Jennifer Ragan - Jen

Excellent -- thanks Derma. If you ever have need of a research assistant, I'll be the first to feign incredulity

So, fixed as in 'not easily (re)moved', presumably (loosely, or even metaphorically) applied to a process that is not easy (or is impossible, to the extent of current knowledge/ability) to be reversed -- like the scrambling of an egg/microwaving of pets/denaturing of proteins, or birth (ouch) & ultimately death?

'equal plain' -- tee hee.

Of course, the whole thing's complete garbage.

Ha! Only joking -- it's utterly sublime.

© L Doom 1895 BCE

and the leaves shall cry out, with the winds moving tempo

no longer held by stillness, to their fallen estate.

Loved this poem! very nice

We'd never have decent flowers without good compost   Rather than "upon the mercy and whim", it's more correct to say "at the mercy and whim".  I'm not sure you need to say "something" that can't be seen or touched, it's unnecessary, what about "at the mercy and whim of that which can't be seen or touched"?

Hi Stephan, 

Long time no chat, hope all is well.

Simple ain't so simple but when it's done well, it's simply beautiful.  Like this:)

Very interesting topic.  I think back when I wasn't aware of certain "writing faults", and I was much more prolific and maybe a bit more creative too.  I didn't think about cliche's, forced rhyme, broken meter, or what's been done before, I just wrote to write. Sometimes thinking too much about what poetry should or shouldn't be can stifle the whole writing process. Still, it's important to learn the basics, and about what good writing is, even though it might feel a bit stifling.   I do think that true originality exists, and it happens when you read poetry from poets who have taken something common and made the reader see, feel, or view something in a way unexpected or new.  To illustrate this, I always go back to Ranier Maria Rilke and his poem:

"The Panther"

His vision, from the constantly passing bars,
has grown so weary that it cannot hold
anything else. It seems to him there are
a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.

As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,
the movement of his powerful soft strides
is like a ritual dance around a center
in which a mighty will stands paralyzed.

Only at times, the curtain of the pupils
lifts, quietly--. An image enters in,
rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,
plunges into the heart and is gone.

Rainer Maria Rilke

this is beautiful.

Perhaps the green

that seems obscene

will paint the lawn

it's dribbled on

and cause a rose

to swiftly grow

that doesn't smell a bit

like...monster

:)

Is the change the spacing in line #2?  Whatever, I really like this.  You've managed to say a lot with so very little.  Kudos to you!

was the creeper

in a sleeper?

did the parents

opt to keep her?

Is that code for colonic irritation?

if you want to unwatch...click 'forget'

I'm the most boring person on the planet and I really like this.

I have a 16 year old son and a 13 year old daughter.  They are both inhuman and today is the first day of summer vacation.  Please pray for me.

I like the images you created, especially the fish swimming beneath the frozen pond. 

Very merry confabulations to y'all. I have the magazine and it looks sublime. - poetry , cover art, even the publisher's note merits its place, right at the back. [sniggle]

I'm all admiration [despite being under headphones - having no musical taste to scream of, I am sliming in the face of adversity, or perhaps absurdity]

A huge simianulated ellipse of applause for Kath, Richard and Bruce and their respective therapists :>