tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post3863735853252939473..comments2023-06-18T04:31:00.678-07:00Comments on Raksha's Personal Blog: Broken GlassRakshahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11280365011937595321noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-62640926612271633242021-02-21T06:18:55.711-08:002021-02-21T06:18:55.711-08:00Linda: I get new things out of the poem each time ...Linda: I get new things out of the poem each time I read it. I would like to comment on the 1938 historical background, an event that took place before either of us was born. I first read about Kristallnacht in a work of fiction: André Schwarz-Bart's novel The Last of the Just. Reading about it affected me terribly. It wasn't a normal reaction. I've been in Germany a few times, and some places make me feel extremely uncomfortable, Hamburg being one of them. On some level, I am carrying Kristallnacht inside me. The prophetic parts of your poem are chilling, and a constant worry. What people don't realize is that the past is still alive among us. Thank you again for sharing your very powerful poem.Donald Traxlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15967409688402502372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-83809456631601193782021-02-16T19:55:59.868-08:002021-02-16T19:55:59.868-08:00I agree. Great poem, interesting perspective fille...I agree. Great poem, interesting perspective filled with emotion. It’s good to finally read your work after so many years. I’ve been a fan of your son and daughter’s writing for many years. It seems you have been quite the inspiration. 😀👍 Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00905688482889187223noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-15863765688040739582019-08-02T01:20:57.724-07:002019-08-02T01:20:57.724-07:00Thank you so much, Dylan! I'm so glad you fina...Thank you so much, Dylan! I'm so glad you finally read it--and commented on it. Most people don't leave comments, so the bloggers have to go by page views to know how many people are reading their posts.<br /><br />Love, MomRakshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280365011937595321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-73058963260168144552019-07-25T08:24:29.821-07:002019-07-25T08:24:29.821-07:00Beautiful poem. Proud of you for putting this u...Beautiful poem. Proud of you for putting this up and for working on a blog of your writing. Keep it up <3Dylannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-39917698673710780482019-07-17T15:06:53.026-07:002019-07-17T15:06:53.026-07:00Thank you again, Donald. Your praise and encourag...Thank you again, Donald. Your praise and encouragement are much appreciated and couldn't be more timely. I'm not going to say "I just might take you up on it" on because I definitely <i>will</i> take you up it, although I can't say exactly when.<br /><br />A poem is whatever length it needs to be to say whatever you're trying to say in it. In this one I was trying to say several things at once, all of them important on their own levels. For a long time it was the prophetic aspect of it that stood out the most strongly for me when I read it over ("As memory turns to foreknowledge," etc.)<br /><br />Note the date of publication: Sept. 3, 2011. Occupy Wall Street broke out about a month later, in October 2011. I don't recall the date of the first Occupy demonstration and encampment offhand, but it wouldn't be hard to find out. <br /><br />That event marked the beginning of the long and difficult counterattack against the forces of crony capitalism, oligarchy and patriarchy which is still ongoing and is now coming to a head. So that sense of foreboding, of "coming events casting their shadow," turned out to be quite correct.<br /><br />In recent weeks I have discovered another level of meaning in the last verse and the reference to alchemy, that I know I didn't consciously intend when I wrote it, but that seems to be perfectly clear now when I read it over.<br /><br />It's true that I haven't written any poems, long or short, in quite some time, but that doesn't mean the well is dry. And I know how to prime the pump. The best way is to read the work of other poets, and to read my favorite poems over and over, even to the point where I have them memorized.<br /><br />I have always been able to do that quite easily. It's what I used to do during my teen years in Redondo Beach, California, when poetry was my consolation for the painful social awkwardness and isolation I suffered during my childhood and early adolescence. It seems that every Swan has to spend a certain amount of time and as an Ugly Duckling. Due to circumstances I can't get into now, the Ugly Duckling period was longer and more painful for me than for children from more affluent families.<br /><br />There seems to be no doubt that I am a Swan now, but I still tend to forget it on a regular basis. Even my outward appearance reverts to Ugly Duckling, and that is what the world sees. I can't thank you enough for your much-needed and timely reminder that that isn't in fact what I am.<br /><br />Love and Light,<br />LindaRakshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280365011937595321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-52201551666248883492019-07-16T16:55:36.169-07:002019-07-16T16:55:36.169-07:00Ah, Linda, this is such a fine poem.We need your w...Ah, Linda, this is such a fine poem.We need your work--please resume!<br /><br />I am no longer able, it seems, to write poems of this length, but I admire those who do.<br /><br />Your voice is a powerful, clear, and precise one, and I don't think we can do without it.<br /><br />--DonDonald Traxlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15967409688402502372noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-7453281644883241362019-07-15T09:06:39.449-07:002019-07-15T09:06:39.449-07:00Thank you, Donald. I'm sorry it took me over ...Thank you, Donald. I'm sorry it took me over three years to reply, but as you may recall I was unable to post comments on your blog or any other blog and couldn't figure out why. I think I may have cleared up the problem last night when I edited this post to add the dedication. <br /><br />I was informed by Google that there was an http/ https incompatibility problem, which I fixed. This is an old post which was originally posted in<br />http like all my others. If it works (and from here it certainly looks like it's going to) I'll be happy to post comments on your blog - after I read your poems, of course. I must owe you about least 100 of them!<br /><br />Love and Light,<br />Linda (Raksha) <br />Rakshahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280365011937595321noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7088965984326304571.post-74509783513385690052016-11-10T16:53:07.168-08:002016-11-10T16:53:07.168-08:00Again, thank you for sharing this. I also found it...Again, thank you for sharing this. I also found it helpful and well worthwhile to read your original commentary in this blog. Please write more poetry. We need it.Donald Traxlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15967409688402502372noreply@blogger.com