Bari Weiss (screenshot)On the Resignation of Bari Weiss from The New York Times, and Other Poetry by Jeffrey Kemper The Society July 21, 2020 Culture, Deconstructing Communism, Humor, Poetry 12 Comments With Sorrow Do I Leave It is with sadness that I write to tell you that I am resigning from The New York Times. —Bari Weiss, opinion writer, 13 July 2020 With sorrow do I leave The New York Times. To vitiate your journalistic crimes, You brought me here to lend diversity To Twitter-tested torque of history And orthodox-opinion paradigms. But I have worked in hostile, toxic climes, Dubbed “racist,” “liar,” “bigot” by your mimes. Should I write job-securing, damn-Trump ghee? It is with sorrow that I leave. A piece that doesn’t ring progressive chimes Must be massaged and cautioned by The Times, Cleansed by a narrow-minded referee Who deems most shades of thought as thought-debris. Lest I commit your journalistic crimes, It is with sorrow that I leave. Fire in the Sky Rival Fires on 4 July 2020 Now see the fire in this bedimming sky As evening’s daylight gently fades away On this great day, the fourth of this July. The iridescent bombs are bursting high “Please keep my people free,” is what they say Amidst the fires in this, the dimming sky. The joyous sights and sounds now testify To liberty on Independence Day, On this great day, the fourth of this July! But dealers in disaster terrify By turning towns into a torrid splay Of fire and smoke ascending to the sky. Their minions, doggies of the rogues, do ply Their fascist trade that pledges hell to pay On this great day, the fourth of this July. Yet millions quell the minions’ battle cry As myriad sounds are turning night to day With brilliant fires of freedom in the sky On this great day, the fourth of this July! Jeff Kemper has been a biology teacher, biblical studies instructor, editor, and painting contractor. He lives with his wife, Sue, in York County, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. CODEC Stories:Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window) 12 Responses Margaret Coats July 21, 2020 Excellent decision to put these serious current topics not only in meter, but in these fair forms of rondeau and sestina that intensify meter’s capacity to focus attention and refine awareness. You’ve carefully adjusted the refrains to deepen these effects. The sestina title (telling which of the rival fires is more important) and the insistently iambic “this July” give a welcome joy to the immediate situation. Good work! Reply Jeff Kemper July 21, 2020 Thank you so much, Margaret! Reply R.H. Darby July 22, 2020 Hallo, Ms Coats, how do you do. A heads up, if I may… the second piece of verse is a Villanelle, not a Sestina. Reply Margaret Coats July 23, 2020 Sorry, you are quite right. Richard lackman July 21, 2020 Very well said. More than just most of our poetry is devoid of rhythm and rhyme. Reply Jeff Kemper July 21, 2020 Thanks, Richard! Reply Joe Tessitore July 21, 2020 I just read John Horvat’s opinion piece about her resignation, which provided a link to her letter. You’ve nailed it, Mr. Kemper. Reply Jeff Kemper July 21, 2020 Thank you, Joe! Reply Joseph S. Salemi July 21, 2020 It’s not just Ms. Weiss at the Times. The respected columnist Andrew Sullivan faced so much overt left-liberal bigotry at New York Magazine that he resigned from his position there just a few weeks back. And in our little world of poetry, the editor (Don Share) of the oldest and premiere journal, Poetry Magazine, was forced into leaving his position last month because one left-wing bitch got offended by a poem in the magazine, blasted it as “racist” (the usual meaningless charge), and orchestrated a campaign that got Share kicked out by the gutless cowards who run the magazine. Does anyone reading this still think that we are living in America? More to the point, does anyone here still think that it is incumbent upon us to be polite and courteous to our stupid friends and relatives who are planning to vote for Biden? Do you still think reasoned argument is going to work with people that deaf, dumb, and blind? Weiss, Sullivan, and Share are NOT conservatives. They aren’t even sympathetic to Trump. Do you have any doubt about what will happen to US if the liberal-left, Antifa, and the Black-Lives-Matter vermin take over? Reply Jeff Kemper July 21, 2020 Right, Dr. Salemi, and there are many others besides those you mentioned. We’re losing our nation! Reply Joe Tessitore July 21, 2020 You’re right, Joseph. Mrs. T and I no longer associate with anyone, friend or family, who is enabling this. We actually can’t bear to. The only thing I’d add to you, Jeff, is that I think we’ve already lost it. R.H. Darby July 22, 2020 Perhaps, take example from the spirit and bravery of the the folk who fought tyranny at the Battle of Blair Mountain. The true original Red-necks. Leave a Reply to Joseph S. Salemi Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Captcha loading...In order to pass the CAPTCHA please enable JavaScript. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Margaret Coats July 21, 2020 Excellent decision to put these serious current topics not only in meter, but in these fair forms of rondeau and sestina that intensify meter’s capacity to focus attention and refine awareness. You’ve carefully adjusted the refrains to deepen these effects. The sestina title (telling which of the rival fires is more important) and the insistently iambic “this July” give a welcome joy to the immediate situation. Good work! Reply
R.H. Darby July 22, 2020 Hallo, Ms Coats, how do you do. A heads up, if I may… the second piece of verse is a Villanelle, not a Sestina. Reply
Richard lackman July 21, 2020 Very well said. More than just most of our poetry is devoid of rhythm and rhyme. Reply
Joe Tessitore July 21, 2020 I just read John Horvat’s opinion piece about her resignation, which provided a link to her letter. You’ve nailed it, Mr. Kemper. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi July 21, 2020 It’s not just Ms. Weiss at the Times. The respected columnist Andrew Sullivan faced so much overt left-liberal bigotry at New York Magazine that he resigned from his position there just a few weeks back. And in our little world of poetry, the editor (Don Share) of the oldest and premiere journal, Poetry Magazine, was forced into leaving his position last month because one left-wing bitch got offended by a poem in the magazine, blasted it as “racist” (the usual meaningless charge), and orchestrated a campaign that got Share kicked out by the gutless cowards who run the magazine. Does anyone reading this still think that we are living in America? More to the point, does anyone here still think that it is incumbent upon us to be polite and courteous to our stupid friends and relatives who are planning to vote for Biden? Do you still think reasoned argument is going to work with people that deaf, dumb, and blind? Weiss, Sullivan, and Share are NOT conservatives. They aren’t even sympathetic to Trump. Do you have any doubt about what will happen to US if the liberal-left, Antifa, and the Black-Lives-Matter vermin take over? Reply
Jeff Kemper July 21, 2020 Right, Dr. Salemi, and there are many others besides those you mentioned. We’re losing our nation! Reply
Joe Tessitore July 21, 2020 You’re right, Joseph. Mrs. T and I no longer associate with anyone, friend or family, who is enabling this. We actually can’t bear to. The only thing I’d add to you, Jeff, is that I think we’ve already lost it.
R.H. Darby July 22, 2020 Perhaps, take example from the spirit and bravery of the the folk who fought tyranny at the Battle of Blair Mountain. The true original Red-necks.
