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Symbolic Expression

As polar opposites these days,
The liberals and conservatives
Express opinions different ways.
 
They rarely ever are in sync,
Since Liberals always say “I feel…,”
Conservatives start with:  “I think….”

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Out Of Order

When life interrupts my routines,
It then is a rather good bet,
That such change of regimen means,
Some things I must do, I’ll forget.

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Leftist Worldview

If your life’s a success
And you’re blessed with a lot,
You don’t have it unless
Somewhere, someone does not.

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Double-Pronged Pride

I am proud of my sons, for I know in them runs
__A commitment to doing things right,
As they spend all their days pushing infinite ways
__To ensure their achievement’s top flight.
 
They’ve long treated folks well, and I’ve not had to tell
__Them what I felt decisions should be.
Both have never done wrong, their convictions are strong,
__And I’m proud that one reason is me.

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Russel Winick recently started writing poetry after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois.

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26 Responses

  1. Sally Cook

    Russel –
    The difference between Think and Feel has long concerned me. Most people today equate the two, and look at the mess we’re in. Certainly it is not taught in schools. As for being taught to feel, genuine feel doesn’t get taught except by example.
    This dichotomy is everywhere but your poem is the only place I have seen it mentioned, I’m wondering why. Anything to help me?

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Thanks for your interesting comment, Sally. But I have no sexy answer to your question. Like you, I’ve long observed and pondered the dichotomy, and just decided to write about it. As for why it’s not more widely addressed, others could surely speculate more accurately than I. Thanks so much for writing.

      Reply
  2. Roy Eugene Peterson

    Russel, your short pithy poems say so much. You are so right about “feel” versus “think.” Too often that feeling of the left is one of hatred, revenge, or jealousy. That is exactly “The Leftist World View.” It is wonderful when our children seek to emulate us and we believe we had a profound effect that benefitted not only parents, but the world, as well.

    Reply
  3. Joseph S. Salemi

    The trouble with “feeling” is that it can’t be debated or refuted. Since it is purely reactive, it has no logical basis on which an opponent can get leverage.

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      At the risk of sounding like Claudine Gay, I think it depends on the context. In my former life as a litigator, I often had to demonstrate that sincerely held feelings were nonetheless inappropriate. I suspect you would have been outstanding at doing so.

      Reply
    • Joshua C. Frank

      Strictly speaking, it’s not true that feelings have no logical basis. We like to say thoughts are logical and feelings are not, but in fact, feelings are the logical conclusions of beliefs, which stem from thoughts. This is a cornerstone of Stoic philosophy (the subject of my poem “Thinking Makes It So”), summarized in Marcus Aurelius’s saying, “If you are pained by any external thing, it is not the thing that pains you, but your judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out that judgment now.”

      Reply
      • Alan Steinle

        I agree with your comment and the quotation. We have a lot of power to change our thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. However, acceptance of this fact entails a greater sense of responsibility. If we are partially or mostly responsible for our suffering or happiness, we can no longer blame others.

    • C.B. Anderson

      It’s not that conservatives don’t feel, D.P., it’s that conservatives know the difference.

      Reply
      • Russel Winick

        I was pretty sure that poem would instigate some debate. Thank you Sir!

    • Joshua C. Frank

      Conservatives feel for the victims steamrolled by liberal politics. Liberals (classical liberals excepted) feel only for themselves and deceive themselves that they feel for the “poor, helpless victims” who are in fact the perpetrators. (Example: every woman I have ever met or heard of who stands up for men against feminism and its inherent misandry, without exception, is a conservative.)

      Conservatives think and feel, liberals don’t. In fact, liberals invariably lash out at conservatives for thinking and feeling. Look at how liberals continue to defend Hamas. That proves to me beyond a doubt that to have a shred of compassion or empathy is to cease to be liberal. If you don’t have the utmost contempt for the left, you’re not paying attention.

      What Russel meant, as far as I understand, is that liberals define truth by their own feelings rather than by objective truth, which they believe doesn’t exist, and fight for their “right” to do so under the guise of fighting for “marginalized” groups.

      Reply
      • Joseph S. Salemi

        Left-liberals defend Hamas because they think that the terrorists in Hamas are the good guys, and the Israelis are the bad guys. The placards they carry say it very simply: “From the river to the sea, Palestine must be Jew-free!” (Yes, I saw that sign in Manhattan last month.)

        This is not a mistaken thought or a perverse feeling on their part. It is the consciously chosen commitment of persons who hate anything and everything Western, and want to see the West and its peoples destroyed, debased, or enslaved. Could it be any clearer?

        This is why talking about the question with all sorts of moral and ethical and religious assumptions is an exasperatingly useless waste of time. This is a question of bullets, bayonets, and bombs — not Categorical Imperatives or Decalogues.

      • Joshua C. Frank

        I find myself agreeing with you more and more. In a comment on one of my recent poems, Susan said, “There are two sides to every story… and I prefer the one that embraces the miracle of birth.” I think that could apply here as well.

        Leftists are consistent in embracing death, with their pushing abortion, euthanasia, vaccines, etc. … I make it a policy not to take advice on right-to-life or health issues from people who insist the world is overpopulated. Their support of Hamas is just their latest horror of many.

        Leftism and Islam in all their forms are both evils that need to be eradicated. Unlike both groups, I don’t think this means murder is necessary… but since it’s clearly war they’re after, I agree with you that sitting back and letting them destroy everything we hold dear just because a bunch of priests say it’s the only way to be a good Christian is stupid. St. Paul would have sacrificed Heaven itself to convert his brethren if (supposing the absurd) such a thing were possible (Romans 9:3).

  5. Cynthia Erlandson

    There’s a lot of wisdom here, expressed humorously and succinctly. Thanks for the fun read.

    Reply
  6. Warren Bonham

    I both think and feel that you hit the nail on the head with these poems. No wonder your sons turned out well!

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      And having a world class mom contributed even more. Thanks, Warren.

      Reply
    • Joshua C. Frank

      Yes, I thought of the story that inspired my poem “The Rabbi.” Given what Russel has written, they most likely see him as one step closer to creation and to God rather than one step closer to a lower animal.

      Reply
      • Russel Winick

        I’m not so sure about that Josh, but honestly it’s more than good enough just to hear them call me “dad.”

  7. Margaret Coats

    Russel, congratulations on being able to write “Double-Pronged Pride,” that is, on having and on raising those two sons, and on your poetic ability. “Leftist Worldview” was a bit of a shock because you pegged so well a speaker who doesn’t share your view. Keep the wit and wisdom coming!

    Reply
  8. Russel Winick

    Thanks so much for your inspiring kindness, Margaret. And thanks also goes to Evan for suggesting the title of “Double-Pronged Pride,” which was a big improvement over what I started with.

    Reply
  9. Susan Jarvis Bryant

    Russel, I love them all, especially “Double-Pronged Pride”… this lovely poem, together with your beautiful “world class mom” comment, puts everything in perspective in a society where children are prey to the ever-increasing wickedness of this mad world. To have sane and loving parents is a gift! Russel, thank you for your sensibility, sagacity, and of course, your poetry.

    Reply
    • Russel Winick

      Poet Laureate, your comments, unsurprisingly, are better than my poetry. Thanks for every word!

      Reply

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