Click Flickr pic for source
Festival of Slights (response to the Festival of Lights concert, 2007)
In Charlottetown, Prince Edward Isle
Debate is in session– don’t smile.
Some folks are uproaring,
While others are storing
Their expletives up for a while.
The headliner band, Nickelback
On profanity hinged ev’ry track
And underage drinking
Applauded unthinking,
Left councillors under attack.
The trend in this day seems to be,
Let anything fly– just be free
With curse and vulgarity,
These days no rarity–
Hang out in a schoolyard and see.
Debate is ongoing online;
On “The Island” youth think it’s just fine
To keep on with their swearing,
There’s nobody caring,
So shut up! Refrain from your whine!
Can’t say it’s a big shock to me
This happens, for what do we see?
“Madge’s” bold “Mother-F…”
Sure made my lips pucker,
When she shrieked it on Live Earth T.V.
The upshot of Canada Day?
People can say what they say,
So what does it matter
If all their bad patter
Pelts down on us? F-bombs Away!
Kathleen Mortensen © 2007
3-5-3, 3-7-5 
Can I ,Mr sweary head, be a hypocrite and say I like this poem?
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nice one kat. while i will admit to an occassional swear, i try to reserve it for my time among the trees…they don't tend to talk back. so much has become common place these days…its rather sad. but i probably did it more as a teen.
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Peadar, my dear, I'd be a hypocrite myself if I didn't tell you that I am occasionally given to the odd curse myself. I do try and curb the tendency, but sometimes the f-word is the only one that fits the bill, am I right?(although I have long-since forgiven the Irish this propensity and really don't even think of it as the same thing in their case). A good North American f-bomb however just seems to be truly offensive.Brian – Good idea! I shall endeavour to direct mine to the arbors as well. (Though infrequent, they do hold some venom.)Kat
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hahaha
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I'm a bit of a potty mouth but I don't see why it's necessary in music. Apparently if you stubb your toe and drop the f-word, it really does ease the pain! Not sure that works in song tho!
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Nickelback is my grandson's favorite band. I like the songs, but have never really listened closely.
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ibeati – glad you got a laugh, Sandy.Baino – I do agree; when you stub your toe (or conk your head etc.) there's nothing like it to make you feel better (or at least vindicated).4 winds – It's not that they swear in their music necessarily, I think it was the language between songs that they used on stage.Kat
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I ran a pretty tight ship, as far as foul language was concerned, when the kids were growing up. But now that they've flown the coup, I let loose with all I've stored up over the years. I never use the f-word, though. It's not my style.
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Kat, I was a sailor once…but was swearing like one waaay ere that! 'Course I can't swear in front of the kiddies( so I say “blankety-blank”…a lot ). And I blame Spielberg's “Fowlmouth Rooster” charcter, for at least part of it. Intersting take and glad you're back( lousy modem failure… )
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She's looking rough, isn't she?I have been known to let loose. It's a bit harder now with two little kids always hanging about. We've even broken out a swear jar.The bugger has already claimed a good twenty bucks or so from me already!
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I like Brian's idea….only among the trees and never in front of the kids! 🙂 Although an occassional curse comes out of my mouth, I don't think I've ever used the f-word…that's too over the top for me.
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wow, cool poem Kat.
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Willow – I cringe when I hear the f-word, the c-word and the J or C words. I try very hard to restrict myself to mild expletives in the heat of anger…once in while the “f-word” has made an appearance (under extremely stressful situations).Subby – I don't know that character. Hey! If a sailor can't swear, then who can?Kris – I think the swear jar is a great idea. What do you use the funds for in the long run?Betsy – I admire you and your sister for your fortitude.Sandy – Glad you liked it!KatSandy
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I guess that is festivals in a nutshell.;))xo
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Thanks Kat, you made me laugh.
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I use everything unfortunately – every letter of the alphabet but never, ever when anyone is within earshot – just me and the ether. Great poem as always.
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Loved the poem and the pic 🙂 Thanks for sharing!Happy TTxoxo
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Kat, I've a post going up anon, that would totally relate to this, especially the “swear jar” idea. Oh bother…I'll just email the link?
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Sounds like a plan, Subby.Kat
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Clever and terse. I like it.
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My son just filled me in on the F-Bomb phrase. I thought he had it wrong. I guess I'm the older generation now.
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If I had a nickel for every expletive I've uttered, well, I'd have a lot of nickels . . .
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F'in fantastic… 😉
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I do swear from time to time, but I'm past the stage of trying to shock..that is for kids!! Sometimes a word, under my breath, keeps me from a meltdown!
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However you come down on the swearing question, this is a very fun, well-written poem!
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Just catching up with some poem posts I missed Kat – I like this one very much – from the play-on-words title to the reference to Madge and her tiresome tirade…will she never give up trying to shock? I don't know the band Nickelback at all and don't understand the need to be vulgar just for the sake of it.I do however, love Brian's admission to swearing whilst among the trees …!!Jeannex
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Well, you're quite an awesome poet, Kat. I must say I have always felt uncomfortable using vulgar language, except for an occassional sh*t at a stubbed toe or something. Not that I'm a goody two shoes, but I don't like to utter words that I myself don't like to hear. I've read several of your poems on this page, and they were all exceptional!Have a great weekend.Renie
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It doesn't offend me, per se, I just think it's impolite. Why swear in public when it offends some (most) people? Whatever happened to common courtesy? And it's sloppy. Like having, like, like, be like, every other word…
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