This Poem was Submitted By: James C. Horak On Date: 2006-11-20 12:45:14 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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Walking to Find the Woodpecker

Through my puffing breath and crunch of                               frozen grass. Through a cat's pleading for cream and a                          auditory guess. The persistent rat-tat-tat, wondrous little fellow,     carpentering, cultivating a next meal. I was invited more than once and came only                                     the third. The powerful don't like that, I'm assured. Crap on you, why are you like that, bonaventure                                         perhaps? Oh, we can't do well, it's then expected and becomes                                            welfare.  And I did not feel the same...after that. So, my little diligent, are you red on top or only                                    slightly mottled? Do you have the flaring feather tail, or is it                                             bottled? No, just another squawling jay on his way                   and pretense of being a nutcracker. 
Copyright © November 2006 James C. Horak

This Poem was Critiqued By: Claire H. Currier On Date: 2006-12-03 18:31:32
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.66667
Hi James, interesting read and here in Tully I hear that rat tat tat and search high into the tall trees behind our home in the woods and have yet to find the big one.........Interesting how you have brought the wood pecker to life though........red top, fluffy tail, big and exciting to look at. Nice read, made me laugh at times too. We are looking for something ost of the time.......thanks for posting and for sharing, Merry Christmas, God Bless, Claire

This Poem was Critiqued By: Dellena Rovito On Date: 2006-12-03 18:20:02
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.50000
James, [I like this] You hear a Woodpecker......go to find it.....it's eating from a feeder? [Oh, we can't do well, it's then expected and becomes welfare?] Then you find its an imitation. a blue jay... Did I get it? Something trying to be what its not? Hopefully this is the scenario. I like the crunching grass and you a puffing. Thats why I felt you to be at home. I had one [woodpecker] standing on my back porch by my eve hung feeder...he was big and scary in size. hugs, dellena
This Poem was Critiqued By: DeniMari Z. On Date: 2006-11-26 11:56:04
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Dear James, What a wonderful month of poems, each individual poet, has really surpassed themselves; and I find myself in complete satisfaction after reading all of them. This poem is especially good, and should be acknowledged as so. Along with wonderful imagery, beginning with the puffing of breath, crunching glass - it remains vivid througout the whole piece. I like the use of "mottled", rhyming with "bottled", fits in very nicely. I only wish, to be able to write like this at some point in time, but truly believe, it's a natural ability that just can not be learned, and live to be able to read the best here at TPL. My best to you with this. sincerely, Denimari
This Poem was Critiqued By: Mark Andrew Hislop On Date: 2006-11-22 18:03:29
Critiquer Rating During Critique: Unknown
JCH Ah, the stories this would tell if only we knew who it was talking about. No doubt the person is a wanker of some variety. There but the for the grace of god ... ... or such is the hope. MAH
This Poem was Critiqued By: Lora Silvey On Date: 2006-11-21 01:59:17
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
James, Perhaps I've missed the intent, however this reminded me of the welfare system and the people who run such programs that are suppose to help people in distress, their pomp and pretense as mosts main objective is to punch that little box that quantifies their paycheck.... and then I'm swept back to the forest to be reminded of how many pretenders to the throne there really are... even in the lushness and cold morning crisp beguiling are they and deciet is a foot. Bravo, excellent from all angles of exploration. Lora
This Poem was Critiqued By: marilyn terwilleger On Date: 2006-11-20 15:20:04
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.90000
Hi JCH..."puffing breath and crunch of frozen grass"...great image you painted with your pen! Occassionally I have a Woodpecker in my back yard and I find them fasinating...maybe I just need to get a life! So you are listening to the constant rat-tat-tat of this "wondrous little fellow" and suddenly turn from him and the cat and speak of someone or something more personal. At least that is how the seventh line speaks to me. Then in the 14th line you speak again to our little Woodpecker who is pecking himself to death...diligent fellow that he is! I know there is a message here that I am no doubt over-looking...but I know you will forgive me! Your last line is sorta deragatory to our little feathered friend. I doubt if he will be happy to be called a squawling jay who has a pretense of becoming a nutcracker! Hummmm, do you speak of a woman here, dear sir? Now there you go again...putting ideas into my little brain and making me think! Gotta go....more later. Hugs....Marilyn
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