ophelia

I never pitied Ophelia

enough.

Never understood her

grief-

 

to lose and be lost.

 

I think I must be crazy now.

My mind wandered off

when you did

and I don't know

how to fetch it back.

 

He loves me

He loves me not

rue and remembrance

and something forgotten too

 

the river sometimes

calls my name

there are flowers

there

 

Reviews

[Ken Simm.]

Of course the painting you chose has an incredible history as well. Poor old Lizzie Siddall. Back to the poem however. This rings. I love the way you have placed the words like water flowing. And of course I love the subject matter especially when it is placed in such a human and personal setting.

[cilla]

Sweet Ophelia. Perhaps none us pitied her enough until we hear the river call our names. Nice work, this is.

[Robin]

Poetry - there

[h d e rushin]

That haunting solemnity, as theme rather than connective tissue, like
Kenneth Koch, or the older and settled Dickenson. Just beautiful...dana

[Leslie Philibert]

First of all, I love the picture - Millais ? National Gallery ?, a classic image from
Shakespeare, just a minor character that has become an universal symbol of
unreturned love - and I love this poem too, I really like the way you handle this,the echo of a child plucking blossoms in the second to last verse-great tempo, well written words, great.

[zainul]

Hi Emily,
The beauty of this little poem is awesome.
I just thought it a song of a beautiful heart.
Love the last stanza,it is so appealing!
"the river sometimes

calls my name

there are flowers

there"

[Kristina Moulaison]

Ah, lovely! This has everything I need.

[Tim Lion]

Ah Ophelia! A lovely call back to a lovely fall.

"But, good my brother,
Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,
Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,
Whiles, like a puff' d and reckless libertine,
Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,
And reaks not his own rede."

How does one argue with that?


Good stuff!

I'm drawn to the river sometimes, too.
Flowers and bones
falling down!

[Kenneth The Poet]

I'd jump in and not look back.

[Siddhartha]

Understanding is often a painful thing, and if from experience then it's exquisitely miserable, but it makes for some fine poetry....