14 Comments
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Margaret Ann Silver's avatar

These lines grabbed me:

"in the absence of an olive branch,

in the presence of a mystery."

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thank you, Margaret Ann -- they grabbed me, too.

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roger hawcroft's avatar

I enjoyed, (if that's the right word - it moved me), this poem. I don't fully understand the technicalities, (if such they are), explained but am not sure that is important. Although I very much value poems and some move me and some don't - and even attempt to write what I'm only prepared to describe as mostly 'rhyming verse' and although I've sought to acquaint myself with matters of metre and designation and such, the absence of knowledge about such matters has never, I think, prevented me from appreciating so much of this format, though I suspect it may have interfered with some that is recognised as excellent or profound, its structure or allusions being beyond me.

So, thank you and apologies for speaking about myself rather than providing significant comment or analysis of your poem. I can only offer that of which I'm capable. In that regard, I thank you for a poem that has resonated with my confused and struggling mind.

Take care. Stay safe. ☮️

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thank you, Roger. I appreciate your musings all the way around.

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Patris's avatar

What we all do I believe— those who would return to earth to do so must be very very brave

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thank you, Patris

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Martin Mc Carthy's avatar

Jonathan, this is a superb poem - a poem for the troubled times in which we live, and in which poets continue to speak - to acknowledge devastating events, but also to believe in love and the amazing beauty of life, nevertheless.

"The fires that lately raged

still smolder in these syllables,

but words are beginning to form

into sentences that speak from love

infused with a new song emerging

to be born from the ocean breezes."

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thank you, Martin

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John Martin's avatar

This is more like it.

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thank you, John

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The Sea in Me    (Síodhna)'s avatar

'but they come to me on a breeze'

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thank you, Síodhna

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Keith Aron's avatar

Beautiful, Jonathan. Thank you. 💜

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Jonathan Potter's avatar

Thanks 🙏

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