photo by Maoileann‘Oversimplification’ and Other Poems by Russel Winick The Society August 29, 2024 Culture, Poetry 12 Comments . Oversimplification What so many people tend to say or write, Reduces complex issues of today, To merely simple packages of black or white, Oblivious to present shades of grey. . . A Permanent New Season I pray today’s insanity and evil are destroyed, Replaced by global goodness as a new eternal season. But seemingly the only way such change would be employed, Is if God brings to humankind supremacy of reason. . . The Changing Governance of Actions More people don’t regard it as a flaw, To act outside of honesty or law, Such things now serving much less as a fence, Replaced by what will bring no consequence. . . Russel Winick recently started writing poetry after ending a long legal career. He resides in Naperville, Illinois. 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 Marisa Bascope August 29, 2024 Russel, like you, I just started writing poetry after a long (very long) legal career. My tools de Guerre -the words- feel exciting since they are no longer vehicles to convey ideas expected to be negotiated, prosecuted, litigated, investigated, or interpreted. They now describe what I see, as they did for you in your three poems. I can feel your joy when criticizing without being judgmental (Oversimplification), hopeful (A Permanent New Season), and raw to our frustrations (The Changing Governance of Actions). They are brief, though, and left me thirsty for more. Reply Russel Winick August 29, 2024 Thank you, Marisa, for your lovely comment. Several people have noted the irony of a lawyer who writes mostly brief poetry. Reply Roy Eugene Peterson August 29, 2024 Delightful terse compact rhymes, as always well represented by the subject of your first poem. Reference your third poem, oh, there will be consequences! Reply Russel Winick August 29, 2024 Roy, your comments are always appreciated. I see the lack of propriety and consequences most often while driving. Just once I’d love to see some idiot driving nearly twice the speed limit stopped and ticketed by a cop moments later. Reply C.B. Anderson August 29, 2024 Why, as a domestic terrorist, you are not on the FBI’s most-wanted list is hard for me to understand. If you know what’s good for you, then you will stop tossing mind grenades. Reply Russel Winick August 29, 2024 C.B. – It must be that they’re too busy with lawfare against Trump, or pursuing Garland’s hated parents who complain at PTA meetings. Reply Paul A. Freeman August 29, 2024 I’m particularly interested by ‘Oversimplification’. Although I prefer to write traditional poetry, I’ll occasionally write free verse as a halfway house between that and my prose work. The Changing Governance of Actions reminded me that when I was at school, cheating in an exam was unthinkable. Now, it seems, if you can get away with it, do it. Thanks for the reads, Russel. Reply Russel Winick August 29, 2024 You’re welcome Paul. As to the last poem, it just seems like the moral compasses and self-discipline are different today. Reply Rohini August 30, 2024 I enjoyed them all! Terse. Witty. Sharp. Reply Russel Winick August 30, 2024 Thank you Rohini. Much appreciated. I’m glad you liked them. Reply Margaret Coats September 1, 2024 Russel, the topic of moral compass is one perennially needful to consider. But can “what will bring no consequence” be any kind of compass? What is it anyway? A workable replacement, perhaps, for “law” subject to continual redefinition of terms. Find me in contempt of court. I do hope you continue thinking and writing about these and similar subjects. Honest men who are sincerely wrong could use some eyewash to get all those “present shades of grey” out of their field of vision. As much as greys are loved and used, a shock of rational clarity could be a pleasure for a moment. Wishing you that permanent new season of goodness that probably won’t be global since it has to allow for hellholes of free will. Maybe we can call it universal! Reply Russel Winick September 1, 2024 I just love your comments, Margaret. They always move me beyond where I was before reading them! Reply Leave a Reply 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.
Marisa Bascope August 29, 2024 Russel, like you, I just started writing poetry after a long (very long) legal career. My tools de Guerre -the words- feel exciting since they are no longer vehicles to convey ideas expected to be negotiated, prosecuted, litigated, investigated, or interpreted. They now describe what I see, as they did for you in your three poems. I can feel your joy when criticizing without being judgmental (Oversimplification), hopeful (A Permanent New Season), and raw to our frustrations (The Changing Governance of Actions). They are brief, though, and left me thirsty for more. Reply
Russel Winick August 29, 2024 Thank you, Marisa, for your lovely comment. Several people have noted the irony of a lawyer who writes mostly brief poetry. Reply
Roy Eugene Peterson August 29, 2024 Delightful terse compact rhymes, as always well represented by the subject of your first poem. Reference your third poem, oh, there will be consequences! Reply
Russel Winick August 29, 2024 Roy, your comments are always appreciated. I see the lack of propriety and consequences most often while driving. Just once I’d love to see some idiot driving nearly twice the speed limit stopped and ticketed by a cop moments later. Reply
C.B. Anderson August 29, 2024 Why, as a domestic terrorist, you are not on the FBI’s most-wanted list is hard for me to understand. If you know what’s good for you, then you will stop tossing mind grenades. Reply
Russel Winick August 29, 2024 C.B. – It must be that they’re too busy with lawfare against Trump, or pursuing Garland’s hated parents who complain at PTA meetings. Reply
Paul A. Freeman August 29, 2024 I’m particularly interested by ‘Oversimplification’. Although I prefer to write traditional poetry, I’ll occasionally write free verse as a halfway house between that and my prose work. The Changing Governance of Actions reminded me that when I was at school, cheating in an exam was unthinkable. Now, it seems, if you can get away with it, do it. Thanks for the reads, Russel. Reply
Russel Winick August 29, 2024 You’re welcome Paul. As to the last poem, it just seems like the moral compasses and self-discipline are different today. Reply
Margaret Coats September 1, 2024 Russel, the topic of moral compass is one perennially needful to consider. But can “what will bring no consequence” be any kind of compass? What is it anyway? A workable replacement, perhaps, for “law” subject to continual redefinition of terms. Find me in contempt of court. I do hope you continue thinking and writing about these and similar subjects. Honest men who are sincerely wrong could use some eyewash to get all those “present shades of grey” out of their field of vision. As much as greys are loved and used, a shock of rational clarity could be a pleasure for a moment. Wishing you that permanent new season of goodness that probably won’t be global since it has to allow for hellholes of free will. Maybe we can call it universal! Reply
Russel Winick September 1, 2024 I just love your comments, Margaret. They always move me beyond where I was before reading them! Reply
