Comment from Pearl Edwards

Excellent

I believe you used your word - anaphora - extremely well in this poem Craig and have come up with an interesting lot of 'I believes' for this poem, I'm presuming Churchill used this for some of his speeches for him to get a leg-in. Nicely done,
cheers,
valda

 Comment Written 10-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 10-Jun-2018

Thanks very much, Valda. Yes, his "We shall fight on the beaches" speech is one example of Churchill using this technique. MLK's "I have a dream" is another. Thanks for the kind words :)

Craig

Comment from --Turtle.

Excellent

Hi, Craig,

I read through this poem... I was wondering about the repetition, so the last line did a great job of tying all the loosely bundled thoughts bearing the same start together in a way that made me smile. Each line established the opening beginning, in a way that led to curiosity to the next line, with rhymes that kept the subsequent thought linked in the listing.

All points easy to relate to, and though I'm not very knowledgable about Churchill, in the context of this poem, I figure he utilized anaphora in his communications.

A fun poem, it got the word of the day across in a showing over telling way that fell into place all at once.

 Comment Written 07-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 07-Jun-2018

Hi Turtle,

Yes, you're correct, Churchill was fond of anaphora, as shown by this extract from one of his speeches:

We shall go on to the end,
we shall fight in France,
we shall fight on the seas and oceans,
we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air,
we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be,
we shall fight on the beaches,
we shall fight on the landing grounds,
we shall fight in the fields and in the streets,
we shall fight in the hills;
we shall never surrender

Of course, he's not the only famous person to use it, one other very well-known example springs to mind:

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

Of course, there's more, but I think it's evident from the above examples it's quite a powerful technique for getting attention and drumming up support.

Many thanks as always for your insights.

Craig

Comment from dragonpoet

Excellent

I believe your last line is witty and true of this poem. I also think these are a good list of beliefs to live by. I like your apology to Winston Churchill for your complaint about him here.

Keep writing

Joan

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 05-Jun-2018

Thanks very much, Joan. Most grateful for the kind comments - Craig

reply by dragonpoet on 05-Jun-2018

You are so very welcome, Craig.

Joan

Comment from BeasPeas

Excellent

Sometimes anaphora is welcomed and at other times it becomes tiring. In this case it works. Where it doesn't work is when kids repeat "like" every other word. Winston was quite a guy. Marilyn

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

Like, that's a really good point, Marilyn (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Thanks for the kind comments.

Craig

Comment from closetpoetjester

Exceptional

I believe if I keep reading I'll hear everything you say
I believe if I keep reading I'll get smarter every day
I believe if I keep reading I'll be sinker, line and hook
I believe if I keep reading, I'll be purchasing THAT book!

I am definitely going to try and get that book Craig.
It sounds soooo interesting and I am all for interesting words in my poetry.
When you're on a writing site, most words...well, lets say they've had a good flogging, right? haha

Loved this.
I'll be back for another dig in awhile. I know I'll be in for a treat, whatever I click on.
Well done mate. You are a FINE poet. AND an Aussie. AND a pedantic metronomaniac.
I love it. Does it get any better?!

Sixer for you.
I can see I will need my own private hoard, JUST for your work haha

Cheers P

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

I believe it's not fair you do a better version of my poem than I did!

The book is cheap as - about $10 for the Kindle version (under $25 if you want to lash out on the hardcover) from Amazon.

Are you saying I'm an obsessive poet?

I'm not as obsessed as may seem
Writing poetry isn't my dream
I could give it away
Any time, any day
Oh hey, I just found one more theme

:)

reply by closetpoetjester on 04-Jun-2018

LMAO
It wasn't better. It was a mere tribute to the inspiration you've given me to GET that book haha

I can't wait for my next new word

Comment from Pamusart

Excellent

Hi Craig. I noticed that IdeasareGems Dawn wrote a poem aimed at responding to your post saying that we turn into dust at death. Ok so for this word, I am trying to figure out if you incorporated the definition into your poem. Thank you for sharing. ok. Got it. I believe. Lol

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

Hi Pam,

I'm a bit confused - I think Dawn's poem was in response to another poem of mine - Saying Goodbye. Maybe that is what caused the confusion about this one?

Thanks again for reviewing :)

Craig

reply by Pamusart on 04-Jun-2018

Yes Craig. I did not mean this poem. I meant an earlier one. She called you by your name.

Comment from Mustang Patty

Excellent

Hi, Craig;

I love this! I never knew there was a name for this type of writing. Now I have a way to defend a series of sentences that start the same way!

I love the thoughts expressed in your poem, and I agree with you about Churchill.

~patty~

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

Many thanks for the kind words of support, Patty. Glad the poem has proved useful too! Cheers, Craig

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

Well done anaphoric poem, Craig! It reminds me of the great "I have a dream" speech by Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.
The first three lines were quite serious and then the lines got progressively lighter with a little jab at Churchill. He was so prolific and alas, I never read him.

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

Thanks very much, Helen. Yes, MLK's stirring speech is an excellent example of the form. Most grateful, Craig.

Comment from Gloria ....

Excellent

It's only fitting that aphorisms be implemented so adeptly to illustrate our new word, anaphora. I love that word by the way.

Even though the observations are pithy, they nevertheless hold true, and it's because no one sees themselves as the "bad" guy. You have to wonder where all the bad guys are. LOL.

Great job, Craig. As is your signature style, a poem of great clarity with additional meaning kind of like the goodies baked into a cake.

Enjoyed!

Gloria

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

The bad guys are the ones wandering around with the t-shirts saying, "Don't give me a gun", Gloria. And I thought you knew how it worked ;-)

Many thanks for the great review - Craig

Comment from Sandra du Plessis

Excellent

A very well-written poem with figure of speach or otherwise named anaphora when looking at both sides of te coin in one phrase. It is sometimes good to be whitty with the tongue.

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

Thanks very much for the kind words, Sandra - Craig