Welcome to The Tangled Branch!  Join us.

There is a limit

General Poetry - post, comment, review, critique
Post Reply
User avatar
Colm Roe
Posts: 2986
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 12:45 am

There is a limit

Post by Colm Roe » Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:11 pm

It's black and beautiful.
The new-leather aroma 
induces a slow nasal intake,
the open-mouthed exhale
almost audible, almost mantra.

Too fast for laughable limits
and too expensive,
but sometimes
we get our measurements wrong
or forget there is a measure.

He knows he'll rust before it
and leave others to polish 
gentle circles
tracing
his. 





 
 

User avatar
avwhis6466
Posts: 51
Joined: Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:41 am

Re: There is a limit

Post by avwhis6466 » Wed Feb 28, 2018 8:39 am

Hey Colm,

I really like this. It captures a lot in a short space - both the more lighthearted moments (“sometimes / we get our measurements wrong / or forget to measure”) as well as the irony and bitter sweetness of owning something beautiful, knowing that it will outlive you.

indar
Posts: 3109
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 8:00 am

Re: There is a limit

Post by indar » Wed Feb 28, 2018 9:40 am

Post by Colm Roe » Wed, 28 Feb 2018, 2:11
It's black and beautiful.
The new leather aroma   should there be a hyphen? new-leather
induces a slow nasal intake, "induces" doesn't seem to fit with the plain-speak of the rest of this poem
the open mouthed exhale  again--hyphen? open-mouthed?
almost audible, almost mantra. Love this

Too fast for laughable limits
and too expensive,
but sometimes
we get our measurements wrong
or forget there is a measure. Yeah--- good for us!

He knows he'll rust before it
and leave others to polish 
gentle circles
tracing
his.  Wonderful-- live large until the end!. :D :D

Matty11
Posts: 1826
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:58 pm

Re: There is a limit

Post by Matty11 » Wed Feb 28, 2018 10:45 pm

Skillfully done Colm. Carries weight with lightness of touch...perfectly weighted!
It's black and beautiful.
The new leather aroma 
induces a slow nasal intake,
the open mouthed exhale
almost audible, almost mantra.

Too fast for laughable limits
and too expensive,
but sometimes
we get our measurements wrong
or forget there is a measure...like that soft sound thread mouthed/mantra/measure

He knows he'll rust before it...the earlier emphasis on leather doesn't thread to rust?
and leave others to polish 
gentle circles........................poignant - the 'others' skirting around the individual
tracing
his. 
very much enjoyed

matty

mfwilkie
Posts: 34
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 12:47 pm

Re: There is a limit

Post by mfwilkie » Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:29 am

A couple of thoughts on line endings, Colm.
A very nice piece.  Maggie

Black and beautiful,
its new leather aroma induces
a slow nasal intake, an open-mouthed
exhale, almost audible, almost a mantra.

Too fast for laughable limits
and too expensive, but sometimes
we get our measurements wrong
or forget there is a measure.

He knows he'll rust before it,
leave others to polish 
gentle circles tracing his. 

Dave
Posts: 2132
Joined: Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:07 am

Re: There is a limit

Post by Dave » Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:28 am

Hi Colm
If this was mine I would cut line 1 as I find it distracts and I don't think is as strong as line 2. I would cut stanza 2 completely as I found it slow and awkward and actually the rest says it all better and more succinctly (or at leats I think it does since it explains whatever it wants to say rather abstractly).
Dave
 

User avatar
Colm Roe
Posts: 2986
Joined: Sun Jan 07, 2018 12:45 am

Re: There is a limit

Post by Colm Roe » Thu Mar 01, 2018 8:25 pm

Thanks all.
Hyphens added Indy.
S2 may be a little vague, but it has to stay in some shape.
This is a dying N (no surprise there) who decides to buy an expensive new car. The speed limits are so restrictive, and he should be more sensible by buying a cheaper/slower car....but he's dying! 'We get measurements wrong' is being told you're dying, but they're not sure exactly how long you've got. 'or forget to measure' is for healthy people who assume they'll live forever, and are so conservative with financial planning they lose sight of the end. 
So he bought the car, loved it, polished it. It'll be left to his son/daughter, who'll (hopefully) take care of it, and polish it the way he did. As they repeat his ritual their hands repeat a connection! OK, maybe not. But he's dying and likes the idea of an essence/trace remaining...even if it's just that.
mf, the last S, what about this?
     
He knows he'll rust before it
and leave others
to polish gentle circles,
tracing his. 
 

Matty11
Posts: 1826
Joined: Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:58 pm

Re: There is a limit

Post by Matty11 » Thu Mar 01, 2018 9:18 pm

Hold my hand up Colm. I didn't see a 'car' - perhaps that could be the title?

best

matty

Post Reply