Rula
Rula
Feb 27, 2015
This poem is part of the workshop:

Effective Contemporary Pastoral poetry [Let's start]

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SUNSET (Collaborative pastoral workshop) (Stan & Rula)

In a rocker near the sliding door
he stares outside this winter's day
not saying what he's looking for.
Look closely, his eyes are far away.

For they are focused in the past
and forests where he used to roam
or streams on which he used to cast
far from this retirement home

The rocking went on, forth and back
as the sun set and rose again
while in his heart he kept a track
of spaces he'd escaped his pain.

About This Poem

Last Few Words: the beginning and the middle by Stan the ending by Rula

Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back

Editing Stage: Editing - rough draft

About the Author

Region, Country: Jordan, JOR

Favorite Poets: I favor the ones who are closer to humanity and

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Comments

R

raj

10 years 2 months ago

a good addition of the third stanza which i believe you have added to Stan's first two. It runs well in this collaborative pastoral form. I only have a small problem with the use of "dearly" in the concluding line...may be you would want to replace it with something smoother...just a suggestion I venture to make...

Regards,

Rula

Rula

10 years 2 months ago

my word was "deary" not "dearly", so do you still feel the need to chang.
writing a sonnet was easier than these four lines as I don't want to spoil Stan's piece. I always thought I am not good enough when it comes to closing any poem.

Do you have any suggestions... I mean to replace "deary"?

R

Dearly now goes pretty well as compared to deary, I don't see any reason for your apprehension with this form of poetry. Had I not sneaked into your Pastoral stream, i wouldn't have been able to make out that this is a collaborative effort...no wonder because this is collaborative effort of seasoned folks you have there....so don't nurse any self doubts..okay?

Regards,

R

you may now want to look at possibility of making the last line shorter.

Regards,

Rula

edits done. Hope it reads better.
Thank you!

R

raj

10 years 1 month ago

Oh yeah..it reads very smooth now. As always, you worked your magic :)

Regards,

wesley snow

is merely... a nonce word. A word created for a one time use. I play with them all the time.

Sparrow

A small point for Stan
S1 L4His look closed, eyes seem far away.
This to me is slightly better as it is a clearer picture..
Rula S3 L1 & 3 if I remember right the rocking chair has to be Back then Forth it is the way they are built, and has been Back and Forth since I made the first one in 1725 AD lol, these little things are the small things of English, that are stable in their writes, so I have made a second line but not sure of the word course to go with forth maybe you can find a better one,
The rocking went on back and forth
while in his heart he ran the course

Yours as always Ian..

S

The line in first stanza will be edited so as to change "close" to closely. I think that might clarify things. As to forth and back ,I think Rula reverse that in order to maintain rhyme in a following line.........stan

Rula

I did the reverse to keep the rhyme in the next line. If it is too bad, I'd think of something else.
I am not sure also if the last line/stanza built on to make an effective pastoral poem which Stan started.
I mean " the idea of tracking places that once held his pain" does it indicate that he lives now in peace?

Thoughts?

wesley snow

but I reverse platitudes all the time. Not to force a rhyme, but rather as a matter of course, of style.
E.g. "hand to eye", I say "eye to hand". Just sayin'

Rula

someone must come and revolutionize all the old thoughts. LOL. That's me :)
You can now see the rocking chairs rock forth first then back. Who cares, the important point is that they are still rocking, aren't they?

Sparrow

As long as we are not off our rockers it matters not, I was just being PC for later days when we are old.
lol.
A good write which ever way we sway young Lady,
You take care out there and have a lovely day,
Yours, Ian and the Children.

judyanne

It is a beautiful collaboration, but is it pastoral?
The ending didn't really make me feel relieved or at peace.... I felt that 'empty places that once held pain' was more sad than anything.... they should be filled with something better

Just me guys - I still really like the work
Love judy
xxx

S

Of spaces he'd escape his pain. Very little change and also conveys what I Think you mean. And ,no I don't mean copy this idea word for word, just a point in the right direction......stan

Rula

Rula

10 years 1 month ago

I appreciate it. Yes, a slight change makes a big difference.
I like it better now. You saved my day :)