Now, I am wondering: Do we all try to sum people up fairly quickly, in order to save time? We make mistakes, sure, but there are certain categories of behavior, don't you find? Here are a few: Controlling, Preachy, Liberal, Conservative, Polite, Rude, Aware, Twinky, Gracious, Uncaring, on and on...This might be called labeling or name calling, but usually we don't make a sound...just file it away to help us the next time we meet the person. Or avoid...
Gossiping birds in tree. |
This Sestina includes a number of "categorizes of behavior," e.g. short-cuts to decision.making about short or long-term (or no) relationships. It is not scientific, of course, but I have read many theories and am not totally sure of those, either.
Dismissives, Positives, Negatives, Needies, Judgmentals, Literals, & Snides
JUST GIVE ME ONE SENTENCE! (Sestina)
Of late, I realize I am able to categorize
People from just one sentence—
Such as, “I’ll call you,” rarely does, Dismissive,
Then the Positives, Negatives, Needies,
And Oh, those Judgmentals,
The Literals, Snides, on and on, but never mind.
Mostly, these labels are age-oriented, never mind,
And I know it’s so unfeeling to categorize
People, but I need to pick and choose, Judgmental,
Who can make the cut, in a sentence,
And I shut the door on those sucky Needies,
Becoming tough and, in a word, dismissive.
Now, if you don’t listen to me, that’s dismissive
In a way and I get angry, but never mind,
Because I’m over my case of the needies,
So why the hell aren’t you? So, I just categorize
From an expression, one tell-tale sentence
That pushes ME toward negative and judgmental.
She’s this; he’s that, on and on, so judgmental,
But then using Jesus as a soft cover, so dismissive!
How can we get at our humanity in one sentence?
We could discuss this topic to death, but never mind,
Because attitudes and words create categories
And I’m asking now--Are you still one of the Needies?
I’ve come to know that false positives are Needies,
Spewing out verbal hugs, underneath, so judgmental,
Really, because when push comes to shove, they categorize
Others as inferior, need to cheer them up, so dismissive,
And I could go on, and HAVE, but never mind—
You get my point here, in one long sentence!
Are we confined to stereotypes, like a jail sentence?
God, so predictable, I can’t stand it, those Needies
Saying “like, like, like” asking for love, but never mind,
I do it too, and post my soft cats, who are never judgmental,
So why didn’t you call me when you said, so dismissive,
Because it makes me sad and self-destructive; then I categorize!
Only three sentences left, but never mind,
I don’t want to be categorized as one of the Needies
Or Judgmentals. Why are you always so dismissive?
11.9.11 and re-posted in a new guise on 11.26.11
No comments:
Post a Comment