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bonobo
Owl Juggler for rent
Joined: 23 Jun 2004
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bonobo
Owl Juggler for rent
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 Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:46 pm |
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I understand and respect the points both of you make. I did think the part about scaring off future boyfriends was a bit silly.
For me, I enjoyed the writing and I think the poem spoke to me because of how recently I started solo hiking in WA. I still haven't backpacked alone, although it is on my list of things to accomplish this year.
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003
Posts: 14152 | TRs | Pics
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:53 pm |
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OK.
I still can't empathize because when I first hiked and backpacked alone. I just sorta packed up and went. I suppose other women have people telling them they can't and/or shouldn't (like Austen's family / freinds).
But still, the phrases, sub-issues, and word-choices are ugly. I question if this is even poetry; but then again, prime-facie, I'm not a big fan of modern attempts at poetry.
At any rate, it stirs discussion, so that's good. 
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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RokIzGud
Cozza Frenzy
Joined: 08 Feb 2010
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RokIzGud
Cozza Frenzy
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:00 pm |
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| Quark wrote: | | OK.
I still can't empathize because when I first hiked and backpacked alone. I just sorta packed up and went. I suppose other women have people telling them they can't and/or shouldn't (like Austen's family / freinds).
But still, the phrases, sub-issues, and word-choices are ugly. I question if this is even poetry; but then again, prime-facie, I'm not a big fan of modern attempts at poetry. |
What about rap? Do you consider that poetry 
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Dogpatch
Member
Joined: 17 Aug 2003
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Location: the dryside |
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Dogpatch
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:19 pm |
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I was a little caught up by the use of "girl" too. Side issue, maybe.
I liked the ending lines:
"The girl who goes alone says with her body
the world is worth the risk."
I wish the rest of the poem lived up to that. Because the poem is so utterly specific, there's not much room for any other reading of it. No resonance, I guess. I'm trying to think of a poem I like that deals with confronting fears. Anybody have another example?
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." – Groucho Marx
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." – Groucho Marx
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
Joined: 15 May 2003
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Quark
Niece of Alvy Moore
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:34 pm |
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| Mossy Mom wrote: | | And I think it does nothing to address who we should actually be afraid of. It is not the random stranger in the bushes, it is our own friends and family members that we should be watching for. By focusing on the stranger danger we lose sight of the biggest dangers that threaten women and girls. |
But the poem isn't about freinds and family members that we should be watching for, so that isn't a good argument. My argument isn't any better for the same reason. If she wants to write about paranoia and bloody tampons and people like it, then more power to her. Victor Hugo House hasn't sponsored me, so she has better connections than I do, that's for sure.
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
"...Other than that, the post was more or less accurate."
Bernardo, NW Hikers' Bureau Chief of Reporting
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Dogpatch
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Dogpatch
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:07 pm |
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| Mossy Mom wrote: | | Holly Near.. well I think she wrote it.. it goes something like this.. |
Hey thanks--I was trying to think of songwriters and drawing a blank. And thanks to kbatku as well, this is an interesting discussion.
So I started looking up poets, trying to understand what makes me like a particular work. Here's a poem by Mary Oliver, not specifically about going out alone, but maybe close enough to the theme of courage to serve as a counterpoint.
The Journey by Mary Oliver
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice—
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do—
determined to save
the only life you could save.
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." – Groucho Marx
"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read." – Groucho Marx
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
Joined: 16 Dec 2001
Posts: 23956 | TRs | Pics
Location: Cle Elum |
I would never suggest that a woman not do a certain thing because she is a woman. What I would do is suggest that she understand that often women are hard targets in our society and that she should prepare herself for any and all possibilities while out on the trail.
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide."
— Abraham Lincoln
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dicentra
Plant Geek
Joined: 04 May 2003
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dicentra
Plant Geek
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:15 pm |
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My father once suggested I invite my EX boyfriend on a backpacking trip "just so I'd have a man to go with"  
I went solo.
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treeswarper
Alleged Sockpuppet!
Joined: 25 Dec 2006
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treeswarper
Alleged Sockpuppet!
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:08 pm |
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It is a very annoying thing. I still get asked, by complete strangers, "Aren't you afraid of cougars?" Or guys I know will tell me "We saw a big cougar down in that area." Big deal. Now why would a cougar eat me instead of them?
What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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Malachai Constant
Member
Joined: 13 Jan 2002
Posts: 16092 | TRs | Pics
Location: Back Again Like A Bad Penny |
Don't worry about the cougars you see, worry about the ones you don't see 
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
"You do not laugh when you look at the mountains, or when you look at the sea." Lafcadio Hearn
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Yet
Member
Joined: 23 Apr 2005
Posts: 2634 | TRs | Pics
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Yet
Member
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 6:54 pm |
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treeswarper
Alleged Sockpuppet!
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treeswarper
Alleged Sockpuppet!
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 7:51 pm |
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| Malachai Constant wrote: | | Don't worry about the cougars you see, worry about the ones you don't see |
See? You're doing it.
I have only seen a cougar once. So, should I never step out of the house? Move to the city? I don't think so. I have found cougar tracks in my tracks when walking back the way I came, that was a little bit spooky.
Nope, you aint gonna make me ascared.
What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
What's especially fun about sock puppets is that you can make each one unique and individual, so that they each have special characters. And they don't have to be human––animals and aliens are great possibilities
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Wopper
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Wopper
Member
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:00 pm |
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| Quark wrote: | | Am I the only one who thinks the poem is hooey? |
No....I am not sure why but when I read that poem I can't help but get the mental image of Micheal Myers doing his terrible poetry in that bar in the movie So, I Married an Axe Murderer.
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RokIzGud
Cozza Frenzy
Joined: 08 Feb 2010
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RokIzGud
Cozza Frenzy
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Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:05 pm |
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There has only been on cougar related fatality in Washington State and that happened around 1918. Unless of course you count Inglemore HS...
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More Cowbell
Warrior Princess
Joined: 01 Jul 2006
Posts: 5657 | TRs | Pics
Location: Alive on Earth |
Her works seem to be gone from that website. I enjoyed her style, including the grotty parts. But I don't mind that others didn't like it. I wanted to read it again just because Quark hated it so much (maybe I missed something) but a Google search is not finding that poem.
Since the author lives in seattle and is obviously a hiker I would thinks it's possible that she reads these forums.
“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
“If you want to forget all your other troubles, wear too tight shoes.” - Unknown
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And I know I am a woman, but I try not to think about it too much. 
Good poem. Good discussion.
I hike alone. Because I want to. It's so refreshing. I haven't backpacked alone. Don't know if I will, have not really given it much thought. If I ever do go, it probably won't be with Quark's no big deal attitude. Unless it is. 