My Name Is John Doe


http://www.raintaxi.com/online/2003winter/deerhead.shtml


"One might also argue that 6) a poem is an expression of a community of poets. Deer Head Nation is a state-of-the-art collection of a kind of writing that's sometimes called "flarf." (The term was originally supposed to designate uses of language that would be inappropriate in poetry, but now it seems to be primarily associated with poems based on internet searches.) Some of Mohammad's colleagues in flarf writing (Drew Gardner, Gary Sullivan, Katie Degentesh, Jordan Davis) make cameo appearances in the charming, witty, and only mildly offensive poem "Puritan": "there's a bunch of people in Drew's pants / and not forgetting Gary's pants / police also noticed a bulge in Katie's pants / . . . we are in 'Jordan's Pants' / oh great--/ let's go find Michael Jordan's pants." (I'm using the term "offensive" in, if possible, an objective sense, although anyone who claims to be offended by this book is probably being disingenuous. What did you expect from a poem called "Puritan" in a book called Deer Head Nation? Which is just to say that 7) a poem is also part of a community--a collection of poems, or a sequence such as "Deer Head Suite"-- and should be judged mainly for its behavior within its peer group.) "

The problem with American DUDES named Mohammad, K. Silem:

http://limetree.ksilem.com/archives/000436.html

"Poetry, however, has not always had its special relation to crisis theorized in the same way in all historical periods and by all practitioners and readers. Adorno’s famous statement that lyric poetry could not continue to be written after Auschwitz, whether it is taken literally or rhetorically, has a particular force because Auschwitz and similar modern atrocities took on a particular force in public consciousness that hadn’t been possible before the innovations in the technology of genocide that brought it about (and the innovations in the technology of popular media that brought it to the world’s attention). Asking whether poetry is “enough” in an era of global terror and global capital does not necessarily solicit a yes/no answer. "

Then this great tit for tat argument (the kind poets are known for) erupts between someone using words like "Christological" and Kasey defending himself thusly:

"Yes, you have a right to your skepticism--but when your skepticism becomes as predictably reductive and offhandedly dismissive as it has, automatically labeling anyone who mentions poetics and politics in the same breath as tainted with false piety and cynical careerism, others have a right to balk at it."

Now. I'll tell you what. America, Fuck Yeah! (from the movie, Team America*). I'll tell you what. You CANNOT ask why K. Silem Mohammad uses the name "Kasey" instead of what his name is, might be or is suggested via a long association with "guys named Mohammad, Mohamed, or simply 'Moe' as is the usual conjunction associated with this John Doe. You cannot do that. It is UNSCRUPULOUS. You can however comment on the unscrupulousness of "accusing someone of being, FAME HUNGRY" and in possession of one of the most controversial names: Kasey (most notably in my experience is the conjunctive form of three names, Osama, Kassem and Asem. Perhaps more.) You cannot mix, apples and oranges. Nor can you criticize an ego-ist. This is not allowed. You cannot even ask him why he won't post a link to poets FOR war on his site in which he is quoted as stating war is a perpetual thing.

Better luck next time, with the next war or, generation of wars as the case may be.

This, in the week of the Cartoon Controversy and Brittany Spears photographed while escaping Papparazzi with her newborn son on her lap.

Justifiable hardship? I think so.

The benefit however of this has been getting myself excused from that tedious Lucipo list. For that I say, Al'ham'du'lilah. Allah Kareem.

*Team America from the creators of "South Park" explores the notion of an actor playing the part of a terrorist in a scheme hatched by the "intelligence" apparatus of the United States of America. One of their other notable contributions to the world of animation was a brief, brilliant sketch within the confines of Micheal Moore's, Bowling For Columbine which depicted Americans as violent puritans disembarking from the Mayflower. It is worth noting that the creators of the Columbine animation had a falling out with Micheal Moore and subsequently, blew him up in the movie, Team America. In my opinion, the movie Team America is a must see because the puppet porno is probably the funniest thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life except for the time when I saw King Fahed ushered into the ER wrapped in a pink blanket.