[stylist] Marie Antoinette, and other remarks

[Jackie Williams]

Bill,
I have been reading your poetry for the past weeks. I think you are a good
poet in strange and powerful ways. Am I wrong to think that you remind me a
bit of Charles Bukowski?
I want to speak briefly to your concern that the nature of the comments you
get from the list may be due in part to laziness. 
One reason I dropped from the list this last year was due not only to a
series of severe losses, but more importantly, I could not keep up with
quality and detailed critiques, and I had no time left for creating new
poetry. I am quite serious about making money from my poetry, requiring
making many submissions to innumerable contests, and so, in a clinch, I
forgo detailed analysis of poems submitted on this list.
I need to read a poem, using JAWS many times and take time to think. As yet,
I have not done that with yours. A quick comment about your Marie Antoinette
is that you have captured the social rage of the times, and your title was
justified as an explanation. Sometimes when I cannot make sense of a title
or of some words, I google them for extra insight. But this takes time and
dedication. 
For the moment, I will attach my poem about Marie Antoinette, which implies
some things about the feelings abounding in France, but is more about the
woman herself. While it is a sonnet, it is in no specific form of the
sonnet.
I get "Poem a Day" and no longer do I wrestle with the deeper meanings. If I
don't get it in two readings, but like a line or two, I might save just that
line in my folder, Good Lines."
Late in life, I feel that poetry should be accessible, which cuts me off
from much modern poetry. Billy Collins is a favorite of mine. Whether this
indicates laziness, or a time management problem, is up for grabs.
But perhaps you have the makings of a great poet, and as such, must write
literature. Don't let the paucity of the critiques from this list discourage
you. You might want to look for a good critique group. That has saved my
writing life as well as JAWS.
I will go back and re-read your posts, time permitting.
Jackie

31. Dorman John Grace Memorial Award		Jacqueline Williams
Petrarchan-Shakespearean blend			1431 W. 7th Place
								Mesa, AZ
85201
								AZ State
Poetry Society
Marie Antoinette

The Conciergerie is prison now-
its window frames the waiting guillotine
and bucket for the head of hated queen.
They took my second son. I disavow
the charges of abuse they threw at me.
At times, in youth,  I was quite frivolous.
My husband's impotence, erroneous,
belied my children's authenticity.

If I wore lace and jewels, I was condemned.
My preference, muslin dress, brought jeers as well.
There was no honest way that I could quell
a revolution that could not be stemmed.
Nine months before, my Louis lost his head,
a fate I now await with certain dread.

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of William L
Houts
Sent: Sunday, March 23, 2014 12:33 PM
To: stylist at nfbnet.org
Subject: Re: [stylist] Poem - "Dad"



HI Chris,

Thank you very kindly for the note, Chris.  I know you're a tough one to 
please, too, so your good word goes a long way with me. Have a happy 
Sunday, sir.


--Bill








On 3/23/2014 10:46 AM, Chris Kuell wrote:
> I enjoyed this poem very much, Bill. You do a great job of sketching 
> the man in verse.
>
> chris
>
>
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-- 
"Let's drink a toast now to who we really are."

           --Jane Siberry


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