                ,...
                $$$$
                $$$$T""P$$$ba,  ,gd&P""T&bg.   ,gd&P""T&bg.              
 ggggggggggg    $$$$    $$$$$b d$$$$    $$$$b d$$$$   $$$$$b   ggggggggggg
 """""""""""    $$$$    $$$$$$ $$$$$    $$$$$ $$$$$bxxP&$$&P   """""""""""
                $$$$    $$$$$$ T$$$$    $$$$P T$$$$                      
 $$$"""""" "    """"    $$$$$$  "T&$bxxd$&P"   "T&$bxx$$$$$'   " """"""$$$
 """                    """"""                                         """
 ggg                              "Cop Out"                            ggg
 $$$                              by -> Que                            $$$
 $$$                                                                   $$$
 $$$        [ HOE E-Zine #964 -- 12/16/99 -- http://www.hoe.nu ]     .,$$$
 `"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""'

	What is a text file?  How is one constructed? First we need a
 setting for the story.  Bars are commonly used settings so let's say two
 people are in a bar.

	Guy1: "Hi.... I am in a bar." 
	Guy2: "As am I, my good man."

   	Hrm... That seems profitable.  We now need some sort of premise.
 What are they doing in said bar?  Possibly watching a poetry reading.
 Wait.. I have never seen a poetry reading in a bar.  Let's make this a
 coffee shop.. Ok... 2 guys in a coffee shop listening to a poetry
 reading.

	Guy1: "There is some real poetry going on here."
	Guy2: "I agree that poetry is being spoken here in this coffee
               shop."

	Now we need to introduce a conflict to the story.  What if the
 poetry is not any good?

	Guy1: "This is some really bad poetry."
	Guy2: "I would have to concur with your evaluation, good sir."

   	NOW we are cooking with creative juices.  This seems to be a
wonderful story.. Two guys.. Flowing through life like nothing affects
them.. Taken back by such horrible poetry.. Maybe they should try it
themselves.. A life lesson could be coming..

	Guy1: "I feel like trying to speak out in a poetic way."
	Guy2: "That is probably a good idea, considering you are a
               free-thinking individual with ideas that are important to
               daily society." 
	Guy1: "Wow, where did that come from?"
	Guy2: "I read it somewhere."

	The first guy walks up to the stand to read some poetic spoken
 thought.

	Guy1: "<AHEM>....
               I was in a coffee shop......
               listening to people talk....
               I didn't like what I heard....
               So I decided against rhyming like a bird....
               Thank you."
        Guy2: "Man.... you suck."

	Now we have a difference in opinion.. perfect to keep some
 interest going.. Now we have to see if guy2 can prove that he can do
 better.

	Guy2 walks up to the stand to speak in a poetic way.

	Guy2: "Ripped from the mundane.. 
               holding my hand all the way down 
               to the bottom of the mountain 
               to the top of the valley
               and it opens up below me
               swallowing me whole
               my feet seem sworn to take me
               down into the darkness 
               and the lights that leave their scars
               everything I knew was solid
               changed to liquid and dripped away from me
               the whole universe became the softest wettest clay
               and my mind instantaneously determined its shape...
               Thank you."

	The crowd snaps unanimously.

	Guy1: "Wow, man.... That sucked..."

   	Now the punchline is given.. and the text file can be
 concluded.....  All that is left is to end the file. A default ending for
 a file can always be "What lesson was learned?"

	So what have we learned today?  We have learned that poetry isn't
 just about pleasing an audience... or even about letting your heart out
 with your feelings...... Wait... Poetry is about all of that.. Well, that
 didn't work out well did it.. Umm.. I guess I should just end this
 now..... bye.....

[--------------------------------------------------------------------------]
[ (c) !LA HOE REVOLUCION PRESS!                HOE #964, BY QUE - 12/16/99 ]
