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This Poem was Submitted By: Audrey R Donegan On Date: 2005-08-13 14:51:03 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Contradictions

These days are filled with life’s contradictions, Stacked high on sun stained shelves of experience, Like books begging to be read. I cannot taste the sweet honeyed relief of change Without suffering the bitter ill ease of stagnation. I cannot savor the bountiful beauty of love Without knowing the depths of loss’s reach. I must bear the harsh cruelties of winter’s rein To appreciate the kindness of spring’s warm embrace. I must endure the biting sorrow of death’s greed To live gratefully each day in joyful charity. These days are filled with life’s contradictions, A timeless story weaving, unfolding As we turn the pages.

This Poem was Critiqued By: Latorial D. Faison On Date: 2005-09-05 12:19:17
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.95122
Audrey, You are so right, and this poem rings more true today than the day you wrote it probably. You point to some major concerns, some real issues, the world's contradictions in this poem. Life is often so hard because we have become the biggest hypocrites we'll ever know. After what we're experiencing in the south as our brothers and sisters have been displaced by a natural disaster, it calls everything into question. You probably wrote this poem before last Sunday, but it applies to before and after the storm. Thanks for making us all think about the contradictions that are very present in life and in societies everywhere. Great poem. Latorial www.latorialfaison.com

This Poem was Critiqued By: Rick Barnes On Date: 2005-09-03 12:04:19
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Audrey - I think wisdom lay in the folds of paradox. I have, since the first time I experienced your work, believed that you understand and embrace these contradictions. This work demonstrates the depth of that understanding and the maturity, both poetic and experiential. I am deeply moved and glad that I have come to be acquainted with you and your work. - Rick

This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2005-08-24 22:09:08
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.76744
Contraditions, interesting title poet....one that does grab your attention and makes for wondering what might lie within the lines. Good structure, word flow, images created along with thoughts and perhaps a few memories of our own as we travel on. This one needs to be read over and over again for this reader has come away with more and more after each read. Thank you for posting and sharing, God Bless. The last stanza does say it all though, a journey through life, with its ups, downs, inbetweens and in the end do we find the answers we wanted or searched for or do they too contradict what we know.

This Poem was Critiqued By: Lora Silvey On Date: 2005-08-23 23:42:45
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.81818
Audrey, I really liked this one, one of your better ones. Well structured, easy flow of words, colorful images that set my mind to wandering and contemplating. My favorite line/s had to be, "Stacked high on sun stained shelves of experience, Like books begging to be read", well I take that back because there are several others that struck my fancy. Your poem is one that begs to be read and then re-read, Kudos. Thank you for the opportunity to read your work. Lora

This Poem was Critiqued By: Joyce P. Hale On Date: 2005-08-23 08:12:03
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.69231
Audrey, a wonderful write, comparing life with pages of a book, which can either sit on a shelf or be taken down to read and learn. You take feelings and experiences and note the high points, but acknowledge they would not be as sweet and enjoyable without their other sides, which makes the high points more appreciated and sometimes poignant. I especially like the ending, as a book which is being written each day, filled with our good times and bad/sad. Perfect title, of course. Bravo, Audrey. Peace. Joyce

This Poem was Critiqued By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2005-08-20 12:56:12
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Audrey: I love this poem. You contrast the contradictions of life exquisitely. I could go line by line, but don't find that necessary. The poem speaks to me, and I hear it. I especially love your closing lines, for they are all I need today of inspiration and wisdom: "These days are filled with life’s contradictions, A timeless story weaving, unfolding As we turn the pages." To be fully in life, we must live it, and observe the weaving and unfolding "as we turn the pages" as we surrender to change. Simply sublime in every way. This goes on my list. Best always, Joanne

This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Steven Scheffer On Date: 2005-08-19 11:19:28
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Audrey, The "contradictions" you posit are the immortal ones that confront every generation. I was warming up to the contradictions of this zeitgist, and you gave me the fundamental human experience. A nasty hook you have, twelve to six on the dial. To be effective, a "statement" poem like this - one not based on symbol, concrete imagery - must have a compensating rhetorical structure of some interest. It seems you tried to do that by couplets made of contraries, but you did it subtly, and not with the hammer and nail of a less effective, signaling art. Good. You knew what you had to do, and you did it. Mark

This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2005-08-17 16:55:26
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Audrey, I like this piece it's the best of all your work.[my opinion] I like it being full of wisdom. Contradictions being the balancing of the scale. Good/bad high/low up/down and so on. Life is opposites. As we live and turn each page.[maybe] I like Stacked high on sun stained shelves of experience, Like books begging to be read.[no one really wants to read another's book] Loved this, very mature. Dellena

This Poem was Critiqued By: Turner Lee Williams On Date: 2005-08-17 10:46:41
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.81818
Audrey--You've captured the true essence of life's on-going cycle. Not always pretty, happy, or even sad, but consistently and constantly filled with these "Contradictions" penned in your List/Narrative/Personified post. Never have truer verbiage been postured; "These days are filled with life’s contradictions, A timeless story weaving, unfolding As we turn the pages." As long as we are alive, this will always be the case for our celebrations. Well written free verse with vivid imagery for all the senses. Great show! TLW

This Poem was Critiqued By: Duane J Jackson On Date: 2005-08-14 07:53:22
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
Hi Audrey, In a nutshell, this was beautifuly written! Concise and expressive with rich imagery to draw in the reader, this is an aptly titled poem that conveys sentiments that most of us feel in these times of 'contradictions'. These days are filled with life’s contradictions, Stacked high on sun stained shelves of experience, Like books begging to be read. ----- very well said. 'sun stained shelves of experience' carries with it great alliterative sounds and innovative and original metaphor. I cannot taste the sweet honeyed relief of change Without suffering the bitter ill ease of stagnation. ------ you said it right. In order to achieve the grand prize (those precious moments in life) there is suffering to be endured. This verse highlights how easy it is to stagnate, how the impatience builds till the desired change is achieved. 'sweet honeyed relief of change' --- again, good metaphor. I cannot savor the bountiful beauty of love Without knowing the depths of loss’s reach. ------ 'bountiful beauty of love' -- nice alliteration and cntrast between 'having' and 'losing' and the contrary depth of loss. I must bear the harsh cruelties of winter’s rein To appreciate the kindness of spring’s warm embrace ------ winter's rein contrasted with spring's warm embrace. Winter rules like a tyrant while spring comes upon us with a welcoming hug. I must endure the biting sorrow of death’s greed To live gratefully each day in joyful charity. ------ the stifling loom of death contrasted with the charity of life...and what a thin line exists between the two..life is accurately depicted as charitable. These days are filled with life’s contradictions, A timeless story weaving, unfolding As we turn the pages. ----- just like the words contained in a book..so is it with life...our experiences become pages and devlop between the ups and downs of life. This was excellent! Carefuly chosen words, great meter..all in all well crafted, Audrey. A package!! Take care, Duane.

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