Friday, August 1, 2008

A poem from Tom Leonard

We are studying the effects of language, and considering basic post-colonial stances on language and the acceptance of non-traditional language in the mainstream. This poem by Tom Leonard captures that conflict. There is one obscenity in it, but one could argue that the censorship of that obscenity could be just as obscene.

Enjoy. Post tomorrow.

Tom Leonard
Untitled.

right inuff
ma language is disgraceful

ma maw tellt mi
ma teacher tellt me
thi doactir tellt mi
thi priest tellt mi

ma boss tellt mi
ma landlady in carrington street tellt mi
thi lassie ah tried to get aff way in 1969 tellt mi
sum wee smout thit thoat ah hudny read Chomsky tellt mi
a calvinistic communist thit thoat ah wuz revisionist tellt mi

po-faced literati grimly kerryin thi burden a thi past tellt mi
po-faced literati grimly kerryin this burden a thi future tellt mi
ma wife tellt mi jist-tay-get-inty-this-poem tellt mi
ma wainz came hame fray school an tellt mi
even thi introduction tay thi Scottish national Dictionary tellt mi

ach well
all livin language is sacred
fuck thi lohta thim

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