Compline - Matins

[babz]

the rock
jutting out into Indian River
was my altar
and I was the victim and the saint

my halo
was planned
and placed ahead of time
by me

all I had to do
was lay my head in the candles'
semi-circle and
canonization was complete

in my left hand was a bottle of brandy
in my right
thunderbolts

I arose the next morning
naked in my sleeping bag
and asked the fisherman fishing there

Catch anything?

he rowed away in fear and trembling
guess he'd never seen a saint arise
in the Adirondack Mountains
before

Babz

Please be gentle.

[lizzytysh]

Hi Babz,

For me, you've captured
the magic
of time in the wilderness,
the wanderings of the mind,
the beauty and freedom
of alone.

Your awakening afresh,
reality with humour
and lingerings from the night.

~Lizzytysh

Gentility.....no problem.

[babz]

Thank you, Liz!

I thought you said you didn't write poetry?

Your response, (generous and gratifying as it is to me) is a poem in itself.

Peace
Babz

Gentility may be no problem for you...
I'm afraid I've crossed the line on occasion.

[lizzytysh]

Hi Babz,

You're welcome.

I've not camped in the Adirondacks, but I love the wilderness. The spacious majesty of it all allows for so much. I don't write poetry, but I felt my response would be easier in conveying the feelings your poem gave me, if I spaced it out as I did. Thanks, however .....maybe there's hope. For whatever reason, I feel intimidated by the genre[?].

Regarding "generous," I'm not really in a position to assess and label poems as "good" and "bad," as I can't analyze them according to rules I don't know. I can only fairly say how they affect me. If I say "that's a great poem" [and I know I have], if someone were to ask me why, my reasoning would be more personal, rather than "literary."

My gentility comment had to do with the specific of your request , and the impact of your poem on me allowing for nothing other than gentility ......but not to suggest anything else ~ I've crossed that line a number of times .

~Lizzytysh

[babz]

I hear you, on the gentility thing. Sometimes my attempts at humor miss the mark.

I think, rather than 'good' or 'bad', a poem either suceeds or fails to move the reader. And that can only happen in the encounter of the 'person' and the poem. So what works for me may not work for you. But that's the joy of it. So many poems! So little time!

Peace
Babz

[Songkathy]

Hi Babz
I loved the cadence and spare telling of the story. I was right there. keep on posting. kathy

[lizzytysh]

Yes, good and bad are too judgmental, anyway....but that's all that would come to mind in the moments I had [so many words / so little time ] ~ works/doesn't work for the reader, I like that better. Even "fails" makes me a bit uncomfortable. Dang! True, true on the differences in personal, individual impact.

~Lizzytysh

[Songkathy]

if something works or doesn't work for the reader it may be more of a reflection on the reader than the poet kathy

[lizzytysh]

Right SongKathy, the impact [works/doesn't work] is the end result of the process that includes the poem, as well as the life, experiences, and views that the reader brings to the reading.
~Lizzytysh

[Songkathy]

Also, often critical readers' comments demonstrate their lack of knowledge of grammar and by extension the educated poet's choice to bend it, lack of vocabulary or understanding of concepts. Then their criticism is not really meaningful because of their limited ability to really read the poem as written. If they interpret things incorrectly and then critisize all you can say is that they got it wrong. Kathy

[lizzytysh]

Hi Kathy,

I guess it would be important to find out how they interpreted something in particular, whatever appears to be at the crux of their criticism. Of course, misinterpretations can occur regardless of the reader's education, and all poets aren't necessarily educated. I've seen some bending that occurs by poets who aren't, as well.

I would think that some "criticism" might be for things that didn't rely on whether or not they understood the application of the words or concepts, too. What you're saying could definitely hold true with people who don't understand English very well to begin with ~ also, however, depending on the nature of their criticism, it could still be valid.

That's a tough one.

~Lizzytysh

[babz]

Thank you for your comment, Kathy!

I am so much a believer in equal-opportunity poetry: there is enough variety that there should be something for everybody! Consequently, it's silly to critique work that doesn't resonate with you. (Unless that's what you're being paid to do.)

And that's what I meant when I said 'succeed or fail to move'. No reflection on the poem failing... just that it didn't move or engage that particular reader. And I agree, when you send that 'baby' out in the world it becomes fair game... for the serious, the disingenuous, and the dumb!

Peace
Babz

[Songkathy]

But why do so many people seem to feel like they must be junior editors as a response to poetry rather than telling you how it makes them feel. I would much rather some said it made them smile or cry or they hate poetry about rain than some one feeling like the best thing to say is "I' d take out this word or that or remove verse two." Then it would be their poem not mine. Kathy

[johann]

Most poets could benefit by an editor, junior or otherwise.
All sorts of drivel is written and the "poet" expects nothing but praise.

It's silly to say that if a person reads a poem that is poorly written (and recognizes that is is poorly written) that the fault lies with the reader. Only a prima donna would utter such nonsense.

[Paula]

Songkathy - I believe your argument is flawed, you cannot blame the reader for a poor poem as you would not be able to blame a diner for a poor cook.

If you place your poem in a public forum you have to be able to take whatever is levied at it be it praise, disdain or apathy come to that. You cannot specify, poetry is subjective one man's Wordsworth is another man's Pam Ayres.

I try not to comment on poetry as I know the author believes it to be good (otherwise they would not post it). The only poetry related comment I made was to Pete and it was the prelude to the poem I liked, although I did actually like the poem too.

I think all you poetry posters should carry on posting as you all have something to give, all good in their own way. But believe me there are certainly bad poems.