The Tangled Branch Discussion Forums

A number of people I know, intelligent people who are not in any way racist, are starting to blame China.
It's probably just a coincidence that Wuhan recently built its first BSL-4 (biosafety level-4 lab) ???
An interesting article:
https://www.nature.com/news/inside-the- ... ns-1.21487
Don't you just love how the ready supply of primates (for experimentation) in that area is seen as a plus! Considering their general lack of concern for animal welfare I can only imagine how insensitively they'll also be treated by the white-coats.

I digress Linda.
I love this, it's clever and the irony is sharp.
It's such an easy read, and the innocent beginnings (even the address) sets up the last S so well.
A possible edit:

Sunday morning the tree out front:
a Chinese Elm,
its irony now apparent,
was tented over, streaming
with rolls and rolls
of toilet paper.

So you're saying:
"There's no parenthetical statements in poetry!

No, I use them all the time. Because they start on one line and finished on the next line
it didn't (to my ear) have that real sense of hearing a different tone/voice.
If I was reciting a poem, and was using a () line my voice would change. It would (I believe) be confusing
for the audience if the line break created a line with split tones.
I also think the colon forces a different tone for 'a Chinese Elm'.
In three short lines you have three different sonics! In my mind it's okish; but read it out loud....

Sunday morning the tree out front: (And this line reads quite awkward?)
a Chinese Elm (the irony
is now apparent),


Maybe?

Sunday morning,
the tree out front, a Chinese Elm
(the irony now apparent),

Anywho, what do I know. Just my opinion, to use or lose

I liked this a lot Indar - it is relevant, totally up to date and beautifully concise. I would let the irony speak for itself and drop that line as it unnecessary commentary.
Dave

Got it Colm, will do Dave, thanks both

Interesting commentary and thoughts, Colm and Dave.

Linda, this one grabbed me, timely, it shoots straight.  Like it a lot - pretty much leave it alone, it needs no help.

Interesting article, Colm.  Unpleasant food for thought.

Aj   

Late to the party on this poem -- what a wonderful breath of writing!
Deceptively easy reading. The irony, as has been noted, is delicious.

After the dust settles and before you publish, you may want to consider the punctuation. A small matter, though, for such a startlingly good poem.

Cheers.

T

It was really a chore to have to think about punctuation in these trying times but I did it---better? Thanks Tracy for the positive feedback and the nudge re; the nuts and bolts.

Yes, Indar. Very effective punctuation revision. My only remaining thought might be a period in lieu of the comma at the end of S.1 L.2.

Cheers.

T