Thursday, February 27, 2014

Heather Elvis: Terry Elvis' Poem




You can throw your rocks and hide your hand

You can work in the darkness against your fellow man
We all know God made both black and white He promises us
"What's done in the dark will be brought into the light"
Men do evil from the beginning of time
Life is cruel even when we put it to rhyme
Smiles are faked by those who deceive us day by day
God allows them to have their way
The price of sin has long been told
Cast your rocks as the price unfolds
Seek His face to escape His wrath
For to walk with God you must walk His path.
I have seen the darkness as it drew me near
I have danced with evil as it stoked my fear
The road to redemption is clearly seen
Check your hands and heart, make sure they are clean
God accepts us for who we are
He knows the mark we all miss by so far
There is room for all in the Kingdom He built
Confess your sins and shed your guilt
Time is fleeting, it screams by without a care
Cling to grace and his mercy, it is always there
Lord protect and comfort us as these days progress
Shine your guiding light that we might not digress
Let multitudes of angel wings comfort our child
Hear our wishes and prayers and words spoken mild
Lord bring Heather home I beg once more
Grant us the peace we all cry for.

133 comments:

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
elf said...

Glad to see someone even more amateur than me anon 419. If you can't feel Terry Elvis pain in his words your either childless or have no soul.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Polo said...

An astoundingly beautiful poem about faith. God Bless you, Mr. Elvis.

Anon 4:19pm I see your joke, but not a good time. :)

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Rachael said...

Ok, I'll bite.

What are the red flags?

Sus said...

I feel Terry's poem is about the most basic principal of spirituality and his own struggle to accept that. To know joy, there must be sadness; good/bad; light/dark. To truly "walk in God's path" we must accept it all.

He says "I have seen the darkness..." And "I have danced with evil..."
He chose past perfect rather than past tense because it continues to be a struggle not to succumb to the darkness and evil...revenge? Depression?

Finally, he reminds himself that in the end light will banish darkness. It's not his place to judge.

Maggie said...

Oh man...the poem, and I have no time to comment! I look forward to reading everyone's thoughts later!

Unknown said...

Anon@4:19

Do you read poetry? If thats how you read it my poems would really freak you out. That being said if his poem was converted to conversation I could maybe possibly imagine I see your flags if I squinted. As far as guilt, as a loving father I am sure he feels guilty.... but for being unable to protect his baby. Bless this man for his pain and suffering... in my mind very few could be as strong and hold as much integrity as Terry Elvis

Juliette said...

kristi hurley @ 5:43pm, you said the very thing I was thinking, and you said it well.

Unknown said...

Anon 5:15-

Have you not been following this case? You have taken every line of the poem and sighted a nefarious explanation, ignoring the OBVIOUS meaning in the context of this case.

I'm baffled as to how you could read this poem, and come up with the ideas you did, unless you...

(1.) Know nothing about the case, and the struggle TE has faced for months with the Moorer's antics, and their continuing lack of cooperation.

(2.) You believe TE is guilty of harming his own daughter, and you want to find a way to see guilt in his words. (against all the contrary indications and cited evidence that the Moorers are responsible, and TE being the driving force behind the search).

As you requested, I will be happy to go through the poem line by line and post the REASONABLE, and situational explanation for his choice of words, but it will have to wait until after I get dinner on the table, and everyone settled in for the night. Ttyt

Anonymous said...

I don't detect anything odd about his poem. It is harder for me to read poems than normal statements though.

Also, how do we get names instead of being Anonymous? I don't want to link my "pen name" to any social media accounts, just a nickname.

Anonymous said...

Tammy Moorer, charged with murder in Heather Elvis case, moved to Georgetown County jail for "safety and security"
http://www.myhorrynews.com/news/crime/article_d584ebf6-9ff2-11e3-9efb-001a4bcf6878.html

Nic said...

Don't feed the troll.

MemphisPat said...

To the anonymous poetry critic,
As a poet and an artist I often see people try to interpret my creative works. They usually miss the mark. Those who have more in common with me and my roots often interpret more accurately. You might, with some Bible knowledge see things quite differently in Terry's poem. I would be reluctant to try Statement Analysis on an amateur poet's words of grief for his lost daughter. I do believe you can be sure he is heartbroken and feeling guilty about not rescuing her from the bar life she was living. He probably prayed daily or even hourly that she would outgrow her behavior and return to the church. Could you put yourself in his place and cut him some slack? I will pray that you do because your lack of empathy must make it very hard to sleep at night.

Sus said...

I don't know if this is the case with the anon who questions Terry, but I notice something on this and other blogs. People are suspicious of loved ones who are not "spitting nails" at the accused, who have a forgiving or conciliatory attitude instead.

It's like anger is the go-to emotion in the world now and we don't understand someone who is beyond anger. We don't understand those who have peace within no matter the circumstances without.

I saw it when the cousins in Iowa died and one set of parents accepted their daughter's death. I've seen it in other cases.

Does any of this make sense?

Anonymous said...

takes a very strong man to manage his grief with poetry and not violence

Sus said...

See, to me it makes perfect sense. The loss of his daughter is like going through the stages of grief, of which anger is one.

I think this poem is all about himself and the stages he went through.
"For to walk with God you must walk his path"
You must accept the bad with the good, the dark with the light.

"I have seen the darkness as it drew me near."
What could be more dark/bad than losing your child.

"I have danced with evil as it stoked my fear."
Fear is what always brings out our worst...evil.

He is speaking of his time of trial and showing his anger, not having peace.

In the rest of the poem he speaks of knowing his own hands are not clean. Everyone is far from God. He had anger and wanted to do evil also.

I believe, could be wrong, he's saying he's made it beyond anger and found some peace.

Anonymous said...

You can throw your rocks and hide your hand
You can work in the darkness against your fellow man
-----------

was this poem written after rocks were thrown at the Moorers home? did he hide his hand thinking if no one saw him do it, the responsibility of exciting the mob against the Moorers would not be his fault, but it escalated to a shooting incident?
did he do this at night?
leakage?

ima.grandma said...

i wish my dad would have been able to express his emotions like terry elvis. i believe he must have had a great relationship with his daughter and he misses her very much. his heart hurts.

Anonymous said...

maybe thats what he means. I don't feel that's it but I don't know.

guess this is all a bit blurry and not too worth aruing wither way cause its just never gonna be conslusive. it's a Facebook poem not a statement or a photograph. etc.

whatever the cops picked up in the moorers is gonna clearly indicated they murdered Heather or it's not going to do that. my guess -- is they found blood but they gotta test it to see who's it is. that's a total guess. but I think if it turns out to be heathers -- there you go. case closed. and i'll accept this poem expresses nothing but what you guys are saying. but if that evidence is lacking, or proves not to be heaher's DNA -- it won't prove I'm right about this poem -- but i'tll keep me wondering.

anyway. --- ah. it's so hard for me to let go of mysteries until they are fully fully solved.

but i'll leave it alone for now.

I'm gonna have to get back to work and stop addictively posting on here :)

have a good night all --

Princess Buttercup said...

I think Terry Elvis is a remarkable man.

His poem is about his fears of something evil having happened to Heather, and that there is still time left for those who hurt her to ask for forgiveness from God and confess. He even comes across as compassionate, when he says "There is room for all in the Kingdom He built."

His goal is to still bring Heather home. I hope that the Moorers give the Elvis family closure.

Red Ryder said...

Terry is a spiritually aware and more mature soul. Thank you for sharing this. I think he recognizes that there is room in the Kingdom for all, even the Moorer's, and he invites them to repent. This is a man who knows God's love and lives it even when the cost is astronomical. I think this might be why he calls SM a gentleman. He sees past the distressing exterior of "murderer" to the lost one that SM truly is. THAT is walking the walk and talking the talk.
He cries out for himself simply for the mercy of bringing his child home. I pray this many times every day. God bless the Elvis'.

Kellie Sue said...

You can throw your rocks and hide your hand
You can work in the darkness against your fellow man

I take this to be referring to Jesus saying let the one among you without sin cast the first stone. Metaphorically speaking people often accuse and condemn others (cast stones) to hide their own sin (hand)

I think TE feels tremendous guilt in relation to his daughter. I don't think he had anything at all to do with what has happened, but he is riddled with guilt over more than just his reaction to the Moorer's.

Skippy said...

FWIW, Anon @ 8:07 (pick a name :), I understand what you wrote. I wonder if this poem had been read in a vacuum (not knowing who wrote it or what it was about) if others wouldn't have read it the same way you did. I'll give you credit, at least you backed up your opinion with examples.

Maggie said...

Anon @ 7:27--Very good points--I agree!

Kellie Sue said...

Interesting!!
Horry County has successfully prosecuted for murder without a body before....

http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/2013/12/26/3924335/inmate-sentenced-to-death-in.html

elf said...

Peter, can a poem be analyzed? Usually it starts with the free editing process but then you go back and tweak it a little, maybe to adjust the cadence or the tone.
Like all art I think the imagery may change for us all. "You can throw your rocks and hide your hand" to me it seems like the old sticks and stones rhyme and the hiding of the hand is like in poker, playing your hand close. The rest of it basically brings me to think Mr Elvis is barely hanging on. He's finding no comfort in his art, evil is all around him...the evil of others that brought this pain and fear into his life, evil he feels because he wants to strike back at the evil people who took his baby. He's so scared and frustrated and he's trying so hard to hold on to his faith and his hope. He's sad. That's my analysis of the poem.

Maggie said...

I am going to comment on this poem as a piece of writing.

This poem is not heartfelt. There are two passionate lines in this poem. The first one is the 1st line "You can throw your rocks and hide your hand." This is a line written from the heart, a line imbued with emotion. The rest of the poem is not even presented as if it were written from the heart--it is written like a catechism lesson. The other line which is heartfelt is "Lord bring Heather home I beg once more." This line is very much from the heart. I have difficulty with the line preceding it. The line is "Hear our wishes and prayers and words spoken mild."

"Hear our wishes and prayers and words spoken mild."
Why? Why speak them mildly?
Why the need to emphasize humility?

"You can throw your rocks and hide your hand"

(This is violent imagery--my impression is maybe he is talking about the insults he and his family have received
"hide your hand"--he's getting right to the point--someone is hiding what they have done, what their intentions are)

"You can work in the darkness against your fellow man"

(he is veering away from Heather and his family's situation--it is generalized now--this is against the evil-doer's "fellow man)

"We all know God made black and white/ He promises us what's done in the dark will be brought into the light"

(God will show the truth)

"Men do evil from the beginning of time"

(This is a trite observation.)

"Life is cruel even when we put it to rhyme"

(This is about him--he is a poet, but writing poetry is not enough to take away life's cruelty)

"Smiles are faked by those who deceive us day by day"

(He is generalizing--people are deceiving "us" by "faking smiles"; it also suggests that he knows personally the "people" who deceive him)

"God allows them to have their way"

"The price of sin has long been told/Cast your rocks as the price unfolds"

"Seek His face to escape his wrath/For to walk with God you must walk His path"

(Here he seems to be very concerned with helping the evil-doer repair their relationship with God. He also seems to have a very naive belief that the evil-doer is interested in "walking with God".)

"I have seen the darkness as it drew me near/I have danced with evil as it stoked my fear"

(He seems to be saying here that he has seen evil and been drawn in by it, whether this is his self-observation that he could have become evil if he let himself seek revenge is not clear.)

"The road to redemption is clearly seen/Check your hands and hearts, make sure they are clean"

(Again, this seems to be an incredibly naive belief that someone responsible for great evil would be interested in doing some quick introspection in order to repair their relationship with God)

"God accepts us for who we are/He knows the mark we all miss by so far"

(This dramatically contradicts the beginning of the poem where God will bring the truth to light and bring wrath against those who deceive in darkness. Suddenly God has become someone who really isn't that picky--he knows all of us are no where near close to perfect. Why the sudden change? And why the minimizing?)

"There is room for all in the Kingdom he built/Confess your sins and shed your guilt"

(Again, God has changed here from a vengeful God of the sword into someone who will make room in paradise for even people who commit great evil if they "confess".)

"Time is fleeting, it screams by without a care/Cling to grace and his mercy, it is always there"

(Now, it seems he is either offering comfort to the evil-doer or has changed who he is addressing the poem to--is he now talking to the other readers?)

cont.

Maggie said...

"Lord protect and comfort us as these days progress/Shine your guiding light that we might not digress"

(digress from what? I am just not sure I understand.)

"Let multitudes of angel wings comfort our child"

(This is a very nice sentiment--using the word "our" seems less personal than saying "my" but it seems he is addressing the whole community.)

"Hear our wishes and prayers and words spoken mild"

(This word "mild" really jumped out at me. God has no problem with someone crying out to him. He does not expect people to address him timidly or gently or mildly. Why does he include this word?)

"Lord bring Heather home I beg once more"

(This is from the heart.)

"Grant us the peace we all cry for."

elf said...

OT
please sign this petition. It's to enact a law which makes child abduction and murder a federal crime instantly punishable by death.
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/enact-law-which-makes-child-abduction-and-murder-federal-crime-and-instantly-punishable-death/jz3ds20J

Red Ryder said...

This is inspired by Terry's poem but is not strictly SA. It is "religious" in nature so if this is a problem feel free to skip and scroll:)
I have been contemplating something for a long time. I'd like to share it and this seems like it might be an appropriate place. What is it that draws me to SA?

I believe in God, who is Love. When I die I will go to Him. If I loved him in life, He will "know" me in the afterlife and I will stay with Him.
There will be Heaven~ I will review my life~all the good and evil and understand very nuance, milk all the meaning of every experience and see it through the eyes of Love. Then I will love myself.
Then I will do this with every other person in heaven and I will see them through the eyes of Love and I will love them.
Only then will I be mature enough to explore the beauty and awesomeness of God.
I think it kind of flows, not a 1-2-3 process, because I think it has already begun here on Earth. What does this have to do with SA? The same thing movies, books, Facebook, blog sites like SA etc do~they are windows into the "other". I think we already have that strong heavenly desire to understand the experience of other people so we can love them~ it's just broken and confused like many of our impulses in life. So instead of loving them, we judge them, or fear them, or pity them. We don't love ourselves~how can we love others? That's why we start the work of heaven on earth.
This is what Terry's poem got me thinking about. Credit to Peter Kreeft, philosopher whose books I love and who helps form my thoughts.

Anonymous said...

if you do that,it wont be long until jay walking is a federal crime. do not give the goberment any more power over us.

Anonymous said...

lolzor, i love that maggie too

Tania Cadogan said...

off topic

A woman accused of abducting her newborn nephew in Wisconsin and abandoning him outside a gas station in Iowa has pleaded not guilty to a federal kidnapping charge.

Prosecutors say Kristen Smith, 31, of Aurora, Colorado, kidnapped four-day-old Kayden Powell from the Town of Beloit home where the boy's parents were staying earlier this month.

Police arrested her at an Iowa gas station hours later and discovered the baby in a crate outside another nearby gas station the next morning. The child was alive and well despite being left in frigid temperatures for more than 24 hours.

A federal grand jury indicted Smith on a kidnapping count last week. She pleaded not guilty to the charge on Wednesday.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephen Crocker scheduled her trial to begin on June 23.

Prosecutors say Kristen Smith was found with baby clothes and prosthetic pregnancy belly in her car - and had pretended to be pregnant.

Smith was arrested when police stopped her at a gas station 170 miles away in West Branch, Iowa, apparently driving back to her home in Colorado

Some 29 hours later a police chief discovered newborn Kayden, crying and wrapped in blankets in a nearby plastic storage bin.

He was alive and well despite having been left in freezing temperatures.

The 911 call reveals Brianna sprung to her half-sister's defense when the operator suggested she could be a suspect - despite Brianna waking up and finding Smith and the baby gone.

'My son is missing,' she told the operator through tears. 'He's like four days old... I put him to sleep in his crib and now he’s not there.'

A friend or relative of Brianna then took the phone and told the operator: 'Her sister was here earlier. Her sister’s gone and the baby’s gone

Brianna took the phone back and added: 'I called her, and she's bawling her eyes out and told me to call the cops.'

The dispatcher replied: 'But she's claiming she doesn't have the kid, correct?'

A tearful Brianna said: 'No, she wouldn’t take my son!'

Authorities released the nine-minute recording after Smith was charged with kidnapping. She was originally held on an unrelated fraud warrant.

The FBI alleges Smith took the boy from her half-sister's home in southern Wisconsin before 4.30am on Thursday, five days after Kayden was born, and began driving to Colorado.

After Marshall discovered the baby was missing and called police, an officer reached Smith on her phone while she was passing through Iowa and instructed her to stop for questioning.

An officer who met Smith at a gas station in West Branch, Iowa, found no sign of Kayden.

Smith repeatedly denied any connection to the disappearance, but she was taken into custody on a warrant from Texas charging her with tampering with government records and fraud.

About 29 hours later, the police chief found Kayden, who was reunited with his parents at an Iowa hospital.

Investigators said they found online communications in which Smith falsely claimed to be pregnant or have given birth and a prosthetic pregnancy belly in her car.

When Mike Horihan, the chief of police in West Branch, Iowa, set out to search for a kidnapped newborn baby, he prepared himself for the worst, considering that the temperature had dipped to record-breaking 11 below zero in the region that week.

Horihan, who heads the town's three-person police department, got dressed in his winter gear and began searching for six-day-old Kayden Powell, who was allegedly snatched by his aunt Thursday from his home in Beloit, Wisconsin, as his mother slept.

Police pulled over Kristen Smith, the baby's aunt, in West Branch just hours after the baby’s disappearance, but the woman did not have the newborn with her.

Tania Cadogan said...

‘Realistically, we thought the baby could have been anywhere between Wisconsin and here,’ Horihan told The Washington Post.

The small-town police chief's job was to scour a stretch of road on the north side on Interstate 80.

As luck would have it, the former Iowa State Patrol officer’s first stop was a BP gas station. After questioning the owner, he went around the back and spotted a stack of recycling bins.

Nearby, he noticed a plastic tote with the lid covered in frost. Horihan opened the container, only to discover a black blanket inside.

The unexpected find set off alarm bells in the police chief's head. Given the frigid temperatures the night before, Horihan was certain that he located the missing baby too late.

‘I was opening that container like I was trying to preserve evidence,’ he said.

All of a sudden, Horihan heard what he described as a clearly audible whimper coming from what he realized was a bundle of blankets stuffed inside the plastic tote.

When the police chief finally peeked inside the container, he found little Kayden alive.

‘I got a baby crying here! Baby crying here!’ Horihan yelled to his partner. ‘I found the baby!’

Smith faces active warrants relating to fraud, false representation and document tampering in unrelated cases in at least three states. In Texas, she has been charged as Smith. But in Indiana and Wisconsin, she is charged under the name Pearson.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2569406/Woman-accused-kidnapping-newborn-nephew-leaving-gas-station-trash-pleads-not-guilty.html

Red Ryder said...

Wow! I thought baby Kayden had been out in the cold for about 6 hours and it thought the aunt was lucky he made it then! 29 hours! I can imagine what a rush the Chief must have felt when he heard the cry. Amazing! Thanks Hobs!
Also- isn't it SOP for the accused to plead not guilty out of the gate? If they pled guilty, they would just go right to sentencing phase?

Maggie said...

Having read Terry's poem over many times now, I feel like I can crystallize my thoughts about it.
Terry's poem shows an extreme naivete about the nature of evil. In this way, I had pointed out it is quaint, like a catechism lesson. The poem itself does not flow, it starts out speaking of a vengeful God and quickly shifts gears and philosophizes about a watered down God who loves us all, makes room for us all, requires little more than quick introspection to redeem even the most evil among us. I would not expect these types of beliefs from a middle-aged adult who has lived a lot of life, nevermind from someone who was undergoing a great trial of faith. The question for me, then as a reader, is: Are these naive beliefs genuine?
I also notice a trend in his writing where he seems preoccupied with the evil-doers separation from God and suggests ways in which they can repair this relationship. I could understand, maybe decades down the road, someone victimized as he has been, thinking about the transgressor and how damaged their relationship with God must be, but I would imagine this would come after the person had done a lot of personal healing to work through their own trauma. To see this concern for the transgressor come this soon--again, it makes me wonder is it genuine?

Red Ryder said...

Hi Maggie! I'm curious about what part of the poem you read as vengeful God? Thanks.

Sus said...

Maggie,
I'm curious when you're going to say goodnight -- so anon can come back or to play. -- Thanks.

Amaleen6 said...

Parts of the poem come from a Johnny Cash song:

http://www.metrolyrics.com/gods-gonna-cut-you-down-lyrics-johnny-cash.html

For example:

"Well, you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin' in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What's down in the dark will be brought to the light"

Red Ryder said...

This is a beautiful photo of Heather. She seems like a sweet girl.
Where is she???

Unknown said...

Lovely, Red Ryder!

somanyways said...

Anonymous Skippy said...
FWIW, Anon @ 8:07 (pick a name :), I understand what you wrote. I wonder if this poem had been read in a vacuum (not knowing who wrote it or what it was about) if others wouldn't have read it the same way you did. I'll give you credit, at least you backed up your opinion with examples.

February 27, 2014 at 9:14 PM

Thanks Skippy.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous Sus said...
Maggie,
I'm curious when you're going to say goodnight -- so anon can come back or to play. -- Thanks.

February 27, 2014 at 11:46 PM

awe you miss me!

I'm my own person -- to clear up that mystery. usually go by anon - taking a name now.

somanyways said...

ha,, i have to get used to clicking on the name instead of anonymous..

just Jen said...

Greetings. I have been observing this site since Leanne Bearden was first reported missing. I never felt the need to post my own thoughts and views, because so many others say what I would say, ie Jen Ow, elf, Hobnob, and others.

Tonight, while I agree with their posts and many others, I need to speak. Heather, unbeknownst to her father, had an affair with a married man. Someone up there thought this should be red flagged. Seriously, if I am being a bit naughty and making a few bad choices, my Daddy would be the last person I would share the sordid details with. A good father loves his little girl completely, and while he may be disappointed, he still loves his child. A daughter, Heather, would not want to see that disappointment and sadness in her hero's eyes. So, could you please stop directing this broken father? You few who appear to want the Moorer's to be Innocent are sick. You red flag Terry Elvis for softening his words. Get a grip. The man has had his worst nightmare realized, two people are charged with the murder of his little girl. This broken man is holding on to any thread of hope that the police are wrong. In my opinion, those arrests did not give Terry what he has so desperately begged for. He wanted Sidney and Tammy to be forced to confess to the whereabouts of his daughter. Now that they have both lawyered up, answers must seem even farther away.

Another thing, God is an omnipotent being, it is not up to us to know what he is capable of doing. Terry, imo, was reaching out to Sidney. Begging him to make the right choice and let her come home. He is bartering, Sydney ' s forgiveness from God for information that can allow his family to properly bury their daughter. I'm sorry this is so long, but the cruelty in some of these posts is atrocious.

just Jen said...

Sorry, disecting, not directing.

somanyways said...

Hi Maggie! I really like reading your points too.

Think it's funny somebody thinks we are the same person. it's kind of a conundrum to try to demonstrate otherwise i'm sure we may disagree on plenty soon enough, but -- it's nice to agree -- on these things.

I'm choosing a name - formerly anonymous,.

somanyways said...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJlN9jdQFSc&feature=kp

ah you are right about Johnny cash! Great song. & great catch.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 5:15, the darkness he speaks of is in his heart. He's already stated he wakes up every morning feeling guilty for not being able to protect his daughter.

Anonymous said...

What I see in his poem is a heartbroken father who just wants his baby home. He thought she was missing, then he thought she was kidnapped, then he heard she was murdered. "Hear our wishes and prayers and words spoken mild." He was extremely angry and desperate to find his daughter when she was considered missing, not murdered, and likely screamed at God in anger at some point. All I see in that line is, in essence, "Lord, now I'm begging, please get my daughter home to me" In the rest of the poem all I see is him begging to end the false smiles (Tammy's smirk, even in her mugshot) and deceit and tell him where his baby is so he can bury her. I see him telling them that God will forgive those who confess and repent. He's a religious man & he's begging them to confess and repent the only way he knows how. I see a completely broken man who finds no joy in them being behind bars and no longer the desperate anger to find his daughter whom he believed was still alive; a broken man who wants one thing even more than justice-his daughter. All I see here is a heartbroken father on his knees to God and the Moorers begging to have his daughter back.

Anonymous said...

Anon that says this poem is full of red flags !! Aren't you the same person that is spewing all you hatred for Terry and Heather all over FB... amazing what people will do for 15 mins of fame !!

Anonymous said...

Dear elf,
Can I spank your bottom?
Yours sincerely Mr x

ima.grandma said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
S + K Mum said...

My heart breaks for Heather's family. I hope writing will help her father with his pain. All he wants now is to find his beautiful daughter, to lay her to rest with respect and dignity, he wants to do this one last thing for his baby! He wants the Moorer's to give up the information. They are caught, they will go to jail (hopefully!), they need to do something to help this family, there is nothing for these two people to gain by with-holding this information. It just re-iterates how nasty and vile they are.
I am really saddened that anyone could put horrible comments on this thread about her father, it is cruel and unnecessary.

Anonymous said...

I agree.

Ivanna-Anna said...

"AnonymousFebruary 27, 2014 at 6:17 PM
...
Also, how do we get names instead of being Anonymous? I don't want to link my "pen name" to any social media accounts, just a nickname."

The "Reply as:" box has an option "Name/URL". Choose a name for yourself and write it in every time you post. (You don't need to add a URL, just your chosen name).

S + K Mum said...

I agree Sus @ 7.12, I think someone can be beyond anger.
Heather's father (and her family) have experienced so much, a roller coaster of emotions that I cannot bare to try to imagine. I suspect now he just feels broken, hope of finding his girl is keeping him going. So sad. I hope he finds comfort and peace one day.

Rachael said...

I don't read anything more into this poem than a hope that the idea of Gods forgiveness will compel the Moorers to do the right thing and give Heather back to her family, along with a resigned acceptance that should that happen, that she won't be as she should. Mr. Elvis understands the darkness in the heart of men on a while new level now, one that no one should have to know.

Sus said...

I apologize to Maggie and the entire board for calling Maggie out last night. I guess it's the school teacher in me. I always felt I failed if my students didn't feel safe enough to make a mistake in my class.

Juliette said...

You must have been a great teacher Sus, you have a good philosophy :)

ima.grandma said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amaleen6 said...

somanyways said...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJlN9jdQFSc&feature=kp

ah you are right about Johnny cash! Great song. & great catch.

-----------------------

Actually, I didn't make the catch; someone on a Facebook page pointed it out. Still, that verse must be appropriate to how Terry Elvis is feeling. I don't know how he and his family can stand this situation so gracefully.

Maggie said...

Hi Sus--I'm not the same person as the anon poster. I'm not sure why you thought we are the same people, except maybe because we both were voicing dissenting opinions from the group.
I respect everyone's opinions about the poem and even was thinking this morning about what everyone thinks about the poem, wondering, was I wrong to feel or think as I did?
This poem obviously resonated with a lot of people who thought the poem--I can see from the comments it made people feel a lot of emotion--compassion, sadness, etc. They are not wrong to feel this way.
I was being honest in that I don't understand the poem. I have trouble following the emotion in the poem. Am I cold and heartless? Maybe. I did feel the emotion in 2 different lines.
Maybe I was too harsh in what I said. To me, I dont understand why someone being faced with horrible torment and evil, would react in that way. Maybe Terry Elvis is a much better person than me, for if I were in his shoes I would not be able to maintain a humble relationship with God nor would I be concerned with the evil person's relationship with God. I would think the person was a monster, and I would hate them.
I actually dont think I am that bad of a person, but like I said, if I were in his shoes, I would hate the Moorer's and I would hope only that they would burn in hell.

Maggie said...

That is interesting info.

Maggie said...

OK, reading down through the comments, Amaleen posted how the 1st four lines of the poem are actually taken directly by Mr Elvis from a Johnny Cash song.
I did not know this.
Was I wrong, then, to think the poem was not heartfelt when the 1st 4 lines were not even written by him or about his situation? They are written by Johnny Cash, from Johnny Cash's heart, not by Mr Elvis directly from Mr Elvis' heart!

somanyways said...

Anonymous Anonymous said...
Anon that says this poem is full of red flags !! Aren't you the same person that is spewing all you hatred for Terry and Heather all over FB... amazing what people will do for 15 mins of fame !!

February 28, 2014 at 4:58 AM

nope that's not me, I don't post on facebook. & I'm not Maggie either. I'm just myself. mostly I just post here under anonymous but gonna use name somanyways now. I didn't realize my thoughts on the poem would spark so much emotion for people. I feel like you feel I've told you your own father is bad -- that's not at all what i'm saying or meant. Terry is a stranger to me, just as I am to him. And he is not my responsibility. Just like I'm not his. I live on the other side of the country, he'll never know me and I'll never know him. He doesn't need my sympathy. He has a whole community - and a great deal of the country caring about him. e has no shortage of prayers in his favor. It is not my impression that this site is set up for giving sympathy -- Terry's website, for one, is a far better place for that. This statement analysis site, I would think, is about statement analysis. At least that's how I use it, and choose to use it. it doesn't mean I'm correct in all my analysis -- but I'm gonna keep trying to analyze statements - and think about where I am right and whre I am wrong. If I get bullied off of here -- well that's possible. But I don't know what you'll be left with when you eliminate all the people who disagree with you. Something rather Orwellian I would think.

Maggie said...

Somanyways--Well said.

Noone needs to apologize for thinking something was "off" about this poem since the 1st four lines (at least) were actually written by Johnny Cash.
After going on wiki and reading a little about Johnny Cash, it seems a lot of the content of Terry's poems such as the line "I have seen the darkness as it drew me near/ I have danced with evil as it stoked my fear" could have come from the mouth of Johnny Cash as it seems he lived a life mixed with sin and redemption.
Mr Elvis has been caught in a lie. Has he not? The 1st 4 lines of this song were written by Johnny Cash, and yet Mr Elvis is saying he wrote them. I think it is pretty weird he did that, especially since, putting it out on the internet, someone was going to recognize the lines were not his.
I'm wondering: Is this a significant enough lie to question his character? Does it mean he could be lying about other things?

Unknown said...

Anon 5:15, my apologies, when I came back to respond last night you had already signed off.

First let me say that poetry is dramatic imagery, and it is meant to lead the reader to feel the emotions associated with certain words. Poetry is full of metaphor. (For example the word 'darkness', should not be automatically interpreted to mean the darkness of nightime. It can mean anything from literal darkness, to sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, anger, evil, deceit, etc.

The first lines of the poem are taken from the song..."GOD'S GONNA CUT YOU DOWN". I think the title says about all we need to know about TE's feeling toward the Moorers.

It is also important to remember that 10 different people will read the same poem and all interpret it differently, based on their life experiences. (Much like internal subjective language.) With TE's poem, we know the situation he is writing about. This is my interpretation based on the situation.

You can throw your rocks and hide your hand

-Terry and the Elvis family have been subject to public attacks from the Moorers, (throwing rocks) and they continue to withhold the information the TE needs to find Heather. (hiding their hand).

You can work in the darkness against your fellow man

-It is no secret that TE, and likely most of us see the Moorers as evil. The things they have done are evil, even if you disregard Heathers murder and only focus on their behavior since. They have shown no compassion for their fellow man. (Work in darkness against your fellow man)

We all know God made both black and white

-Here 'black and white' could mean God made ALL men, or it could refer to good and evil. (Good=white, black=evil),

He promises us"What's done in the dark will be brought into the light"

-God's judgement cannot be escaped. Evil and sin will be exposed, if not in this life, then in death

Men do evil from the beginning of time

-Evil is ever present in the world.

Life is cruel even when we put it to rhyme

-There is no rhyme or reason to the evil and cruelty man does.

Smiles are faked by those who deceive us day by day

-His tormentors the Moorers smile, and fake, while they continue to deceive.

God allows them to have their way

-All men have free will. TE is likely struggling with why God 'allowed' this to happen to his daughter.

The price of sin has long been told

-It has long been taught that the price of sin, is eternity in Hell.

Anonymous said...

Maggie - I'm so glad you pointed this out, Last night when I played the Cash song for myself -- my first thought was -- this song is so good -- and then my second thought was so - so Terry is plagarizing too,

and then I though -- oh no I can't write that -- it'll be too much for this conversation to handle -- it'll be like insult to injury, ahh,

also -- I don't actually think it's a big deal, I mean people sample from other things all the time -- did he actually say it was all written by him?? if so that is perhaps indicative of exactly what you are saying.

I personally wouldn't hinge much of an argument on it ( bt thats just me and you may feel differently as we are not the same person :) --- I feel much more strongly about the incongrous statements about when he learned of the affair. but i like your point. and I think it's valid.

when josh bearden case first broke and I watched the first video of him my first thought was he did not do it, an then that turned out to be true. that boosted my confidence in my instincts. however back in the Shayana (s.p) case I really thought the dad had somehing to do with in by the way he acted atthe vigill --- so making it about him instead of Shayana, but then it turned out my instinct was not right then -- and it was a whole other scenerio cause on surveilance camera, -- So I got like a 50/50 record there of being right when going against common perception. So if I turn out to be wrong here - I suppose it will be no more surprising than if I turn out to be right (to myself).

But i'm gonna keep on thinking about it till I can know for sure, ,

Unknown said...

Cont...

Cast your rocks as the price unfolds

-The Moorer's and their supporters continue casting stones at their victim and her family, and will pay with eternity in hell.

Seek His face to escape His wrath

-Unless they repent, and seek God's mercy.

For to walk with God you must walk His path.

-TE likely believes that if the Moorers repent, and walk in God's path, they will denounce/confess their sins, which will result in him getting his daughter back.

I have seen the darkness as it drew me near

-TE has seen the face of evil in dealing with the Moorers, who did not avoid or ignore him, but rather sought to antagonize him and his family,

I have danced with evil as it stoked my fear

-TE's fear of what has happened to Heather, and his resulting wrath has driven him to the brink of evil acts. He is scared by his anger toward the Moorers, and what he may be capable of.

The road to redemption is clearly seen

-There is only one way for the Moorers to redeem their souls, by telling the truth/confessing.

Check your hands and heart, make sure they are clean

-He wants the Moorers to consider their guilt and their fate, and be overwhelmed with regret

God accepts us for who we are

-You cannot change what you have done, but you can turn to a forgiving God and find acceptance.

He knows the mark we all miss by so far

-To be human, is to sin. God forgives.

There is room for all in the Kingdom He built

-God offers forgiveness to those who will humble themselves to seek it. TE likely wants them to feel like redemption is possible for them, otherwise they have no incentive to confess and provide information.

Confess your sins and shed your guilt

-Again TE reinforces that the Moorer's only solution is to confess.

Time is fleeting, it screams by without a care

-TE is telling the Moorers that time is short, and nobody knows when they will draw their last breathe. Confess TODAY...or you may never have a chance.

Cling to grace and his mercy, it is always there

-Seek God's grace and mercy, it is within your grasp at any time. (Again all these lines instruct the Moorers to confess and provide the location of Heathers remains)

Lord protect and comfort us as these days progress

-The poems conclusion seem to shift into a direct prayer from TE. He asks God for comfort and protection as they continue to wait for answers.

Shine your guiding light that we might not digress

-help us to endure this pain

Let multitudes of angel wings comfort our child

-Bless Heather and give her comfort and peace, while we her parents cannot

Hear our wishes and prayers and words spoken mild

-He is asking for God to hear/answer their prayers. Their words are spoken 'mild', as in humble.

Lord bring Heather home I beg once more
Grant us the peace we all cry for.

-Provide us with the resolution we seek, to find our daughter and bring her 'home'.

somanyways said...

oops… keep forgetting to use name instead of anonymous.

somanyways said...

Maggie - and anybody else who has responsed to me kindly -- I'm appartently getting scrugged from this site, all my comments are gettin deleated. Maybe i'm nolonger welcome here. what can I do -- It's a private forum.

stay strong :) Keep thinking your thoughts.

with love,

Maggie said...

Somanyways--Don't leave!
Just don't. I dont see how anything you have said is offensive, and it is clear that you listen very closely to statements--something invaluable to statement analysis. I don't feel threatened by others viewpoints, and I think most people here dont either, and enjoy seeing things from different angles. I find your thoughts interesting and refreshing. Please dont leave.

Unknown said...

I don't think it's fair to characterize TE using lines from a song in his writings as lying, or as an indication that he is a dishonest person. He is writing in a cathartic manner, about his feelings, frustration and pain.

Haven't you ever heard a song that seemed to say exactly how you were feeling about something?

Sometimes you just can't say it any better than Johnny Cash, lol.

Tammy and Sidney Moorer, God's gonna cut you down!

Maggie said...

As far as plagarizing, it is what it is. It's using someone else's thoughts. If I say I am going to write about the beauty of nature after we get snow on Monday, and I am going to call the poem "Stopping by the Woods on A Snowy Evening" and I say the 1st line of that poem is "My little horse must think it queer to stop without a farmhouse near" would this upset people? Or would they say "those words must express exactly how you feel, that ia great poem you wrote".

Anonymous said...

Maggie said...
Somanyways--Don't leave!
Just don't. I dont see how anything you have said is offensive, and it is clear that you listen very closely to statements--something invaluable to statement analysis. I don't feel threatened by others viewpoints, and I think most people here dont either, and enjoy seeing things from different angles. I find your thoughts interesting and refreshing. Please dont leave.

February 28, 2014 at 2:36 PM

I don't want to but literally -- look above -- my comments are progressively being deleated by the administrator. I can't stop him. and It's his furum - If he doesn't want my words on his forum that's his choice. am i gonna post just to get erased?

and to be honest -- I don't like being bullied at all. to think people want to say I don't exist - because my ideas differ from theirs. do I need to take that?

I will come back if I stop getting dealeated. I'm rather addicted to these mysteries so it'll be hard for me to go cold turkey ./

anyway --- THANK YOU Maggie. If I stop getting deeated i'll keep posting. but if I keep getting deleated -- not gonna fight that -- it's not my site.

Unknown said...

Hi just Jen-

Welcome aboard, and congrats on having an awesome name, lol!

Juliette said...

Thank you Jen Ow, you summarized Terry's poem, and probably his thoughts, as I understood them to be.

Maggie said...

Somanyways--Sigh. This is actually pretty unusual where we are analyzing something and part of it was taken from a song without giving credit to that song, and I very much doubt Peter was aware of this.
Now, if you read nefarious meaning into the 1st 4 lines, who is to say there wasnt? Johnny Cash wrote those lines, and Johnny Cash actually did do some bad stuff, and Johnny Cash actually did do time in jail! So, who is to say there wasnt dark meaning in those lines? Those lines were not written by Terry, a man whose daughter is missing. They were written by Johnny Cash.
Stick around. People will see you have good intentions. You seem very respectful. I am sure you will be welcome here.

Maggie said...

Jen--Absolutely, I have heard songs that say almost perfectly what I am feeling. However much as I might like to, though, I am not going to take the 1st 4 lines of a Bob Dylan song and then add onto it and aay "here is my poem" and tgen present it to an audience of tens of thousands. I would argue that not only is it lying, it shows contempt for his readers and an expectation that he is entitled to present these lines as his own. Surprisingly, he may be right in his expectation, as many seem to be saying "it's OK, that was what he felt". Unfortunately, him "taking" these lines shows that the line delineating what is true and "not true" for him may not be as solid as it is for many of us.

Anonymous said...

i agree johnny cash was writing about himself. he was giving advice bsded on his personsl experience of doing bad and fi.ally getting csught. i wont go away entirely. if i get erased im still hrre while im here. thanks.

just Jen said...

Rachael, exactly!

Saber said...

So maggie analyzed Johnny Cash's writing, not Terry Elvis's....and this is what she says in defense of her incorrect analysis...

(copied from 1:50pm)
Mr Elvis has been caught in a lie. Has he not? The 1st 4 lines of this song were written by Johnny Cash, and yet Mr Elvis is saying he wrote them. I think it is pretty weird he did that, especially since, putting it out on the internet, someone was going to recognize the lines were not his.
I'm wondering: Is this a significant enough lie to question his character? Does it mean he could be lying about other things?

February 28, 2014 at 1:50 PM

Why do you have such a big dislike for Terry Elvis, maggie?

just Jen said...

Great post! You have made so many awesome points. Thanks for pointing out that individuals will have unique reactions to poetry. I also agree with your previous post that sometimes the words in a song can be better than our own. To accuse Mr. Elvis of plagiarism seems desperate and childish.

Juliette said...

Terry Elvis is not a poet looking for publication; he is a man in pain and trying to express and find find reason.

I don't think he was worried about plagiarism while finding an outlet to his pain.

Maggie said...

Anon @ 4:10--EXACTLY! What you said. Johnny cash was reflecting on himself and his own guilt and also did romanticize it.
I also have noticed that much of Terry's poems seem inwardly focused. For example in the above hybrid poem he mentions Heather and her plight in 3 lines--the LAST THREE LINES. The rest of the poem is about sin and redemption. Odd, unexpected--YES

Maggie said...

Anon @ 5:14--EXCELLENT POINT!

Unknown said...

To put the accusation of plagerism to bed, I am posting what Terry Elvis wrote, followed by the actual lyrics of the song. As you can clearly see, Terry Elvis included quotation marks on the only line he directly quoted.

Terry Elvis:

You can throw your rocks and hide your hand

You can work in the darkness against your fellow man

We all know God made both black and white

He promises us, "What's done in the dark will be brought to the light".

Actual lyrics:

Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand.

Workin' in the dark against your fellow man.

But as sure as God made black and white.

What's done in the dark will be brought to the light. (Johnny Cash)

Now my question is, does Terry Elvis' non-plagiarized use of these words and his effort to use quotation where appropriate prove his honesty, in the same way that you asserted his possible mis-use proved his contempt and dishonesty?

Maggie said...

Saber--I dont understand what you are saying. I analyzed the entire poem.
I dont intensely dislike him. I have a gut feeling something is not right. Unfortunately, I have seen firsthand how someone who looks perfectly wonderful on the outside, and the key word here "perfectly" can be using this facade to hide some very bad behavior (one if my parents had this down to an art form). I dont have a problem with strongly religious people, but sometimes those who present themselves as meek and mild, watch out!!! I dont go on appearances. When people here were talking about Tammy's website where she posted her pictures, etc and saying she posted this picture of herself, etc etc etc, I didnt have interest to go look. You can tell little from the way a person looks, the facade they put forward. Oftentimes, it is the people with the best facades that have something to hide. So I look at the statements and listen to them to try to find the truth.

Maggie said...

Jen, he took all 4 of the 1st lines. Come on. How much difference is there between "You can throw your rocks and hide your hand" and "Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand." Jen, he made rock plural--you know he took the lines lol. Great song though!

Anonymous said...

i wouldnt call that criticism. but im trying yo think of something hes done that ive sctualky liked. and there is something. i liked that he pushd and pushed to keep story in news. i think that is awsome. -somanyways

Unknown said...

The lines are either the same, or they are different. In this case they are different.

I doubt he expected people not to recognize the origin, and he took clear steps to avoid direct plagerism or copyright infringement. He properly quoted the identical line. But as I said, there is apparently nothing he can do to avoid criticism.

Red Ryder said...

Welcome, just Jen:)
Jen Ow, I liked your post on poetry. It is different than prose but I think it can still be SA'd.

I ve been following this thread and find it surprising how much of ourselves is revealed in giving our analysis. I don't mean the personal opinions we share from time to time like I did earlier but straight SA. I guess we work from our experience and we can't help but be revealed in that, that and our own marbles leaking out :)

Maggie said...

This whole entire blog is about telling truth from lies. Other people in cases we look at would not get cut all of this slack. We are only supposed to look at the statements. Once you start saying "the poor man" objectivity goes out the window imo. And sure, I do think you have to factor in certain things like the age of a person. If this was, for example, a teenager writing the poem, I would be much more inclined to cut them some slack about taking lines from a song. How old is Terry? 45? 50? It's unusual behavior, immature to claim the lines. Sure, I get WANTING to take them, but most people understand they just can't. Just my opinion.

Maggie said...

And Jen Ow, I respect your opinions very much. Just wanted to add this, because I know we are disagreeing, but I do enjoy reading what you write.

Sus said...

Terry Elvis did not "claim the lines." He simply posted them on his FB page. He put no other comment about them. We are labeling it as "his poem."

I see others post lines from songs all the time on FB. I see posters with sayings attributed to historical figures that could not have been said.

It is not plagiarism. He did not claim the lines as an original poem by him. He simply posted how he feels.

And if you want to get into "throwing rocks" as Johnny Cash's words, then he must have taken that from the Bible, ""casting stones." Most of the other terms of Johnny Cash's are also Bibical terms.

Johnny Cash plagiarized from the Bible!!

Anonymous said...

why do you hate johnny cash so much? oh wait no reason to think you do because i know objective criticism is not an indication of hate. not when you do it and not when i do it either.

Unknown said...

My 'this poor man' comment was not based on MY lack of objectivity toward him.

I can't understand why you are so adamant and persistent in your belief that Terry Elvis is a bad guy. His statements have been analyzed with no deception indicated, he has appeared on the radio show, he has vigorously persued finding his daughter and punishing the people responsible for hurting her, (to the point of much MORE criticism) and he has displayed an enviable amount of humility and resolve in the face of the greatest tragedy imaginable for a parent.

I assume it is ok to address this, if not I apologize...but you have stated that you have a parent who lived a facade of perfection, while being a sociopath. Do you think that this may be clouding your ability to see TE objectively?

Unknown said...

It's ok to disagree! ;-)

Anonymous said...

lets be nice. i appreciate support but rather not like that.

Anonymous said...

peoples perceptions can be clouded by never experiencing betrayal too. leavibg them too trusting. we all have spectrum of experience that couldoud but could also give insight.

Sus said...

As I stated in an earlier post, I believe this statement is about Terry Elvis and his struggle. I agree with you on that, Maggie. I don't think he's writing about the Moorers at all. He's telling his own struggle to humility. He's been brought to his knees. He first had to face the darkness and the evil within himself, meaning what hatred and anger he had for those who took his daughter. That helped him see we all are sinners even if in our thoughts. Now he simply asks with humility for the Angels to take care of her.

Yes Maggie, you do see Terry Elvis admitting sin and evil in these lines. Because he knows he is just the same as his daughter's murderer in God's eyes.

Anonymous said...

wow - dare i say i actually agree with you on this. as ive made clear i dont know thats as far as the guilt goes. or maybe it is as far as it goes. but as a foundation to possible further meaning - or no further meaning - i fully agree with you on this reading. - somanyways

Sus said...

I think it's as far as it goes. We all have to face our "shadow"...the darkness within us. I imagine Terry Elvis had to face horrible anger and a want for revenge on the Moorers.

Anonymous said...

i just want to revel in fact that we actually agree on something for moment. .....i respect that you think its as far as it goes. for me .... im just not sure & cant let go of my suspicions till i see more conclusive proof otherwise. cant wait for this secret evidence to be revealed. it would go far to clear it up for me.

Maggie said...

I just showed the poem to my boyfriend. He is a musician, and he is saying that he thinks several of the other lines may have come from a religious movie from the 70's which was narrated by Johnny Cash in spoken word and song. He is saying the movie is called "The Gospel Road".

Red Ryder said...

Sus said, "Johnny Cash plagiarized from the Bible!!"
Hahahahahaha,, You made me laugh so loud I startled my dog!

Jen Ow said, "I can't understand why you are so adamant and persistent in your belief that Terry Elvis is a bad guy. His statements have been analyzed with no deception indicated, he has appeared on the radio show, he has vigorously persued finding his daughter and punishing the people responsible for hurting her, (to the point of much MORE criticism) and he has displayed an enviable amount of humility and resolve in the face of the greatest tragedy imaginable for a parent."
I started and erased so many posts trying to put these words together. You have a gift for clarity and compassion Jen. Terry Elvis is a good father and a good man. He never said he wrote the words so we can't claim it for him.
We move from our experiences. If the only father experience you have is very damaged it will affect your analysis. Same for any relationship I suppose. I think the more a person is healed and free in relation to others the better analyst they can be. I think about the people here that I see "hit the mark" consistently and they are humble, humorous, compassionate people. They call a spade a spade, but are respectful.

Maggie said...

Red Ryder--But he did say he wrote them! He said Terry Elvis wrote the poem.
Jen Ow--Yes, having a sadistic sociopath as one of my parents may be clouding my judgement, in that it may bias me towards being skeptical towards those who appear too good. As far as my instincts in interpreting statements, they are sound. I would even go so far as to say, they are good. I feel poetry deeply--when I read this poem I felt nothing. I could not follow what the feeling was or what the feeling was about. When I detected the poem was not heartfelt I was correct. The poem was not generated by his heart. Outside of all of this, why doesnt anyone find it odd that this poem is not really about Heather until the very last lines?
Why is his focus on overcoming his hatred for the Moorer's?
I will say this, he is either an extraordinary man who is a much better person than just about anyone I've ever known, or he is hiding something.

somanyways said...

funny -- I showed the poem to my boyfriend and he said the only thing he was sure Terry was guilty of was bad taste-- he was like -- you are a grown man - you just found out your daughter was murdered -- this is not the time to take to facebook with a poem.

I dunno that I really even agree with him because I don't know that there is a right was to grieve, but it was funny how he reacted to reading it as a man himself.

but -- I agree with Maggie's last line here…
I will say this, he is either an extraordinary man who is a much better person than just about anyone I've ever known, or he is hiding something.

this an unusual situation, one way or another.

somanyways said...

I just looked at his facebook. I guess you could say he's saying it's his by it being on his facebook and him not giving credit otherwise, but he doesn't literally put his name at the end of it either. just noticing.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

With Statement Analysis, there is nothing to even hint that Terry Elvis is hiding anything.

I wish that this would stop...it is unfair.

He has expressed his pain in poetry. Already, he has been called a plagiarist.

I don't grasp how people could look at someone is such utter, inscrutable pain, and continue to post such things.

somanyways said...

I called him a plagiarist but it was in the cotext of sayin I could say that but I didn't think it mattered. it was meant as a light hearted joke. we were readin gthe poem thinking he wrote it -- and then realized otherwise - it's notmal to react. however i'm quite sure there's no laws about using song lyrics without giving credit on facebook. it;s not technially plagarim if it's just on facebook. there's no accusation meant there.

I can see I'm upsetting you though. I'm glad you said it outright rather than just deleting my posts when I don't know why -- I don't have to comment here if you don't want me to/ or share my opinions that you find offnesive. no prob. peace.

Maggie said...

I'll leave too. I don't like the fact that some people are saying "I have called in reinforcements" "because I don't believe my own truth". What?!?!
There actually are signs of deception from Terry Elvis in the story he wrote for xojane. I also noticed in the radio interview, one of his responses contained signs of deception.
This is about the poem though. I will gracefully leave, as I don't want to come across as cruel. I simply do not feel the poem as so many do. I feel nothing when I read it, not because I don't care about Terry Elvis's feelings, it is because I cannot follow the feeling in the poem. When I started reading it, as with any poem, you are looking for that emotion to grab onto, and I just couldn't find it. I literally do not understand what the poem is about. I apologize if there is something in me terribly flawed that has made me unable to understand or feel the poem. I will not comment about this case anymore as I do not want to say anything else that could or would be hurtful if this is what I have been doing. I am sorry.

somanyways said...

Maggie -- I'd give you my contact info if it didn't mean giving it to everyone on here.

but short of that -- greetings, admiriation & camaraderie from a girl in LA, CA. xoxox

somanyways said...

ya you should stay. I think it's only directed at me. i'll read your comments still ;)

Anonymous said...

Somaways thanks

Anonymous said...

Your welcome x

Maggie said...

Somanyways--Thank you! I am way on the other side of the country in MA. A New Englander about to be snowed in :) I really enjoy reading your posts, and you have a really keen ear for detecting inconsistencies. That is very hard to do, because there is so much to keep track of in these cases, and I noticed you have the ability to do this as you showed on the other thread. It would be extremely useful here, as it is so important for detecting deception! I don't think Peter was directing it at you. I think Peter's patience for me probably runs thin at times, and I guess I can't say I blame him. No hard feelings on my end.

somanyways said...

truth is I should really get back to work, this site is so addictive for me. like crossword puzzles of human behavior.

maybe i'll sneak back in on some case where emotions don't seem to run so high. but at present -- I don't seem to be able to curtail my "unpopular" ideas. no matter what the story line.

I realize peter didn't literally as ask me to leave -- just said he doesn't want these comment on this case, so while it feels like i'm being kicked out -- until i'm literally asked to leave -- which I would respect outright -- i'll check back in from time to time.

thanks so much for your feedback to my type of thinking - etc. I feel the same about yours. makes life so much more interestng to explore all uncertainty.

ah snow! hope at least its a beautiful sight in the morning. we got flash floods here right now -- lightening out my window :) but weve had the worst drought ever so -- it's still a good sign even with the drama.

elf said...

This is only my opinion. I'm not a mind reader. Maybe Terry inadvertently used Johnny's words. Your all getting so wound up about it but guess what? I don't think the man in black would mind Terry borrowing his words. Its for men like Terry that Johnny wore black for, average guys that life has done dirty...the little people looking for justice and peace. The simple fact that Heathers dad has pushed and begged and bartered with a silent God and he still has hope and he's not giving up...well ladies, youre criticizing a hero. I respect your opinions but quick kicking the poor guy. Everything I've read that Terry Elvis has written has been what I would expect from any parent in his position : confusion, terror,anxiety, anger, desperation, sadness,pain...let Terry Elvis be. He's done no wrong.

elf said...

Ah... secret admirer. In my head you look like channing Tatum:)

Unknown said...

Elf, you literally just made me laugh out loud!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

Hi Red Ryder,

Thanks for the kind words! I agree that our experiences shape our opinions and our analysis, and I also agree with your previous comment that we reveal a lot about ourselves in our analysis!

Unknown said...

Oops! I replied to the wrong comment

Anonymous said...

"It's hard to feel like you're doing your job as a father," Terry explained to News13. "You can't help but feel like you failed. I face that every morning. This is the time that I know my daughter needs me the most."


you, your, you, you, (why switch) I, I, my, (Heather or Morgan?)daughter, me.

Unknown said...

As I wrote my opinion on the poem, I realized that I interpreted almost all of the lines to have a religious meaning. I assume that someone who did not have a religious background might look at the lines and see something completely different. I still think it's apt, as Terry Elvis is obviously a religious man..but it's still interesting to consider.

Always Curious said...

Peter Hyatt said...
With Statement Analysis, there is nothing to even hint that Terry Elvis is hiding anything.

I wish that this would stop...it is unfair.

He has expressed his pain in poetry. Already, he has been called a plagiarist.

I don't grasp how people could look at someone is such utter, inscrutable pain, and continue to post such things.

February 28, 2014 at 9:00 PM

Peter - I'm curious -- what did you expect would happen when you posted this poem? You posted a statement on a statement analysis site. One in which you have encouraged, requested, and analyzed your readers responses. You've taught your readers "the subject is dead, the statement is alive". You've ingrained the search for the "expected". You've created a highly active open site, for better or worse. This statement became like a meaty bone for the pack to attack.

Respectfully, I suggest you take into account the nature of the site and the commenters before you post something this sensitive and open it to responses.

Statement Analysis Blog said...

I expected what I got, for the most part...people looking at it, and entering into empathy with Terry Elvis.

A good number of comments were automatically deleted which was a mercy, and a few disgusted me.

I have a high expectation for my audience, and have posted some sensitive things before (Desiree Young) which commentators did not attack.

I do not limit this blog strictly to Statement Analysis, though it is a theme.

I also post human interest stories, some religious and political commentary, and some recommendations for books, music, etc.

I recognize that there are those, especially with mental illness, who post attacks on others and put in a great deal of effort to "spam" the blog.

I hope others recognize that one "anonymous" poster will sometimes post as if she is many different posters, creating a 'wave' of opinion...
when in reality, it is only one person.

I see all comments on a single page, and there are a few people who will post 50 or more posts, on all different articles, which is why I put in the moderation factor.
Peter

Statement Analysis Blog said...

I would also add that there is a known pedophile who posts here.

As you might imagine, his language gives him away. He sees pedophilia everywhere.

Peter

Anonymous said...

Well said!!!.... I don't know why my other comment got deleted, weird!