Description: All hail the emperor! And someone please shoot him if it's not too much trouble.
I Have Gazed Upon Caesar -------------------------------------------
I’ve moved from the bottom
To the edge of empire;
Stood there on a wall
Amid coiled,
Razor-scaled serpents.
I have watched the distance
With long, unblinking eyes,
Poised to touch
The hand of death.
I have moved amid
A sea of tents
Like untold others before
And beside me.
I have returned to find
What remains
Of the scattered limbs
I saw planted
In the road-side gardens
So popular in Babylon.
I have gazed upon Caesar,
With my own eyes;
Noted his smile
And lack of scars.
Ahh the lack of scars. Yup who can call themselves a soldier if they never engage in battle. Pussies. I love pussy but hate pussies! A tyrant or pussy tender foot holier than thou fuhrer(probab spelled wrong) pussy! Now that's more like it. Fun write to read.
I like the title but, one problem is that Caesar was a true general, commanding with his sword in hand on horseback leading his men through campaigns lasting years in far countries. I'm sure he had his own share of scars and the admiration of his men. That's a far cry from any "leader" we've seen since Bush Sr. who served bravely as a carrier fighter pilot in WWII.
The rest of the poem gives an excellent classic picture of the horrors of war and lends thoughtful pause towards the madness involved. Fortunately, in over eight years of service, the only thing I ever had to kill was a lot of beer.
To be picky, you don't need to capitalize every line but it seems to be a popular choice at ES. Sometimes it confuses me into thinking it's a new line or sentence.
In real life I think Caesar, did fight in his battles. But I get the inside joke of this one. Yeah, we have world leaders that send others out to their dirty work. I'm not naming names, but it is a very good descprition of this person. Others are effected by his rule over us, and he just reaps the rewards. Very clever indeed this write was. I loved it. this is another fav. Oh, I did not see any major faults with this poem. And your flow was great. Lot's of vivid details for the reader to discern a image properly and get the underline meesage of this poem. Excellent job Jason.
Just to piss you off, this poem reminded me of that overrated movie Gladiator. You know, the one with big Russ stooping from tent to tent at the start... eh, heh, he I can just see your face now.
Probably the most interesting alluding in the poem is the sense of travel and worldliness of the narrator/soldier. Not only does caesar have no scars, he also had no passport until he made office. Does that not freak anyone else out?
I like how you keep remind us that the leader of this Free nation has caused our friends and family members to give their lives for his own views. This is true for leaders and ceaser was no different. The metaphors here are great but the the poem itself is a metaphor. Speak of a man that has forgot his people but you give him an alias.
This does have a soldiers point of view tattooed all over it. Tent cities I can remember and the I have watched the distance with long, unblinking eyes. poised to touch the hand of death.
Another love letter to Sir Bush (with the pointed observation that he has never served in a war time army and is, therefore, less than qualified to speak of sacrifice and send young men to battle). Quite honestly, it sounds as if you've observed the president from beyond barbed wire (or in a tent full of wounded as part of a sound bite). You have gazed upon a Caesar that was less than impressive orchestrating an unpopular war, and are certain he has neither conscience nor integrity. Oddly enough, this is so much more restrained than most of your other writes; you've let the metaphor tell the story. Nicely done, Jason. Take care of yourself. Bill.
Very interesting. Yes, Jason you Basta these are trying times. People are [censored] pissed off and so am I. The funny thing about it, is we don't even know how pissed we should be. This write is full of metaphors, esp. the part where you have gazed upon Caesar , with my own eyes, noted his smile and lack of scars. I hate our President and am so sick of the system. I mean I've been feeling like we should have a civil war for so long, it's pitiful. So darling, did you get into Leo Connellan at all? I've been reading Provincetown, it's angry, it's bitter, it's so great. Only this poet helps me tap into the angst I feel most of the time, lately. I've just been stressed out because I hate math and am getting ready to bomb on a test. I guess, it's my way of sado mascochism-which I am so into. Keep your head up, lovely. xo lilham
Submission Name: I Have Gazed Upon Caesar
