Twitter tweets

A recent blog regarding Twitter protocol stimulated my small literary repertoire. To re-tweet or not to re-tweet was the question. 'Tis nobler to recognize the author than to forsake the attribute, in my most humble of opinions. Some believe the full statement should be re-posted and others believe the mere mention of said Tweet should satiate the appetite of those that ache to dine on others' crumbs. Though I believe it is wise to not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for I am crunchy and good with ketchup, the stir over retweets can be likened to a tempest in a teapot. As a gesture of homage, I dedicate the following parody to Twitter.

"ReTweet"
by Iris Carter

based on
Say over again... (Sonnet 21)
by Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Say over again, and yet once over again,
That Tweet thou dost love. Though the words repeated
Should seem "a cuckoo-song," as thou dost tweet it,
Remember, never to the Mac or PC,
iPhone or SMS, without her cuckoo-strain
Comes Twitter in all her text completed.
Followers, I, amid the tweets greeted
By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt’s pain
Cry, "Speak once more—thou Tweet!" Who can fear
Too many posts, though each in sequence shall scroll,
Too many following, though each shall read and cheer?
Say thou dost Tweet, Tweet, Tweet—toll
The silver iterance!—only minding, Dear,
To Re-Tweet me also with honorable intent and toil.

Original:

Say over again... (Sonnet 21)

Say over again, and yet once over again,
That thou dost love me. Though the word repeated
Should seem "a cuckoo-song," as thou dost treat it,
Remember, never to the hill or plain,
Valley and wood, without her cuckoo-strain
Comes the fresh Spring in all her green completed.
Belovèd, I, amid the darkness greeted
By a doubtful spirit-voice, in that doubt’s pain
Cry, "Speak once more—thou lovest!" Who can fear
Too many stars, though each in heaven shall roll,
Too many flowers, though each shall crown the year?
Say thou dost love me, love me, love me—toll
The silver iterance!—only minding, Dear,
To love me also in silence with thy soul.

Comments

  1. Inspector ClouseauJanuary 26, 2009 at 12:46 AM

    Of course, I was trying to envision the original words. Thanks for providing them so that I could check my "success" rate. That was fun. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Iris CarterJanuary 26, 2009 at 1:43 AM

    Thank you for indulging me. I felt I should include the original words for comparison and to satisfy anyone's curiosity.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Prop8 or Prop-hate?

On January 1, 1994 I had been married 11 years and had two small children. My husband and I sat down to talk about the problems we were having. It was a new year and I was creating an opportunity to start fresh. Our arguments and his general mood had progressively worsened. He wasn’t happy and neither was I. The discussion was sane and amicable but the lines were drawn. We both needed to commit 100 percent to mending the relationship or there was no need in going further. He agreed but wanted time to think. As we both took in a deep breath, I felt like I had literally been hit with a lightening bolt. I don’t know where the question came from or why I asked at that moment. I certainly wasn’t prepared for the answer. “You’re gay, aren’t you?” He paused and responded, “Yes.” Tears welled up in his eyes. I crossed the room to where he was sitting and knelt down, hugging him, reassuring him. “It’s okay,” I said. “At least now I know what is wrong and why you’ve been so miserable.” He hadn’t...
Read more

Twitter Litter

Twitter Litter noun 1. Scattered rubbish posted by tweeters on Twitter 2. A condition of disorder on Twitter caused by useless tweets 3. Propaganda spread on Twitter by egocentric tweeters I follow a variety of people on Twitter. Some folks follow me in return, some don't. Some have thousands of followers, some have only a few. Some tweet often, others go days without tweets. I often find great links to much needed information or enjoy a friendly "hello" from someone I've met online. As I perused tweets one evening, I came across a comment by someone ranking high in their number of followers. It seems they had gotten some unkind remarks from another tweeter and were goading more reaction. I followed links to responses and figured out the tiff between egos. Admittedly, I got voyeuristic pleasure from watching the public lobs yet I also realized I was following someone merely because they are a noted guru of social media. This person has not provided any useful informat...
Read more

Scrooged by library rules

Image
We've all had experiences where a simple transaction is blocked because of a rule. Thanks to some idiot that abused a privledge, the rule was established and we now have to jump through hoops. I understand why rules are set and generally try to conform rather than ask for an exception. Once in a blue moon, exceptions can be justified and should be made. Karen "DeafMom" Putz had just such a circumstance in her local Illinois public library. Her daughter, also deaf, was to attend a production of "The Christmas Carol" with her class. A series of events left her without an interpreter and a suitable option was to obtain the captioned video. The Putz ladies headed for the nearest library, though not the one that receives the family's tax dollars. A reciprocal agreement allows for the loan of non-fiction videos. Fictional videos require a $100 annual fee plus $1 per loan. Karen explained the entire situation and the librarian confirmed the captioned video was not...
Read more