I like this humourous poem from Clive James. I know of him mainly as a critic, essayist and TV presenter...but he's also a novelist and a poet. It's strange how language develops...can we fight its evolution? Should we? It is definitely a topic of hot debate and one that may lead to you being unfriended!
Windows is Shutting Down
Windows is shutting down, and grammar are
On their last leg. So what am we to do?
A letter of complaint go just so far,
Proving the only one in step are you.
Better, perhaps, to simply let it goes.
A sentence have to be screwed pretty bad
Before they gets to where you doesnt knows
The meaning what it must of meant to had.
The meteor have hit. Extinction spread,
But evolution do not stop for that.
A mutant languages rise from the dead
And all them rules is suddenly old hat.
Too bad for we, us what has had so long
The best seat from the only game in town.
But there it am, and whom can say its wrong?
Those are the break. Windows is shutting down.
Clive James (Guardian, April 27, 2005)
Windows is Shutting Down
Windows is shutting down, and grammar are
On their last leg. So what am we to do?
A letter of complaint go just so far,
Proving the only one in step are you.
Better, perhaps, to simply let it goes.
A sentence have to be screwed pretty bad
Before they gets to where you doesnt knows
The meaning what it must of meant to had.
The meteor have hit. Extinction spread,
But evolution do not stop for that.
A mutant languages rise from the dead
And all them rules is suddenly old hat.
Too bad for we, us what has had so long
The best seat from the only game in town.
But there it am, and whom can say its wrong?
Those are the break. Windows is shutting down.
Clive James (Guardian, April 27, 2005)
6 comments:
Should we fight it? Can we fight it?
When I see things like
"c u l8tr" and "4 sur"
We should fight them in the air, fight them on the beaches, fight them in the ether of 1's and 0's. fight fight fight! :-)
Mark
Nah...we can't stand in the way of progress. Change is inevitable!
Loved the poem and so typical of Clive James. Iwas reading a newspaper cutting about my Great Granfather yesterday. written around early 1900's, and the language used was so eloquent and gave dignity to the article.For me, I much prefer the polite eloquence, of the language of the Victorian era,used principally by the upper classes of the period.I also like the language used in the 1600's by Shakespeare and his peers,I like a challenge and enjoy reading The Canterbury Tales, and The Faerie Queen in Old English too.
Great choice of poem, it highlights things that regularly irk me, does nobody proof-read anymore? It also reads like trying to send a message on Iphone!
I notice you've added W.S. Merwin to your poet list.
I spotted a poem of his posted in a tram in Portland 2 years ago which I found so poignant I actually wrote it down and it's stuck with me ever since.
It purveys so much in so few words.
'Separation'
"Your absence has gone through me
Like thread through a needle.
Everything I do is stitched with its color."
Sadly, I don't have an iphone. My cell-phone is old...all I can do with it is make phone-calls! rubbish. But I'm glad you liked the poem. I really enjoy W.S. Merwin...nice to see poetry on trams and buses too!
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