Reviews from

The Thief of Dreams

Kubla Khan revisited

65 total reviews 
Comment from estory
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Nice one, my friend. I thought you did a great job with the form, good contemplative meter and tone, nice job with the rhyme scheme, creating this ordered design. I really liked the images here, these tapestries of moments that seem to fade with time, with the threads pulled out by the poets to use in their new pieces. Nice comment on the creative process and building on the work of those that came before. "With careful stitched up words to form a quilt/ A Xanadu of pleasures can be rebuilt" were my favorite lines. Nice use of those 't' sounds to emulate the stitching in there. estory

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Very many thanks for your review, estory, and for your comments about the details of my poem. Thanks, too, for the sixth star. Much appreciated. All good wishes, Tony
Comment from A. Willow Bends
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This is stellar. I regret not having a six. This could be placed in a college textbook along with the artwork, it is that good, in my personal opinion.
We do not often see quality such as this, reaching so far back into history for a topic, but you very aptly did so and you nailed it! Great job!
Wendy

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Many thanks for your review, Wendy, and for your very kind words, not to mention the whiff of a six! Much appreciated. All good wishes, Tony
Comment from Jacob David Collins
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

I thought this was highly original and I loved reading it. I have never thought of the day stealing dreams. But it is true, sometimes I've longed to have the same dream again as it seemed so much better than the real world. A really well written piece. Good luck in the contest!

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Very many thanks for your review, Jacob, and for your kind words. Thanks, too, for your award of six stars. Much appreciated. All good wishes, Tony
Comment from dragonpoet
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This is a poem of hope that dreams may be weaved back together and come true through the use of a poet's use of the correct words in the right
format. Nice thought.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
Joan

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Very many thanks for your review, Joan, and for your kind words. Much appreciated. All good wishes, Tony
reply by dragonpoet on 23-May-2020
    Don't mention it, Tony.
    Joan
Comment from Louise Michelle
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

OMG - the first stanza really grabbed my attention. There was a time I tried to decipher my dreams, but it's really a difficult task. I love the poetic way you express that. And, of course, the entire poem is beautifully written and holds much depth. Hugs, Lou

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Many thanks for your review, Louise, and for your very kind words. Much appreciated. Delighted to hear that the opening grabbed you! All good wishes, Tony
Comment from Sandra du Plessis
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

A very well-written Sonnet about the thief if dreams that make sense while we sleep but when we wake up we cannot put everything into a sensible order to know what we actually dream about.

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Many thanks for your review and interesting comments, Sandra. All good wishes, Tony
Comment from Pantygynt
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Judging from the picture Xanadu would be a great tourist destination were it not for its proximity to the birthplace of Covid 19. Of course this should be written as a ghazal really but there is no contest for one of those -- at least not yet.

I caught a rather neat if oblique reference to the love story of Penelope waiting for Odysseus to return home, unpicking her day's weaving by night.

This is very good and forthy of my final six of the week.

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    I recently bought an audiobook of The Odyssey and have been listening to it while weeding the garden. It must be having some subliminal effect!
    I tried a ghazal recently. I thought it a dashed difficult form to do well. I suspect one needs a devious oriental mind.
    Thanks very much for the sixth star. Appreciated.
reply by Pantygynt on 23-May-2020
    You could be right. We looked at the form in the last class I did on European forms. Persia was a little outside Europe but only a little.
Comment from smileycloud
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

a lovely sonnet of magical language that paints pictures as clear as movie running before our eyes
patchwork , stitching quilts from fragments
all beautiful writing which lives in the era of the sonnets
the problem in the first stanza is so true, very little can survive the bright light of day
the intensity increasing in the 2nd stanza is very theatrical and interesting
closing couplet is lovely and full of expressions so rarely heard in modern times
have a smiley day
this was a pure delight to read


 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Many thanks for your review and your interesting and detailed comments, Smiley. I very much appreciate your award of a sixth star, too. All good wishes, Tony
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

A wonderful sonnet Tony with a perfect meter and end rhymes. I loved this line: "For poets can, at times, rework remains" as we poets do that all the time and just like chess games, no two scenarios are the same as we choose different words and our thoughts are diverse. You created a unique sonnet, much enjoyed, love Dolly x

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 23-May-2020
    Many thanks for your review and comments, Dolly. Valued all the more, coming from a skilled sonneteer like yourself. All good wishes, Tony
Comment from Frank Jauregui
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Blessings Tony, I loved this sonnet. It had a dreamlike quality to it, much like the image you chose, and it flowed nicely. The mentioning of Kubla Khan and Xanadu added to the mystique. Very well done.

 Comment Written 21-May-2020


reply by the author on 21-May-2020
    Thanks, Frank. I appreciate your generous comments. Thanks for dropping a sixth star on this one. Most affirming. All good wishes, Tony