Of all your poems, I think this one hit home with me the most.
We all draw our own meanings/theories/philosophies of what the writer
meant, and you have received much in way of that, so I will just say
right here:
"Suspended over an arroyo of stimulating idea
You were always refreshing
Reflecting the light of Thoth
Your were a true spectrum of inspired imagery
Like a star continually giving birth to itself"
is the crux of the poem for me
and from there your genius continued with
the same strength, symbolism and wisdom.
Love this!
No doubt people will read this and wonder if you've penned these words just for them. Such is the nature of poetry. We find ourselves reflected in the interpretation of another's words. The voice remains yours and what a voice it is. Thanks!
A friend once told me, "first you write for passion, then you write for friends, later you write for money ..." It boils down to this with everything most of the times.
Now, time has taken a different course
No longer inspired by a higher vision of self
You became distracted by goals and ambitions
That solidified your blood
Allowing you to become unfocused
By Faustian promises of prominence and greatness
You simply forgot to keep you guard up
And your pretenses down
It is part of growing up. Hippies become yuppies, who become republicans, who become disallusioned with the government, so they become anarchists. It is all a wash when you look over a persons lifetime. It's the things though in any given moment that seem so wrong at the time. ~ Sara
I believe it is easy for any if us to slip into pretentiousness when we are constantly being praised; be it for our beauty, talent or brilliance As artists, I think we often hang onto these praises and begin to believe that we are more than we truly are. Once we do that, we place ourselves above others and ultimately that leads to us losing our edge. This is a great write, Robert, no matter the tone.
take care,
Sherry
An extraordinary write on the perils of balancing artistic and spiritual integrity with the golden calf of commercialism. Definitely not an easy one to maintain after treading that "vast territory of poetic endeavor" for the better part of one's adult life:-) Great poem.
Reviewed by Kate Clifford (Reader)
Reviewed on June 25, 2005
Its an easy trap to fall into, one we all have to keep our guard up for. "Enjoyed the way you created and shared this thought.
Reviewed by Katy Walsvik (Reader)
Reviewed on June 25, 2005
In your quiet, poetic voice, Jude, you have blasted some universal truths, the sort that span the ages and cut a wide swath across the human psyche... that part of us that we are very familiar with.
You shake your fist at the truths, harsh as they sometimes are... I could hear my head shouting "YES!" haven't we all someone who has "sold out?" Haven't we all painfully noticed that too many with nature's gifts to share have gone the way of the "big buck" and sold themselves to the devil? Sigh... I'm keeping this one. For me, it's among your very best! WOW... katy xox
Great rant, Jude. Zips by like a speeding bullet. We all have to keep up our guard, our dukes too. Oh, life is but illusion; still, we get bamboozled by the show. "solidified your blood" I love that line. The great chase has solidified your blood; slow down, look inward, regroup and get the flow pumping again. Fantastic advice to give to someone you love who you want to see reach those "goals." Because some goals are really worth reaching when the heart's in the right place. Others aren't worth the paper they're jotted on. However, either way, when it comes to the soul winds of genius, who can follow them anyway? Boy, I'm thinking and rambling on here. Just woke up from a full night's sleep. ;-) Something I haven't had for more than a week. Love ya, mean it!
Oh, BTW, I like Jeff's review. It's a real review. Not insulting to the poet or back biting, not talking down to him, and ultimately positive. Quite refreshing! Plus, what he said about flatness of tone is correct. The poem's tone is flat, but as he suggested, the flatness is appropriate for the subject matter. However, what I applaud most about Jeff's comment, is that he said what he really thought right in your den by the poem itself. He didn't go off and write a poem with cryptic allusions and criticisms of your work and post it to his own den like a coward. I'm sure you've noticed that there are a few poets around AD who do stuff like that to other poets. I find such poetry amusing, but it would be more courageous if they also told the poet about whom they write to his or her face what they really think. Now that's a pretense down for ya! So much for The Emperor's New Clothes (hats off and kisses to the insightful kate burnside), the sexy shaman's always naked to the goddess. Hubba, hubba. *blows bubble gum bubble and then a kiss* ~~Nordette
Robert,
You've placed emphasis, on everything human, and lifted it from the page.
Not only do I not find anything about this 'flat', but in all respects, I find it more than just poetry too. It's as though you are making a conscience effort to struggle you're way back. Back from where, to get to where, is another completeness of it's own.
But you have to know and stay aware the struggle is yours alone. Just never lay down the pen, and it will never let you down.
I so admire Jeff for bursting "The Emperor's New Clothes" bubble which lingers always over your hallowed page - but I don't agree with him! I think your tone and register are honestly pensive and introstpective here and not flat; and the depth is about as deep as you CAN go, in some respects, into self-awareness and honesty. The whole poem reads and scans beautifully, has wonderful imagery - especially, for me, the waterfall mist over the dry arroyo - and its seeming effortlessness is what makes it perhaps appear "too easy". However, not an easy analysis to make! I also like "solidified" your blood, cos to "thicken" it might suggest an enriching of it, rather than a stultification. And the final couplet shines. Becoming prey to ambition and the hollow mammon of success is so subtle and none of us, surely, can be immune from this process or temptation once our head is turned by the appreciation (even if it IS flattery!) of others. But, temptation is ALL it is for those who are rooted and grounded in their own 20/20 vision of both WHO they are and of WHY they have been gifted with writing - because a gift is also what it is, free to be worked with and deveopped in our hands, but one which will easily be withdrawn and soiled if "the heart of gold" is not what's driving it. Mmmm... just put myself in a Neil Young mood! Such gracious wisdom descriptively and not prescriptively presented to us here this morning, Jude, for which I am very grateful... I think my tutors would be pleased with both the form and the content of this one: feet on the ground and vision corrected - smart! :)) Vulnerability becomes you. Kate xx
at this stage one has many ways to go
for there's a foggy past
and a not too bright future
one has to do with what's at hand
but the crave for writing never ends
how alluring those ambitions can become. God help us to always guard our hearts and minds from such subtle enemies. taking this like a pill of prevention that will reveal those Faustian promises for the hollow illusions they are, Dawn
Those who reflect the light of deities, though they fall from grace are only in a pause, and will always resume their upward journey evolving and becoming whatever they were meant to. Having the wisdom to know what caused the pause, is proof of this. Soar on!
"Thickened your blood" may have been a better choice of wording. The poem is a bit flat, and you are not reaching as deeply as you sometimes do, but that 'flat tone' fits the subject matter so very well that it merges seamlessly with the writing - which was possibly your intent. Your imagery, though, is quite vivid as always; especially lines like "...dispose of iniquity / With a simple gesture of your hand" -- Jeff
Robin Ouzman Hislop's poetry is certainly in dialogue with some of the key architects of the 'poetics of indeterminacy' – both the Modernist strands represented by the likes of Beckett and Stein, and the postmodernist strands represented, initially,
(Self-published. Please contact author directly to order.)
Enter the pages of diaspora in quiet introspection. Bathe your thoughts with subtle humor; synchronize your spirit-sense with history-in-heat; fall headlong with eyes wide open into
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Of all your poems, I think this one hit home with me the most.
We all draw our own meanings/theories/philosophies of what the writer
meant, and you have received much in way of that, so I will just say
right here:
"Suspended over an arroyo of stimulating idea
You were always refreshing
Reflecting the light of Thoth
Your were a true spectrum of inspired imagery
Like a star continually giving birth to itself"
is the crux of the poem for me
and from there your genius continued with
the same strength, symbolism and wisdom.
Love this!
Chanti
Now, time has taken a different course
No longer inspired by a higher vision of self
You became distracted by goals and ambitions
That solidified your blood
Allowing you to become unfocused
By Faustian promises of prominence and greatness
You simply forgot to keep you guard up
And your pretenses down
Absolutely great write, Robert!!
God bless,
Sandie.
P.S. - Happy Birthday Robert.
Heartfelt!
Rich Criso Suarez
that is always enjoyable to read.
Happy Birthday Ace! May you have Joy and Peace
throughout the coming year!
Blessings,
Joseph
long live defiance-- sometimes it is all we have to work with.
happy birthday,
Carolyn
take care,
Sherry
Paul;-}
TRASK
Love Tinka
Ron
You shake your fist at the truths, harsh as they sometimes are... I could hear my head shouting "YES!" haven't we all someone who has "sold out?" Haven't we all painfully noticed that too many with nature's gifts to share have gone the way of the "big buck" and sold themselves to the devil? Sigh... I'm keeping this one. For me, it's among your very best! WOW... katy xox
Oh, BTW, I like Jeff's review. It's a real review. Not insulting to the poet or back biting, not talking down to him, and ultimately positive. Quite refreshing! Plus, what he said about flatness of tone is correct. The poem's tone is flat, but as he suggested, the flatness is appropriate for the subject matter. However, what I applaud most about Jeff's comment, is that he said what he really thought right in your den by the poem itself. He didn't go off and write a poem with cryptic allusions and criticisms of your work and post it to his own den like a coward. I'm sure you've noticed that there are a few poets around AD who do stuff like that to other poets. I find such poetry amusing, but it would be more courageous if they also told the poet about whom they write to his or her face what they really think. Now that's a pretense down for ya!
So much for The Emperor's New Clothes (hats off and kisses to the insightful kate burnside), the sexy shaman's always naked to the goddess. Hubba, hubba. *blows bubble gum bubble and then a kiss* ~~Nordette
You've placed emphasis, on everything human, and lifted it from the page.
Not only do I not find anything about this 'flat', but in all respects, I find it more than just poetry too. It's as though you are making a conscience effort to struggle you're way back. Back from where, to get to where, is another completeness of it's own.
But you have to know and stay aware the struggle is yours alone. Just never lay down the pen, and it will never let you down.
Lisa
for there's a foggy past
and a not too bright future
one has to do with what's at hand
but the crave for writing never ends
William
Julie
Eileen
respects, -A.