Contend You Not

[tectak]

.

Contend you not then with the untrained mind,From the initial posting I debated the placing and, frankly, the use of "contend". The "then" does not help. What are you saying here. " Do not attempt to use an untrained mind"?
Conspire it will the scalpel to evade, Conspire with it, the scalpel to evade
It flees on fearful legs its thoughts to blind, This line is out of reach of rescue. It is almost defiantly nonsensical...and you know it
Some semblance of false pride that it may save.
Contend you not with those too eas’ly hurt,
Anemone, are they who thus do live,
Feelers at will, recall, when to its work,Drop the line start caps and do a prose run. Then bring it back home. Try " Do not contend with those of fragile form"
Your reply, it has nothing there to give. drop it
Contend not with those beyond all assail,Do not raise arms in wars you cannot win
With strong walls thick that let no mote inside,
Your not invited to their carnival,
No worth to lean against the gate and bide.
The coin of proverbs can’t be give’ or spent,
Those who desire wisdom only to rent.

—Erthona
Yes, it is horrid, but if you reconstructed it you would probably find it read more smoothly but retained its..er..horridness.
And there's the rub. It is horrid and you like it that way...otherwise why post it at all? Oh, and I would like it more or less if "contend" became "content"
Best,
tectak

Yes, I am aware of how horrid this is, and you may point out its flaws should you wish, though I doubt will bring many new ones to my attention. What I could use are suggestions to work out the syntactically tortured parts which is about 70% of the poem. But regardless, feel free to slice and dice as it is not that often I put something out in this poor of shape, but I have done all I could. So maybe take pity on the poor thing and help it along.

Thanks,


Dale