The Dial Turner

I based this poem off the Milgram experiment.

Screaming in a room

People see and regret

 

And turn the dial up

Staring at dilated eyes

Wide and wet

 

More and more is ordered firm

They conform

 

And continue until the body

Ceases to squirm

 

Eyes wide open

And body quite still

Tells the turner

 

" Thanks for helping science

You boring, pitiless,pitiful, conformer."

Reviews

[JR Darewood]

This makes me think of Milgram's famous experiments, but this is way way darker. It's macabre and gruesome but its really that last line that makes it hit home, and when all horror above is suddenly given a moral meaning, it hits you like a ton of bricks.
btw, you missed an "r" in Staring on the fourth line

[JR Darewood]

oh wait, I just saw your description where it says it's based off Milgram. i guess i'm not so clever for figuring it out on my own!

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

wow J I"m glad you liked and to tell the truth a tad bit amazed you picked up on the connection since you didnt see the description so I still think ur plenty clever. also I know a lot of ppl dnt read the description so I'm a little worried about ppl understanding the poem. thanx for the heads up I fixed the staring thing that happens to me a lot because I refuse to cut and paste so I dont get the spell check

[JR Darewood]

i think it's cool if they don't get the reference too, it makes a poignant point with or without catching it. Milgram's test subjects were actors and this is gruesomely real.

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

aww you think so? thanks :-) in my human adjustment class one of my friends did a presentation on his experiment and I was simply inspired!

[marie]

lovely:) i am very envious of your talent:) you have a passion that is quite wonderous:) thank you for sharing this:)

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

Ur quite good to you know! I'm glad you enjoyed my work though it always brings me pleasure to hear so.

[marie]

Nah I have TONS of room for Improvement:) and I always enjoy your work its amazing!!:)

[Eddie Phillips]

This was unique. We all can fall into this trap of conforming. As the Milgram Experiment suggests we can all do things we know to be wrong. We just tell ourselves we are following orders or doing what society suggests. Awesome poem!

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

lol thanx :-) I'm glad you understood it not everyone does

[Eddie Phillips]

It was awesome! I love where the inspiration came from. You are very gifted.

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

Aww well ain't that sweet of you to say :-D

[Michael Kevin Spencer]

This reminds me of how people are brainwashed to be consumers. It's a psycho-social write.

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

It really is though I specifically wrote it based off the milgram experiment on how society and people conform

[Michael Kevin Spencer]

You have no idea the amount of manipulation that occurs in Corporate plutocracy , especially in the US.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Hi Emily, This poem tells the tale of this interesting psychological investigation very well. It oozes distain like a punctured boil.

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

I'm glad you enjoyed my take in the experiment. I Rly like Ur analogy to by the way :-). Very apt

[Saint No-One]

This was a fun read, the rhyme scheme is very understated and the diction was simple yet evocative. Left a pensive shudder in my bones.

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

I try to keep things subtle and simple so that I
Eave myself open to a wide audience. Just because you can use a wide vocabulary and do poetic acrobatics doesn't necessarily mean you should. I'm Rly glad you enjoyed it. I love it when ppl can have fun reading my work.

[Will]

I feel an Inquisitional attitude taking hold. A chilling piece, definitely one that made me think. I like the way it's written, and structure is very nice. I like it :)

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

I'm Rly glad you liked it. I definitely like that attitude to. :-)

[Kuro]

That is one of the most fascinating poems I have ever read. I can even describe how it makes me feel. Excellent work! I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

Wow! One if the most fascinatining? The both shocks and delights me definitely brings to my face a smile. I'm Rly glad you enjoyed it so much.

[Lover Of Words]

Very dark but still amazing all at the same time Well done

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

Lol Thanx :-).

[Lover Of Words]

your welcome :D

[Rogue]

A dark lesson in obedience.
Very cleverly written. :)

[Emily Dickinson Jr.]

thank you rogue! wow, it is a bit dark isnt it? believe it or not that wasn't my intent.