THE POETRY OF DISAPPOINTMENT

In this paper I will examine the ways in which the enacted poetry of the four-year-old contains several major identifiable components of content (Tiredmom et al 2006) paired with a variety of fundamental formal “moves,” as described by Dissembler & Bloviate in their pivotal 2001 paper “Surprises from the Blenderized Intellect.”

Major content components identifiable in my first quote are 1) source material that reflects one or both parents’ weaknesses and 2) the presence of fundamentally coercively interactive material. Note that the following enacted poetry (Toovulnerable 2023) occurs at least nominally as a conversation, which is typical of this genre.

4.5B: “It takes a lot of work to build a haunted house. Say ‘yes it does!’”

4.5A: “Does this skirt look good with him?” [holds up a doll with pigtails]

4.5B: “Yes it does. That would be a keeper skirt.”

In this case, the parental weakness that presents itself (perhaps appropriately through the formal technique of disjunction) is