Reviews from

For the Love of Words

Free Verse

58 total reviews 
Comment from Treischel
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

A very impressive piece, full of a plethora of poetic technique. Deftly written in a free verse format. Your ramble was amazing. Ty's only thing you missed was a statement at the end that says something like:

Are your words all these things and more?
Then you a poet.

 Comment Written 24-May-2016


reply by the author on 24-May-2016
    Thanks for that thought, Tom. The rhetorical question at the end would help to round things off, rather than having the ending tail away. I'll give it some thought. I appreciate your diving back into my portfolio for this and decking it with a coronet of stars.
Comment from Emily George
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Great alliteration and powerful use of the English language. A good poem, that made me think about the many ways we communicate to each other. "Forest gloaming" my favourite.

 Comment Written 23-May-2016


reply by the author on 24-May-2016
    Very many thanks, Emily, for taking the time to flip back through my portfolio to find this one. I'm delighted that you enjoyed it and thank you, too, for the six stars. Much appreciated! Best wishes, Tony
Comment from Pearl Edwards
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

There's some great lines in this poem Tony the first of many that appeals is
do your words just lie in the caves of unwritten desire
This is a fabulous, fun write but one you've put a lot of thought into.
Very clever,
cheers,
valda

 Comment Written 22-May-2016


reply by the author on 23-May-2016
    Thank you so much for your most supportive review, Pearl, and the accompanying six stars. Much appreciated! Best wishes, Tony
Comment from BeasPeas
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I loved reading your fabulous poem combined with the image. Smooth and exciting content with great word choices. I think you have covered all bases here as to what drives us to write. I cringed a little bit at this part:
"Are they blunt
with the Saxon brevity of fuck and cunt,
or is theirs
the long lascivious flow of copulation?"
But then I focused on two words--"blunt" and "bevity" and realized the entire grouping of words is perfect. (And--haven't I used those words myself while commenting to the news on the TV screen?)
Your poem is definitely a sixer, but I have only five at the moment.
Marilyn

 Comment Written 21-May-2016


reply by the author on 21-May-2016
    Thank you, Marilyn. I don't very often sink into the vernacular in my writing This is only the second time in about thirty years that I have used the F-word in a poem, and here more by way of illustration of the different styles and motivations behind people's use of words in their poems and in their speech than for any other reason. Many thanks for the virtual six - much appreciated! Tony
Comment from mfowler
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Your poem is highly original, passionate in its wording, and absolutely engaging. You use the question structure each stanza to explore the reader's feelings about their own use of words. I think where the love poem comes in, is the authors hypotheticals. He loves words with such great passion, that these questions frame the widely varied feelings and responses he's felt over a lifetime of writing. Often the examples are contra- pointed as in the opposites on sex. At other times, he teases and questions some of the destructive or soul destroying aspects of writing like letting words be dragged down by the bladder whack of scholarship. A true love affair with words, is this.
I am being presumptuous here as your poem flows with a really good rhythm. If you remove 'just' from line 7 of stanza 1, I believe it removes a dead word and helps the flow. Just a thought. Great work, Tony.

 Comment Written 21-May-2016


reply by the author on 21-May-2016
    Your six-star award very much appreciated here, Mark. I was somewhat outside my comfort zone writing this one and not at all sure how it would be received. I've looked at that 'just' in L7 and think I might leave it as it is. Having catalogued some of the things that impel people to write, I wanted to make a contrast with the wishy-washy cop-out of not writing at all. 'Just', in that sense, meaning 'only' - for those who have things to write about, but only leave them to moulder on the shelf, never taking the plunge.
Comment from DonandVicki
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

A love poem that held my attention with the tender and raw feelings that you have written into your work. Well written Tony.

 Comment Written 20-May-2016


reply by the author on 21-May-2016
    Very many thanks, DonandVicki. I'm delighted that this had enough in it to catch your attention! Best wishes, Tony
Comment from c_lucas
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

A poet can turns words into music. This is very well written with a smooth flow of words, making for a very inviting read. There is good imagery.

 Comment Written 20-May-2016


reply by the author on 20-May-2016
    Thank you, Charlie. I appreciate your review and kind words. Best wishes, Tony.
Comment from jonathan1
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I enjoyed the recorded reading of this piece. It was captivating. I found ths to be clever. The dissection of words if you will and the poem really captures their magic and their versatility. I thought this was a very enjoyable piece.
I think this was my favourite part.

Are your words robust,
driving chariots of fire across the sky
to stir new life
from the crustiness
of this old and wrinkled world?

 Comment Written 20-May-2016


reply by the author on 20-May-2016
    Thank you, Jonathan. I appreciate your review and kind words about both the poem and the recording. The passage that you selected as your favorite seemed to be well-received by quite a few others, too. Best wishes, Tony.
Comment from enitsalemap
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Yes, yes and yes. My words do all these things. I have them coming in five directions at all times. You were inside my brain with this piece. So interesting, arresting and universal, I think to writers in general but to poets in particular. Thank you.

 Comment Written 20-May-2016


reply by the author on 20-May-2016
    Very many thanks for this lovely review and for the six stars. Both much appreciated! Best wishes, Tony
Comment from L.lora
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

What an ambitious and ardent
undertaking you have here. Your
accomplished pen has crafted a
delectable meal for the verbiage
connoisseur. You tease and dangle
delicious morsels that demand
the reader engage one's mental
capacity in order to derive the
most pleasure from your penning.
No nits or spags, Good luck with
your contest. Lora

 Comment Written 20-May-2016


reply by the author on 20-May-2016
    Very many thanks for your review and kind words, Lora. Much appreciated! Best wishes, Tony
reply by L.lora on 20-May-2016
    You are most welcome, it was a pleasure. You woke my mind...which has been coasting for some time. Thank you for this gift. Lora