Amy's Place ... Poetry and Potpourri ... March, 2012

3-1-2012 | JustAmy; St.Louie1; MamaBear; Billie; Many Friends

[JustAmy]

Welcome To....


'Amy's Place' welcomes all poets
and those who enjoy poetry.
'Amy's Place' is more than just about poetry.
Come in, relax, and share with fellow FReepers
your thoughts about any of the things on the *Menu*.

Enjoy! :)











Never Forget!





Bad Penny



Amy's personal guardian ~
the ever charming, lovable, huggable,
LouieWolf




Many thanks for stopping by. : )

[oldteen]

The Great Physician at work, once again!

Such wonderful news, DD.

Continued prayers for comfort and quick healing!

[luvie]

Praise the Lord. I know you can now relax for a bit. God bless you!

[oldteen]

A real cutie, jaycee!

[oldteen]

Thank you, M.

Have a wonderful day!

[Kitty Mittens]

It's So Good to See you, Dave! My Heart is Rejoicing in the Goodness and Lovingkindness of our Lord.
We are with you in Loving, Caring Prayers.

(((((God Bless you)))))

[oldteen]

That is just too cute, Luv!

Thanks!

[Kitty Mittens]

(((((Thank you All for the Friday Pings and Posts)))))

[lonestar]

I support the troops more than you!

And my momma is older than yours!

Weinie

[ConorMacNessa]

Happy Friday to Amy’s Place!

---

Wearing Red to support our Troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan and around the world!

Nos genuflectitur ad non princeps sed Princeps Pacem!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[GailA]

I wore my Red ‘Paid in Full’ Jesus T shirt to the Navy base today, it was scratch off week, I only seem to get the 5% off ones. But the Commissary has the best meat around.

Now I want you all to meet my youngest sister’s youngest son, he is chasing his dream in Nashville. His name is Nick Cross.

https://www.facebook.com/nickolascross

[GailA]

that one is really cute

[GailA]

that one is really cute

[GailA]

Thanks MEG, got a call from the PC about 2:30 pm today, and it was just another piece of BAD news, seems I now have spinal Osteoporosis, to go with all the other spinal issues.

[NicknamedBob]

I was given a magazine today. Smithsonian, March 2012. Nice rendering of the Titanic on the cover, like the mural art depiction of it I saw in a building in Baltimore.

Second page, “Contributors”

Second entry, Billy Collins, with this description:

“Billy Collins, SMITHSONIAN’s new Poetry Consultant, is the two-time poet laureate of the United States. He has been called “the most popular poet in America” by the New York Times. Although he rarely writes on a commissioned subject, he wrote “The Unfortunate Traveler” (p. 43) specially for our Photography Issue. “I always think that I can’t follow orders very well — which is one reason I’m a poet,” he says.”

So I flipped to page 43, and read “The Unfortunate Traveler”.

Hmm. Maybe I missed something.

So I looked up some of his work on the internet. It was pretty much the same.

Maybe I’m missing something.

Maybe, like Pablo Neruda, he writes the original in another language, and it is of course luminously beautiful.

Somewhere, somewhen, someone must have told this fellow he is a poet. He seems to have taken it to heart, and believed it, for he says himself that he is a poet.

Maybe I’m just missing something.

. . .

Well, you folks mull this over, then. I’m going to go write a poem.

[lonestar]

Sounds like he went to the Maya Angelou School of writng poetry...if he’s as bad as you indicate!

I can’t stand that former madam!

[NicknamedBob]

Don't let me poison your perceptions.

Judge for yourself. There are other sites as well.

I really couldn't find anything in my search, which admittedly was cursory (no pun intended), which I would even compare with the translations of Pablo Neruda's work. (By the way, he's not my favorite, either.)

I commented to others that a writer like Louis L'Amour had moments of descriptive passage that were far more moving and evocative than Mr. Collins presentations that I have seen so far.

When I read Mr. Collins' work, I get what he is saying, but I don't find it any more impressive or memorable than a standard newspaper paragraph.

To me, poetry is about using words to evoke images, feelings, and ideas. Mr. Collins expresses his ideas, but his emotions are as cold as a butter-knife.

Predecessors in the role of poet laureate have been such as Robert Frost. I'm not sure what standards are used in these selections, but they aren't mine.

Apparently, for Nobel, and Poet, Laureates, and undoubtedly also for Presidents, things ain't the way they used to be.

(My poem follows).

[NicknamedBob]

The Stairway

The stairway always beckoned me,
Spilling out, as it did, like the offering,
Tumbling from the horn of plenty,
Gently laying out its proffering.

The wide base, and carved curlicues,
Evidence from months of effort such,
That craftsmen who must love their work,
Thus kissed it with their gentle touch.

Adventure waited! I could see,
Rising steady to unsteady tread,
Forbidden things, or, that must wait,
Until I could be trusted, Mother said.

To stand unshakily upon my feet,
To have the sense to hold the rail,
And with the blessing of my mother's gaze,
Begin my newest mountain to assail!

Then would the stairway narrow some,
No need to be the funnel that I saw.
Constraining thus my journey to a place,
To turn around and realize with awe,

That stairways will give rise to those who need it,
And safely bring us down to earth again,
The give and take of come and go,
Is based upon the flights of mortal men.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . March 16, 2012

[luvie]

Now, you ARE a poet! :) That’s lovely!

[NicknamedBob]

It's a touch more difficult when you know your work is going to be scrutinized and compared to others.

To pick a poet, I'd want someone who was harder on himself that on anyone else.

.

The Wordwright

“A natural at rhyming,” they said with quiet awe,
As if the effort of the work was just a lucky draw.
The poet grimly sets to task and nails the fabric down.
He stretches it to smooth it; portrays a bit of frown.

The subject matter fights him. He struggles on despite,
And witnesses remark there seems no effort in this wright.
While storms torment his vision, and tempests on him pour,
He delicately sets a bit of shell upon the shore.

The setting must be balanced. He knows it must be so,
But others only notice as the vistas slowly grow.
His struggle is exhausting, and soon to bed must he,
But not before he finishes his latest travesty.

So tempted to destroy it, his stare a rueful stance,
He shrugs and turns away from it without a backward glance.
“Another masterpiece,” they cry, and celebrate each rhyme,
And tearfully, he vows that he will do it right next time.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . October 25, 2004

[goat granny]

Billy came up with another great graphic.....:O)