This Poem was Submitted By: Joanne M Uppendahl On Date: 2004-06-15 23:10:18 . . . Click Here To Mail this Poem to a Friend!

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On the Character of Climbing Vines

Once again I see you, ivy, growing heedless, reckless, wildly  falling headlong, not accepting caution -- no you simply conquer corners. Changing angles won’t deter you nor delay your steep advance. I look for you as if to find you gone would make me weep; I also see the way your leaves are deeply grained, how in the heat you pour like melted butter gently sliding down the sides of that old building.  In fall you are first to show your taunt in red  and hold it there  until the snow, when you decrease and loosen, softening your glow so bricks can breathe.  I’m almost glad to see you go. In spring, you profligately fling your greenness to the birds and wind, hold out your leafy fingers to the pounding rain, as if no wet  can dampen your resolve to see it through another May--please stay.

Copyright © June 2004 Joanne M Uppendahl

Additional Notes:
Rev.


This Poem was Critiqued By: Thomas Edward Wright On Date: 2004-06-21 04:34:34
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.31250
Rev.- Review Reverend Revere Reverence Revenant Revelation Revile Revoke Reveal Reverberate BTW - I'm not sure I like " - please stay." I think it's more powerful without it. I like the longer line. And the ivy on the old lime. Stone


This Poem was Critiqued By: Turner Lee Williams On Date: 2004-06-19 19:33:34
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.36364
Joanne--A well thought out personification ditty from the title through the excellent simile (like melted butter) and internal/end rimes (heedless/reckless; steep/weep; show/snow/glow/go; spring/fling; May/stay). The descriptors used create vivid imagery and convey a tone of fondness for this plant genre. Thanks for sharing this uplifting nature piece. TLW
This Poem was Critiqued By: Mell W. Morris On Date: 2004-06-18 20:26:54
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
LL: Just read your pith-less posting on the forum. Thank you, thank you! Reading the title piques my curiosity...what do vines have in common? They scale upward, seem to produce tendrils to abet their ascent, some have berries or grapes or flowers and then I thought how much I've always loved the sound of "liana." That led me to ivy covering so many venerated bldgs, the Halls of Ivy, and Ivy Leaague. Stanza 1 tells us poet sees ivy as reckless, growing without heed or caution. I like the phrase "not accepting caution--no, you simply conquer corners." And I realized vines are all about corners and angles, much less deterred nor delayed by their steep rise. So much harmony and allits and poetics in every line; magical in description. To find ivy gone would bring tears...such tenderness displayed here. The simile is grand: the ivy slides down the sides of the buildings like melted butter. Summer heat. Which segues to the ivy's first red taunt of season's change then softens the snow glow so bricks can breathe. Nice allit but is that true? Autumn and winter are not the seasons for your climbing vines, per your account. Your last stanza gallops across the screen to announce the arrival of profligate spring, its extravagant greenness, birds and wind, and of course, always rain. Poet sees her vines as accepting their lives in all seasons, never defeated but suitably clinging to life. As do we all. A metaphor for life, for acceptance of its vagaries, to put down strong and sturdy roots with the announcement of an undefeated resolve to continue each season we are granted (and my own addition of gratitude for one more spring.) This is tender, filled with pathos and optimistic joy at the same time. I truly needed to hear this poem today. You cast magic with this exquisite writing. A winner, Best wishes, Your Wanna-be Nekk
This Poem was Critiqued By: marilyn terwilleger On Date: 2004-06-16 21:19:24
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 9.85714
Hi Joanne, I just finished a crit on a poem that completly jarred my senses and you will never know how I longed for a poem just as the one you have written here. I yearn to grow ivy or any sort of climbing vine but for some reason I can never get one to grow... perhaps I try to hard. I love the look of ivy on the side of a house or twining in and out of a fence. You have masterfully captured its beauty in this poem so much so that I will try again to make a vine flourish in my yard!...'growing heedless, reckless, widely, falling headlong (perfect description)not accepting caution, no you simply conquer corners' I love the way you have given this impetous ivy character....'in heat you pour like melted butter (oh how I wish I would have thought of this first)...and this..'until the snow when you decrease and loosen softening your glow so bricks can breath'...'fling your greeness to the birds and wind, hold out your leafy fingers to the pounding rain'...I think these lines are my favorite...I think.. as it is so hard to choose and I am glad I don't have to. I have read this piece several times as it has such a calming effect. I am only suppose to work five hours a day but today I worked eight and my poor old brain is exhausted! Thank you for a beautiful end to my day! Blessing...Marilyn
This Poem was Critiqued By: Rachel F. Spinoza On Date: 2004-06-16 09:20:42
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 10.00000
Hiya, Joanne, Up-en-doll I love the prancing rhythms and bright images of this piece. So, up North ivy gives up and lets go in the winter? I forgot that. Since we don't have anything a reasonable person could call "winter" our ivy tends to cling all year and grow lush and rich with insects so sometimes we have to cut it back outselves which - after reading your poem - seems brutal. Once again I see you, ivy, growing heedless, reckless, wildly falling headlong, not accepting caution -- no you simply conquer corners. Changing angles won’t deter you nor delay your steep Love the i alliteration and what you do wiht the "g"s. What would happen if you put caps on "Ivy" and made us think even more of a wild girl child? advance. I look for you as if to find you gone would make me weep; I [-also] see the way your leaves are deeply grained, how in the heat you pour like melted butter[wonderful } gently sliding down the sides of that old building. In fall you are first to show your taunt in red and hold it there until the snow, when you decrease and loosen, softening your glow so bricks can breathe. I’m almost glad to see you go. those internal rhymns are marvelous love that aside - In spring, you profligately fling your greenness to the birds and wind, hold out your leafy fingers to the pounding rain, as if no wet can dampen your resolve to see it through another May--please stay. go stay go - reminds me of that old Beatles song - hello goodby hello Wonderful poem Joanne.
This Poem was Critiqued By: Lennard J. McIntosh On Date: 2004-06-16 00:36:34
Critiquer Rating During Critique: 1.00000
Re: On the Character of Climbing Vines I am at first taken by the form chosen by this author - interesting. Particularly so, is the continuingsentence from 1st to 2nd stanza. Additionally, I enjoy the enjambment selected in the 3rd stanza - presumably, to assist in alternating the rhythme. Writer:"growing heedless, reckless, wildly falling headlong, not accepting caution" LJMc: Oh, I do admire the writer's strength in word choice. Sommerset Maugham once wrote that alongside poets, novelists stand in awe. This writing must surely exemplify Mr. Maugham's generous outpouring. Writer: "you profligately fling your greenness to the birds and wind," LJMc: Were I not to know this writer I expect I would be influenced by what I believe to be a talent and experience beyond my own. This would be to the extent that I would feel it presumptuous to for me to suggest improvement in work's cadence. However, coming to know the individual revealed a magnanimity of chaeracter that has me quite at ease. So, here goes: "you fling prolifigate greeness to the birds and wind." [For the writer's consideration.] I feel that this writing manifests the heart and pen of a poet to suffice Somerset Maugham's approval. A fellow poet, Len McIntosh
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