr B....

LTS

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 09:11 AM

And it p.o.e.t.s day today! Hooray!!!

Cheers

DtG

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 09:19 AM

Here in the States there's a dog food called Iams. I've heard it's made out of old poets -- they originally wanted to call it "Iambs" but decided that there was already too much bs.

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Amos
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 09:33 AM

Poetry has been going to the dogs for some time, so it makes sense...

A

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: freda underhill
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 09:45 AM

Iambic pentameter is just a load of old doggerel, anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: harlowpoet
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 12:19 PM

There's a lot of good poetry about and being written on a day to day basis by lots of people. True, there's a lot of rubbish, but I am happy to wade through a thousand bad poems to find a gem that does something for me.

Its subjective, and the least expensive form of creativity you can find.

While I'm on the post, any poem I write on this thread, is for this thread only, so comment how you like. Though bear in mind, that if I was putting something up for review as a work of art, I would have sent it to the six or seven copyright libraries in the UK/Ireland first.

That said, peace and have a nice day.

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: harvey andrews
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 02:20 PM

Does it apply to lyricists? I'm 61 in two weeks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Amos
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 02:41 PM

Harvey:

No, it does not apply to those who add music to their words. The reason poets die young is that the brilliance of their words stirs up great clouds of music in their systems, which being unable to get out, tend to condense and die unvented, thus clouding and cluttering the system irreversibly. You on the other hand, since you sing your songs as well as write them, can reasonably expect to live to 90 something, or if your genes are especially good, over 100.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: harvey andrews
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 02:44 PM

Aw, shucks Amos! LOL

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Rapparee
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 03:44 PM

Daaaaaaaaaaaaag-gone, Amos, I didn't now that! No wonder so many folks who don't have music in their souls are croakin'! So if you let it out, you kin live ferever, right?

Druther have 'em singin' than shootin' anway.

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Amos
Date: 23 Apr 04 - 03:55 PM

Yeah, it's kind of like LDS or that other cholesterol...

A

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Mr Red
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 11:55 AM

Good job I migrated from poetry to lyrics in my thirties (and I am only 29 - now!)

sort of wrongciting to songwriting - and all it took is for the ex-wife to leave home. The kindest thing she ever did...........

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Risky Business
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 11:58 AM

If I've got cancer and am going to die before 50, does this mean that going from bad to verse will increase my lifespan?

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Mudlark
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 01:42 PM

At 66, 4 yrs over the avg. limit, this factoid strikes fear into my heart. Maybe I've only managed to live this long because I don't write a LOT of poetry. Maybe the singing part helps, even if it's not my own words being sung. Rubbage! After I've sung them for a while they become my words...at least that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Amos
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 01:59 PM

Nancy:

It doesn't have to be the same words. The life cycle is roughly as follows:

Create poetry==>generate clouds of music in system==>clouds of music alowed out, system revitalized OR ]==>clouds of music retained, condense, crystallize, blocking circulation of humors==>early demise.

You have NOTHING to worry about.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: harlowpoet
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 03:13 PM

Risky Business

Sorry to hear about that. We all get a bad gig sometimes.

Hope everything works OK

Simon

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: Risky Business
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 05:25 PM

Harlow

Woe there, that was a hypothetical case of cancer, so far as I know. I just lost my father, who had had and defeated cancer, but he was well past our hypothetical limit, and he was a nuclear physicist of the theoretical pursuasion. He managed to outlive Teller.

Thanks

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: GUEST,harlowpoet
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 08:23 PM

Risky business

Misread your post slightly. Sorry

Best wishes. Catch you again on the cat.

Simon

Subject: RE: BS: Poets-Average lifespan 62 years
From: CarolC
Date: 24 Apr 04 - 10:17 PM

I wish I could remember who it was who said that poets are people who muddy their waters in order to make them appear deep.

I believe it was Garrison Keillor who said:

We've got trouble
Right here in River City
That starts with T
And that rhymes with P
And that stands for POETRY


Ahem...

Higgledy Piggledy
Hector the Poet was
Lecturing students on
Using word-play

"Hexasylabical
Words are your friends:
Double Dactyls are tools
You should use every day"

( ...that one's for you, Mole)