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Argument against Brevity & other poems

By Dustin Luke Nelson.

Draft Toward a Syllogism for a Roommate Who Won’t Let Me Get a Cat
for LM

The facts with which I shall deal this evening are mainly old and familiar. If there shall be any novelty, it will be in the mode of presenting facts. There is a question. What is the question which those fathers understood just as well, and even better than we do now? It is this. What is your proof? You say you are inexcusable while we are destructive, or something of the sort. Is this not adherence to the old and tired, against the new and untried? I full indorse this, and I adopt it as a text for this discourse.

Thoughts on A
for MO

If the condition of our relations
is less gratifying, know the temporary
reserves abound. This unusual
agitation. We have attempted no
propagandism, acknowledged no
revolution. Our struggle has been,
of course, ours. Nevertheless,
complaint, even if it were just,
would certainly be unwise.
The proposition has been made,
especially to XXXXX XXXXXXX.
It has been kindly received, yet
they fail to penetrate
and soften even the heart.

Argument Against Brevity
for KR

How then shall we perform it?
Accounts of outrages committed
by mobs. Are there no divisions?
Mr. Speaker, it is said, did steal, take, and carry away ten boars,
ten sows, ten shoats, and ten pigs. Therefore, I recommend a day
of public humiliation. A day.

But you are, perhaps, ready to ask,
“What has this to do with
the perpetuation of our Throne of Grace?”
Well, by golly, that is the most equally divided gang of hogs I ever
did hear of.

And furthermore, I answer, it has much to do with it.

No Regrets For Our Beards
for JW

A blockade could not be established,
and vigorously enforced, without committing
occasional mistakes, and inflicting
unintentional injuries. I deem it duty
to recommend, to view, to see, some from
interested motives, others upon patriotic
considerations, and still others influenced
by philanthropic sentiments. There are
there. Others have been added. Others of so extraordinary
a nature, dealing with us in anger
for our sins. I feel, more, how weak
and fruitless must be any word of mine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dustin Luke Nelson is a founding editor of InDigest and the host of the InDigest Reading Series. He is a 2012 National Poetry Series finalist and has recently had work published in the Greying Ghost Pamphlet Series, Opium, METRO Twin Cities, Scud, and elsewhere. He has been a writer and producer on Radio Happy Hour and Geocachers. He lives in Astoria and at blogsareaboutego.blogspot.com

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