Tina never kissed a boy - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Bees · 08-04-2008, 06:05 AM

.
Tina never kissed a boy
through all her high school years
She preferred auto shop
got greasy and learned to strip gears
And she played the bass drum
in the marching band
Now her last day of high school
is close at hand

She has a yearning for travel
and a thirst for knowledge
But she doesn’t have the grades
or the money for college
When you don’t have many options
you can surely use a mentor
Tina found hers
at the local recruitment center

He told her she could make
Mechanic 1st Class
If she made it through basic
and worked her ass
So Tina enlisted, got her orders
and bunked down in the army training barracks
She made fast friends
among the whites, blacks, asians and hispanics

Give them a gun
teach them to shoot straight
And how to clear the mock buildings
of people filled with hate
Bind their hands behind the back
and interrogate
Throw the terrorists in the Stryker
behind the iron grates

Now with her best friends ever
Tina braves the mean streets of Iraq
Serving her country
but barely armored for flak
When the real bullets start to fly
she wonders how she will react
Patrolling the streets in the searing heat
her convoy comes under attack

Lightweight Humvee
stopped by a RPG
Then it's blown to bits
by an IED

From uncleared buildings bullets rain down
Tina runs from the safety of the Stryker
To pull her bloody dismembered friends
from the devastation of the blast crater

With an honorable discharge
back in the states
Tina has trouble
just thinking straight
RPG
IED
how do you prove …
PTSD ?

Give them a gun
teach them to shoot straight
If you can’t clear the buildings
of people filled with hate
Blow them to bloody hell
call in the bombers
There won’t be many left
after they drop the 2000 pounders
.

Mental toll of war hitting female servicemembers - USATODAY.com

Photo from Getty Images by AFP/Getty Images

Quote:

Photo dated 13 June 2003 a female US soldier manning a machine gun on a vehicle during clashes in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul. The war in Iraq, which has killed or wounded more US women in combat than any other conflict, has redefined their role in the military and triggered a rethink of their place on the front line. Women who serve in the US army are barred from engaging in combat under rules drawn up by the Pentagon a decade ago. But the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, where the US is fighting an insurgency and no front line exists as such, have been proving grounds for the women soldiers.

Jetée · 08-08-2008, 04:46 AM

I am glad to see that you shared what was shared in your blog here as well.

What may be sad to note is that neither medium seems to be too popular to search through for some.

It is an interesting concept that we can liken this to one of the poem's themes: the general consensus accepts that they are there, but they do not understand as to why, nor do they ask. Unwitting people find it much easier to shun what may confuse them than to gain a relevant insight to the plight the unseen others take to keep fighting and writing for a cause none care to highlight.

I have found myself at a loss for words for going on a year now; I think in limited sporadic moments only because I have eschewed so much of what could stimulate my mind. I am now taking the time to read as much as possible, only commenting when I can see it fit to, but it does take awhile. My thought processes are in flux; wanting to learn, yet not wanting to work. Wanting to read, but not taking the time to reflect. Becoming more of a companion, yet not wanting to express my ideas. Hopefully I choose the right path to take from this current crossroads I have found myself stationed.

Just recently, I found myself about to respond to a writing challenge issued by roachboy, and as I was nearing completion, I refreshed the page. I am still abit perturbed by that. Now, I am reflecting that that could have been a viable option and perhaps the best course of action. What some may see as happenstance may later be viewed as an essential turning point for a later catalyst to occur. Who knows? Procastination. Perfectionism.
I don't have many preferences, only ponderances. Predicting an event or post-analyzing one brings about the same product: an unpolished postulation.

This tangent brings about one thought to my processing mind:
"Ah, I don't care what you think, so long as you're thinking."

Hopefully it works out in the end.
(At a second glance, I can see myself as Tina in some ways. Wisdom comes from reflection. I am recovering it seems.)

Thank you.

Poppinjay · 08-08-2008, 04:53 AM

I also read it in your blog. Excellent.

It would be nice if we could get the rest of the crowd to visit and post in lit.

Bees · 08-09-2008, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetée

I am glad to see that you shared what was shared in your blog here as well.

What may be sad to note is that neither medium seems to be too popular to search through for some.

This tangent brings about one thought to my processing mind:
"Ah, I don't care what you think, so long as you're thinking."

Hopefully it works out in the end.
(At a second glance, I can see myself as Tina in some ways. Wisdom comes from reflection. I am recovering it seems.)

Thank you.

Thank you for your wonderful introspective musings Jetée, the great quote and also for your support of my posting of "Tina" here. I am so happy that I was able to bring a character to life that someone like you can relate.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poppinjay

I also read it in your blog. Excellent.

It would be nice if we could get the rest of the crowd to visit and post in lit.

Thank you for kind words of praise and support Poppinjay.

I would like to highlight the fact that both responders to this thread, Jetée and Poppinjay, lament the lack of participation in this forum. You both may be aware that there is a movement afoot to liven up the creativity forums with a call for ideas to encourage more participation. Two new writing challenges have been posted here in response to that call by roachboy and myself.

I would love to form a community around the Tilted Literature forum so that it can become more like a home or a village for amateur writers and for those who appreciate the sincere attempts of our members to create meaningful stories and prose.

So in fact that is what I will set out to do! We now have a new feature in TFP; Social Groups. I will endevour to understand how to create a new Social Group as a means to support this forum and also to promote lively discussion and new friendships.

Stay tuned as I will be calling for your support in the endevour.

Poppinjay · 08-09-2008, 10:19 PM

Consider me attenuated!

J.R.V.A. · 10-12-2008, 06:32 PM

I liked this a lot. Made me feel.....

08-08-2008, 04:46 AM	#2 (permalink)
Jetée The Reforms Location: Rarely, if ever, here or there, but always in transition	I am glad to see that you shared what was shared in your blog here as well. What may be sad to note is that neither medium seems to be too popular to search through for some. It is an interesting concept that we can liken this to one of the poem's themes: the general consensus accepts that they are there, but they do not understand as to why, nor do they ask. Unwitting people find it much easier to shun what may confuse them than to gain a relevant insight to the plight the unseen others take to keep fighting and writing for a cause none care to highlight. I have found myself at a loss for words for going on a year now; I think in limited sporadic moments only because I have eschewed so much of what could stimulate my mind. I am now taking the time to read as much as possible, only commenting when I can see it fit to, but it does take awhile. My thought processes are in flux; wanting to learn, yet not wanting to work. Wanting to read, but not taking the time to reflect. Becoming more of a companion, yet not wanting to express my ideas. Hopefully I choose the right path to take from this current crossroads I have found myself stationed. Just recently, I found myself about to respond to a writing challenge issued by roachboy, and as I was nearing completion, I refreshed the page. I am still abit perturbed by that. Now, I am reflecting that that could have been a viable option and perhaps the best course of action. What some may see as happenstance may later be viewed as an essential turning point for a later catalyst to occur. Who knows? Procastination. Perfectionism. I don't have many preferences, only ponderances. Predicting an event or post-analyzing one brings about the same product: an unpolished postulation. This tangent brings about one thought to my processing mind: "Ah, I don't care what you think, so long as you're thinking." Hopefully it works out in the end. (At a second glance, I can see myself as Tina in some ways. Wisdom comes from reflection. I am recovering it seems.) Thank you. __________________ As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world (that is the myth of the Atomic Age) as in being able to remake ourselves. —Mohandas K. Gandhi

08-08-2008, 04:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
Poppinjay You had me at hello Location: DC/Coastal VA	I also read it in your blog. Excellent. It would be nice if we could get the rest of the crowd to visit and post in lit. __________________ I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

08-09-2008, 10:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Poppinjay You had me at hello Location: DC/Coastal VA	Consider me attenuated! __________________ I think the Apocalypse is happening all around us. We go on eating desserts and watching TV. I know I do. I wish we were more capable of sustained passion and sustained resistance. We should be screaming and what we do is gossip. -Lydia Millet

10-12-2008, 06:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
J.R.V.A. Junkie Location: Utah	I liked this a lot. Made me feel..... __________________ And as she plays, her sweet song of laughter floats through the air and warms my heart