Reviews from

Clustered Lilacs

The truth about lilacs across America's heartland

49 total reviews 
Comment from Lu Saluna
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

What a wonderful poem and it tells such a great story. I didn't know about the lilacs and why they were planted so abundantly back in the day.
I really like the opening and closing stanza.
Really great work!

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 01-Feb-2020
    Hello Lu Saluna!

    Much appreciated!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from kahpot
Excellent
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I love how you have not included the Lilacs perfume but also how you have given us their reason for being grown so long ago, very well done, great artwork for this poem which reds and flows excellently a pleasure and very informative to read****kahpot

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 28-Jan-2020
    Hello kahpot!

    So pleased my words resonated with you!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from LisaMay
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

You certainly got a lot in to this poetic offering - gardening, family history, sanitation, poignant tragedy... and life goes on. The bumblebees will see to that. "tribute most hallow" is a lovely phrase.

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 28-Jan-2020
    Hello Lisa!
    I am honored by your exceptional rating and complimentary review.
    This was a bit of a challenging undertaking!
    So pleased my words resonate with you!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from Lil' Mormon Boy
Excellent
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An enjoyable read. you captured the attention of the readers by supplying a history of why Lilacs were so rampant in rural areas. You used word and story masterfully. Great job.
thaanks so much for sharing.

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 01-Feb-2020
    Hello, Lil' Mormon Boy!
    So pleased you enjoyed!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from Teri7
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This is a very well written and very interesting poem you have penned about the cluster of lilacs and the truth. You used great descriptive words and lovely imagery. What a great story you have penned for us to read. I never knew that about lilacs. They do smell really nice. Thanks for sharing. love and blessings, Teri

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 01-Feb-2020
    Hello Teri!
    So pleased you enjoyed!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from Anna Spalding
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This poem evoked many senses; I could see the lilac bushes, smell their perfume (imagine the smell they were masking!), and feel the dreary winter falling away. But what I really appreciated and enjoyed, is the history the poem taught me. Lilac bushes are something that everyone can relate to and this poem is sure to stir up memories. I will never look at a lilac bush the same way again - thank you!

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 29-Jan-2020
    Hello Anna!
    I am honored by your exceptional rating and complimentary review.
    I, too, found the history of lilacs fascinating, and I've been surrounded by lilacs all my life!
    So pleased my words resonated with you!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from Raffaelina Lowcock
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

This is such a treasure of knowledge regarding my favorite flower, that I will bookcase it to keep rereading and save the link you nicely shared. Thank you for a beautiful poem that denotes such serious info from the past, that we never would have known.

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 29-Jan-2020
    Hello Raffaelina!
    I am honored by your exceptional rating and complimentary review!
    Additionally, I am honored to know that you are going to "bookcase" this offering!
    So pleased my words resonated with you!

    Thank you!
    diane
reply by Raffaelina Lowcock on 29-Jan-2020
    I have shared it with my daughter-in-law who was enamored of the information.
reply by the author on 29-Jan-2020
    Thank you, Raffaelina!
    You have made my day!

    diane
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

My grandparents had an outside loo, with a huge bucket underneath. When it was three quarters full, he'd dig a hole by the fruit trees and bury it there. He had amazing fruit crops! lol. How sad about the still born babies, but it was nice that they kept them near the home. That was a really interesting poem, and I have to say, the lilac blooms are one of my favourite scented shrubs. I enjoyed reading this well written poem. Well done. :)) Sandra xxx

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 01-Feb-2020
    Hello Sandra!
    A bit late with my reply! So very pleased you enjoyed!

    Thank you!
    diane
Comment from estory
Excellent
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The central theme of the lilac adorning the graves of the miscarried babies is a real powerful and interesting premise. I have a lilac next to my deck and I can attest to the aroma. The smell of the outhouses I think you can leave out; the real interesting image is that of the graves, a sense of rebirth after death, of resurrection and transformation. It's a bit long, I think it could use an edit to cut down to the central image which is quite powerful. More compact will make it more powerful still. estory

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020


reply by the author on 28-Jan-2020
    Hello estory,
    Thank you for your input.
    Planting lilacs on homesteads in America's heartland served a dual purpose; thus, to write just about the sheltering of graves would not have served my purpose. Additionally, more lilacs were planted to quell the "smell of the outhouses" than anything else.

    diane

    diane
Comment from MamaBebop
Excellent
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KT,
You shared some very interesting information about one of my favorite flowers that I never knew. I think that the lilac fragrance is lovely. I can see why they would plant it over former outhouse holes. You've done some great research. Thanks for sharing this informative and well written work.
Respectfully yours,
MB

 Comment Written 28-Jan-2020