Poetry Forum

I was flipping the pages of a book about Minor White's photography; US poet and master photographer ) a book by Peter Bunnell called: "The Eye That Shapes". I beheld a black & white photograph; circa 1963, of a "barn with a drooping branch" composed almost in the middle of th...

Kris, Interesting place you visited. Comments to date are about the place, so what about the quality of your images ? So let talk about your images - what do they need to make them stronger ? I loved the church; the colour contrast between the rest rust roof and the slate roof is great. Unfortunatel...

When I first looked at this image, I wondered is it about the "red-barn" as per Title or the dark branch -- it is in the middle of the frame; there must be some importance for this POV, that the photographer had undertaken. Otherwise there was a risk of it being a typical post-card cliche ...

My Fire, No offence taken or given I hope ( but you got me thinking now ...my tone eh ?, well I will have to try and do something about that - LOL) Say, thanks for your comments regarding my critique though. I was just trying to make some helpful suggestions to Julia's image making. I can't critique...

Hello Kris, My Fire When I first posted a comment, I asked Julia if a critique was required. She welcomed it. I read carefully what I had written -- I think I offered helpful advice and some well known ideas about photography. Namely, the successful photographs seem to be the ones that have a narrat...

Oh really !, the artist/photogrpaher has no inner necessity to express anything with his tools; medium of choice. He just wants to observe -- not possible Can I ask whose silent observation it is ? The photographer's of course. It is impossible to be objective observer. The photographer is observing...

Julia, I hear and know what you are saying. However there is a subtle difference here: it is not what the camera points at -- but what is in "your brain "-- how you see and what you want to frame for the message you want to impart visually. You can't escape this by denial LOL It is a visua...

Hi Julia, Not sure if you want a critique here, or are you just sharing a spur of the moment snap? Can I ask, what sort of a statement are you making visually with this picture ? If it is to capture the rich vibrant colours of marigolds in bloom - then you have a problem. You have the distracting in...

Elphin, Not you usual high standard here. It reads like a boring documentary (perhaps for a local vicarage rag), there is no development of ideas ( poetically) and the resolution in the last stanza is suspect. What is the connection between the hard seat of the pew ( do we really care ? ) and the me...

k-j I wouldn't ditch that poem right now if I were you. Keep it for later. As Paul Valery once said a poem is never finished only abandoned. You have a good crafted poem; we can see the effort that has go in. When the time is right, strike again -- I'm sure you will look at it in a different way. I ...

Why thank you David, I appreciate your comments.

cheers
Arco

k-j, L3 is a condensed abstract line. It does not work. You need to show why the "flying Geese" in L1 give rise to feelings of" illicit love" or the "insignificant proclamation" - easy said than done of course. I think to achieve this you need you amplify in a series of...

removed for poetry contest submission

Barrie, I don't think the last stanza does justice to your poem. In fact remove it, it is not needed, to me it detracts from the potency of the wake. At the beginning we have a crag looking in through the window. Then miraculously in the last stanza it becomes transformed into a mirror ? -- by what ...

k-j, I like the post modern treatment of autumn here, some great imagery. But is it me? , 3rd line " a declaration of illict love "? can't see the connection here .it is not a smooth image transition from the second line, perhaps we need more to aid the reader why that is so. good stuff ch...

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Thanks Barrie, it has been a long slumber.

I have been reading Cavafy recently and a couple of his poems stuck in my head ( though he has never written about the chalcidians)

I agree, your edits makes it much better.

thanks

cheers

removed for poetry contest submission *




no simultaneous submissions

Your welcome Barrie Thanks for scholarly notes, much appreciated ! I read this book of poems a few times, there is an intensity there as Praxilla would say: "pierces and burns the heart". The Greek spirit and wit is unmistakable. A superb and rare collection for readers/lovers of poetry it...

You ever had a friend that has turned out to be a dud ? Then this poem by Archilochos found on a fragment of papyrus may be the perfect response - LOL Liar by Archilochos Swept overboard, unconscious in the breakers, strangled with seaweed, may you wake up in a gelid surf, your teeth, already cracke...

Thanks David, An unfortunate family matter kept me away ... Don't be mind boggled, I simply posted something that I admired. Congrats on your promotion to MOD, now would you care to give us reasons why you love this poem ? - a textual analysis perhaps, now that you are a MOD ? : the poetic devices e...

Hello All, We all know that Keats was a romantic poet and many think his poem: To Autumn, is very close to poetry perfection. Unfortunately he died of consumption at the tragic age of 25. He was savaged; mocked, laughed at by his critics -- so did he lose the will to live ? You can't blame Goethe wh...

At The Funeral That I Missed - emuse Go Mountain Biking - cameron The Charcoal Garden - emuse Hiawatha's Big Night Out - cameron This Be the Verse - cameron Questions for the Ghost of Chuang-Tzu - cameron Siesta - cameron At the Sandringham Country Show - cameron Autobiography - cameron Gemini Twins...

kozy,

is jzhoop a rap artist ??? - is it a typo ? should it be jazz hoop ?? ; are you having a 'piece' of the jazz improvisational technique ?: are you saying there is a similarity to the big bang -- chicken-soup soul, new-age stuff etc etc ?

E, Bobby Thanks for the comments, for books/references, Emuse ( literature on Napoleon is a vast field) try the following (1) Napoleon & Wellington by Andrew Roberts - a good relationship study between two greatest generals (2) anything of "Napoleonic Egypt" nature eg Vivant Denon's - ...