Friday, May 17, 2013

Poetry Friday: Sestina: Like

While looking for a poem to share today, I found this one that is so very clever that I had to choose it. If you're not familiar with the sestina form, I explained it here. In this example, instead of choosing six different words to end the lines, A. E. Stallings has chosen just one, the omnipresent word "like."  She uses it to skewer Facebook, careless language, and the current lack of nuance in friendship. 

Sestina: Like
By A. E. Stallings
 
With a nod to Jonah Winter

Now we’re all “friends,” there is no love but Like,
A semi-demi goddess, something like
A reality-TV star look-alike,
Named Simile or Me Two. So we like
In order to be liked. It isn’t like
There’s Love or Hate now. Even plain “dislike”...

Here's the rest.

And here are some more Stallings poems I shared back in October 2010.

 

And here's today's Poetry Friday roundup, where you can find out what poems have to do with Doritos.

6 comments:

Linda B said...

Hi Ruth! Wow, I'm afraid to say I 'like' the poem. Since you may remember I shared a sestina last week, I am 'enamored' of this one, and do often wonder when I'm on Facebook whether to 'like' something or what that actually means. Do they 'like' my post because it's me, and they only 'like' the name, and not the thing, or ? Very interesting, that we need to keep all the old politenesses, & then figure out even more rules for being nice. Thanks for this!

Tabatha said...

A sestina that uses just one word -- amazing! The voice reminds me of Taylor Mali. I'm going to re-read this one -- thanks!

Author Amok said...

Hi, Ruth. Thank you for sharing this poem. It's a powerful send up of Facebook and slang in general. I can remember talking with friends about the peppering of "like" in our talk all the way back in high school, nearly 30 years ago.

So clever and unexpected when Stallings slips "lichen" into the envoi!

Liz Steinglass said...

Very clever indeed. It sure puts "click like" into context.

Carol said...

Glad to find that someone shares my aversion to the "click like" button. Stallings is pretty darn clever. And then to wrap it in a sestina besides! Wow!

Doraine said...

Wow! That is an impressive sestina. Like Linda, I wonder if I dare say I like it!