Comment from tfawcus

Excellent

The simile in your first two lines sets the scene magnificently. You give us a sense not only of the rugged terrain but of the hallowed nature of the place.

A couple of suggestions:
like the waves(swell?) in a wave(-)tormented sea,
basalt and granite(-)hardened in creation(')s dawn

This line rolled off the tongue wonderfully well:
through the ancient collision of continents
and I admired scalpels of rain

 Comment Written 15-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 16-Nov-2020

Thanks so much for the excellent review and your wonderful comments and suggestions. I like that Scalpels of rain. I am glad you enjoyed the poem and that it seemed to illicite that great sense of the emotional reaction to the landscape. It's very much, I think, in the romantic scheme of things. Very Wordsworth, in some ways. estory

Comment from Wendy G

Excellent

Very evocative. You have captured the beauty and majesty of the mountains beautifully. And given credit to the Creator as well. Thank you for this lovely poem paying homage to your mountains, and for your notes underneath.

 Comment Written 11-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks so much for the excellent review and for all your wonderful comments supporting this poem. I am glad you felt the poem captures something of the majesty and the forces behind the landscape..that was what I was aiming for. Hope you catch the rest. estory

Comment from Sandra du Plessis

Excellent

A very well-written poem about the Appalachian mountains and the background of how the continents moving apart many years ago and how we actually are all connected in one other way.

 Comment Written 10-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks for the excellent review and for your wonderful comments supporting the poem. I wanted to try and capture something of the mystery, the sacred elements of that creation process...something of the sacrament of it. I hope I succeeded. It was fun to write. estory

Comment from juliaSjames

Excellent

I enjoyed your free verse musings from the mountain top, Estory. I have only seen these American mountain ranges on tv shows. But the feelings you express so eloquently can relate to other high places of the world. Our eagle spirit soars above the land and our spirit eyes see across continents.

My favorite stanza is

"Crouching mountain lions, perched eagles, sleeping bears,
the old bones of grandfathers and grandmothers
with their tired faces turned up to the stars,
lying down into their final resting places"

Wonderful imagery.

Thanks for sharing.

Stay safe

Blessings Julia

 Comment Written 10-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks so much for the excellent review and your interesting perspective on the poem. Its always great to hear that a poem captures something of a theme that people can relate to personally, I think its a big part of poetry, and the arts in general. Its always great to hear specifically what works in a poem as well. I tried to take these images, in some cases familiar images like grandfather mountain and Grandmother's nose, to give the mountains something of a personality. estory

reply by juliaSjames on 11-Nov-2020

In the Andes mountains used to be worshipped as gods. Perhaps this practice still exists. It's easy to understand why.

Blessings Julia

reply by the author on 12-Nov-2020

The mountains aren't gods. Just the creation of God. Through them we get this connection. estory

Comment from thaities, Rebecca V.

Excellent

Oh, this is going to be a great addition to FanStory. I have always loved mountains and to see them through your eyes in the Appalachian Elegy will be a treat!

 Comment Written 10-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks so much for the excellent review and all the kudos on the poem. I am glad you enjoyed it and that it evoked the mountains, and maybe the spirit of the mountains, for you. I will be posting probably one a week on this series. estory

Comment from Jasmine Girl

Exceptional

This is a very thoughtful poem about Appalanchian mountain. I have a colleague who tried to walk all the way to Maine and got cut short due to rain. I have visit quite a few national parks in the west, mid-west and east. I still need to visit NC. I like your analogy of sea waves and visual images of wild sculpture garden. YOu should post one of these pictures here for this poem. I have a few rock pictures that resembles human or alien faces.

Looking forward to the next poem.

 Comment Written 10-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks again for the six star review and your interesting perspective on the poem. I have done parts of the Appalachian trail, the whole thing from Georgia to Maine takes a couple of months, I think. You have to be prepared for all the weather. You need to hit the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most spectacular drives in the East. 500 miles of wild scenery. I did it once. estory

Comment from rama devi

Exceptional

Outstanding poem. I love the lofty and expansive theme, the delicious depth in imagery and the fantastic phrasing phonics. This captures the glory and spiritual magnificence and relevance of these wild sculpture gardens". Kudos. A memorable write.

Favorite lines

and we have to marvel at how that almighty hand
sculpted this stuff of the Earth's foundations,
basalt and granite hardened in creations dawn,
through the ancient collision of continents.


One spag suggestion:

a wave(-)tormented sea,


Perfect closing note.

Just love it!

Warmly, rd

 Comment Written 09-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks again, my friend, for all the support. Post something of your own! I miss your work...estory

reply by rama devi on 11-Nov-2020

Aw, thanks...no time for answering reviews just now...but I'll try to post soon. :)

Comment from Suzanna Ray

Excellent

Dear estory, indeed I have enjoyed taking this trip with you, I suspect this first post is describing the whole range of the Appalachians. From your authors notes I noticed that many segments of this continuous chain of mountains are named with colors.
Can you find any pictures on the Internet to post with this lovely series. I would love to see the faces looking up at God!

 Comment Written 09-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks for the excellent review and for your interesting perspective on the poem. The images were in some cases taken from familiar places like Grandfather Mountain and Grandmother's nose, here in NC. I used these to give the mountains something of a personality. Indian names often reflect animals like eagles, bears and mountain lions. I did the swinging mile high bridge on the Grandfather last year, in a fog so thick you couldn't see to the other side, in a roaring wind. A white knuckle, bucket list moment, for sure. estory

reply by Suzanna Ray on 11-Nov-2020

have you walked the whole Appalachian trail from north to south or vice a versa?

reply by the author on 12-Nov-2020

No. I have done parts of it. I have driven the Blue Ridge Parkway from Front Royal in Virginia to Cherokee in North Carolina. estory

Comment from Anne Johnston

Excellent

Very well written, flows smoothly and gives us a beautiful picture of the splendour of the mountains. They truly are God's handiwork. I have been privileged to visit some of these places and always marvel at their beauty

 Comment Written 09-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks so much for the excellent review and for your wonderful perspective on the poem. I am glad the poem was able to capture something of a personal experience of the mountains, for many people who read it. This series is deffinitely for all those who love the Appalachians. estory

reply by Anne Johnston on 12-Nov-2020

You are welcome. I enjoyed it very much

Comment from Bill Schott

Excellent

This poem, Appalachian Elegy, brings the powerful descriptions of these majestic mountains to the reader with the emotion that proves the love for the land, the creatures, and the elevated feeling, both ethereal and actual.

 Comment Written 09-Nov-2020

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reply by the author on 11-Nov-2020

Thanks so much for the excellent review and for these wonderful, encouraging, inspiring words. I am glad the poem was able to bring this experience of the mountains to life for you in such a powerful way. Something maybe of the spirit of the mountains, for sure. Stay tuned for the rest. estory