Manifesto or Look Beyond the Name.

Doggerel Dave


Notice of absence from Doggerel Dave
Not absent - still here!
Keep Calm and Carry On Poeming. πŸ˜‚

 

Manifesto

 

I, disputatious, a contrarian,

Atheist agnostic and humanist

And further a longtime vegetarian

Must add to that role call: amoralist.

 

(But you find that outrageous, much too rough?)

I’ve no trust in shared values since my youth:

When lies are heard persistently enough

They manage to become a social truth.

 

It’s the whole culture with which I’m at odds:

Scornful of the way its strictures perform

I’m provoked to reject conformist nods

To society’s norms when no reform.

 

Now during a long life I’ve never known

Any good or right reasons to shift at all.

So there’s no option but this truth I own:

Liberation– nothing else makes first call.

 

  • Author: Doggerel Dave (Pseudonym) (Offline Offline)
  • Published: December 3rd, 2020 06:32
  • Category: Sociopolitical
  • Views: 52
  • Users favorite of this poem: Amon
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Comments +

Comments8

  • Fay Slimm.

    Liberation has first place with all those who refuse to be sheep without backbone - - thanks for these well-chosen few words that birth the benefits of being true to yourself my friend.

    • Doggerel Dave

      Thanks for the response, Fay - I was wondering if I'd get any.
      No more posts this side of New Year. Then I'll be back to yarns with rhyme for a while...
      Regards Dave

    • Amon

      You should be my writing mentor.
      Execllent

      • Doggerel Dave

        Thanks Amon - flattery will get you nowhere my....poetic comrade.
        But feel free to correspond here anytime. Also look at my profile - if this poem doesn't,. then that should tell you what to expect.

        Dave

      • Michael Edwards

        And its a yes from me (loud applause) !!

        • Doggerel Dave

          Thanks very muchly, Michael.
          So with four 'yeses' I'm on to the next round?
          I fear failure lurks just around the corner.... I'll get booed off sometime or other - see if I don't.
          Dave

        • Goldfinch60

          Liberation should be there for us all. A very meaningful poem Dave, we are all what we have made ourselves to be and hopefully that person will be good in this world in which we now live.

          Andy

          • Doggerel Dave

            Thanks Andy. I hope I'm good in the world - at least I try to be. I was going to add that it was for others to judge - but can I take that back? It is for me to judge and be hard on myself. No one else can do that.

            Dave
            P.S. Believe it or not I've changed this poem by one word - In accordance with L.B.'s advice to keep revising, I've changed 'grounds' to 'reasons' - which works better, I think. (the amount of time spent with this poem....)

          • L. B. Mek

            Brilliant!
            when we learn to hear that voice of free thought emanating from ourselves: we need not seek any external validation, no titles to be pigeon-holed and oppressed with,
            behold nature's intended Liberty: (as your wise words have eloquently distilled - so appetisingly relatable) is a birthright we need only excavate from within - to own: out right!
            only then may we finally begin those much needed open dialogues of humanity's introspection and find a foothold to a path of undoing our inherited wrongdoing's, maybe even - some accidental healing...
            have a good rest oh wise Poet, I look forward to your revitalised return,
            let me offer you a slightly early season's greeting and a happy new year!
            🍾πŸ₯‚πŸ₯‚πŸΎπŸ₯‚πŸ₯‚πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜πŸ€£
            πŸ˜°πŸ˜°πŸ˜±πŸ˜–πŸ˜©πŸ€•πŸ€•πŸ€•
            πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ
            πŸ™„πŸ˜ŽπŸΎπŸ₯‚πŸ˜³βœŒπŸ‘Œ
            lmao (emoji art: as foreshadowing insight!)

            • Doggerel Dave

              Thanks for your much valued comment, L.B.
              All that really is me. However on another level I do wonder…
              Quite early I came upon Buddha’s β€œBelieve nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.” If I’m honest I must tell you that this underlies much of where I’m at here.
              It worked for me. But for everyone? Oh please!
              Then I have to take a position in relation to Communitarianism or community and/or individualism…which leaves me in a bit of an awkward spot: Too much individualism would appear to be a significant factor in the rise of populism – and look where that has lead a certain country I won’t name for fear of offending some members of MPS who may still feel patriotic.
              And so it goes…

              Regards
              Dave

              • L. B. Mek

                I think here I would lean on the wise words of Confucius to best articulate my point on individuality vs community (but like all things, the answer is in finding a balance that negates the conflict between opposing answers/paths to any single question), Confucius:
                'To put the world in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order; we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.'
                (and one last tidbit of usefulness on subject of others vs ourselves)
                'I am not bothered by the fact that I am not understood. I am bothered when I do not know others.'
                my own interpretation to his deceptively simple wisdom, is somewhat blunt: in aeroplane emergency situations we are advised to place our own oxygen masks before we try and help other's, if we have the humility to follow this rule, we not only save ourselves but we are more likely to helps others,
                ergo if we apply the same mindset in more general terms it's more likely we become a better member of a community by positioning ourselves in a stable foundation, at the very least we avoid being an additional burden and in most cases we go on to be a useful cog within our chosen community.
                Sadly, though life tends to just fuck with us, some more than other's it seems and we instead - choose, to utilise external problems/situations (community etc) as an escape from our own bullshit - somewhat understandably.
                Still, if we can openly address such matters, then we are at least aware and actively trying to find our own solutions.
                As you said: and so it goes...

                • Doggerel Dave

                  Thanks for all the time and effort you've put into this thread, L.B. Thanks too for Confucius and the other analogies you've given me. I do use this contrarianism on myself , and not just spray it around!
                  So here's to a better, less power ridden existence - one day?

                  Regards Dave
                  PS: Can you help me out with this?
                  🍾πŸ₯‚πŸ₯‚πŸΎπŸ₯‚πŸ₯‚πŸ˜ŠπŸ˜πŸ€£
                  πŸ˜°πŸ˜°πŸ˜±πŸ˜–πŸ˜©πŸ€•πŸ€•πŸ€•
                  πŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈπŸ€¦β€β™‚οΈ
                  πŸ™„πŸ˜ŽπŸΎπŸ₯‚πŸ˜³βœŒπŸ‘Œ
                  lmao (emoji art: as foreshadowing insight!)
                  I 'm having trouble in even getting a smiley onto the page here at MPS. As for the small blocks - what are they all about?

                  • L. B. Mek

                    (if you right click on your mouse, the very first option at top should read emoji)
                    as for my emmm 'simpleton's Art', well you mentioned you weren't posting till new year so I was using emoji symbolism to foreshadow the 'common' pattern to our annual festivity's,
                    as in we drink till we really do feel 'merry' (first line), then we deal with consequences (2nd line), then we admonish ourselves for repeating same mistake every year (3rd line) and lastly: we say fuck it - to all of it, acquire sunglasses to call upon the blues brother's YOLO (you only live once) mentality and just let go, till we too are throwing up peace signs like it's the 60's and we are at the dawn or our drunken bright future's (new year), cheers buddy πŸ₯‚

                    • Doggerel Dave

                      Cor phew, I'm knackered now but that was a good night - Cheers to you too, mate.

                      Dave

                    • Neville


                      I tried to pull something both cerebral and witty out of thin air, but at 04.00 in the morning and freezing cold here.. I gave up and settled for a much more conventional.... I can almost wholly relate to these words Dave .. almost ...

                      • Doggerel Dave

                        Hey Neville - why are you up at four am in order to attempt to put the world to rights? What are you - a shift worker or something? I can relate to that - I did shift work once (see contribution in 2021), or is it insomnia? Either way, all that is not good for your health.Take more care please - I could be wrong, but I think MPS needs you (what about a poster from Michael, complete with pointing finger?) But before I forget...........Send just a sliver of that freezing cold over, could you? Could do with a little right now.

                        Regards Dave
                        P.S. Any update/elaboration available on 'almost'?

                        • Neville

                          Ha.. Good mane to you Dave .. I am up because on call and involved in crisis work for people experiencing mental health difficulties during this bloomin pandemic ..

                          I am actually an early .. very early I might add retired clinical specialist in psychiatry .. Am hoping to pop over your neck o the woods next year , with a bit of luck ... almost is a relative concept innit .. or nearly πŸ™‚

                          • Doggerel Dave

                            There you go - what you find out about folks. Persistence pays. So if you have retired (yes, yes- very early) are you doing this as a volunteer or is it some kind of contract with a charity? Visit or via zoom or something?
                            Did some time in that field myself - nurse and S/W, community and hospital.
                            If the trip here fines up, let me know, phone number and give me a bell if you have the time.

                            As for almost and your relatives - keep them out of it!
                            Dave

                            • Neville


                              yes am volunteering .. the work to date has varied .. face to face occasionally and telephone support .. I may well take you up on that offer Dave .. seriously ..

                              • Doggerel Dave

                                Good, Neville.
                                Fine it up via messaging?
                                Regards Dave

                              • MendedFences27

                                When you walk in the woods, you seek a path, a more direct way forward. This is true of how customs become what they are, the easiest way forward, but there are others (explorers) who choose the more difficult path and find great rewards while risking great defeats.
                                A thought provoking write. It exemplifies that explorer spirit. A lot of great people were non conformists. _ Phil A.

                                • Doggerel Dave

                                  Thanks for that Phil. You hauled it out of my dump and polished it up for me.
                                  As you can see, though, from my the extended dialogue above with L.B., there are other considerations, even as I stand by every word in 'Manifesto'
                                  Thanks again,
                                  Dave

                                • sorenbarrett

                                  I echo this Dave and feel myself a rebel against all conformity for conformity sake. I would be an anarchist but know it doesn't work. I guess I would never work out as a bee or ant.



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