Ah, it wasa because I first posted the poem on the communal noticeboard at
the flats where I live (Colin is a fellow inmate) and somebody asked me
about the grammar (not that De Montfort House is some kind of strange haven
of literary pedantry, this morning we bought a rowing machine for Vicky: it
was advertised on the board as a 'raw in' machine).
Anyhow, if I were you (grin, a still current common usage) I wouldn't me
head too much about it.
Best
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "MJ Walker" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 5:21 PM
Subject: Re: Poem for Colin
> I might have known once what that word means - could you possibly
> explain it, if it were possible, of course, I'd never insist that one do
> so...
> Interesting, Dave, that you explicitly pointed out the "ungrammatical"
> omission of the subjunctive: as a long-time expat (which means exiled
> from Patrick, of course, never to see that gleaming zimmerframe hurtle
> towards me in a silver blur) I was convinced that it had even become
> standard to write "if I was" etc, as I see it online in the press all
> the time. From my infrequent visits to Britain I know that "if I were"
> etc is a thing of the past, even among academics.
> cheers
> mjay
>
> David Bircumshaw wrote:
>
> >Golly, Patrick, you mean subjunctivitis? Awful, isn't it?
> >
> >Best
> >
> >Dave
> >
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Patrick Mc Manus" <[log in to unmask]>
> >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> >Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2006 4:51 PM
> >Subject: Re: Poem for Colin
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >>I had a subjunctive once davey-very nasty too!!
> >>P
> >>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Poetryetc provides a venue for a dialogue relating to poetry and
> >>poetics [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of David Bircumshaw
> >>Sent: 09 May 2006 12:37
> >>To: [log in to unmask]
> >>Subject: Poem for Colin
> >>
> >>My mate Colin just had a holiday from hell in exotic Lincolnshire, I'll
> >>spare you all the nitty details but below is a very short verse summary
> >>(there was worse for him when he came back but I've excluded that) Here
> >>goes:
> >>
> >> A Postcard from Skegness
> >>
> >>Got bored stiff. Then came the diarrhoea.
> >>Can't sleep. Wish it was you that was here.
> >>
> >>
> >>(the grammatically incorrect absence of the subjunctive in the final
> >>sentence is deliberate as it's a-written in the colloquial)
> >>
> >>Dave
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
>
> The self that shines in the greying sunshine
> of the immediate is actual, though it is
> not all that is there. - Douglas Oliver
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