Letters to the Editor

 

LettersToTheEditorSir:

I write in response to the following:

 

The Charm of Creationism. Ed Tasca. El Ojo del Lago, June, p, 28

Letters to the Editor. Jay White Mirasol. El Ojo del Lago, July, p, 51

It keeps cropping up in the darnedest places - now even in El Ojo del Lago – that Adam gave his rib in exchange for the comforting body of a woman ; a risk-taking chap, Adam! The literalist implications of this Creationist mythology are staggering, especially when seen through the fixed eyes of the Evolutionist – amusing stuff on both sides, and harmless unless taken so seriously that we, in the way of Adam, exchange our ‘funny-bone’ for the satisfaction of winning a point of belief - religious or scientific.

In the Creation vs Evolution exchange between Ed Tasca and Jay White Mirasol (El Ojo del Lago – June/July), Mr Tasca ends his case with these words to Jay Mirasol, “Have you ever considered taking a writing course?”  I wonder whether Mr. Tasca himself might be considering such a rash move. I would strongly advise both men against it. I speak from experience.

Almost seventy years ago, I registered in a First Year University Writing Course described in the Prospectus as Creative Writing. My first assignment was to choose any word from the Oxford English Dictionary and illustrate its meaning in a paragraph of not more than 35 words. Had I been Ed. or Jay, I might have chosen either ‘creationism’ or ‘evolution’, but I chose ‘nonsense’ and wrote :

 

Nonsense is never as neat or as clever

As when it’s not nonsense at all ;

For nonsense is primarily sensibly un-sensible

And quite clearly understandably incomprehensible

Unless it be seriously meant by a fool

 

I was delighted with my work which had fallen so effortlessly onto the paper: but my initial rush of self-congratulatory youthful euphoria was soon to be slashed at the roots. Below my work, in a strong red-penciled hand, my Instructor wrote, “Take your assignments more seriously.” Below this was the letter ‘F’, circled. I never did learn whether the ‘F’ stood for ‘Fail’ or for ‘Frieda’, my Professor’s name, but my future as a potential writer was badly bruised by her Course in Creative Writing. Take care, Ed. And Jay, take care! - will it be your  ‘rib’ or your  ‘funny-bone’ ?

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