{"id":91,"date":"2014-06-27T01:30:17","date_gmt":"2014-06-27T01:30:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/?p=91"},"modified":"2014-07-12T21:35:59","modified_gmt":"2014-07-12T21:35:59","slug":"genuine-and-a-look-at-a-poem-i-wrote-remember-me-a-nod-to-edgar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/?p=91","title":{"rendered":"GENUINE! And a look at a poem I wrote: “Remember Me, A Nod To Edgar”"},"content":{"rendered":"

(Note: I have not had time to write to this blog lately due to dealing with a plumbing catastrophe in my home last week that caused extensive damage.)<\/strong><\/p>\n

I don\u2019t usually share<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0creative stuff\u00a0that I write, but I wanted to share a poem that I wrote recently.\u00a0 Because it\u2019s so close and personal to me, I\u2019m still not ready to share \u201cJourney to the Sea,\u201d but I do want to share with you \u201cRemember Me, A Nod to Edgar.\u201d\u00a0 This poem was written as a response to Poe\u2019s \u201cA Dream Within A Dream.\u201d\u00a0 Poe\u2019s poem is in the public domain and can be found in several places on the internet as well as\u00a0in\u00a0numerous anthologies of poetry.\u00a0 For that reason, I\u2019m not going to post the original poem here, but I am going to share my response.\u00a0 I like it enough that I think I will let it be the conclusion for my upcoming book. \u00a0It was a really fun piece for me to write, and I wrote it in the form of a poetic response to Edgar Allen Poe. \u00a0When I wrote this, I imagined that I was having a conversation with Poe and responding to his original poem.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Dream Within A Dream\u201d<\/strong> is very special to me because it was the poem that I chose to recite for my therapist during my time of speech and auditory rehabilitation.\u00a0 I first learned of it and read it while I was in college.\u00a0 It\u2019s quite different from the much darker style of writing that readers of Poe\u2019s works are accustomed to.\u00a0 What does my response to Poe\u2019s poem mean?\u00a0 Well, I obviously know what it means, but it\u2019s ultimately up to you to figure it out.\u00a0 Leave a response below at the end of this blog entry if you wish!<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember Me, A Nod To Edgar\u201d <\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

As you stand amid the roar<\/span><\/h3>\n

And you watch the surf torment the shore,<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h2>\n

Remember me, as the warm\u00a0wind blows<\/span><\/h3>\n

As the evening sun sets and brings this journey to a close.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

I\u2019ve held the many grains of golden sand, and I weep<\/span><\/h3>\n

Because I’ve watched them creep, oh how they creep.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

I’ve grasped the golden grains in my fingers, but yet they seep;<\/span><\/h3>\n

And they still slip away, so far far away to the deep.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

And when you hear the waves come crashing ashore,<\/span><\/h3>\n

Think of me and grasp your own golden grains once more.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Hold them closely while you can, so tightly in the palm of your hand,<\/span><\/h3>\n

For they will soon slip away; they are but mere grains of golden sand.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

O God!\u00a0 Can we not grasp them with a tighter clasp?<\/span><\/h3>\n

O God! Can we not save one from the pitiless wave?<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

But alas, we can\u2019t for it has been deemed<\/span><\/h3>\n

That everything that we see or seem,<\/span><\/h3>\n

Is nothing more than a dream within a dream.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Yes, Edgar, I too have seen the surf tormented shore.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Yes, Edgar, I too have heard the sea\u2019s mighty roar.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

It sometimes seems that hope has flown away<\/span><\/h3>\n

Perhaps in the night, or in the day.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

Perhaps it is true, for it so oft does seem<\/span><\/h3>\n

That my days have been nothing but an unreal dream.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

So just remember me, as the warm\u00a0wind will blow.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Life is just a dream, and where it leads one cannot know.<\/span><\/h3>\n

<\/h3>\n

(A Response to E.A. Poe\u2019s \u201cA Dream Within a Dream\u201d)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

———————————————————————————————————–\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cBut you know, I feel more fellowship with the defeated than with saints.\u00a0 Heroism and sanctity really don\u2019t appeal to me, I imagine.\u00a0 What interests me is being a man.\u201d<\/em><\/h3>\n

~Albert Camus, The Plague<\/em><\/strong> ~<\/strong><\/em><\/h3>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Genuine\u2026<\/em><\/strong> We most often hear this word used in the context when a company wishes to assert a product, or perhaps promote a service as being authentic or real.\u00a0 I was recently reminded of this word when my mother, Denise, and I were going to a quick, impromptu lunch at my aunt\u2019s house before helping her clean out a very nasty storage shed crammed with decades of junk.\u00a0 We stopped on the way, and my mother bought a bottle of GENUINE<\/strong> Faygo soda pop as part of our contribution to the lunch.\u00a0 For those of you who aren\u2019t from the south, Faygo is a particular brand of soda that has existed for just about as long as I can remember.\u00a0 Based on my research, it has existed for much longer than I have been alive, since the early 1900\u2019s it seems.\u00a0 Since I grew up drinking Faygo, I was certainly surprised to see the word GENUINE<\/strong> written at the top of the bottle.\u00a0 While I understand that this is only a marketing strategy devised by the good folks at Faygo, I was a little taken aback.\u00a0 In fact, I was left wondering: \u201cFaygo is a lesser known brand, so why go out of the way to make sure buyers know it\u2019s GENUINE<\/strong>.\u00a0 Is there any drink out there pretending to be Faygo?\u201d\u00a0 I will admit that I was slightly amused since we really don\u2019t drink soda at all anymore, and I hadn\u2019t seen or tasted a Faygo soda in at least several years.\u00a0 It just took me by surprise and had me sort of wondering why Faygo felt the need to assure me that I was purchasing a GENUINE<\/strong> product of theirs.<\/p>\n

\"GENUINE<\/a>

GENUINE Faygo Soda!! Who would have thought it??<\/p><\/div>\n

Last year, I bought a top of the line Brother multi-function machine for our home office.\u00a0 This beast of a machine has multiple paper trays, a built in fax machine, and it can print, scan, copy and fax with duplex capability up to ledger size (11X17) paper format.<\/p>\n

\"One<\/a>

One Big Printer!!<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

It really is the Cadillac \u00ae of printers as far as features go.\u00a0 It has features that I have yet to discover and use.\u00a0 When I was un-boxing this printer last year (and it took both Denise and me to lift it out of the box), I noticed there was\u00a0a\u00a0sticker on the front of the machine that identified the model numbers of the ink cartridges.\u00a0 At the very top of this sticker, the good people at Brother strongly encouraged users to \u201cuse only GENUINE<\/strong> Brother supplies for best results.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Use<\/a>

Use ONLY GENUINE Supplies!!<\/p><\/div>\n

A number of years ago, I had another, much smaller, Brother printer.\u00a0 One day I was shopping for ink on EBay, and noticed that I could get 20 generic ink cartridges for only $10!!\u00a0 Imagine my astonishment and disbelief that I had somehow found such a smoking hot deal.\u00a0 I quickly ordered the knock-off cartridges and gave myself a well deserved pat on the shoulder for being so thrifty.\u00a0 When the cartridges came in, I noticed that they would not work when put in the printer.\u00a0 They were DUDS. \u00a0I must have gone through five different cartridges before I found one that successfully worked with the printer.\u00a0 And all the while, ink was leaking and dripping on my hands.\u00a0 It was a terrible mess.\u00a0 Well, in my quest to save money and use knock off cartridges from E-Bay, I ultimately ended up ruining my printer.\u00a0 You see, those NON-GENUINE<\/strong> cartridges leaked everywhere to the point where they ruined the print head in the printer.\u00a0 The cartridges looked like GENUINE <\/strong>Brother Cartridges, and for all intents and purposes were certainly designed to work with my particular printer.\u00a0 But these fake, knock-off cartridges were trying to deliver a performance that didn\u2019t quite go as promised, and they were pretending to be something that they could never be.\u00a0 You see, they weren\u2019t GENUINE<\/strong>, and they failed miserably, leaving me with a ruined printer.\u00a0 On a side note, I learned my lesson the hard way.\u00a0 I have never used anything but GENUINE <\/strong>Brother cartridges in my new and very expensive multi-function machine.\u00a0 I order all my printing supplies from www.bluedogink.com<\/a>, a great place to buy just about any type of printer ink or toner that you could possibly need.\u00a0 No, the people at www. bluedogink.com didn\u2019t pay me for giving them a shameless plug, and I don\u2019t get any special discounts on products ordered; but I\u2019ve had such great service from this company that I thought I\u2019d give them a shout-out.\u00a0 Their prices are lower than buying from a big name store.\u00a0 Anyway, the bottle of GENUINE<\/strong> Faygo soda that I was telling you about earlier got to me to thinking this past week.\u00a0 And in my random musings, I started thinking about something that is really important to me:\u00a0 GENUINE<\/strong> people.<\/p>\n

For the sake of clarity, let\u2019s examine how Merriam Webster\u2019s Dictionary defines the word genuine :<\/p>\n

GEN*U*INE<\/strong><\/p>\n

Adjective<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

:actual, real or true: not false or fake<\/strong><\/p>\n

:sincere and honest<\/strong><\/p>\n

Full Definition<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. A: actually having the reputed or apparent qualities or character<\/li>\n
  2. B: actually produced by or proceeding from the alleged source or author<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    With this definition, we gain an idea of what the word GENUINE<\/strong> actually means.\u00a0 If I buy a GENUINE<\/strong> part for my car, I\u2019m supposed to be purchasing something that is real and not an imitation or knock off of the true item.\u00a0 If I purchase a bottle of GENUINE<\/strong> Coca-Cola \u00ae, I should be drinking the original beverage with its undeniable taste, and not a bottle of nastiness such as Kroger\u2019s BIG-K Cola.\u00a0 There is a difference!\u00a0 A couple of years ago, the oxygen sensor failed on my car.\u00a0 I purchased an after-market part from Autozone and installed it on a Friday.\u00a0 By Monday, it had failed again, leaving me with a check engine light that once again illuminated on my dashboard.\u00a0 I returned it and went to the automobile dealership\u2019s parts counter and purchased an original GENUINE<\/strong> oxygen sensor.\u00a0 Guess what.\u00a0 It cost nearly twice as much as the aftermarket unit, but it\u2019s still functioning almost 5 years later!<\/p>\n

    So, having said all of that, this brings me to the main point of what I want to talk about.\u00a0 GENUINE people<\/strong>.\u00a0 If we take Webster\u2019s meaning of the word GENUINE<\/strong>, and literally apply it, we can figure out that a GENUINE<\/strong>\u00a0person is one who is real and true, not false and fake.\u00a0 A GENUINE<\/strong> person is one who is also sincere and honest.\u00a0 I really do love the quote by Camus that I\u2019ve shared at the top of this blog entry.\u00a0 \u201cI feel more fellowship with the defeated than with saints.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>The same goes for me.\u00a0 I feel more drawn to those people who really know who they are and have no qualms about admitting it.<\/p>\n

    Sadly, we live and function in a me-centric society.\u00a0 In the digital era of Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, people are more concerned than ever with constantly making themselves look perfect for society and making sure that they conform to society\u2019s expectations.\u00a0 Perfect people don\u2019t exist.\u00a0 I\u2019m sorry, but they just don\u2019t.\u00a0 Even those who appear to always have it together, rarely if ever do.\u00a0 You see, we as human beings are inherently flawed creatures in many ways.\u00a0 I often tell those who know me that I\u2019m the least perfect person that you could possibly meet.\u00a0 I\u2019m not the smartest, the fastest, the best looking, the richest, or the most personable.\u00a0 Sometimes, I\u2019m not even the nicest, the friendliest, or the most outgoing person either.\u00a0 But I try to be GENUINE<\/strong>, caring, and compassionate.\u00a0 I try to be real and honest.\u00a0 You see, I can\u2019t possibly pretend to be anyone else than who I am.\u00a0 If someone doesn\u2019t like me for who I really am, then that\u2019s just too bad.\u00a0 There\u2019s nothing I can do about it.\u00a0 There\u2019s a song called \u201cI Can Only Be Me\u201d written by Stevie Wonder that was recorded by the late and great Eva Cassidy.\u00a0 It\u2019s a beautiful song, and it talks about how I can only be me, and you can only be you.\u00a0 Those who really and truly know me know that I don\u2019t hide anything.\u00a0 I am often known for being brutally honest and usually tell it like it is.\u00a0 I don\u2019t sugarcoat anything.<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a saying out there that I know is absolutely true.\u00a0 John C. Maxwell states:<\/p>\n

    \u201cPeople don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

    This next week, I challenge you to be GENUINE<\/strong> with those you meet.\u00a0 People don\u2019t care how much you know or about empty promises that you can\u2019t possibly hope to fulfill.\u00a0 What they want to know is how much you care and if you\u2019re really who you say you are.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be like the fake ink cartridges I once ordered and promise something that you can\u2019t possibly deliver.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be like the aftermarket oxygen sensor I once bought and flake out after the weekend is over. \u00a0Don\u2019t try to be someone that you can\u2019t possibly ever be.\u00a0 Just be real and just be you.\u00a0 Life\u2019s too short for anything less.\u00a0 I don\u2019t believe in re-incarnation, so that means that we pretty much only have one chance in this lifetime to get it right.\u00a0 And the only way you will get it right is by being GENUINE<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

    Much love and Godspeed,<\/p>\n

    Stephen<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    (Note: I have not had time to write to this blog lately due to dealing with a plumbing catastrophe in my home last week that caused extensive damage.) I don\u2019t usually share\u00a0creative stuff\u00a0that I write, but I wanted to share … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-random-thoughts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=91"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91\/revisions\/114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=91"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=91"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/canoe.stephencoleman.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=91"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}