12 Comments

Interesting poems and commentary, Jonathan. I’m intrigued by your comment on “mumbo jumbo”. Growing up, we use to hear the iambic pentameter is the “natural rhythm of English speech”. I don’t really believe that, but I do sometimes wonder if some rhythms might work better in English than others- and possibly that some don’t work at all. I don’t have any answers to those questions... but your comments brought them to mind!

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Thanks, Thomas. I do think "mumbo jumbo" is one of the secrets of making art. Setting limits and seemingly arbitrary formulaic structures are how we stretch the canvas.

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This poem reads well in reverse.. More reverse verse?

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Thanks, Ron. Works best in small, occasional doses, I think.

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Such a cool and intriguing experiment—and I love the results!

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Thank you, Dan. There's a lot more of it lurking among my poems of the past few months if you feel like delving into it.

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I don’t know about all the technical jargon but I like it.

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Thanks, Stanley.

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The coins tossed. Fall where they may. The oracle consulted and context confirmed . The poem is written with relevance and as a mirror reflection demands to be read well reversed.

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Thank you, Richard. Sometimes I do use coins, sometimes little wooden staves, sometimes an app. If I don't like one result, I try another.

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Never thought to read from bottom upwards. Enjoyed the poems - coming and going.

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Thank you, Patris.

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