[Critique Group 1] Leonard's commens re: Salley

[tuchyner5 at aol.com]

A description of your poems might be, thehonest expression of an undefended heart. 



Your writing is starkly honest , 



and I cannot immagine it not reaching thehearts of other open hearts. 



It doesn’t come any more real.  



For readers who have been where you are,they will know that they are not alone; 



and in so knowing can borrow from yourcourage to have  hope and strength tocarry on.




 


                               HOPEFUL Hands



Having read the whole piece, I believethis title says at least two things. 



One finds ways to stay occupied, evenhelpful and productive, without the spirit being totally within the work



. But that part of the writer that is inher hands does her work hopefully, waiting for the spirit to be integrated intothe work.



 



 



Eachday I wake



Withhopeful hands



So the writer wakes with hope.



Willingto perform



Purposefultasks 



OrActs of random kindness.



 



Thestupor of grief



Haslifted, leaving me



So grief is not the driver of this lostfeeling. 



I’m not sure whether there is or is notdepression. 



Either way, there is a lack of directionand perhaps meaning.  



Bewilderedon strange paths,



Adriftat sea holding



Abroken compass with 



Nostars to guide me.



These lines are clear. The message isclear.




 


 



Autumnturns to winter, and 



Myhands find work of



I’m wondering  about the meaning of the last 2 lines.  



It is factual that autum is turning towinter .  



But is the message also that the writer isaproaching , or feels that she is approaching, the winter of her life. 



What is her purpose now?



Theirown accord, but my spirit, 



Likefrozen fields, lies fallow



Frozen fields come back to life in theSpring.  



But of course, the question is always,“Will we get through the winter?”



Waitingfor the warmth of spring.



Ithink  this  last line is maybe the mostimportant line. 



The writer has an expectation that therewill be a Spring. 



This reader asks how strong thatexpectation is. 



SallyRosenthal



 




 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://bluegrasspals.com/pipermail/group1/attachments/20191031/4cf97807/attachment.html>