pass

The conflicting nature of this poem mimics the conflicting nature of nature, and of human nature. Simply and beautifully told.
*

splendidly captured ambivalence

Susan and Beate, you both got it exactly as I wrote it.
thanks to you both

I'll pass on saying anything negative other than what is the point of this? Very obvious. Did you write it in 4 minutes or 3? Or 30 seconds?

hey franklin, did you ever hear the old saying about: if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all? how do you know it took this writer 30 seconds to write what is quite a profound little poem? you sound like a windbag. have a nice writing life.

E, loved this. What I call the "not knowingness" fave

the painful dichotomy - well done.

A perfect piece, Estelle - very in line with the writings of Izumi Shikibu. If you're not familiar with her, check out Jane Hirshfield's translations in Ink Dark Moon.

*

Sometimes the simplicity of a form is mistaken for a less than complex, even shallow rendering.

This is both gracefully and thoughfully rendered, not at all shallow, but quite human in its depth and elegantly beautiful in its scale.

fav

Lovely, haunting and I admire the brevity. Really remarkably potent in its ambivalence. Fave.

Mary Anne, so glad you loved this.
Larry, I thank you so much.
Sam, between you and James, he connected me with Tao Ching, now this is another I must look into. I drive my library nuts, but they are great. Thanks to you all for all these favs.

p.s. Robert, you always are helpful. Thanks

Simple and perfect. The opening, the closing, so different, but in a way, not that far apart.

I love this so much I had to read it again~

Shucks. Ain't it the truth. *

Beautiful in its simplicity, Estelle.

(Consider deleting the word "disappear"--it works well even without it)

Jack, thanks, it sure is the truth.

Bill, thanks for reading and your suggestion.

Thank you Foster, I'm glad you like simple. That seems to be what I do best.

Love the simplicity of this -- says so much. Makes this piece.

Jules, I so much appreciate your nice comment on Pass.
Thanks for reading it and understanding it.

Simplicity, conflicting, ambivalence--what others have already said this poem does right and I agree. Nice.

I love poems that go straight to the heart and this one does. Doesn't this reflect the ambivalence of love? Of life? Fav.

Christian and Gay. Such nice sweet comments. Thanks to you both.

p.s. yes Gay, life is full of ambivalence. You surely understand.

beautifully simple befitting the complexity of our nature. *

The narrative voice carries this poem for me. Who's making the astute observation and why? As with most of your other work I've read, it gives the impression of a goddess looking down from above with love, affection, and good humor. I enjoy, very much.

Marcus, thanks for liking this, Mykell, you are always so positive - thank you both

Estelle,
It gives us that push/pull of relationships in one compact poem!! Nice!! *****

Lovely portrait of nternal conflict. Nice.

"Internal" conflict.

Simply a beautiful poem saying so much with so few words.
Fave.

Isabelle, thanks for reading this.

Gloria, your message is as always, appreciated.

Meg, thanks to you, you are a fantastic writer.

this reflects the opposite of logic FROM logic. In how many words? you do something impossibly hard here so simply. Wow. superb.

I so rarely comment on stories and even less on poems but had to here: this is very sweet and sad and because of its brevity, spot on.

And you know, if it really only took 3 or 4 minutes, more power to you, Estelle!

Mat, you are a doll. And yes, it did take just a couple of minutes. My thanks to you.

Meg, I appreciate your nice comment. Thanks so much

yin and yang of love well portrayed. peace...

yin and yang - perfect Linda. Thanks

Just read this for the umpteenth time and its simple truth astounds me. LOVE YOU!!!

so glad you had to read it many times. That makes me happy.

a complete understanding and expression of this emotion which can't be explored enough--and you do it in so few words! *

thanks so much for understanding emotions so well.

nicely done!

thank you James for this.