Solaris

Perfectly captured.*

Thanks Amanda! xoxo

gorgeous parallel between the mom's death and the Solaris/gaping hole. The chocolate sqpaniel detail is exquisite. Sad piece."*"

Thanks so much, Kyle!

So sad, and also exquisite. A favorite.

I appreciate it, W.W.!

The third stanza gets at the core as far as I'm concerned. This is good, Robert - sad and wonderful.

Thanks so much, Sam! I appreciate your thoughts and support.

It's brilliant! The distance and yet the internal knowledge that she has left! I so LOVE this and that third stanza is so powerful@ LOVE!!! YES to fav'ing this one! ****! EXCEPTIONAL!

Thanks so much, Meg!

An amazing command in this, Hoss. Wonderful! By the way, when you gonna send me something to Revolution John?

Hey Lil Joe, thanks bro. Would be an honor to send you some whoopass stuff for Rev John! Thanks for asking.

I love this one as I know all of this and lived it with you.

It's brutally honest and takes me to the depths.

Andrea, yes, thank goodness you were there, in every moment, through this with me. What a difference you made (make). I love you!

Guess it's time to read the book. Enjoyed the poem. *

Thanks Matthew! I appreciate it.

Understated and brilliantly complex. One of my favorites of yours.

Appreciate it Theo! Nice compliment coming from you.

Good one, Robert.

Thanks so much, James!

Robert, this one is a B O M B. It's powerful and in the top three of your work that I've followed the last couple years. Thanks for sharing something this personal. Much respect.

*

Bud, I appreciate your wonderful support and kind words. As you know, this poem is revealing in a different manner than my usual take. I think hearing Ellen's reading last Wednesday gave me the impetus to share it here.

Powerful, Robert. Also, what Bud said.*

Thanks so much, Joani! I really appreciate the sentiments and support. As you know, I'm a fan of your work.

That ending! The metaphor for 9/11 and your mother's loss. So well done.

Thanks so much, Tina! You're the best!

*, Robert. I've read and enjoyed a lot of your stuff and, for me, this is one of your best.

I hope he saw Tarkovsky's Solaris.

David, what a nice comment to wake up to this cold morning! Actually this was "me," so that is why this poem is a little different than most of my others. And unfortunately the version of Solaris we saw was the more recent one with George Clooney. I have seen the Tarkovsky version and it is by far superior- one of my faves!

Strong work!*

Thanks so much, James!

My mother died while I was in New York. I can relate. The 'gaping hole' can not be filled.*

Tim, thanks ever so much. Such similarities we do have regarding this.

Much related in a brief space. Sad and well-crafted.*

Gary, thanks a lot for your thoughtful comments!

* Love this piece bro!

Dude, thanks a ton! Appreciate you.

In awe. *

Beate, so lovely to have your support.

All the adjectives have been taken, but this poem deserves them, every one.

David, you are too kind. Thanks a ton!

Absolutely riveting poem, Robert! Thank you.

Philip, thanks a ton! Such nice comments.

This IS good.

Steven, thanks a ton!

Cinema, sorrow, and sparseness honing the punch of this poem - fave.

Cynthia, thanks for giving me a different view of this! And also for your wonderful support.

I have to agree with David Ackley above! Terrific piece - effectively sparse which gives prominence to the emptiness.

Neil, thanks for reading and your kind comments. I appreciate it so much.

This is excellent & touched me, too. So much writing strikes me as "excellent" in the sense of well-crafted these days, everyone knows how to write, how to wrestle a response from the reader, but few pieces strike me as authentically felt & touching existence at a deeper place - this one does.

A long note for a fine sparkling set of graceful stanzas. Sam's comment caused me to think this: Sam's comments are—like form rejections—similar to one another—yet they are like form acceptances. See third stanza. See Solaris? Look up Solaris. Hmmm. Kaspar ist Tot, herr lieber Mann. Fine NY work. I really like this poem. *

Thanks. always, Ann, for your thought provoking comments. I really appreciate them, and you!