"Foxhole Manifesto" as performed by Jeffrey McDaniel as part of Taylor & Marie-Elizabeth Mali's "Page Meets Stage Series," at the Bowery Poetry Club, April 23, 2008.
Jeff is a rare talent. He's self-effacing without being self-pitying. He's emotionally raw, yet composed. He's a spoken-word artist that has completely succeeded on the page (as Taylor Mali does in his book). The world is lucky to have him, and his books are blessings to my life.
I'm religious but I really liked this poem. Poetry shows how people view the world. It;s like raw sub-conscience intentionally unleased. People say in poems what they won't in polite conservation. Honesty is so refreshing.
The speaker isn't making fun of God, but of the way we make Him in our image, or only go to Him when we need something. I appreciate the last few lines, because the poem stays in that very personal reflection and purposefully doesn't try to make a new statement about God in a new image - made by the speaker. That means the poem isn't "Aha! here's the God answer!" but this person's ideas, which are helpful and well written ... but not total, which isn't possible. As the entire poem shows.
No it is definitely making fun of the concept of god. Notice how he begins with making Santa Clause (a fictional character) out to be a god e.g. gods are like imaginary friends.
I agree with a lot of what this guy says... people being two-sided when it comes to God. But to be honest, sometimes I wonder why people accept gays and drunks and disabled and retarded (who I also accept) but reject and generalize people that believe in God to be hypocritical. Everyone has flaws; a lot of people that believe in God act as if they're better than everyone... but not all, and someone believing in what they want shouldn't be a reason to segregate them.
@BriNicole44 Yes, he's making fun of what its become. He's making fun of people distorting god into what they want it to be, being conditionally religious and not really getting the meaning of god.
![George Watsky- Drunk Text Message to God [Poetry]](/img/n.gif)
Jeff is a rare talent. He's self-effacing without being self-pitying. He's emotionally raw, yet composed. He's a spoken-word artist that has completely succeeded on the page (as Taylor Mali does in his book). The world is lucky to have him, and his books are blessings to my life.
Amazing. Simply Amazing.
I think this poet has lived my life...
That was some damn good stuff. You sure know how to pick talent, Taylor!
Wow- i think he hit every type of god we pray to and the comparisons were amazing and funny. Great poem.
wow, I love this
I'm religious but I really liked this poem. Poetry shows how people view the world. It;s like raw sub-conscience intentionally unleased. People say in poems what they won't in polite conservation. Honesty is so refreshing.
The speaker isn't making fun of God, but of the way we make Him in our image, or only go to Him when we need something. I appreciate the last few lines, because the poem stays in that very personal reflection and purposefully doesn't try to make a new statement about God in a new image - made by the speaker. That means the poem isn't "Aha! here's the God answer!" but this person's ideas, which are helpful and well written ... but not total, which isn't possible. As the entire poem shows.
No it is definitely making fun of the concept of god. Notice how he begins with making Santa Clause (a fictional character) out to be a god e.g. gods are like imaginary friends.
This may have helped restore some of my crumbling faith. That was, while being funny, the most honest review of who 'God' is to people.
I agree with a lot of what this guy says... people being two-sided when it comes to God. But to be honest, sometimes I wonder why people accept gays and drunks and disabled and retarded (who I also accept) but reject and generalize people that believe in God to be hypocritical. Everyone has flaws; a lot of people that believe in God act as if they're better than everyone... but not all, and someone believing in what they want shouldn't be a reason to segregate them.
@BriNicole44 Yes, he's making fun of what its become. He's making fun of people distorting god into what they want it to be, being conditionally religious and not really getting the meaning of god.
@Zarat818 It's definitely not making fun of god, its defending god.
Loved it :)
Where is sage francis?
love the poem
He didn't allow his poems to be filmed.
Ahh I see, too bad
I can't decide...is this making fun of Christianity?