The Tangled Branch Discussion Forums

That summer we are leggy colts skin tinted warm sarsasparilla clattering as mustangs on the cusp of July none of us yet driving so the boys pedal bikes and we are light as cirrus perched upon handlebars like tousled blonde ornaments fueled by youth and leaving trails  of laughter. We weave our way ...

Hi Tracy :) What a write..! An amazing counterpoint to the image, I love the topical subtexts you've woven alongside the scattered imagery, which still somehow magically become inclusive of the world we all share and many of its recent concerns, making the poem for and about "all of us". Amazing, Tr...

Honest, genuine, and (for me) unfortunately familiar... an excellent write, and I hope it's not lazy to admit I so agree with Tracy's commentary that I'm tempted to point and say "...what he said!" Much enjoyed

Love it, wry, sarcastic, honest poke and I love how you've laid it on thick!!   The title alone made me chuckle... Oh yes

 Hi Gyppo :)  I adore this. So the whole is quite lovely, with its sinking into memory and music/melody, but the starting off with lying prone on the floor makes it just magical. There's something so elemental about lying flat on the ground or floor... I right away wondered, when's the last time I'v...

Hi Colm

I love this, laughed aloud    Feck that indeed...it sounds unsafe, and I say hire it out without hesitation! Love that you've written such a lovely poem about it all, for our enjoyment - thanks

Hi Dave :) A very fine write! I love the texture of the opening stanza, a perfect setting for establishing atmosphere for the reader straight off. This has your characteristic measured tone and pace, which spotlights its imagery and message perfectly. Your careful use of internal rhyme is just gorge...

Timely and well observed!    All of the rich descriptives in S1 echo the richness of table. Delicious write! All present at our own family feast, save for the oyster stew! Yum. I'm still digesting 

Fine poeming... as others have mentioned, I too feel your poem resides in S1, with S's 2 and 3 redundant, abstract & a tiny tad preachy (to me.) Stanza one struck me right off with its fine choice of line breaks, I read and re-read and it's honestly perfect as it is, imo. Much enjoyed, and I agree w...

Thanks Tracy,

Yes when I read about it a few years ago I knew I had to put it in a poem someday somewhere. It's deadly enough imo to need no overstatement.