The Duck

duck in orange sauce
swim duck swim!

duck dives deep
I am marinating!

...you are a sick, sick man, Farmerman.

What'm I saying? You have clearly been dead for millenia...

duck, crispy crispy duck
peking and shangai

garlic, vinegar and soya
chinese food rules

Stop it! Now I'm coughing - AND hungry!

It's good for ya, Deb.
Thanks for a great laugh, guys...keep it coming!

I am quite proud of my poem. It took several month to compose, but I think the sleepless nights were worth it, after viewing the finished product. A simple, beautiful, and elegant poem.

Where might I get this poem published? Any ideas?

"Highlights"

Oh, and one more thing. I sincerely believe that we are witnessing the birth of the next great American poet. Once this poem is published and the public becomes aware of its power, the name Ratzenhofer will be whispered when great poetry is mentioned.

The people who have participated in this thread are fortunate indeed. How so, you ask. Let me explain: Years from now you might be at a party, say in France or Chad. The guests will be walking around in their evening gowns and tuxedoes, sipping wine and discussing poetry. Someone will mention Frost, Eliot, Ratzenhofer, and Pound.

"Ah, Ratzenhofer" you will exclaim. "I remember back in 2003 when he first published 'The Duck'. We were discussing it one day and making light jokes about it. It was a grand time."

The guests will gasp as they look at you with bulging eyes. "You knew Ratzenhofer?" they'll ask, wonderment in their voice.

"Yes, but of course", you'll say as you casually walk away.

And as I flip my hair over my shoulder, I shall say, "Yes, pity the poor man. He honestly thought his genius was for serious literature, not comedy. Can you believe it?!"

And the crowd will stare, open mouthed.

"Do you mean," one gentleman from London will say, "that his epic work, 'A Day in the Life of Ivan Tobetakenseriously,' was meant to be...drama? No!"

"Oh yes," I shall sigh. "Ratzenhofer never understood the full extent of his talent."

And the crowd will shake their heads in disbelief.

Poor Ratzenhofer, afflicted as he is.In this class we shall study "The duck" more closely, to understand through close inspection , what truths Ratzenhofer has disclosed in this short , but pithy offering.

'the Duck" tells us, by the poets demand for transfer between the two of the ducks supportive media, that Ratzenhofer presents us evidence of a deep unresolved conflict that only Ratzenhofer can address and overcome. He shares with us his personal suffering and need to have his chosen symbol(ie "The Duck" )
explode from water to air and by so doing, achieve a personal metamorphosis if you will , in which, by sailing above his travails,Ratzenhofer can "fly safely home" , as bennet says in his... "What the Hell did I mean when I inventedRoses are Red?"

In this work RAtzenhofer has allowed us a brief but telling glimpse into the mind of one who sees and feels things that those of us less gifted can only catch on PBS.
I tremble in anticipation of his next works.

Oh yes, farmerman. I tremble, too.

And tremble you should. You are in the presence of greatness. My next composition is in the works. Prepare yourselves.

O Mighty Ratz, I have firmly affixed "duck" tape to my ass to make sure I don't fall out of my chair this time. I am ready...

As far as getting this work published, hmmmmm. Might I suggest the Burma Shave people?

Clearly Ratzenhoefer's is a natural, inspired genius over which he can exert no control. The only choice is whether to nourish the genius or to starve it, to magnify it or to reduce it to microscopic proportions. Yes, Ratzenhoefer is the sort of pure innocent idiot child genius that one Rousseua predicted and the other embodied. His coming has been heralded, in a way, and I will look to him as a sort of unknowing prophet. If he asks me to cast my shoes aside, then I shall go forth unshod. If he demands that I sacrifice my firstborn, then so shall my eldest be slain. If he wants that I give up to him my sandwich -- then I'll kick his genius butt. The line's got to be drawn somewhere.

Short of the sandwich, though, I'm on board.

"But, the duck has no feathers!" cried one little dlowan.

I has to be acknowledged that gustavratzenhofer knows his ducks. He knows how to rhyme (so many words go with duck...) and he knows what the public wants. What's not to love?

But, how hard will it be for us to exercise the patience needed in waiting for the genius'es next great work?

Very, very hard, it will be.

Burma Shave went out of business in 1944