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Martie
Moderator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-09-21
Posts 28049
California

0 posted 1999-10-06 01:57 PM


Locked in the soft shell
of childhood
the sun freckles into them
the energy of trees and grass.

On the roof
with a brown finch
and a crust of bread
concentrating to be still
they cock their eyes
at each other
not telling their joy.

The bird accepts the feast,
pieces it
then winks a wing
before flight.

© Copyright 1999 Martie Odell Ingebretsen - All Rights Reserved
donovan blue
Junior Member
since 1999-09-21
Posts 26
austin,tx,usa
1 posted 1999-10-06 07:21 PM


I must praise your ability to create a scene like this... I could see the whole thing. Especially well written was:

"the sun freckles into them
the energy of trees and grass."

I enjoy your vividness without being overly descriptive. It's nice not to have one's intelligence insulted by everything being spelled out. I'd love to offer some ctitique... but I love it just the way it is. Thanks...

Trevor
Senior Member
since 1999-08-12
Posts 700
Canada
2 posted 1999-10-06 08:57 PM


Good poem, I'll try and break down what I liked and disliked about it and why....

"Locked in the soft shell
of childhood
the sun freckles into them
the energy of trees and grass."

Great stanza and set up, really liked the first two lines. The only quam I have is with the last line....(Trevor wearing a mean scowl..."Excuse me last line, step outside I'd like to have some words with you!).... it seemed a little flat, I think it was the use of the word "energy".

"On the roof
with a brown finch
and a crust of bread
concentrating to be still
they cock their eyes
at each other
not telling their joy."
Another terrific stanza. One suggestion I have though is consider joining the 5th and 6th lines together. It seemed like the break between them was unnecessary.

"The bird accepts the feast,
pieces it
then winks a wing
before flight."
Three for three with the stanza's. Couple of suggestions though. Perhaps think of a different word other than "feast", maybe one that subtly relates the bird eating with its relationship to the two boys. Also maybe go with another word other than "before" perhaps "and" (I dunno, these are just suggestions) or just "flight" by itself, that might give it a little more of a "completeness" to the ending....."before flight" kind of represents to me that there is something after this. Just an idea, yours to do with how you see fit. Thanks for the read, it was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Take Care,
Trevor


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