yard sign (public domain)‘Jargon’: A Poem by Warren Bonham The Society May 17, 2025 Culture, Poetry 18 Comments . Jargon The devil will manipulate, through jargoneers who fabricate non sequitur profundity tuned with the proper frequency that will, before you realize, infect your mind and hypnotize with phrases such as “Love is love,” which is the best example of how bumper-sticker jargoneers can craft a phrase that interferes with thoughts formed in a once sane brain that now is captured by inane quotes that sound great if you dispense with every ounce of common sense. For “Love is love” is just as true as if they wrote that “Blue is blue,” and just as useless since you’ll find that what love means is not defined. And who would say they’re not “Pro Choice,” although there are some with no voice and we know what they would have said, but someone chose for them instead. And “Girls need boys like fish need bikes” is meaningless but still it strikes a chord in just the perfect key that resonates in harmony with all the anger that came from old frictions some can’t overcome. But wisdom that is truly wise is very hard to summarize in bumper stickers stuck on chrome, or put on posters hung at home, which means we must work to resist and lamely say we’ll “coexist” or latch on to another quote that’s clever, but some flunky wrote to earn a paycheck, not impart words meant to truly change each heart. But hearts will change in ways profound if we’ll just harken to the sound of every single quote we’ve heard that leads us to a holy word. . . Warren Bonham is a private equity investor who lives in Southlake, Texas. 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. ***Read Our Comments Policy Here*** 18 Responses Roy Eugene Peterson May 17, 2025 Warren, you are the master of long compelling sentences. Talcott Parsons would be proud. How great are the thoughts expressed of aphorisms that are arcane and misleading tautologies and nonsense! There is a lot to praise in every phase. Reply Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 Thanks! I still need to dig into Talcott Parsons. I’m a fan of anyone who likes run-on sentences. Reply Russel Winick May 17, 2025 Warren, your message is compelling, and the rhyme and meter are spectacular! Great job! Reply Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 I’m very glad you enjoyed it! This one was fun to write. Reply Cynthia L Erlandson May 17, 2025 There is so much wisdom here, Warren — and a lot of catharsis, for me anyway — those signs drive me crazy! Not only is “love is love” a tautology, but, as you observe, it isn’t defined; it may be the most abused word there is, although “choice” may be abused just as much. Those who call themselves “pro-choice” are actually anti-choice about many things, as you’ve succinctly noted. Great job! Reply Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 Slick little sayings sound really catchy but the common ones are really used just to shut people up. Who could possibly be opposed to “choice” or “love” or “coexisting”? I’m glad you liked this one! Reply Margaret Coats May 17, 2025 Especially the first stanza, Warren, sounds like a Gilbert and Sullivan song. The rhythm is good all the way through, of course. The second stanza goes more deeply into the illogic of some sayings, while the third explicitly reveals jargon versus wisdom as your subject. I notice the third (quoting the most problematic bumper sticker “coexist”) is the only stanza that has a period, signaling the way to wisdom enunciated in the last four lines. True to the message of the piece, you wisely do not claim to pronounce wisdom–only to suggest an escape from jargon. By the end, we have a good working description of it! Reply Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 That’s a great analysis of the piece. I struggled with how to bring it home at the end. Jargon has been used as a means to control us. It has nothing to do with truth or wisdom – it very often has a darker motivation. We need to find a way to escape from it. Reply Joseph S. Salemi May 17, 2025 The poem paints a good satiric picture of modern jargon, in nicely rhyming tetrameter couplets. A great deal of contemporary non-thought expresses itself through catchwords, dogwhistles, and glib phrases. However, I think your poem is spoiled by the last four lines, which come across as a tacked-on note of Bible-thumping piety. Saying that hearts will change, and alluding to scriptural quotes, is conventionally saccharine. You don’t end satire with a disguised prayer. Reply Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 I appreciate the feedback. The last four lines were an attempt to link back to the opening line but I can see your point. The last four lines can use some additional polishing Reply Frank Rable May 19, 2025 Not that I want to agree with Mr. Salemi, but you could drop the last four lines. Your poem was so good and you didn’t need to end it on an upbeat. You had spoken your truth. My God, that nonsense does slip in, doesn’t it. Never mind, you done good Mac. And I really can’t blame you for wanting to end it with some optimism. But no, save that for another poem. You are fighting the good fight for the English language. Keep it up. Literally? No figuratively, of course. How about a poem about electioneering jargon? As in, fight, stand up to, take on, not on my watch, and other such bullshit. You know you want to. jd May 18, 2025 Loved the entire poem, Warren, especially the final resolution which to my mind is the only antidote to what the world has become. Reply Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 I’m totally aligned with you in terms of there being one source of truth and wisdom. Jargon has been used strategically to keep us from discovering that. Reply Mike Bryant May 18, 2025 Warren, your poem is sharp and skillfully written, with a strong critique of how slogans can manipulate and oversimplify. I like the way you point out the tension between catchy phrases and deeper meaning, and how you explore that tension. In a comment above you said, “Jargon has been used as a means to control us. It has nothing to do with truth or wisdom – it very often has a darker motivation. We need to find a way to escape from it.” I found myself reflecting on your final lines because many, if not most, of those who proclaim the very jargon you critique are the spiritually proud members of organized religion. Reply Joseph S. Salemi May 18, 2025 Mike, a great many of the mainstream established churches are now in the hands of the liberal-left, and function as an amen-corner for globalism, socialism, and progressivist talking points. The latest conquest is my own religion, which has been pretty much absorbed, in its human and earthly institutional aspect, into this tsunami of bullshit-spouting. Reply Warren Bonham May 19, 2025 I wish I could disagree with you, but much of the jargon does seem to originate there. That crowd seems to worship the word “love”, but their working definition is really just being nice to everyone and tolerating anything. They can also be some of the most hate-filled people around if they sense that you disagree with their approach. None of that seems very biblical but it is extraordinarily influential. Reply Steven Shaffer May 19, 2025 Excellent! Reply Gigi Ryan May 20, 2025 Dear Warren, You have hit the nail on the head throughout. Thank you for a sober read that does not leave us without hope. Gigi Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of followup comments via e-mail. You can also subscribe without commenting. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Roy Eugene Peterson May 17, 2025 Warren, you are the master of long compelling sentences. Talcott Parsons would be proud. How great are the thoughts expressed of aphorisms that are arcane and misleading tautologies and nonsense! There is a lot to praise in every phase. Reply
Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 Thanks! I still need to dig into Talcott Parsons. I’m a fan of anyone who likes run-on sentences. Reply
Russel Winick May 17, 2025 Warren, your message is compelling, and the rhyme and meter are spectacular! Great job! Reply
Cynthia L Erlandson May 17, 2025 There is so much wisdom here, Warren — and a lot of catharsis, for me anyway — those signs drive me crazy! Not only is “love is love” a tautology, but, as you observe, it isn’t defined; it may be the most abused word there is, although “choice” may be abused just as much. Those who call themselves “pro-choice” are actually anti-choice about many things, as you’ve succinctly noted. Great job! Reply
Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 Slick little sayings sound really catchy but the common ones are really used just to shut people up. Who could possibly be opposed to “choice” or “love” or “coexisting”? I’m glad you liked this one! Reply
Margaret Coats May 17, 2025 Especially the first stanza, Warren, sounds like a Gilbert and Sullivan song. The rhythm is good all the way through, of course. The second stanza goes more deeply into the illogic of some sayings, while the third explicitly reveals jargon versus wisdom as your subject. I notice the third (quoting the most problematic bumper sticker “coexist”) is the only stanza that has a period, signaling the way to wisdom enunciated in the last four lines. True to the message of the piece, you wisely do not claim to pronounce wisdom–only to suggest an escape from jargon. By the end, we have a good working description of it! Reply
Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 That’s a great analysis of the piece. I struggled with how to bring it home at the end. Jargon has been used as a means to control us. It has nothing to do with truth or wisdom – it very often has a darker motivation. We need to find a way to escape from it. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi May 17, 2025 The poem paints a good satiric picture of modern jargon, in nicely rhyming tetrameter couplets. A great deal of contemporary non-thought expresses itself through catchwords, dogwhistles, and glib phrases. However, I think your poem is spoiled by the last four lines, which come across as a tacked-on note of Bible-thumping piety. Saying that hearts will change, and alluding to scriptural quotes, is conventionally saccharine. You don’t end satire with a disguised prayer. Reply
Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 I appreciate the feedback. The last four lines were an attempt to link back to the opening line but I can see your point. The last four lines can use some additional polishing Reply
Frank Rable May 19, 2025 Not that I want to agree with Mr. Salemi, but you could drop the last four lines. Your poem was so good and you didn’t need to end it on an upbeat. You had spoken your truth. My God, that nonsense does slip in, doesn’t it. Never mind, you done good Mac. And I really can’t blame you for wanting to end it with some optimism. But no, save that for another poem. You are fighting the good fight for the English language. Keep it up. Literally? No figuratively, of course. How about a poem about electioneering jargon? As in, fight, stand up to, take on, not on my watch, and other such bullshit. You know you want to.
jd May 18, 2025 Loved the entire poem, Warren, especially the final resolution which to my mind is the only antidote to what the world has become. Reply
Warren Bonham May 18, 2025 I’m totally aligned with you in terms of there being one source of truth and wisdom. Jargon has been used strategically to keep us from discovering that. Reply
Mike Bryant May 18, 2025 Warren, your poem is sharp and skillfully written, with a strong critique of how slogans can manipulate and oversimplify. I like the way you point out the tension between catchy phrases and deeper meaning, and how you explore that tension. In a comment above you said, “Jargon has been used as a means to control us. It has nothing to do with truth or wisdom – it very often has a darker motivation. We need to find a way to escape from it.” I found myself reflecting on your final lines because many, if not most, of those who proclaim the very jargon you critique are the spiritually proud members of organized religion. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi May 18, 2025 Mike, a great many of the mainstream established churches are now in the hands of the liberal-left, and function as an amen-corner for globalism, socialism, and progressivist talking points. The latest conquest is my own religion, which has been pretty much absorbed, in its human and earthly institutional aspect, into this tsunami of bullshit-spouting. Reply
Warren Bonham May 19, 2025 I wish I could disagree with you, but much of the jargon does seem to originate there. That crowd seems to worship the word “love”, but their working definition is really just being nice to everyone and tolerating anything. They can also be some of the most hate-filled people around if they sense that you disagree with their approach. None of that seems very biblical but it is extraordinarily influential. Reply
Gigi Ryan May 20, 2025 Dear Warren, You have hit the nail on the head throughout. Thank you for a sober read that does not leave us without hope. Gigi Reply