My granny's memories of WWII

This is a serious poetry forum not a "love-in". Post here for more detailed, constructive criticism.
Post Reply
littlebirdsaved
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2021 8:33 pm

Wed Jul 10, 2024 5:32 am

Yellow stands for the sun,
daffodils, egg yolks,  
and the dress she wore hiding in ditches.

The muddy stains wouldn’t wash off.
I get rashes after eating eggs,
bouts of sneezing around daffodils.

I wear blue dresses —
like the summer sky she watched
while lying in the ditch.
Macavity
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 12281
Joined: Tue May 10, 2005 10:29 am

Wed Jul 10, 2024 6:25 am

littlebirdsaved wrote:
Wed Jul 10, 2024 5:32 am
Yellow stands for the sun,
daffodils, egg yolks,  
and the dress she wore hiding in ditches.

The mud wouldn’t wash off.
I get a rash after eating eggs,
bouts of sneezing around daffodils.

I wear blue dresses —
like the summer sky she watched
while lying in the ditch.
Enjoyed lbs, especially the connect/disconnect. Made a few suggestions above. Particularly liked how the 'blue' managed to thread back to the memory without replication. How we signify/code was an interesting aspect of the poem.
ray miller
Perspicacious Poster
Perspicacious Poster
Posts: 7482
Joined: Wed Apr 23, 2008 10:23 am

Wed Jul 10, 2024 8:15 am

Good poem. I'd prefer "Yellow is the sun" myself, Stands for is a bit too much like waving a flag. I suppose you might add something about being easily sunburnt.
I'm out of faith and in my cups
I contemplate such bitter stuff.
littlebirdsaved
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Nov 04, 2021 8:33 pm

Wed Jul 10, 2024 8:52 am

Thank you both! Great suggestions
NotQuiteSure
Perspicacious Poster
Perspicacious Poster
Posts: 3660
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 4:05 pm

Wed Jul 10, 2024 2:44 pm

Hi LBS,
agree with Ray about the sunburn (perhaps as a replacement for the 'muddy stains' line?)
My niggle is with 'like' (S3, L2) - that 'watched' (plus the title and 'hiding') suggests the sky might be a source of danger, so perhaps 'the same colour as the summer ...'?

Regards, Not

.
ton321
Preponderant Poster
Preponderant Poster
Posts: 797
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2014 12:54 am

Wed Jul 10, 2024 6:37 pm

Hi LBS
Enjoyed the piece.
I like the way you have threaded "colour" throughout. Maybe you could elaborate with another stanza or two after the second verse, with more comparisons but it's fine as it is

Tony
Counting the beats,
Counting the slow heart beats,
The bleeding to death of time in slow heart beats,
Wakeful they lie.

Robert Graves
User avatar
camus
Perspicacious Poster
Perspicacious Poster
Posts: 5451
Joined: Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:51 am
antispam: no
Location: Grimbia
Contact:

Fri Jul 12, 2024 11:20 pm

I really like the concept here, the use of colour connections, the direct but affecting language.

It's short and sweet tasting. BUT I would question these rather convoluted lines:
I get rashes after eating eggs,
bouts of sneezing around daffodils.
They seem too convenient a connection?

For such a concise poem, every line must count. Personally i would approach a different connection but in the same vain?

Also agree with Ray:
I'd prefer "Yellow is the sun" myself
A fine read that made me try harder to crit, Keep posting!

Cheers
Kris
http://www.closetpoet.co.uk
Post Reply