Poetry and Poison
Viewing comments for Chapter 5 "Poetry and Poison: Chapter 5"Poems started their marriage; poems ended it.
33 total reviews
Comment from c_lucas
Opposites attract, but it does not mean that they will successfully bind together. This is very well written with a smooth flow of words, making for a good read.
reply by the author on 01-Oct-2015
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Opposites attract, but it does not mean that they will successfully bind together. This is very well written with a smooth flow of words, making for a good read.
Comment Written 01-Oct-2015
reply by the author on 01-Oct-2015
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Yes, c_lucas, the attraction of opposites "does not mean that they will successfully bind together." I am glad you found this chapter to be a smooth, good read. Thank you for your review.
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You're welcome, SC. Charlie
Comment from TomyKan
I did not read your previous chapters, but you provide an interesting analysis of your parent's poetry, which I think has inspired to to write also. The symmetry of one poem starting the marriage and another ending it is powerful. Your writing is very descriptive. Well done.
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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I did not read your previous chapters, but you provide an interesting analysis of your parent's poetry, which I think has inspired to to write also. The symmetry of one poem starting the marriage and another ending it is powerful. Your writing is very descriptive. Well done.
Comment Written 30-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Thank you, TomyKan, for your review. I am still stunned at the symmetry of my parents' poems. One poem about creation began their marriage; one poem on evolution ended it. I make each chapter a miniature story so that new readers can still understand it without reading the previous chapters. Thank you for your review.
Comment from Patrick G Cox
Hi Sis Cat,
Interesting analysis of the poetry of a couple evidently unsuited to each other. It reminded me of an article I recently read which reported a lengthy academic study of human relations and it concluded that because we now suppress or disguise or pheromones with deodorants, many folk make partnerships based on 'false' information.
Certainly a different understanding of our 'chemistry'.
Patrick
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Hi Sis Cat,
Interesting analysis of the poetry of a couple evidently unsuited to each other. It reminded me of an article I recently read which reported a lengthy academic study of human relations and it concluded that because we now suppress or disguise or pheromones with deodorants, many folk make partnerships based on 'false' information.
Certainly a different understanding of our 'chemistry'.
Patrick
Comment Written 30-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Yes, Patrick, certainly a different understanding of 'chemistry.' I cannot blast my parents too much for partnering based on 'false' information, because I would not be here if they did not. Thank you for your review.
Comment from Benjamin Valencia
Hi Sis Cat...The story really delves the reader into the mysteries of the poetry exchange. Your angle into Genesis in how you embed into the story is interesting worthy of the genre being speculative romance. The imagery and the image of your words vis a vis the attached picture is interesting. The pieces of the drought blasted landscape matches this journey into finding the pieces of the poems. The embers of which still etched in memory like Mount Saint Helens. Neat write and take care. Cheers.
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Hi Sis Cat...The story really delves the reader into the mysteries of the poetry exchange. Your angle into Genesis in how you embed into the story is interesting worthy of the genre being speculative romance. The imagery and the image of your words vis a vis the attached picture is interesting. The pieces of the drought blasted landscape matches this journey into finding the pieces of the poems. The embers of which still etched in memory like Mount Saint Helens. Neat write and take care. Cheers.
Comment Written 30-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Thank you, Benjamin, for your generous, six star review. This poetry mystery is unlike anything I have ever encountered. My Genesis angle on my father's poem blew me away. That poem was sat in plan sight for years before I took a fresh look at it. Images of drought, cut trees, volcanoes, wildfires, and ashes peppered the prose and poetry. Thanks again for your review.
Comment from chasennov
Chapter 5 of the book Poetry and Poison Poems started their marriage; poems ended it. "Poetry and Poison: Chapter 5" This is another excellent chapter you have created here. Poetry is in fact a mirror image of one's soul. Well done.
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Chapter 5 of the book Poetry and Poison Poems started their marriage; poems ended it. "Poetry and Poison: Chapter 5" This is another excellent chapter you have created here. Poetry is in fact a mirror image of one's soul. Well done.
Comment Written 30-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 30-Sep-2015
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Yes, poetry is a mirror of one's soul. My parents' poetry said things that they could not say to each other or to me. Thank you for your review.
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You are most welcome.
Comment from nomi338
This story bears so much on my own life experience that I cannot even begin to tell you. I began writing well before I even guessed that my father's mother and at least one of her sisters also wrote. IMy first meeting with my father's mother was when I was 28 years old. At the time of our meeting, we knew virtually nothing about each other. My grandmother seemed shocked when I told her that I wrote poetry. She asked me who was my favorite poet, I answered without hesitation that it was Paul Lawrence Dunbar. She immediately began crying as this was also her favorite poet. For 28 years, she had not bothered to meet me or speak with me. She was devastated to learn that we had so much in common. While this has almost nothing to do with what you have written, I am just trying to show how writing, and poetry in particular can affect lives.
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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This story bears so much on my own life experience that I cannot even begin to tell you. I began writing well before I even guessed that my father's mother and at least one of her sisters also wrote. IMy first meeting with my father's mother was when I was 28 years old. At the time of our meeting, we knew virtually nothing about each other. My grandmother seemed shocked when I told her that I wrote poetry. She asked me who was my favorite poet, I answered without hesitation that it was Paul Lawrence Dunbar. She immediately began crying as this was also her favorite poet. For 28 years, she had not bothered to meet me or speak with me. She was devastated to learn that we had so much in common. While this has almost nothing to do with what you have written, I am just trying to show how writing, and poetry in particular can affect lives.
Comment Written 29-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Paul Lawrence Dunbar was my mother's favorite poet, too! Yes, writing and poetry can affect lives. I know my parents more through their writings than I did when they were alive. I am glad our story inspired your reflection. Thank you for your review.
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A post script. My grandmother wrote a small book about a vacation she took in the early sixties and sent it to me to read. Tomy horror I did not look at for years. Sadly she died before I read it, it was crumbling and falling apart, as it was hand typed. I am proud to say that I self-published it and it is now safeguarded in a hardback edition.
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Yes, my father signed and sent me his book in 1996, but I did not read it until after he died in 2012. I wish I had read it earlier because I have so many questions I could have asked him. I am glad you rescued your grandmother's book. I am n the process of rescuing my parents' poetry.
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WE are on a mission you and I. Some of my relatives have researched our roots all the way back to the daughter of the white slave owner who fathered her. And I plan to write a book based on what we know about them, but not on the level of Alex Haley's roots. I'm not sure I want to work that hard.
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Yes, we are on the same mission. I traced my ancestors back to the daughter of a white tobacco planter. I created a performance about it based on my diary entrees and an audio recording of my grandmother telling the story about her grandmother. Here is my performance in San Francisco https://youtu.be/NkA4WLrvotY I may write a story about my great great grandmother. I wish you success on your book.
Comment from ciliverde
This is an intriguing piece, and coming into this at Chapter 5 I have a bit of background reading to do. For example, this is a biographical piece, so are these your parents' real poems or are they your own work? Either way, they are beautifully written and thought provoking. I found it interesting that you found the book of your father's poetry, and didn't open it until an impulse struck you some time later.
Making pesto from homegrown basil is something we do at our home in Southern California. I can also appreciate the reference to wildfires and the poor air quality having lived here for a few years, and many more years further north (Humboldt).
The quote from "Aftermath" is wonderful and very moving. Your thoughtful style presents a heartfelt exploration of what happened between the beginning and end of your parents' marriage.
-Carol
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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This is an intriguing piece, and coming into this at Chapter 5 I have a bit of background reading to do. For example, this is a biographical piece, so are these your parents' real poems or are they your own work? Either way, they are beautifully written and thought provoking. I found it interesting that you found the book of your father's poetry, and didn't open it until an impulse struck you some time later.
Making pesto from homegrown basil is something we do at our home in Southern California. I can also appreciate the reference to wildfires and the poor air quality having lived here for a few years, and many more years further north (Humboldt).
The quote from "Aftermath" is wonderful and very moving. Your thoughtful style presents a heartfelt exploration of what happened between the beginning and end of your parents' marriage.
-Carol
Comment Written 29-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Carol, they are my parents' own poems. Yes, I had my father's book of poetry for nineteen years and known about his "What is the Right Chemistry?" poem for three years, but did not take a second look at it until one day when I was making pesto. Once I got the Bible out and compared the opening lines, I was shocked.
I live in Northern California. Basil is in our stomachs and smaze is in our lungs.
Yes, these poems provide insight to the beginning and end of their marriage but not about what happened in the middle. That is yet to come. Thank you for you review.
Comment from Selina Stambi
"Just because opposites attract, does not mean they should attach.... how true. Deep.
Hello Sis,
This is very compelling biographical non-fiction. Both your parents were published poets? I love the find-the-clue-solve-the-puzzle approach to this story.
An engrossing read.
Sonali :)
Bridge nor Alcatraz through the smaze. ... not sure what 'smaze' is ... maze? haze?
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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"Just because opposites attract, does not mean they should attach.... how true. Deep.
Hello Sis,
This is very compelling biographical non-fiction. Both your parents were published poets? I love the find-the-clue-solve-the-puzzle approach to this story.
An engrossing read.
Sonali :)
Bridge nor Alcatraz through the smaze. ... not sure what 'smaze' is ... maze? haze?
Comment Written 29-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Yes, Selina, I added in the author's notes a definition of smaze as a combination of smoke and haze.
I am glad you found my biographical non-fiction compelling. Yes, both parents were published poets. My father published a book and my mother self-published books by going to a copier, but she never published a "real" book you can publish online or in bookstores. I plan to change that.
I am glad you "love the find-the-clue-solve-the-puzzle approach to this story." Thanks for your review.
Comment from Jay Squires
Andre, this is some of the most profound writing I've seen here. The relentlessness of your search through your Mom and Dad's goldmines, the determination to discover the truth through your detective-work, and the genuineness of you feelings, when the evidence slipped into place and clicked. I marvel at the product of your love.
Andre, it's my lot to fritter away my sixes usually before Monday. I read an awful lot by a lot of good writers. When comes along a true six, and I'm bereft of one, I feel like mourning my foolishness. I'm truly sorry, friend.
He dismantled Jessie's poem, God, creation, and the universe, like the couple had dismantled their marriage.[And you talk about the depth of his line of poetry! This, my friend, is some deep prose.]
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Andre, this is some of the most profound writing I've seen here. The relentlessness of your search through your Mom and Dad's goldmines, the determination to discover the truth through your detective-work, and the genuineness of you feelings, when the evidence slipped into place and clicked. I marvel at the product of your love.
Andre, it's my lot to fritter away my sixes usually before Monday. I read an awful lot by a lot of good writers. When comes along a true six, and I'm bereft of one, I feel like mourning my foolishness. I'm truly sorry, friend.
He dismantled Jessie's poem, God, creation, and the universe, like the couple had dismantled their marriage.[And you talk about the depth of his line of poetry! This, my friend, is some deep prose.]
Comment Written 29-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Thank you, Jay, for your kind, encouraging review. My father's poem was staring me in the face for years. When I took a fresh look at it and saw how he changed its first line from Genesis, that key unlocked the door to understanding this poem and my mother's.
Thank you again for your enthusiastic review.
Comment from Mark Valentine
Another fantastic installment - tying previous pieces together. It's been a while since I read Chapter 1, I may need to go back and re-read in light of this. I love the idea of life as chemistry - for me it has its own awe, it's own spiritual dimension. What a compelling way to juxtapose those opposing views of the universe. I loved your line, "just because opposties attract, doesn't mean that they have to attach". Deep.
Looking forward to the next one.
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Another fantastic installment - tying previous pieces together. It's been a while since I read Chapter 1, I may need to go back and re-read in light of this. I love the idea of life as chemistry - for me it has its own awe, it's own spiritual dimension. What a compelling way to juxtapose those opposing views of the universe. I loved your line, "just because opposties attract, doesn't mean that they have to attach". Deep.
Looking forward to the next one.
Comment Written 29-Sep-2015
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2015
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Yes, Mark, read Chapter 3 in particular because it includes the text of my mother's "Soul Artist" poem which she wrote in '63 or '64 at the beginning of her marriage. My father's poem after the end of their marriage offered an opposing view of the universe. I am glad you loved that line "just because opposites attract, doesn't mean that they have to attach." Thank you for your review.
