trek acrostic: self-reflection

[darstellen]

Title: self-reflection
Chronology: ST XI/reboot
Characters: Spock
Notes: This is the second acrostic written for anon_j_anon's challenge. I'm dissatisfied with this one but can't seem to come any further, so am offering it up for your criticism. Be honest with your opinion. Unlike Blink, this is only a double acrostic.

Comments

[zigsternenstaub]

I am very taken by this poem. It reminds of how I have sometimes thought that the Vulcans, in all of their logic, are truly in (illogical) denial of one of the universal truths of biological existence: that no one is immune to feeling. I wonder if there is even a word for 'feel' in Vulcan?

beneath an uncouth
exterior you appear to possess skills not even i
envisioned, expected.

This line was particularly provocative, for it speaks of the depth of character that I hope New Kirk will given the chance to develop and display, the layers that will be scoured to visibility.

finding and leaving me - wanting

The ending, in combination with the acrostic title, was particularly telling, for Spock did indeed become the one Vulcan who is not in denial. Even in the beginning, at least in quiet thoughts (an isolation hinted at by your skillful use of lower cases), I believe he admitted that all living beings must feel. As Nimoy's Spock said in VI: "Logic is only the beginning of wisdom."--a truth that you have accessed here to great effect.

lovely

[darstellen]

I wonder if there is even a word for 'feel' in Vulcan?

It would be interesting to test out that question in a writing experiment, to see how many ways one gets around the word "feel" through euphemisms. In any case, the complete and utter denial of emotion has always confounded me; not only is it illogical and unhealthy and so forth, but it reeks a great deal of military and religious oppression/repression.

Your analysis captures so much -- the permanent use of lowercase, especially for the first-person pronoun, was indeed meant to give a sense of quiet struggle, of self-doubt. If this new Spock is to develop into the one we knew, it seems to me that self-questioning is a necessary part of his journey. I don't think I have the stuff to write my own version of that journey, but I wanted to at least give an Andeutung.

Thank you for seeing, for understanding, my friend -- it is a great honour.

Re: lovely

[zigsternenstaub]

It would be interesting to test out that question in a writing experiment, to see how many ways one gets around the word "feel" through euphemisms.

How illogical is that! Catching the Vulcans at their own game. ;)

In any case, the complete and utter denial of emotion has always confounded me; not only is it illogical and unhealthy and so forth, but it reeks a great deal of military and religious oppression/repression.

Indeed, particularly when Sybok was actually *exiled* from his planet for daring to feet. That reeks of a culturally ingrained terror of feeling that is not only counterproductive, but actually contradictory!

Re: lovely

[darstellen]

Indeed, particularly when Sybok was actually *exiled* from his planet for daring to feet. That reeks of a culturally ingrained terror of feeling that is not only counterproductive, but actually contradictory!

Good God, that'll never make sense to me. I think it's time we both set to work on rehabilitating Sybok -- next to Spock, certainly my favourite Vulcan -- I don't know, by writing out his chronology or setting up a challenge or something. This is clearly a point not thought about enough.

[hibernate]

I told you you're a poet. :) This is beautiful and quite clever.

[darstellen]

♥

Thank you! This was so difficult to write and still sounds so clumsy to my ears that I began to think it the deathstroke for me and poetry; your words have given me back some hope. :)