........ On Poetry Poem by Valerie Dohren

Your poem raises a vexed question concerning the sheer difficulty of understanding the preliminary, surface meaning, much less symbolic, psychological, mythic levels, of many poems. However, I just keep reading and re-reading and do not surrender. There are still passages in Shelley, a favorite of mine, I do not understand. Someday I might. In the meantime, I stay close to the poet by staying close to the words. Your approach is also fruitful. You wrote a poem about opaque poems in language that is simple and direct and thoroughly satisfying.

Our Romantic Poets wrote sublimely. Like this :)

Humbly bow's in the general direction of your hearts poetic wisdom.

Amen! I think the gap comes as a function of the colloquial speech of our separate times but more so of the romantic period's insistence on the use of form. (Exquisite poem btw...) Not only are they using words that are either unfamiliar to us - several generations removed - or also those which have changed informal meaning - but they are stuffing them into boxes to make them conform to some (imo) random constraints of some poetic form or another. It is hard enough to decipher our own contemporary poets when squeezing words to fit let alone someone from two centuries ago. But I will agree that their poetry is most beautiful - even if some of their personalities were not....

Of men and rats and mice and men Then there's a woman named Dohren The words of Valerie are ours Before the canon ball devours I've come to grips with bloods and crips Of every poison gauntlet sips From the un to the Romantic From the Gulf or the Atlantic I've sufficed my appetites Over lunch and satellites While the words we weave will woe Silent kept shall overthrow May we never be redundant While our Dohren is abundant. P.X 3.21.14

Stunning and true, I write between the lines and I am an armature, how much more as regards the greats, full marks

ungilded words and simple verses attract my attention…delightful poem!

Simply beautiful and magnificent. So lovingly written. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this from start to finish. I see warm, welcome echoes in your poems Valerie of my favourite poet and her name is Ella Wheeler Wilcox. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this sparkling gem. Rated 10++ and added your good self and this poem to my favourite poets and poems list. I thank you again and take care.

Then simple verses should reveal The inspiration that I feel....a thoughtful poem, I agree with your thoughts.

Great work and great effort