(no subject)

[labellementeuse]

landing

get this,
I was born on the edge of the world.

We're tougher out here, don't you get it?
in old maps new zealand
barely makes it on there, the tip of the North

growing up,
falling off the edge of the world,
It puts the sky in us, the space
and the stretching, open spaces;

white clouds for miles, aotearoa
is balancing on the rim
of the biggest dinner plate in history.

new zealanders, we know what we're about
we do a good balancing act;
afraid that someday we'll fall off the edge of the world,

we're busy learning how to fly.

This is actually a recap of an earlier poem which I didn't tag or memory at the time and now of course have lost. *facepalm* I think I like it better than the original, but not actually having the original I'm not sure. :P

Comments

[bad-mushroom.livejournal.com]

I really love free-verse poetry. I wish I had some scrap of national pride (ie American patriotism--wait, no, I don't wish I had national pride. Dammit, cultural pride is the word I'm looking for).

(Alida needs to go find her Italian national pride before she goes insane.)

Anyways. I love it.

[miriamus.livejournal.com]

Yay! Patriotism! :p 's good, good :)

[nzlemming.livejournal.com]

Good poem

re patriotism - Don't get confused with nationalism, which is a whole nother thing.

Via Google
* love of country and willingness to sacrifice for it; "they rode the same wave of popular patriotism"; "British nationalism was in the air and patriotic sentiments ran high"
wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn

* Patriotism is a feeling of love and devotion to one's own homeland (patria, the land of one's fathers). This article surveys the concept of patriotism from the viewpoints of history, politics, ethics, and biology.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriotism

* ­ To show love, support, and sacrifice for one's country.
www.nps.gov/mana/education/vocab.htm

And even nationalism doesn't necessarily mean "my country is better than yours". But gutless politicians usually use the negative approach to nationalism, working on the fears of people (whether or not they're well founded) and wrapping it up in a flag and calling it patriotism.

I think your poem was very patriotic, in the best possible way.