Turbidity

Startling! Love the rhythm!
Fav

Thanks Mia! I appreciate the sentiments and fave.

Outstanding moment in the piece:

"I was never home,
home on the range
hospital corners are still
'beats me?'"

Nice phrasings throughout. Especially like the way the work closes. Good poem, Robert. *

you better get back there and make sure the house didn't burn down!

great work

Sam, thanks, means a ton coming from the master!

Chad, that's a great idea, if this guy ever goes back? Thanks so much for the read and support.

This is brilliant, the play on the Americana, iconic poem Home, Home on The Range...and the title even speaks of the murkiness, all detailed with such delicate cleanliness. Really blows me away, this one!
****

Thanks so much, Wallace! I appreciate the deep thoughts.

Robert, there is so much to enjoy in this poem, but that last line is killer and you do have such a knack for leaving us with a lasting impression. A powerpunch to the gut. OOF!
Fave.

Thanks Mike! Grateful for your kind thoughts.

His sense of loss?

LOVE this! Holidays are a strange time and you capture so much in this poem. "while you're no longer talking
and I'm no longer hearing..." OH YEAH!! Beautiful rhythm moving through this, as well! Big FAVE! LOVE it, Robert!

Meg, you are the best! Thanks from the bottom of my heart! xoxo

This is jarring and wonderful. Bravo, Robert Vaughn.

*

Gloria, his sense of loss? Not sure what it is, clearly this is left to the reader's interpretation of much of the sub-textual messages. I do so appreciate your read and comments.

Wry, I think. Nice.

Steven, much appreciation! Thanks for your read and comments. Wry, it is!

So much to be said and un-said during the holidays. Thank You for sharing your gift Robert.

Tom, you're the best! So great to hear your thoughts and happy holidays to you, sir!

ASTOUNDING!!!

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

An interesting mix of convergent thoughts, Robert. I'm particularly taken with this couple of lines, with and without context:

hospital corners are still / “beats me?”

In all, a very interesting piece. Well done!

You know, you can delete unflattering comments if you like, as you will no doubt do with this one as well...but I do think all feedback, however unwelcome, is worth mining for even a small nugget of truth. Don't you?

Thanks, David! I appreciate your comments. And Sally, I do take all comments into consideration. And I mean ALL of them. Thanks for your feedback.

Putting the relief of escape at the top cleverly enables understatement to imply the sense of repressed animosity, barely polite estrangement, the suffocating redundant nuances of unspoken emptiness -- easier to endure knowing you've already fled the web.

"There's something I forgot," brings a sad chuckle as you stride away for fresh air. *

I wonder if including in your chapbook, perhaps on opposite pages, some of the feedback comments from readers would be worthwhile?

Matthew, if I was able to include the feedback from readers, your comments would surely be a pleasure to include! But as I am not self-publishing this collection, this might not be possible. Still, I am grateful for your shared insights.

You're too kind, Robert, and I don't know that my observations would contribute much, but I wonder if your publisher would agree that two or three discerning comments on each poem might give the reader a feel for the online experience, maybe enrich appreciation for the work.

I'll pass on the idea to her, Mathew! And thanks again.

Love how you capture the sense of distance around the holidays, the sadness but this blew me away:

Invisible, unlike drift wood

tossed ashore, under pewter

skies, elephantine clouds

where seldom is heard

an encouraging word

FAved this one.

Kyle, thanks so much! I really appreciate your kind words and the fave.

It makes me wonder if there ever is resolution.

That is a great question to ponder, Sally. Thanks for the thoughts and the read!

Outstanding. Especially like the ending.

I also like the ending. And the great sense of homelessness in silent house. *

Marcus, and Beate: thanks and thanks! Your support and generous comments are much appreciated.

Bowing in respect. High fives. It's a song. *

Michael, thanks so much, my friend. You are a master of compliments and making me blush. A song? Yes, I guess it's roots are dissected from that 'ol Americana song "Home on the Range."

Great ending on this one. Closes it up nicely with an open end.

Thanks, Timothy! I appreciate the comments.