2023 Poem-A-Week Discussion Thread

[butters]

HA! HA! HA!
Broken_paladin!
You used all topics in ONE SINGLE POEM!!

GEEZ!!!!!

....maybe I need to come up with a 'Starts with This' and I write the first line....or something like Snows amazing shapes of poems.....hmmm....

we've had some really fun 'same title' challenges, or ones where a certain phrase was to be used. It was wonderful seeing the different tangents these poems would take off on Have you read any of the same title ones?

 

[Lyricalli]

(also yay Calli is back!)

Back might be a bit strong for the moment, but I'm aiming to be less absent. I have been peeking in regularly, in spite of my anti-social behavior. My creative focus has been on more hands-on activities for a while now, but I'm jotting down more notes and phrases lately, so that may turn into actual writing again.

 

[Angeline]

Back might be a bit strong for the moment, but I'm aiming to be less absent. I have been peeking in regularly, in spite of my anti-social behavior. My creative focus has been on more hands-on activities for a while now, but I'm jotting down more notes and phrases lately, so that may turn into actual writing again.

I'm just happy to see you here again and hopeful that the muse will strike and I can read what you've written. Your writing always feels direct and honest to me.

 

[Angeline]

Ms Butters, frustration is excellent! It's so angry I can practically see sparks shooting out of it!

 

[butters]

Ms Butters, frustration is excellent! It's so angry I can practically see sparks shooting out of it!

thanks, Angie
it certainly helps to live not too close to neighbours or loved ones at times, but this was inspired by all the bullshit going on at the capitol now with the house speaker debacle and what people say, what they mean, and how easily they ignore reality! it's mind-boggling.

 

[29wordsforsnow]

@Wonderer67

Sorry for being so undecided what reaction to give to your latest addition in the weekly that I didn't leave one, because

I do like that you have found a way to bring the dark to light for us to see, not to judge or critize, but more to realize. I absolutely do not like that we as a self-called 'civilized' species haven't come a step closer to leave the animalistic fighting behind - the old men in their ivory towers waking up one day with the thought it might be a good day to bomb their neighbors.

I do love that you find words and lines, the civilian pressure-cooked in a uniform has found this way to let off steam. Firing live poetry shells is a much better way than many other alternatives.

It would have been too easy to quickly pick 'sad' or 'laugh', the latter was a short-lived, already dying down in the throat, but also too shocked for tears over the happiness that no one got hurt - the absurdly best Christmas gift one gets, but no one would openly ever wish for. There might a better million options, like being far far away.

So, now I've run out of words. Thanks for farming my field of emotions.

 

[Wonderer67]

And now you have me… I want to love that comment. But not on the literotica “love” sense.

I understand. And don’t be sorry.

The story I told on the panel was just the absurdity and surreality of people in Santa hats, going to town. The black humor, the gallows humor of it all. That is part of army (and most military) culture.

The anecdote got a good laugh at the panel.

Maybe I should know my audience a bit better. I am certainly not trying to shock anyone - but really a story of a moment in time. Sounds cliche, but there may be some experiences that can never be experienced in a non military context, I guess.

And these attacks were really routine. Mostly just meant to annoy us. (It did.)

War is bad for everyone.

 

[Angeline]

It's too bad we can't all agree that the emoticons (with which I have a love/hate relationship...or should I say /) reflect our reaction to the writing and not the content. If I give a like or a love it means I think the poem is well written or great, powerful, affecting. I understand that often what makes a poem powerful is shocking or painful or sad content, but it's the writing I'm liking or loving, even as I understand that the content is, well whatever it is. I've had people respond with the sad face to some of my poems. I get it: there's loss and pain in them. But I'm ok, even if I post a sad poem. If what I write really upsets me (almost never happens), I don't share it.

Wonderer I love your poem. I think the juxtaposition of the more staid panel section with the horrific "Christmas story" works really well. One thing I might change is add a year (2023 or whenever the panel was) to the title of the first section. It would help balance the two parts imo. And yes that second part is shocking and powerful. And I love it because it's really strong writing.

 

[Wonderer67]

That was a love emoji like thank you so much, Angeline.

 

[Angeline]

That was a love emoji like thank you so much, Angeline.

And mine just now was appreciation/you're welcome! Lol I do so much better when I stick with words, but these little buggers are just too easy to use. (<---- see what I mean?!)

 

[Ashesh9]

Wonderer : i had not read your poem until i read all the comments on this thread and i zoomed off into the Poem a week thread and read it just now. Iraq 2004 was a Geopolitical controversy but your Christmas Day experience was awesome . I loved it . Your poem and experience . Not the Invasion and Not the story of WMDs which were'nt.
Best regards,
ash9

 

[Wonderer67]

Thanks ashesh. Yes - the entire thing was a shit show.

But there are magical moments that happened. Military comraderie is one of the best things to come out of these experiences. Altho my wife and I are extremely close, I’ve never felt a closeness more than with my brothers.

appreciate the kind words!

 

[Ashesh9]

such lost and licentious thoughts on these hard pews,
though Solomon's Song of Songs is hardly chaste.
Don't even think
about her breasts, loose among the lilies—
white blooms smoothed along her silken skin,
slipping down toward her waist.

Turn your thoughts to your stern God who yet
forged her figure, full of curves and swell
as the swirl of the endless sea,
teeming with Life as if temptation dwelt
in the dense waters of everywhere,
and such Love all but compelled.-----such Temptalicious lyrics Tzara!!!!! i really appreciate your putting real life thoughts on paper: keep on writing!!!!!

 

[Ambient4190]

Hi Tzara

There seem to be 10K or more images of Medusa on the internet. I see her with the snakes continuously writhing, hissing, and spitting...

 

[Angeline]

Tzara, your sonnet today is beautiful, one of your best imo. It's graceful and thoughtful but also informative, inviting the reader to discover Siddal and that painting of Ophelia. I'm going to check now, but pretty sure I know that painting.

(ETA: Yup I've seen it many times before!)