JoelJosol Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Calculations assess risks invisible in a horizon where a quiet sea can be deceitful and dead bodies do not yet bob about directionless. Some sail forward fully armed with numbers, their visual map unlittered yet with overcast clouds and spray of sea. Miscalculations overflood rooms with error before anyone in it can come out within the safety margins and known tolerances. How does one measure the deviation? Count each distinct voice buried in the black box. Quote "Words are not things, and yet they are not non-things either." - Ann Lauterbach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larsen M. Callirhoe Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 hi joel glad to hear your ok. did you know anyone on the fairy boat. this poem the ending echos there calls for help. im sure many died instantantly from the boats capsize. my prayers and well wishes go out to your beautiful country. victor aka larsen btw i sent you a private message. Quote Larsen M. Callirhoe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goldenlangur Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Hi JoelJosol, Your use of factual details makes more poignant the deaths your describe : "Calculations assess risks, Miscalculations, deviation, safety margins and black box". You succeed in showing how nothing can stop the might of nature when it strikes that in a way human endeavors to "risk assess", "calculate", render safe are well and truly overrun by the unpredictable and uncontrollable forces of nature. And yet, there are always victims: JoelJosol wrote: How does one measure the deviation? Count each distinct voice buried in the black box. Tragic and poignant. Prayers for those who died, who are still lost and those who survived and are haunted by their experience. goldenlangur Quote goldenlangur Even a single enemy is too many and a thousand friends too few - Bhutanese saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aleksandra Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 As always Joel, you know so good to write such of hard dedicated poem. Very sad happening and sad and hard poem. Very well written with moving expressions. All prayers goes there Aleksandra Quote The poet is a liar who always speaks the truth - Jean Cocteau History of Macedonia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoelJosol Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Thank you, Larsen, GL, and Aleks. Quote "Words are not things, and yet they are not non-things either." - Ann Lauterbach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 WOW! ~~Tink Quote ~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~ For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoelJosol Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 I'm humbled, Tink. Quote "Words are not things, and yet they are not non-things either." - Ann Lauterbach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyv Posted May 15, 2009 Share Posted May 15, 2009 Golden makes a great point about the factual details. They also convey a disconnected feeling that one probably has when he makes actuarial calculations -- a feeling of being detached from tragedies themselves. I wonder if the word it in the third stanza should be them? Miscalculations overflood rooms with error before anyone in them can come out within the safety margins and known tolerances. I like the sentiments conveyed by the title and the concise form of this poem, too. Tony Quote Here is a link to an index of my works on this site: tonyv's Member Archive topic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoelJosol Posted May 15, 2009 Author Share Posted May 15, 2009 Good catch, Tony! I will correct that. Quote "Words are not things, and yet they are not non-things either." - Ann Lauterbach Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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