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What is your favorite poem?

Who wants to share?
Place you favorite poem in comment and share with us why do you like it.

Comments

Good initiative IRiz...will follow this as a learning tool...
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raj (sublime_ocean)

It is my goal, to Lear from the comments here.
Since you answered first, will you write something about your experiences reading poetry? Do you like Tagor?

IRiz

author comment

Fact is that I haven't read poetry of renowned poets unless in bits and pieces, so sorry to disappoint you about this. Rabindranath Tagore of course is Indian and widely acclaimed poet...

i might read some of his writes and revert...as is said...never too late to make a start ..

suggestion: you may need to add words "other than your own" to bring more clarity
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raj (sublime_ocean)

You are brave to write without reading is like cook without eating.
It is all relative though I am sure you read more than many people who say they are avid readers. Anyway quontitiy doesn't matter much.

IRiz

author comment

What do you like from Tagore?

IRiz

author comment

What I said is a fact...what I want to do now "start reading Rabindranath Tagore" is also true...your Blog has inspired me to do that...thanks..
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raj (sublime_ocean)

Sounds good. Thank you.

IRiz

author comment

I'll pause now for Jess to groan lol

I had for my winter evening walk-
no one at all with whom to talk,
But I had the cottages in a row
Up to their shining eyes in snow.

And I thought I had the folk within:
I had the sound of a violin.
I had a glimpse through curtain laces
Of youthful forms and youthful faces.

I had such company outward bound.
I went until there were no cottages found.
I turned and repented, but coming back
I saw no window but that was black.

Over the snow my creaking feet
Disturbed the slumbering village street
Like profanation, by your leave,
At Ten o'clock of a winter eve.

*I think I like this one so much because I strongly identify with the protagonist watching others live their lives in company while he observes them....alone.

Thank you dear Scribbler! What a delightful poem you brought up.
Yes, I see what you mean, the recognition moment.
Writing a poem that relates to a reader is the key.

IRiz

author comment

for sharing this poem by an acclaimed poet. I loved the experience of walking with the Protagonist in winter.....After all criticism we hear about repetition of words, in this one "I had" looks like it is not a problem to do so....
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raj (sublime_ocean)

The longer I hang around here and read as well as write the more I realize that rules are OK but there are times when breaking them is alright.

She Is Near To My Heart
by Rabindranath Tagore

She is near to my heart as
the meadow-flower to the earth, she is
sweet to me as sleep is to tired limbs.
My love for her is my life
flowing in its fullness, like a river
in autumn flood, running with
serene abandonment. My songs are
one with my love, like the murmur
of a stream, that sings with
all its waves and currents

I love this poem because in such few words, the profoundness of Love is expressed. the metaphors used resonate with the gentleness of the theme and its rhythm...
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raj (sublime_ocean)

Raj thank you for the great share.
I love metaphors used in this poem they are so fresh and tender! I relate to the metaphor with tired limbs I walked a lot the other day and simply lying down became a huge reward for my body. The line about medow flower will be my meditation image for today. Thinking how close to earth it is, imagining the smell of rain that hides beneath, the semitransparent petals letting sun beams through, a little bug marching around, new seedlings popping through the old crumbs of yesteryear leaves, a couple of pebbles and a earth worm fat and happy sleeping because nobody told him yet that he is ugly

IRiz

author comment

Good to know IRiz that you liked this poem. Your comment vividly expresses how you relate to some of the lines and where it led your thoughts / imagination....

I was wondering why he placed a hyphen here "meadow-flower:...perhaps to show proximity? not sure if that was the intent...

thanks for inspiring me to read his poems...from the ones I read so far..this one appealed to me more than others I have read so far...
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raj (sublime_ocean)

This is a great example of the difference between chopped prose and poetry

Yes those were poetic lines no question

IRiz

author comment

for your read and comment. I agree with you.

Besides, use of punctuation marks is so very good.
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raj (sublime_ocean)

my favourite poem is actually the ballad "She Moved Through The Fair" by Padraic Colum. The air that it was placed around was from the middle ages but he wrote the words around 1917 I believe. you can hear it in one form or rendition or another by folk singers but the words are beautiful.

She Moved Through The Fair:

My young love said to me:
"My parents won't mind
And my brothers won't slight you
For your lack of kind"
Then she stepped away from me
And this she did say:
"It will not be long love
Till our wedding day"

She went away from me
And she moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her
Go here and go there
Then she went her way homeward
With one star awake
As the swan in the evening
Moved over the lake

The people were saying
No two were ere wed
And one held a sorrow
That never was said
She smiled as she passed
With her goods and her gear
And that was the last
That I saw of my dear

Last night she came to me
My young love came in
So softly she came
That her feet made no din
She laid her hand on me
And this she did say:
"It will not be long love
Till our wedding day"

Please allow for the fact that I typed this one out from memory so there's no punctuation. Hope you like

John

The fact that you wrote this from memory is testimony that it's close to your heart and I can see why..thanks for sharing...i loved the romance and the rhythm as well...
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raj (sublime_ocean)

Its my favourite poem because I love the romance of it and I have a romantic view of marriage even though sadly I feel its not something that will ever happen for me. Also I love it because it has the feel of a ballad or folk poem so its accessible to all people.

Thank you very much for a great poem you shared. The day never feels complete if I don't read a good poem. I like this one though the genre itself is not an easy reading for me.
I plan to post the poems from here to Instagram.

IRiz

author comment

I have other poems of other genres that I love almost as much but I wouldn't want to flood your page. Please I think it would be interesting for the numerous members on this site what is your favourite poem and why?

here is a version of the poem in the form of song. performed by Sinead O'Connor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1YxHZPcMaQ

there are many of them each one for its own reason
for example as a poem i relate a lot, I like Mary Oliver's The Journey
Here it is:

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice--
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
"Mend my life!"
each voice cried.
But you didn't stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.

the beginning and the end of it are the strongest

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice

.....

and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do--
determined to save
the only life you could save.

Beside the fact that I went through dramatic change in my life following my voice and relate to the poem, I like the simple language, the flow. The images are intentionally schematic not to let the reader wonder in the cute woods but to stay with the decision making moment.

But i have more. Just warming up here. hahaha. Thank you for asking!

Also often i like individual lines not the whole poems, I have millions of those.

IRiz

author comment

this one is like a leaf taken out the book of life, about situations which can make some buckle while those who find their voice and instinct are able to weather the storms....
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raj (sublime_ocean)

The Leaf in a book of Life it is a poem in itself.
Thank you for reading and being there.

IRiz

author comment

yes that's what's wrong with my poems "the cute words" sometimes just beautiful excrement. I liked the parts you highlighted as they are pragmatic elements that we all can relate to. I liked certain images like: "the stars began to burn through the sheets of clouds" that for me is like a moment that like a spice in a good curry stimulates the other flavours. maybe a silly metaphor but you understand what I mean.

I do understand what you mean.
I like this metaphor too.
You are too tough on yourself. One of the goals of this blog to summarize what is important for us when we read poems and see if we apply these things when we write.
My poetry very descriptive and I think it is hard to write relate-able poem. But it is only one aspect of it.
I think you like poetry you can escape to, am I right?

IRiz

author comment

I like original imagery but in an ancient setting. so yes I suppose there is an element of what you say. the poems I've submitted lately have been some sort of attempt to conquer the problem of rhyme though the majority of my poems are free verse love poems nearly all in a historical setting. I'd like to escape that and write more political stuff but I'm not sure I have it in me.

I am with you. My grandfather lost his sight in political prison. I have learned to love culture but stay away from politics. I don't have it in me either.

IRiz

author comment

Here is one of my favourite poems, mainly because I learnt it word for word sometime in Junior school, that was before I was 11 it has stayed with me all these years.
It is of a person away from England, just remembering a few of the things they miss.

Home-Thoughts, from Abroad

By Robert Browning

Oh, to be in England
Now that April's there,
And whoever wakes in England
Sees, some morning, unaware,
That the lowest boughs and the brushwood sheaf
Round the elm-tree bole are in tiny leaf,
While the chaffinch sings on the orchard bough
In England—now!

And after April, when May follows,
And the whitethroat builds, and all the swallows!
Hark, where my blossomed pear-tree in the hedge
Leans to the field and scatters on the clover
Blossoms and dewdrops—at the bent spray's edge—
That's the wise thrush; he sings each song twice over,
Lest you should think he never could recapture
The first fine careless rapture!

And though the fields look rough with hoary dew,
All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower
—Far brighter than this gaudy melon-flower!

But I shall never forget the poem that one of our agents during the war used to beat interrogation if she was caught, though she ended up being shot, in the film "She Carved Her Name with Pride" it was really lovely and a memory of all those that gave so much..

The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours

The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.

A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.

Leo Marks.

Yours as always, Ian..
The first poem is one that I learnt in school when I was around 9 so it has always been with me and where ever you are it brings old England back to mind..
The second poem was used in a film as I have mentioned, in the film it in its own way depicts the devotion and love of a few things like country and most of all the family connection where the star of the film gave everything for her beliefs ..

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

Oh I really appreciate your post, the last poem is especially wonderful!!!

IRiz

author comment

Thank you for this visit, and that you liked the second poem, the Ladies name escapes me, but she went away to occupied Europe leaving her young daughter behind..
On 24 March 1944, the poem was issued by Marks to "Violette Szabo", a French agent of Special Operations Executive who was eventually captured, tortured and killed by the Nazis.
It was made famous by its inclusion in the 1958 movie about Szabo, Carve Her Name with Pride, where the poem was said to be the creation of Violette's husband Etienne. (Marks allowed it to be used under the condition that its author not be identified.).
If you get the chance see the film it is really good, but maybe it is in black and white.

Take care out there and have a lovely evening , Yours as always Ian . x

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

I too loved the last poem than the first...thanks for sharing...as mentioned in the Blog, it would be good to know why you liked these poems
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raj (sublime_ocean)

but
RUDYARD KIPLINGS
IF
FROSTS
ROAD NOT TAKEN
AND ONE OF PABLO NERUDA's

I shall post as these have till today
living life's most

I had posted Nebula's with apologies here also
shall get back Irene
to thee gradually
Where have u lately been

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Dylan Thomas

I just read this one accidentally
Dylan speaks of death mainly
old age could be

I of my own composed
LEAD KINDLY INTO THE NIGHT

A message to a newly married virgin
just 19
who was scared of sex

so the message was for both lovers
maidenly perhaps

Good one Lovedly
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raj (sublime_ocean)

thank you Lovedly,
a good food for soul

IRiz

author comment

feeling like quitting
my poems have become like ESKER'S
in Q only
since ages

There are quite a few of us that have been here a long time that feel we should be commented on more.
Can we not look at it another way, I read most of the poems on stream each day when time permits and to comment on each one would eat into my time more than I can say..
It doesn't mean that your work is ignored and as for the quality of work the less comments the better the poem is received, or you haven't been strong enough.
Put in a couple of harsh words and see the change it makes some reply just out of cussedness.. We have been through this many times and we are still here young Bard so just keep writing,
Your Long standing, Ian ..

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

we two have seen and been here together since eons ago all neopoets know bard and critic Ian are twins of poetry let us begin and regrin
tell me how many read me
no damn comments are needed

I have surfed too long in turbulent wavy oceans
none can be braver in more sterner commotions
like being kicked around alike a football
a machine gun poet I was

But see I thank many Neo--- eee for the brass polishing of my poetry
so many now look upto me
Ian along side me
you and Irene be
see not many from Neo
will flee

Our young Bard answers in a good poetic way so keep writing and remember we are here always,
Yours Ian ..

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

hardly anyone reads my poems I don't know if it has anything to do with the working of the site or whether its just that I'm a bad poet. But I'll still write for myself I think maybe that's the point in the end

You are a good poet.
You just need to find your readers.
And you will. Give neopoet a bit more time

IRiz

author comment

I became a part of this site almost ten years ago. I can't believe its been that long. Most of the people who were there then have left not to return. that's sad. I don't write much but its nice when it touches someone. Thankyou for your kindness

John

No, thank you for your great poems.

IRiz

author comment

My favourite Dylan Thomas poem is probably "And Death Shall Have No Dominion" or "Seed-At-Zero" along with William Blake I rate these poets higher than Shakespeare although perhaps for slightly different reasons

Yes I am charmed by his honest poetry.

IRiz

author comment
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