Challenge 376

Hang on to Your Feet

Is Harry Lang’s “Somebody Knows” only about war, politics and death? What are the kinds of questions that “somebody” must know the answer to?
In John Stocks’ “R is for Rocket, S is for Space,” the poem opens with images of Ray Bradbury’s literary vision but seems to end almost prosaically. Why might the poem end rather than begin with the 10-year old boy?
In Marina J. Neary’s “Soldier’s Wife,” does the wife know her husband has been killed in combat? What does the poem’s conclusion reveal about her state of mind?
How would you cast Joseph Del Priore’s “Chukka” for radio or television? Bob Newhart and Lily Tomlin?
In Nathaniel Johnson’s “The Innkeeper’s Daughter,” why does Sarah try to save Rosy from the fire? Does Sarah act out of personal feeling or does she want to presevere an economic asset?
In Stephen Patrick’s “Once Set in Motion”:
1. What is Hamilton’s tragic flaw?
2. What elements make the story a dark comedy?
3. What is the irony in the ending? Do the passers-by necessarily know what has happened?
In LaVerne Zocco’s “What an Exit!”:
1. Why is the narrator suicidal?
2. Why does the narrator choose a space telescope as the target for what seems to be a kamikaze mission?
3. Why might the narrator’s state of mind not reflect that of kamikazes or present-day terrorists, particularly suicide bombers?
In Mel Waldman’s “Psychotherapy and Spirituality”:
1. The article seems to be based on a clash of personal belief systems. Does the article present both sides of the argument or does it argue mostly one side?
2. The article format has the virtue of making a systematic statement that is easy to follow. But what audience is it intended for? What other format might present the contention clearly to a lay audience, i.e. to readers who are interested in what spirituality might be and its possible role in psychotherapy but who do not particularly desire a short course in the history of psychoanalysis?

Responses welcome!