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I would rather have a competent extremist than an incompetent moderate.

quote by Leon Jaworski
Added by Lucian Velea
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I Have To Sneeze

Just a second.
I have to snee...
Well,
Maybe not.

You chose to dismiss those competent.
And those competent have chosen now,
To ignore you.
Sounds like a mutual exchange.
But with a conflicting point of view.

You selected those you liked,
To represent your causes and way of life.
Inspite of their having any knowledge...
Or influence over others,
To solicit an excitement.

Nor could they think their way,
Out of a paper bag.
But they looked good dressed in their Sunday best.
And as long as they impressed,
This made you glad.

And now today,
Since your situations appear exceedingly sad...
You wish to be represented by a competence.
But those you did not choose,
You believed...
Expressed an arrogance.

And even though they displayed a common sense,
You turned them away.
Dismissing them to worship ignorance.
To do as you please.
One moment...
Again I believe,
I have to sneeze.

LOLOLOLOLOL

I apologize.
Who knew I would have that reaction?

You chose to dismiss those competent.
And those competent have chosen now,
To ignore you.
Sounds like a mutual exchange.
But with a conflicting point of view.

Ahh-Choo!

[...] Read more

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Second Book

TIMES followed one another. Came a morn
I stood upon the brink of twenty years,
And looked before and after, as I stood
Woman and artist,–either incomplete,
Both credulous of completion. There I held
The whole creation in my little cup,
And smiled with thirsty lips before I drank,
'Good health to you and me, sweet neighbour mine
And all these peoples.'
I was glad, that day;
The June was in me, with its multitudes
Of nightingales all singing in the dark,
And rosebuds reddening where the calyx split.
I felt so young, so strong, so sure of God!
So glad, I could not choose be very wise!
And, old at twenty, was inclined to pull
My childhood backward in a childish jest
To see the face of't once more, and farewell!
In which fantastic mood I bounded forth
At early morning,–would not wait so long
As even to snatch my bonnet by the strings,
But, brushing a green trail across the lawn
With my gown in the dew, took will and way
Among the acacias of the shrubberies,
To fly my fancies in the open air
And keep my birthday, till my aunt awoke
To stop good dreams. Meanwhile I murmured on,
As honeyed bees keep humming to themselves;
'The worthiest poets have remained uncrowned
Till death has bleached their foreheads to the bone,
And so with me it must be, unless I prove
Unworthy of the grand adversity,–
And certainly I would not fail so much.
What, therefore, if I crown myself to-day
In sport, not pride, to learn the feel of it,
Before my brows be numb as Dante's own
To all the tender pricking of such leaves?
Such leaves? what leaves?'
I pulled the branches down,
To choose from.
'Not the bay! I choose no bay;
The fates deny us if we are overbold:
Nor myrtle–which means chiefly love; and love
Is something awful which one dare not touch
So early o' mornings. This verbena strains
The point of passionate fragrance; and hard by,
This guelder rose, at far too slight a beck
Of the wind, will toss about her flower-apples.
Ah–there's my choice,–that ivy on the wall,
That headlong ivy! not a leaf will grow

[...] Read more

poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning from Aurora Leigh (1856)
Added by Veronica Serbanoiu
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Keepers Of Restrictions

Everytime those incompetent,
Take the opportunity
To offend others with known capabilities,
They widen one's vision
With an obviousness more can see.

If one is capable and is disrespected,
It has not been in their hands
That a quality of life has been allowed to decrease.
It has been those holding onto the reigns historically
Proving themselves to be the creators of conflict.
With more of it on the increase.

And,
As of yet
Amongst themselves,
They have yet to find a logical solution.
Or admit that their mentalities,
Feed on insecurities they can not cease.

To do so would expose them,
As the keepers of restrictions.
And this prevents those with common sense,
Displaying an unquestionable intelligence.
From obtaining some credit that corrects,
What those incompetent can not comprehend.
Stands in the way in initiating any progess.

Those incompetent only concern themselves,
With images to address that which impresses.
With a flowing of unstoppable, symbolic and idol gestures.

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Moderate Men and Moderate Measures

Praise to placeless proud ability,
Let the prudent muse disclaim;
And sing the Statesman--all civility--
Whom moderate talents raise to fame.
He, no random projects urging,
Make us wild alarms to feel;
With moderate measures, gently purging
Ills that prey on Britain's weal.

CHORUS.
Gently purging,
Gently purging,
Gently purging Britain's weal.[1]

Addington, with measured motion,
Keep the tenor of thy way;
To glory yield no rash devotion,
Led by luring lights astray;
Splendid talents are deceiving;
Tend to councils much too bold;
Moderate men we prize, believing,
All that glitters is not gold.

GRAND CHORUS.
All that Glisters,
All that Glisters,
All that Glisters is not gold![2]

poem by George Canning
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Temperance

How this mind be done with..
Do means don't, don't means do
Dictature on its own extremes
Alike the ocean-tide high and low
Never moderate in steady show
'So let go'enjoins the 'shastra'
To a festival fete
'So let go' enjoins the 'shastra'
To a fasting abstinance even
'So let go' enjoins the 'shastra'
On a spree to talkative rocking
'So let go' enjoins the 'shastra'
To vow of silence even
Done the mind extremist in balance
Done with extremes attributed Lordly
'So let go' enjoins the 'shastra'
To meditate atlast on 'aham brahmasmi'
What wrong you being temperate this way
Beware, beware..

poem by Indira Renganathan
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IV. Tertium Quid

True, Excellency—as his Highness says,
Though she's not dead yet, she's as good as stretched
Symmetrical beside the other two;
Though he's not judged yet, he's the same as judged,
So do the facts abound and superabound:
And nothing hinders that we lift the case
Out of the shade into the shine, allow
Qualified persons to pronounce at last,
Nay, edge in an authoritative word
Between this rabble's-brabble of dolts and fools
Who make up reasonless unreasoning Rome.
"Now for the Trial!" they roar: "the Trial to test
"The truth, weigh husband and weigh wife alike
"I' the scales of law, make one scale kick the beam!"
Law's a machine from which, to please the mob,
Truth the divinity must needs descend
And clear things at the play's fifth act—aha!
Hammer into their noddles who was who
And what was what. I tell the simpletons
"Could law be competent to such a feat
"'T were done already: what begins next week
"Is end o' the Trial, last link of a chain
"Whereof the first was forged three years ago
"When law addressed herself to set wrong right,
"And proved so slow in taking the first step
"That ever some new grievance,—tort, retort,
"On one or the other side,—o'ertook i' the game,
"Retarded sentence, till this deed of death
"Is thrown in, as it were, last bale to boat
"Crammed to the edge with cargo—or passengers?
"'Trecentos inseris: ohe, jam satis est!
"'Huc appelle!'—passengers, the word must be."
Long since, the boat was loaded to my eyes.
To hear the rabble and brabble, you'd call the case
Fused and confused past human finding out.
One calls the square round, t' other the round square—
And pardonably in that first surprise
O' the blood that fell and splashed the diagram:
But now we've used our eyes to the violent hue
Can't we look through the crimson and trace lines?
It makes a man despair of history,
Eusebius and the established fact—fig's end!
Oh, give the fools their Trial, rattle away
With the leash of lawyers, two on either side—
One barks, one bites,—Masters Arcangeli
And Spreti,—that's the husband's ultimate hope
Against the Fisc and the other kind of Fisc,
Bound to do barking for the wife: bow—wow!
Why, Excellency, we and his Highness here
Would settle the matter as sufficiently

[...] Read more

poem by Robert Browning from The Ring and the Book
Added by Veronica Serbanoiu
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The Handicap

I think I should suit, for I've knowledge minute
Of all tickets, time-tables, and trains;
All speedings and slowings and comings and goings
Are deeply impressed on my brains.
I know just how long the express to Geelong
Stops outside certain stations; and where
All the footwarmers go when the winter winds blow.
So I think I am qualified there.

I can find you a porter, or see that your daughter
Leaves safely for Sydney. My list
Of refreshment-room fare is exclusive and rare
I can tell you what trains you have missed.
I can find little Willie, or mind little Millie
While Mother, with no time to spare,
Goes to buy her a bun. I can tell you what won
All the races. I'm competent there.

I have knowledge unique of what days in the week
Trains stop at your station - or not.
I can tell ('Sat. excepted') what trains are connected
With which. I am au fait with the lot.
On 'Mon. only' or 'Tues.' I have accurate views.
I can tell you on 'Suns.' when and where
You can gather mushrooms or the gold wattle blooms;
So I feel I am competent there.

And, with all this assortment of facts, my deportment,
Impressive, yet friendly, is right.
At my resonant voice all the ladies rejoice;
And fools flock to me, dribbling delight.
My garments I wear with an air debonair;
But one handicap stands in my way:
Tho' in all else I'm 'It,' those who know me admit
That I look simply awful in grey.

poem by Clarence Michael James Stanislaus Dennis
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Alphabet Artistry

ALPHABET ARTISTRY
Able acrostic artist’s alignment adds air.
Alliteration asks acknowledgement aware,
Bard’s brain bequeaths benchmark billet, blends braid bans blare,
Beware braggarts’ boasts, banality, betrayal backstair.
Classic composition, clear content, compare
Creative couplets, compliment competent care.
Drawing descriptions deftly displayed debonair
Droll doggerel dubbed dextrous, doubts dismayed. Declare
Entertaining epistle’s extent e’er ensnare
Easy erudition evident everywhere
Fair fancy’s flight futility forbade, fine flair
Flickering forever – feeble fops fade – fan fair.
Great gifts, gainsay gameplay grandiloquent, gross glare,
Gain gleeful guests, greet gallant guy, girl, gent, goad galere.
Here he has honed his heavenly homemade highbrow
Handwritten harvest, handmade harlequinade … how?
Insight inviting idyll irreverent, ifere
Invents ideas intelligent, intent inhere
Judicious jumble joke jest judges jaded jeer,
Joins joyful jingle jamboree jacent jardinière
Kaleidoscopic knowledge knits kaross. Kowtow!
Knight’s kakemono knack karmic kudos. Know
Lines lyrical, lightheartedly linked, laid layer
Liltingly linger, lasting leisure lent lustreware
Mute melancholy! Muse’s masquerade mayor
Master musters magic meter, music made midair
Neat new needlecraft, never negligent ne’er
Neutral, negative nonsense, nonevent nowhere.
Ode’s object - open offering - obeyed order
Onomatopoeia overlayed over
Poetic passions, purposefully pent, prepare
Portrait pasquinade polyvalent poetic pair
Quick-witted quips quell quitters querulent, queer.
Quizmaster quality quite quiets querent. Quair’s
Rhymic reel responsive, readymade, reads rare
Reverberation, readily relaid repair.
Stanzas succinct, shrewd signposts sapient, should share
Such skillful stringing signals softly sent. So spare
The thesis, tested, triumphs, teasing trade that there
Takes time to twin terms taut, taught twined torsade tough to tear
Usage unexpected unpenitent, - unfair?
Unravels uniformity, unpent unaware.
Vitality, vim, vetoed vehement vaporware,
Vivacious verse’s veriloquent vent via vare
When willing writer worked with wonderment where
Weaving worthwhile wordplay wreath while weekend went west ware.
Xylophonic xenagogue xeroxes XX XY,
Xenial xesturgy xenogamy x-rays Xerxes, xanthous Xanthippe
Yet Ylem, Yggdrasil, yug yesterday, - yare

[...] Read more

poem by Jonathan Robin
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Create to Duplicate

In smaller places...
Where the spaces in the heads of people,
Are empty and mainly filled with ego.
There will be found a high degree of denial.
An abundance of those calling themselves 'christians'
And putting themselves on moral trial.
Churches everywhere and high crime noticeable.
And so called leaders selected for their 'niceness'
Without any evidence to prove they are competent!
And those who are competent,
Ignored because they are too honest!
Therefore...
Illiteracy rates are high because intelligence is feared.
Illegitimacy is condoned to justify the low wages paid.
Property rates soar through the roof.
People are burden by high taxes.
The medical industry flourishes.
And the consciousness of the people promotes corruption,
And illegal drug sales!
While nonprofit agencies make a killing,
Declaring themselves community based.
And doing as little as possible,
To assist the well being of those living within the community.
Of course these 'agencies' are run,
By those living outside of those communities...
Who voice their opinions about the deplorable conditions allowed.

'Well...
Anything else? '

Well...
Not really.
That can be observed.
When speaking to the people...
The majority talk about how things 'used' to be!
And plans being made to go 'back home'!
Or other places where they can seek a quality of life,
They are certain to create to duplicate the one they left behind!
They don't see themselves as the problem!
Or accept that they are gay because they hide themselves,
In hetetrosexual unions that camouflage their 'in-the-closet' behaviors!

'Anything else? '

No!
That can be seen just about anywhere and everywhere today!
And the children are used as scapegoats,
To protect those who really should be locked up for producing this BS!

'Are you sure there is nothing else? '

[...] Read more

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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What Upsets About His Leadership

What upsets about his leadership?
He is extremely competent.
And many can not get over it.

He had been a novelty in that position.
And elected for his brilliance.
Those who oppose him in the polls...
Are doing their best,
To keep their ignorance and bigotry...
Less exposed.

What upsets about his leadership?
He is extremely competent.
And many can not get over it.

With an announcement of his agenda,
He began to make clean sweeps.
Corruption, greed and gluttony,
Under his command...
'Will' and is going to cease.

With an announcement of his agenda,
He began to make clean sweeps.
This activity has never been witnessed berfore!
A thorough cleaning from ceiling to floor.

He has traumaticized those,
Who had been exclusively fed first.
And now they are shown the exit.
Quicker than expected.

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Pay People Bananas

It has been said
in a very famous;
colloquial salary;
related quotation...

‘If you pay people peanuts
you get monkeys.”

the implications being

you get what you pay for!

low salaries attract less
educated qualified or
less competent people!

to get good staff you need
to pay an attractive wage!

the monkeys working for
low salaries are not capable
of understanding or doing
their jobs in a competent manner!

Like all sweeping statements
these generalizations are not
cannot always be accurate or true.

One critical cynical employer stated

‘If you pay people bananas
you get apes.’

Interesting! No Comment!

poem by Terence George Craddock
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American Soldier

American Soldier

When I say... 'I am an American Soldier'

I'm not shouting I'm better than you.

I'm whispering, I was a boy, and now

find myself a man.

When I say... 'I am an American

Soldier'

I speak not only of this with pride

I'm also confessing that I stumble,

make mistakes,

And need competent leadership to

help guide me,

So I in turn,

can be a competent leader.

When I say... 'I am an American

Soldier'

I'm not trying to be strong,

I'm professing that I am weak and

need the strength of my peers and

country,

To help carry me on.

When I say... 'I am an American

Soldier'

[...] Read more

poem by Michael Anthony
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An incompetent attorney can delay a trial for months or years. A competent attorney can delay one even longer.

quote by Evelle J. Younger
Added by Lucian Velea
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A military operation involves deception. Even though you are competent, appear to be incompetent. Though effective, appear to be ineffective.

quote by Sun Tzu
Added by Lucian Velea
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It isn't the incompetent who destroys an organization. The incompetent never gets in a position to destroy it. It is those who have achieved something and want to rest upon their achievements who are forever clogging things up.

quote by F.M. Young
Added by Lucian Velea
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Could I Be Incompetent?

Could I be incompetent?
No.
But I will admit,
I can be stupid, ignorant and foolish...
When making incorrect decisions.
With a hopeful learning from them,
If I take the time to comprehend what I've done.

But incompetent?
No.
No, I am not.
And I am sure if I had been,
Someone who's opinion I accept...
And has shown to me their admiration,
Would have already brought that to my attention.

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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To Negotiate

Can those of obvious intelligence,
Come to ever compose themselves to negotiate...
With those who have imposed on others,
Incompetent qualities never to represent leadership.
With a showing that is done effectively.
But effectively they have proven to be imbeciles.

Can those of obvious intelligence,
Come to ever compose themselves to negotiate...
With those who have imposed on others,
Incompetent qualities never to represent leadership.
And 'if' this incompetence is what people insist is needed...
Why should those of intelligence,
Bother to bog themselves down with such overwhelming...
And accepting ignorance.

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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As The Master Suggests

Wasn't it just yesterday,
It was said...
He was too incompetent to lead.
And today they hope he succeeds,
To keep them protected...
From experiencing total economic devastation.

And yes,
The situation is a mess.
But guess who's gotta clean up...
After they have treated themselves,
Less than guests.

Guess who's left to paint the veranda,
As the master suggests?
Then joke...
Sitting from a chair,
Known to be the master's favorite seat.
Overlooking the cleanup.
And sharing jokes with similar minds...
About eating fried chicken,
Watermelon.
And who commits all the crime!
Producing babies 'they' can't feed.
And guess who's left to paint the veranda?
Me!

Wasn't it just yesterday,
It was said...
He was too incompetent to lead.
And today they hope he succeeds,
To keep them protected...
From experiencing total economic devastation.

And yes,
The situation is a mess.
But guess who's gotta clean up...
After they have treated themselves,
Less than guests.
Guess who's left to paint the veranda,
As the master suggests?

And guess who's left to paint the veranda?
As the master suggests.
Guess who's left to paint the veranda?
As the master suggests.
And guess who's left to paint the veranda?
As the master suggests.
And guess who's left to paint the veranda?
As the master suggests.

[...] Read more

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Confused

'Mrs. Poppington...
If they are derelict in performing their duties
As elected officials
And they represent their contituents,
Who placed them in office
To conduct the protection
And goodwill of the people...
Why are nearly most of them incompetent?
And all of them lawbreakers? '

They are 'not' incompetent, Jimmie!
As you stated...
They represent their contituency!
They reflect those who put them in those positions!
And...
Let me make this clear.
You can not 'break' something you make.
It is 'recreated' to reflect change!
That's called 'addendum'.

'OH!
So...
Does that mean when you tell us not to cheat
On tests,
You really mean the opposite?
You want us to find a more creative way to do it?
And it's okay when Billy 'addendumizes' my work,
When you leave the classroom?
I'm confused! '

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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Meltdown

And as we witness this meltdown...
A nagging blame game begins.
Like spoiled children arguing in a playground...
They jeopardize lives without end.
Incompetent loyalists of aged documents...
Those who observe shut their eyes.
But the many who can't buffer this 'noise' they hear,
Are trapped in a hole that's deepening in size!

These fools are now believed...
And the consequences no one can leave!
'Would you like an olive in your blood cocktail? '
We are sipping this heated shhhhh...mess,
In little drips!
And the excuses come to solve this are in tattered bits!

'Would you care for more madness in silk or satin underwear?
Someone is addressing this by taking orders over there!
We must have this meltdown with more flair.
Don't you agree?
That's the way it's going to be...
Unfortunately that's their policy! '

And as we witness this meltdown...
A nagging blame game begins.
Like spoiled children arguing in a playground...
They jeopardize lives without end.
Incompetent loyalists of aged documents...
Those who observe shut their eyes.
But the many who can't buffer this 'noise' they hear,
Are trapped in a hole that's deepening in size!

poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar
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