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Tuesday, July 6, 2021

July 6, 2021

| |
| | kneel, opera, hybrid, coward, broken record.
Image from the Internet.

The opening poem contains all the words (or variations of them) from today's Jumble.
Comments are welcomed! And couching them in Poetry is definitely NOT required.
Do not explicitly reveal any of the actual answer words until after closing time, but embedding them surreptitiously in comment sentences is encouraged.

12 comments:

Sandyanon said...

Sometimes the solution is easier than the jumbled words. Or they're not even needed, as with this jumble. Kinda cute solution.

Ol' Man Keith said...

Yes, Sandy ~ I thought the solution was EZ--& appropriate. Worked for me too.

FLN Misty & Wilbur ~ Yes, I do remember the word occurring in the XWD. I thought the notion that it was offensive was an over-reaction.
But then what do I know? I suppose veteran AAers would think it more descriptive-- of a certain stage of continual inebriation before an individual embarks on the Program--than offensive. Still, I have no direct experience, and I doubt I would ever use the word.
Except maybe in a poem...?

Today's contribution:
Given the sad performance history of the opera in question (see below), it was not supposed that many post-production albums would be sold. Still, in order to honor their contract, the reluctant cast gathered in the studio to make a...

"Token Record"
The opera was a hybrid twixt melodrama and lutto play.
The evil villainous basso crept in to wreak lethal harm
on the counter-tenor priest, kneeling piously to pray--
as the brave tenor hero started his aria to raise alarm...

Just then the cowardly comic falsetto entered before his cue (!)
causing the curtain to ring down early--and the entire show was through.
~ OMK

Wilbur Charles said...

Fln. re. SOT.. OMK put it well. That was just a form of trolling. Sot is no more offensive to AAers than anyone hence the "wry" humor.

Do you remember my line "

Got it said the sot
With scarcely a thought

Rib Room Hotel Sonesta

Wilbur Charles said...

And...

That was the most succinct and may I say brilliant exposition of the art of Opera I've seen.

And with all the J's to boot

Bravo

Wilbur Charles said...

[Neal, the crusty old-timer has been listening]

You three sound like a broken record with your tales of woe
We kept it simple in our day: Surrender! But that was long ago
I recognize that today's newcomer has a hybrid disease:
Whether kneeling at the porcelain throne
Or imbibing foreign weed intent on a numbing zone

The sharing I hear is like a horse opera of futility
The lesson to be learned is that the principle of humility
Is a form of empowerment
Not the coward's choice
Shutting out distraction and listening to one's inner voice

WC

Misty said...

"Singing Star"

As an opera tenor Sam starred,
playing heroes but also cowards.
He tried complex parts off the grid,
some straight-forward and some hybrid.
He would leap in the air, he would kneel,
and his high voice had enormous appeal.
His great record was never broken
and as a champion he remained a token.
He suffered no defeat
and was a wonder and a treat.

Misty said...

Wow! Terrific poems, Ol' Man Keith and Wilbur--clever, neat, and lots of fun! Thank you for this Tuesday gift. I checked carefully and was delighted that both your verses contained all the Jumble words and solution! Yay!

Ol' Man Keith said...

Thanks, Wilbur, for the good follow-up re. "Sot."

Looks like crusty Neal wants to start a fight. But, as I read your verses, Chet (and probably Lois) is already committed to accepting the tough demands of the Program. And that already includes the "principle of humility."
I think they are all pals together.

Misty ~ Thank you for your usual kind words. Much appreciated!
Well, Bravo to your tenor, Sam.
His talent seems to have earned him a charmed life!
What, not a single bad review?
Unheard of in his profession. Don't tell him, but I believe it can't last, so I hope he will be man enough to take it when that mean-spirited critic finally goes to press or on the air.
Meanwhile, he should enjoy his fans (and take care his agent isn't ripping him off).
~ OMK

Misty said...

OMK, to have Sam suffer slurs from nerds
requires appropriate Jumble words.
They just weren't there in Jumble today
So Sam gets to have a wonderful day.

Wilbur Charles said...

Misty, that was an excellent J-poem, told a story in rhyme with all the J's.

OMK, AA as such demands nothing, even 12 Steps are suggestions. They only ask that one has "A desire to stop drinking ". Now sponsors may make "demands", eg Read the literature and call at certain times and DO the steps.

Yes, there are "crusty old timers" which I tried to depict. The basic message works.

WC

Wilbur Charles said...

And, remember, it was Neal's tough love that talked Chet down from the ledge. It was old fashioned book talk eg "Go ahead and drink but THINK first about what you've heard in the halls". Then they had a long talk

Ol' Man Keith said...

I wasn't thinking of the exact language or degree of rigor specific to the 12-step program, only considering how Chet would see the steps once he committed--quite voluntarily, I understand--to follow them.
Perhaps "self demands" is what the steps become--for those who accept them.
~ OMK