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Diplomatic Smiles

how you doin'?
is that a question, or a salutation?
do I answer the query, or just respond with a nod?

social cues confuse
is that why the whole world is messed up
nobody knows what the other is actually saying

we think we know, then upon reflection
say to ourselves, huh!
oh! well, he'll think now I'm an idiot

but I've always assumed he was
so now what?

...on to the next bit 'a biz

what's happenin'?

Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
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Comments

Those social cues confuse me too, sometimes I feel a bit like Sheldon Cooper.
And small talk, can't get the hang of it. I know theoretically conversational flotsam and jetsam provides some sort of social adhesion and yet I never really know what to say if the talk is not of some sort of significance.

I like the informal structure which has good prosodic qualities that I can't quite put my finger on. Cool.

Oh, and Al, it sounded like you were angry about the Undiscovered poems thing. Hopefully I answered your questions at
https://www.neopoet.com/comment/114413#comment-114413

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

I know perfectly the points you made about Sheldon Cooper, and small talk
I could have written those exact words myself.

I don't think this piece is good. I wanted it to be as much about real talk as much as greetings, or small talk...how we often miss the point someone is trying to make, then when walking away, suddenly we "get it".
Oh!, that's what he meant...but, the conversation is long over by then.

Anger, no. If we had actually been in the same room talking, you would never have picked up on anything close to anger...such are the pitfalls of texted communications.
quick responses, I've noticed, can "sound" terse and abrupt in these formats
.
I'm still not sure what you mean by managable in reference to the list.
That's what computers do so well...manage data.
anyway, lets put that to rest...nothing to squabble over. I'm ok with other points of view on such matters...but, words about my home team, or mother, could be dangerous!!! (grinningly, he wrote)

later,

Al

author comment

A good theme, to many people just answer greetings with a bog standard reply.
I think this may be a courteous way of just greeting, no one really wants to know how you really feel.
I like the Zulu way of greeting by saying "I see you" it holds a way of saying I am just me.
We have to many ways of hiding feelings in this modern age, and I find it makes people feel unsettled and cautious as to what to say next.
Roll on telepathy, but not the normal type where there are safety switches in the mind that blocks things off.
If we were really good then there would be no need to have any switches, this is where I love my Children so think talk is perfectly open.
Go well young man, Yours Ian.T

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

I see you.
That and "I hear you" are two of the most affirming things and people need to hear it.
I wonder if we could popularise it?

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

I shall endeavour to write a piece on "I See You" asap..
I worked a while with the African people and grew to love their ways and the greeting always stayed with me, one of the Zulu's told me of it, and your " I Hear You" would be a good brother or sister to the first.
I would have loved to go talk to the old Aborigine men or women while in Australia but I had no time there for travelling, one of my pen names "Yenti" means swamp in one of their talk lol.
But it matters not, I hope that you keep well and have a quiet time physically but a boil inside to make people think,
Yours as always, Ian..

.
There are a million reasons to believe in yourself,
So find more reasons to believe in others..

the only glitch I see is that here in the states "I see you" sounds exactly the same as "ICU" (intensive care unit...in hospitals) ...a veiled threat maybe?

I know, no one could be that stupid!
just me being a -------! You fill in the blank

later,

Al

author comment

Lol

'Each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star,
shall draw the Thing as he sees It, for the God of Things as They are.'
(Rudyard Kipling)

That common greeting makes me laugh...I usually answer with a 'no point complaining - nobody really cares anyway'....

i agree with jess - i really like that zulu greeting ian...
it requires no answer, but makes one feel noticed

Yes, let's popularise it guys

Good write Al... gives much food for thought

Love judy
xxx

'Each for the joy of the working, and each, in his separate star,
shall draw the Thing as he sees It, for the God of Things as They are.'
(Rudyard Kipling)

Judy

cheers,
Jess
A new workshop on the most important element of poetry-
'Rhythm and Meter in Poetry'
https://www.neopoet.com/workshop/rhythm-and-meter-poetry

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