Jun 27, 2009

1st Edition of Virtual Poetry Circle

First an announcement, bloggers interested in reviewing poetry and interviewing poets, please email me your blog addresses and names so I can put you on my Verse Reviewers page. It will help poets locate blogs interested in reviewing poetry. I'll be working on this list over the summer.

In the meantime, please grab this button and proudly display it on your blog.

OK, Here's the first poem up for reactions, interaction, and--dare I say it--analysis:

Remember, this is just for fun and is not meant to be stressful.

Keep in mind what Molly Peacock's books suggested. Look at a line, a stanza, sentences, and images; describe what you like or don't like; and offer an opinion. If you missed my review of her book, check it out here.

This poem is from Sally Van Doren's Sex at Noon Taxes; check out my review.

"ENVY"

When speech accumulates
and the circumference
of the mindscape is threatened
by a worn valve, it is

time to make a gesture
of incantation, time to
warn the beasts who
wish to annex that

piece of the mind,
that hovering wilts
the pink flower, that
in missing the caveat,

we fortify our theorems,
and sleep through our dreams.

I will join in this discussion as comments come in, but I'm leaving the poem on the table for initial reactions. Have fun and don't be shy.

Don't forget my 2-year Blogiversary celebration giveaways, here and here and here.

7 comments:

Anna said...

I like the last two lines of the poem. I'm not exactly sure what she means by them, but I like the way they sound.

--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric

Serena said...

I'm not sure what exactly is going on in this poem either, but I really liked the last two lines as well. I think that's partially why I selected it for the first Virtual Poetry Circle post.

avisannschild said...

I'm a little bit afraid of saying the wrong thing here, but I feel like this poem is too cerebral. There are too many abstract words (maybe) and I don't really get a sense of what's happening or what the poem means. Even the concrete words are metaphors (the beasts, the flower), but I'm not sure for what. I don't mean to be overly critical, but I don't really understand this poem. (Have I broken all of Molly's rules? I must reread that book!)

Anonymous said...

I did not love this poem, but I certainly appreciated the math imagery. I think like avisannschild said, there's something about it that is too much. It's difficult to grasp exactly what is being said, but it is not in a tantalizing way, so much as it is frustrating. All that being said, I really enjoy the words van Doren has chosen, such as "warn the beasts/who wish to annex that/piece of mind,/that hovering wilts" I thought that was a great little section, with great enjambment.

The use of math imagery is awesome also. "circumference" "theorems"... but I want more! I also love the last little couplet. Superb! I wish the poem was, overall, a little bit tighter, there is greatness here. In word choice, in the title, and in the overall feel.

Serena said...

Great comments. I agree; I like the use of math imagery here--gives it a unique feel. But I do think the poem is too abstract.

Avis: I think you did just fine. Some poems take several readings and even several years to come to drips with. That's not encouraging for most people, but I love a challenge and will probably come back to this poem again.

regularrumination: Welcome to the discussion. I'm not sure I understand this poem either. I really enjoyed the final couplet as well.

avisannschild said...

Thanks, Serena, for reassuring me! (I had to laugh at "come to drips with" -- a great typo!). I'll have to come back and reread this poem at some point. I look forward to your next installment of the virtual poetry circle!

Serena said...

Avis: Gotta love those gems of typos. I hope that you continue to participate and others will join us.