tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post3701236345078361981..comments2023-11-03T05:59:46.763-04:00Comments on Keeping Secrets: CrossingsKarenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-65693267474245523902010-04-20T22:50:55.563-04:002010-04-20T22:50:55.563-04:00Poetry bus friends - Sorry for pooping out on wri...Poetry bus friends - Sorry for pooping out on writing a new poem, but my muse has gone. I'm not amused! This poem was based on real events that happened one night in November of 09. I had heard that an old man was struck by a train at the crossing near my home that I pass over every day. As I drove home in the darkening hours that day, the emergency workers and a few bystanders (family, I assume) were still there. The rest is in the poem. The buck was real and seemed to have something to say to me. I felt as close to a spirit then as I ever have. Thanks for reading this old one!Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-66392734150894237722010-04-20T10:45:27.593-04:002010-04-20T10:45:27.593-04:00Enjoyed this poem Karen. Understated but many thin...Enjoyed this poem Karen. Understated but many things heaped beneath the surface. I liked the atmosphere I liked these lines <br /><br />'Darkness hid the scene.<br /><br />I saw nothing of eternity,<br /><br />Only a huddle of people,<br /><br />Caught in headlights.'<br /><br />Is there no life after death, are we blinded by the light? But then does the soul of the man live on in the buck?. Intriguing.<br /><br />Was the poem based on real events?Totalfeckineejithttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05352708391465031655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-41440700545990752822010-04-19T18:18:19.469-04:002010-04-19T18:18:19.469-04:00See! Comments popping up all over the place, and d...See! Comments popping up all over the place, and disappearing from other places - grrrrrrPure Fictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04265599089734430505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-8623281097360694322010-04-19T15:55:16.715-04:002010-04-19T15:55:16.715-04:00Really beautiful - the whole poem works perfectly ...Really beautiful - the whole poem works perfectly (big apologies again for the linky mix-up - plagued by teeny blogging problems this week)Pure Fictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04265599089734430505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-46848862122367930952010-04-19T15:53:07.468-04:002010-04-19T15:53:07.468-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Pure Fictionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04265599089734430505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-10004289935703579012010-04-19T14:32:58.805-04:002010-04-19T14:32:58.805-04:00Gorgeous poem Karen, lovely illustration at the to...Gorgeous poem Karen, lovely illustration at the top and the end of it is just shiver inducing.Niamh Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06519443787482685320noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-44587426919922229862010-04-19T11:15:57.589-04:002010-04-19T11:15:57.589-04:00Makes you wonder about the old buck, eh? Quite an ...Makes you wonder about the old buck, eh? Quite an eerie poemPeter Gouldinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13292063172122249202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-4659678125379237492009-12-17T01:33:38.512-05:002009-12-17T01:33:38.512-05:00circumstantial stuff sometimes hits the hardest. I...circumstantial stuff sometimes hits the hardest. I very much atoned with part of this writing; so thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-67697205196457311352009-12-03T22:22:42.330-05:002009-12-03T22:22:42.330-05:00Sad ending for the man. I love how you brought th...Sad ending for the man. I love how you brought the buck into the scene. Somehow it was like the buck was the man revivified, and the communication as you stopped and had the shared gaze was ... how to put into words. I can't, but you did and it was haunting.Catherine Viberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01354073276671196477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-50575826968700035352009-12-03T05:43:46.313-05:002009-12-03T05:43:46.313-05:00'I saw nothing of eternity'
so much in th...'I saw nothing of eternity'<br /><br />so much in this one line<br />really like the ton you gave to thsi one and the way you ended it..Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-13651770465079607742009-12-01T20:21:56.617-05:002009-12-01T20:21:56.617-05:00Julie - I just got back here and see I neglected t...Julie - I just got back here and see I neglected to respond to your comment. I hope your holiday was wonderful, too. Thanks for the comments.<br /><br />ashok - Thank you for stopping by and commenting.<br /><br />Dave - Thank you, as always, for your comments.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-29417421917692754382009-11-27T05:55:19.002-05:002009-11-27T05:55:19.002-05:00This is wonderful The connections between the buck...This is wonderful The connections between the buck and the old man are many and layered, but the reader is left to form them. True depth!Dave Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08430484174826768488noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-73079218121482029702009-11-26T04:14:53.243-05:002009-11-26T04:14:53.243-05:00Beautiful expression difficult to find words.
as...Beautiful expression difficult to find words.<br /><br /><br />ashok<br />http://ashok-discoverindia.blogspot.com/ashokhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13740326096011490188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-90541346352974568852009-11-25T23:29:07.166-05:002009-11-25T23:29:07.166-05:00Absolutely beautiful, Karen. I love it from first...Absolutely beautiful, Karen. I love it from first to last, and it has a power over me that won't go away. I'm hitting the road for a bit but just had to come by to say hello tonight. It was a pleasure to read your poem, as always. I hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-31884976944127093732009-11-25T20:06:33.185-05:002009-11-25T20:06:33.185-05:00Let's see: besides a full-time job, grammy dut...Let's see: besides a full-time job, grammy duty, and company comin', today I baked four pies, prepped the turkey, gave the house a once-over, and TRIED to write a poem that still hasn't come together. (But your comment has me grinning ear to ear!)Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-45941840460483880872009-11-25T19:10:51.340-05:002009-11-25T19:10:51.340-05:00Hey, Lazybones! wake up and write something. We ca...Hey, Lazybones! wake up and write something. We can't carry you forever. Sheesh! ~rickRikkijhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10933627704520555139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-39226246089257739132009-11-23T19:49:16.664-05:002009-11-23T19:49:16.664-05:00George - Thank you! It's good to hear from you...George - Thank you! It's good to hear from you again.<br /><br />Margaret - If this poem did that, I am well pleased! Thank you!<br /><br />Jason - So true. It does seem that way at times; maybe that's what allows us to go on, the ignorance of our certain futures.<br /><br />Sarah - How wonderful! I am thrilled. I can't wait to receive your wonderful new book! Thank you.<br /><br />Kat - Thank you for typing in the poem. It is so very good, and I'm really happy to be introduced to Birney.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-42299764799443986442009-11-23T09:48:48.582-05:002009-11-23T09:48:48.582-05:00Karen and Mairi,
I have the poem in a collection...Karen and Mairi, <br /><br />I have the poem in a collection of Canadian Poets. Karen, I Will type out the piece and send it to you. (Hope I don't make any typos!)<br /><br />KatKat Mortensenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16877694888419628533noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-4953020413539283752009-11-23T09:36:32.250-05:002009-11-23T09:36:32.250-05:00Hi Lovely, just to let you know your name was pick...Hi Lovely, just to let you know your name was picked for a copy of my book. Can you email your address to selchieprint@yahoo.com).sarahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05937564243594887739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-79513520343262978832009-11-23T08:23:09.916-05:002009-11-23T08:23:09.916-05:00I wonder such things too. We have all the time in...I wonder such things too. We have all the time in the world. Until we have none.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-57818232140022342512009-11-23T08:14:57.796-05:002009-11-23T08:14:57.796-05:00Karen, your poems always take me places - this was...Karen, your poems always take me places - this was no exception! I was right there staring into the buck's eyes and seeing the soul of the dead man in them.<br /><br />An incredible poem!Margarethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17286909482780350161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-68113542264973118712009-11-22T11:30:23.219-05:002009-11-22T11:30:23.219-05:00Karen, I love the way you interwoven a couple of m...Karen, I love the way you interwoven a couple of metaphors in this piece. A nice poem...Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903004698363242844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-27302230778213628042009-11-22T11:21:35.403-05:002009-11-22T11:21:35.403-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04903004698363242844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-88693988503289434372009-11-21T19:20:54.919-05:002009-11-21T19:20:54.919-05:00Sarah - I couldn't help but feel the connectio...Sarah - I couldn't help but feel the connections, either, and I like to think the buck was carrying something of the old man with him. On the other hand, I'm always fascinated with the randomness of things, so your comment makes me think of place and time, too. <br /><br />Mairi - Thank you for the introduction to Arrivals. Reading the first few stanzas makes me ashamed of my own weak attempts at poetry but also leaves me hungry for more. Thanks for your generous offer. I very well may take you up on it.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5474566446391728432.post-7421040317330552612009-11-21T18:22:43.686-05:002009-11-21T18:22:43.686-05:00Sorry, it was the passengers in the train, not in ...Sorry, it was the passengers in the train, not in the car, getting back on after the accident, "eager for heat and motion arrivals/ and shaping already what happened." I looked online and as far as I can tell Arrivals isn't available anywhere. If you can't find it and Kat doesn't have it drop a note in my comment box and I'll send it to you. Here's the first bit -<br />"It was the hand that caught in me<br /><br />Sudden as a beast the blizzard<br />had whirled on us was gone<br />as quick over the hill and howling<br />through the next village whose spire<br />could be glimpsed blotting out now<br />in a grey fury<br /><br />And we wading a straggle of passengers<br />in town shoes through a snowscape<br />clean and cosy as any Christmas card<br />the small firs like spunwhite candy<br />spaced on the ice-cream hillocks <br /><br />Already the sunlight quivers down<br />burning on the narrow tracks at the crossing<br />and fires the sleet that sheathes one flank<br />and the bland diesel-face of our train<br />so small and innocent now it has stopped"Sheilahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11908332538776254864noreply@blogger.com