Re: subtle abuse vs blatant -- In response to Kathleen's posting

[Guest guest]

Kathleen,

Your posting brought to mind the poem by Macdonald

entitled " Accomplishments " , quoted on page 59 of Judith Viorst

book " Necessary Losses " . I will quote the first and last verses only

(because I 'type' with two fingers only). Here they are:

I painted a picture --green sky-- and showed it to my mother.

She said that's nice, I guess.

So I painted another holding the paintbrush in my teeth.

Look, Ma, no hands. And she said

I guess someone would admire that if they knew

How you did it and they were interested in painting which I am not.

..

..

So I sterilized my wrists, performed the amputation, threw away

My hands and went to my mother, but before I could say

Look, Ma, no hands, she said

I have a present for you and insisted I try on

The blue kid gloves to make sure they were the right size.

The mother of all nadas it seems to me. M. R.

> promise of a midnight lecture. Coming into a room with a proud

> accomplishment and being met with a quiet " oh " dashed my

> hopes and my heart.

>

> Kathleen

[Guest guest]

thanks M.R.for posting that. It describes one of the faces of nada

very well.

Kathleen