Looking at symbols

The trouble with symbols

is that they are a necessary evil;

and there are so many now,

thirty one million, two hundred

and sixty eight at last count, (sic,)

red octagons my least preferred,

the variable 'x', in a mathematical

equation, my all time favourite.

Though the 'golden arches,'

comes a close second when

a sudden hunger pang strikes.

Sometimes, I ponder an

oblate spheroid without a

back up, then chide myself

for not knowing its shape;

that squiggly lines on a map,

would simply remain squiggly lines

leading to goodness knows where,

semiotics and constitutive rhetoric  

being something I only touched on

and which held little interest,

unlike the poetry I read and love.

One day, I will invent a symbol,

do my bit, as it were.

Perhaps a combination of a

'badgers crossing,' road sign and

the 'all-seeing eye of providence,'

which I would imbue with magic

powers, so I could drive as fast as I

desired on winding country roads.

Secure in the knowledge that

henceforth, badgers would be

safe from the vagaries

of my vehicular progression

after closing time.

Yes, that's it! That's the one,

so I shall get busy on the

design this instant.

I mean, where I live, aside

from two really nice pubs, 

there are an awful lot of 

badgers roaming the roads,

and like many a symbol
they are jolly hard

to see in the dark.  :))

Reviews

[Jibey]

I loved reading this refreshing spillage of ideas about all-pervading symbols - now also icons - in our lives. Acronyms are another feature of daily life these days, including chat abbreviations, which I often struggle to work out the meaning of... wyd? ttfn.. When lol started to be used it took me a while to work it out!

Badgers are such lumbering creatures - but I am very fond of them, mainly because of 'Wind in the Willows!

I enjoyed emmajoy's review as well. She is so right-on. ttfn.

[mattavelli]

Hello, Beccy! :)
This was a fun read. I wish you and your local wildlife safe travels. We dont have badgers here, but mother ducks trailing their chicks.

[barleygirl]

First, I'm kinda glad you didn't include emojis, the new proliferation of symbolic nonsense! I don't get into emojis much. I prefer people to communicate with words, not symbols. But for quick action, such as road signs, symbols are necessary (as you show in your poem). What makes your writing so fresh & original, you pick the most unexpected ways to show (such as picking a badger) where others may go for the more commonly seen deer, when it comes to road hazards. Also, starting out with a broad interpretation of symbols, I enjoyed that walk down memory lane (red octagons, x's & arches)! Always an unexpected walk with you! (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[boblakin]

Yeah, they're everywhere now; intrusive buggers. Best thing to do is ignore 'em when you can,though I would definitely take notice of yours, I mean, badgers are quite cuddly little things, aren't they?

[Patricia Wedel]

A clever imagination... sometimes I see a black and white Skunk when
I only imagined one perhaps driving on a country road. After all, I had a Pet Skunk when I was in 5th grade that had been de-scented by a Vet when the wee skunklet was lost and I found the little darling.
So the symbol of a Skunk would be mine. By the way.. when my Skunk grew up, I took him to The Washington National Zoo close to the State where I lived. Their accepting my Pet was unprecedented, and many years ago, truly, Pat

[Neville]

In my very humble opinion, 'Looking at Symbols' is just about as good as this poetry lark gets our Beccy.. tis very cleva indeed.. for a moment I thought it might be about a daydreaming drummer or sumpfink .. you certainly got me thinking... just the thought of them golden arches makes me salivate.. yeah I'm luvin it.... :)

[Lorry]

If squiggle is a symbol, then it is both my favourite symbol and sound, followed a close second by question mark eyebrows, which are most likely not on the official list of symbols, but have universal meaning for confusion.
Your all seeing eye symbol I would like to see, but it wouldmost likely lead to other versions, perhaps in pub windows, with a big red line through them, making the badgers feel unwanted when the original meant the opposite.
We do live in a world of bearoc... Byoorockras... Red tape after all 😀
Ps... This isn't a symbol either, but a favourite sign I once saw in Glasgow. It simply read "this sign is not in use"

[Phill Oz O'fee]

Wonderfully imaginative write my friend; really gets the little grey cells thinking of all the other symbols about and in use. 'Badger Watch' signs … now that is a thought; but the most curious one for me is seeing an exclamation mark on a sign; what marvellous imaginations one can conjure up from that one! Bless ... :-)

[Pete]

ugh, more and more of them as time marches on. i think a representation of what man and society has become. this made me think and laugh as it meandered along. those badgers are precious. everyone knows the golden arches - especially when hungry. with technology and all those symbols - why are things such a mess? cell phones have added a plethora. clever, thought provoking and enjoyable read ... :)

[Jimmy Yetts]

Horus ain't Providence.
Save a badger, run over a field hand!
Clever amusement, B.

[Beccy]

Just as well, would really turn Christian iconography on its head if he was; and can you imagine him smiling out from the back of a dollar bill. :))

[Jimmy Yetts]

Masonic mischief.
There is much on a dollar bill that is both unAmerican and unGodly.

[alanwgraham]

This is quite magical Beccy particularly the badger bit. It's a gift to just give your mind free rein and see where it takes you. A rare skill. I suppose I'm in thrall to symbols too being a fizzicist. Perhaps they were part of Adams job lot from the serpent! By the way, are you counting words as symbols?
Take care.
Alan

[Beccy]

Ah yes, trust a fizzicist to notice the thirty one million two hundred and sixty eight number. :))read moreAh yes, trust a fizzicist to notice the thirty one million two hundred and sixty eight number. :))

I actually just pulled the number from thin air. Sort of a little bit of symbolism to make a point, which I'm sure Rimbaud would approve of. :))