Hi Graham,
Thanks for your feedback. Well, the note after the poem is my analysis of the poem, for what it's worth. I'm pleased you agree with the conclusion. Unfortunately, many editors are conformist and lack imagination and probably will not agree.

Best wishes

Comment is about WOODEN ZOO (blog)

Original item by john short

Thanks Ray,

Despite enjoying the creative writing I depend heavily on software to correct my bad grammar spellings etc but undeterred I carry on creating poetry for the reader to interpret.

Luke.

Comment is about Best foot forward (blog)

Original item by Luke

Lovely stuff, it can be a daily struggle to see the whole of a person reacting to only shards of them. Simple, classy stuff.

Comment is about piecemeal (blog)

Original item by Red Brick Keshner

Thank you Red Brick Keshner, I feel this has a little bit of everything whilst also a sad depiction of the life of Pheasants and their suicidal ways. Enjoyed your poetry muchly too. Thanks again!

Comment is about Presently Pheasantly (blog)

Original item by Wordseffectbrew

Loved this, Clare.

Comment is about And If I Never Met You. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Thank you Marla! That means a lot

Comment is about Unsure (blog)

Original item by Jane Ivy

She doesnt like bad language😂

Comment is about Alexa and Siri (blog)

Original item by Rick Varden

Thank you Holden🙂

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Thank you so much Flyntland. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I especially appreciate you mentioning the last line

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Should be "we're exposed to" and "reeling". I like the rhymes, but I'm not sure what kind of tone you're trying to set. I'm all for gallows humour, still it sounds a bit callous. But I could be misreading entirely.

Comment is about Best foot forward (blog)

Original item by Luke

Enjoyed, the opening couplet is excellent.

Comment is about Topography (blog)

Original item by Mike McPeek

Thanks for likes: Red Brick Keshner, Keletso, Holden & Naomi.👍

Comment is about Hiding In Plain Sight (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

It gets on mi bloomin' wick uz Alexa deawn 'ut mi local, still caunt understand Lanky twang; when aw tells 'er t' bugger off, er just sits theer, bold as brass!

Comment is about Alexa and Siri (blog)

Original item by Rick Varden

I read poetry because I want to know what the author (who I trust is a fellow human) thinks about x, y or z.

My reaction to such a poem may range from violent dissagreement, total apathy, or passionate endorsement of their views.

If, on the other hand, a human should get their pet monkey to hit keys at random on a typewriter, for an infinite amount of time, thus producing a copy of the complete works of Shakespeare, and then ask me for my opinion about the "quality" of those works, my reply would be:

A, the production of such content was a statistical inevitability,
B, the content was not dependent on the monkey's “emotions”,
C, you are as thick as three short planks, if you think I ought to be impressed by the content! 😐

Comment is about Authors’ body tries to mobilise writers over AI copyright (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

Thankyou Graham, and Tom, Red Brick and Holden for the Likes.

Comment is about IT MUST BE KIM (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

It's a really clever and tender piece John and I don't really think or like the explanation and I agree with its final sentence.

Comment is about WOODEN ZOO (blog)

Original item by john short

Be careful what you wish for JC 😂

Comment is about IT MUST BE KIM (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

These incredibly brief little pieces make a huge impact when delivered like this! So much said in so few lines. Well done indeed Mike.

Comment is about Topography (blog)

Original item by Mike McPeek

Thankyou Tom, Reggie and RBK for the likes on this one.

David.

Comment is about A Vermin Complete (blog)

Original item by David RL Moore

A really lovely poem, Naomi, filled with a grounded positivity! 💐

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

"Left alone in pieces" now there is a line worth living. It shines back on my poem: "piecemeal" to which fragmented pieces could be the actual picture of self. Superb thoughts in stirring poetry. 🙏🏻🕊️🌷

Comment is about Presently Pheasantly (blog)

Original item by Wordseffectbrew

It is rather depressing to think that human poets can only beat AI poetry by being more obscure and less accessible. However, as suggested in the Guardian article, the reality is more complex. There is, of course, the issue of what terms like 'accessible' actually mean. Also, as a bog-standard poet, I'm sure that AI, given time, could turn out stuff similar to mine, but only I will create the poetry that I actually write. So, as long as I don't rely on AI to help write my poems, I should be insulated from it. What other people think, of course, may be a different matter.....

Comment is about Authors’ body tries to mobilise writers over AI copyright (article)

Original item by Greg Freeman

I very much appreciate your comment, Hélène. There must have been so many instances where young love bloomed, just before the was the knock on the door, be it Nazi Germany or in the USSR or in many other dictatorial regimes.. They would have known love but not lived to have the memory. Love and life cut short. All so tragic.

Thank you so much once again.

Comment is about The Day They Came (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

The connection was through the drawing.

Take or leave the writing as you wish )

Comment is about overqualified (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

I can't see a connection between the piece and Catch 22. Is it an Emperor's New Clothes thing?

Comment is about overqualified (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

Your poem is beautiful - and I really love your last line, it is my dearest wish for my daughter.

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Yep, David, it was a great movie and an even better book. And the take-off scene from which the ink drawing is taken is phenomenal--I'm drawn to aeronautics of any sort and that particular feat of cinematics along with Yossarian have been inspiring to me on many levels...



“..there’s a psychiatrist who thinks I’m not good enough to be in the Army.’

‘I’m the one who isn’t good enough to be in the Army,’ Dunbar whined jealously. ‘It was my dream.’

‘It’s not the dream, Dunbar,’ Yossarian explained. ‘He likes your dream. It’s my personality. He thinks it’s split.’

‘It’s split right down the middle,’ said Major Sanderson, who had laced his lumpy GI shoes for the occasion and had slicked his charcoal-dull hair down with some stiffening and redolent tonic. He smiled ostentatiously to show himself reasonable and nice. ‘I’m not saying that to be cruel and insulting,’ he continued with cruel and insulting delight.

‘I’m not saying it because I hate you and want revenge. I’m not saying it because you rejected me and hurt my feelings terribly. No, I’m a man of medicine and I’m being coldly objective. I have very bad news for you. Are you man enough to take it?’

‘God, no!’ screamed Yossarian. ‘I’ll go right to pieces.’

Major Sanderson flew instantly into a rage. ‘Can’t you even do one thing right?’ he pleaded, turning beet-red with vexation and crashing the sides of both fists down upon his desk together. ‘The trouble with you is that you think you’re too good for all the conventions of society. You probably think you’re too good for me too, just because I arrived at puberty late. Well, do you know what you are? You’re a frustrated, unhappy, disillusioned, undisciplined, maladjusted young man!’

Major Sanderson’s disposition seemed to mellow as he reeled off the uncomplimentary adjectives.

‘Yes, sir,’ Yossarian agreed carefully. ‘I guess you’re right.’

‘Of course I’m right. You’re immature. You’ve been unable to adjust to the idea of war.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘You have a morbid aversion to dying. You probably resent the fact that you’re at war and might get your head blown off any second.’

‘I more than resent it, sir. I’m absolutely incensed.’

‘You have deep-seated survival anxieties. And you don’t like bigots, bullies, snobs or hypocrites. Subconsciously there are many people you hate.’

‘Consciously, sir, consciously,’ Yossarian corrected in an effort to help. ‘I hate them consciously.’

‘You’re antagonistic to the idea of being robbed, exploited, degraded, humiliated or deceived. Misery depresses you. Ignorance depresses you. Persecution depresses you. Violence depresses you. Slums depress you. Greed depresses you. Crime depresses you. Corruption depresses you. You know, it wouldn’t surprise me if you’re a manicdepressive!’

‘Yes, sir. Perhaps I am.’

‘Don’t try to deny it.’

‘I’m not denying it, sir,’ said Yossarian, pleased with the miraculous rapport that finally existed between them. ‘I agree with all you’ve said.’

‘Then you admit you’re crazy, do you?’

‘Crazy?’ Yossarian was shocked. ‘What are you talking about? Why am I crazy? You’re the one who’s crazy!’

Major Sanderson turned red with indignation again and crashed both fists down upon his thighs. ‘Calling me crazy,’ he shouted in a sputtering rage, ‘is a typically sadistic and vindictive paranoiac reaction! You really are crazy!’

‘Then why don’t you send me home?’

‘And I’m going to send you home!’

‘They’re going to send me home!’ Yossarian announced jubilantly, as he hobbled back into the ward.

‘Me too!’ A. Fortiori rejoiced. ‘They just came to my ward and told me.’

‘What about me?’ Dunbar demanded petulantly of the doctors.

‘You?’ they replied with asperity. ‘You’re going with Yossarian. Right back into combat!’

And back into combat they both went.”

–Catch-22, Joseph Heller

Comment is about overqualified (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

Thanks Tom!🙂

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Thank you Hélène.

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Excellent work Naomi. 🙂

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Hello Clare,

I am conscious that I seem to follow or precede many of Graham Sherwoods comments. I think we maybe are drawn to similar subjects and styles of writing.

I'm sure that Graham won't mind me saying that considering some of our previous differences it's refreshing to know that often we are on similar trajectories in respect of what we like.

Forgive me, it's merely an observation.

Regarding your poem to my mind it sums up the notion that every beautiful thing comes with some kind of pain, either sooner or later.

But then again life is beautiful.

“Let everything happen to you
Beauty and terror
Just keep going
No feeling is final”
― Rainer Maria Rilke

David

Comment is about And If I Never Met You. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Hi landi,

The still photo (I believe taken from Catch-22) only deepens the mystery of this.

One might conclude that you are identifying with Yossarians dilemma of being trapped in the futility of ridiculous rules, similar in some ways to being trapped within the genetics we inherit.

Always good to read and observe a writer that requires some thought.

David.

Comment is about overqualified (blog)

Original item by Landi Cruz

A splendid poem, Naomi. Rhyming words, good flow, encouraging thoughts.

Comment is about BLOOM (blog)

Original item by Naomi

People fall in love even in the worst of times. The title & last line "Until the day they came" plus the selected poem descriptors (tyranny) & accompanying picture (the knock at the door) evoke creeping facism. Fervently hoping common sense and freedom will prevail. But we humans will always fall in love come what may! A poem that has a touch of hope and a large dollop of sorrow. Well done, Stephen.

Comment is about The Day They Came (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Formidable, Hélène. And, you are right: the worm is turning, though not yet everywhere, thankfully.

Comment is about Dickens Said It All (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Thank you, Graham and Rolph. I'm glad that this poem stirs memories and gives rise to different interpretations. The last line could refer to various, and sometimes rather sinister, events.

And my sincere thanks to everyone who liked this poem.

Comment is about The Day They Came (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thank you, RBK. I will look forward to reading your poem when it comes out.

Comment is about Forgive, Not Forget (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Beautiful poem Jonathan.

Let us hope there is time enough still.

David

Comment is about This Work Is Done (blog)

Original item by Jonathan Humble

This is absolutely lovely Clare. A killer last verse!!

Comment is about And If I Never Met You. (blog)

Original item by Clare

Thank you all for reading my poem.

Comment is about BRAND NEW DAY (blog)

Original item by Martin Peacock

Thanks for likes: Aisha, Red Brick Keshner & Naomi. 👍 🏈

Comment is about Super Bowl (blog)

Original item by Tom Doolan

And to Stephen and Aisha.

Comment is about THE DEVIL'S PISS (blog)

Original item by John Coopey

Thank you so much Flyntland. I'm truly touched that the poem resonated with you on such a personal level, and that you see a connection to your beloved oak tree. That's the highest compliment a poem can receive – to connect with someone and evoke such meaningful feelings. I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Naomi

Comment is about A LINDEN'S EMBRACE (blog)

Original item by Naomi

Hello Stephen,
I love how your poem touches on the transient nature of youth and love, highlighting both the joy of a time without care and the inevitable changes that life brings. 😊

Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about The Day They Came (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Thank you Naomi, Aisha, Uilleam and Red Brick Keshner for your like. Very nice of you.
Regards,
Rolph

Comment is about The World Poisoner (blog)

Original item by Rolph David

Now that makes for a more corresponding connection than my poem of the same title which is more on a personal level and definitely not ready for public consumption in its present state. Been putting it off for quite a while and got a jolt reading your much more well composed one. 🌷

Comment is about Forgive, Not Forget (blog)

Original item by Stephen Gospage

Graham, I felt the same way, but also thought the whole thing a bit clunky. I've edited it and rejigged some lines, so hopefully it now has a better flow. Thanks for commenting.

Comment is about Hostage to Love (blog)

Original item by Rob J Mann

one word - Powerful

Comment is about Dickens Said It All (blog)

Original item by Hélène

Love the first four lines especially

Comment is about Hostage to Love (blog)

Original item by Rob J Mann

Rolph. Thank you for such an intelligent and engaged response. To critique democracy is like a sin against the holy ghost in this secular culture.

Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves. Thoreau

Comment is about A VIEW of the NEW 1922 - 2022 (blog)

Original item by John E Marks