Well-Wisher.

[tectak]

The good from this poem, for me, came from having to lookup the names listed. I guess. This poem is written solely for students of poetry and scholars. Otherwise it has no meaning, I think. I wish there was some movement in the poem away from wishing.

hi q,
you are, of course, quite correct in your assessment of the piece...you and your, though,are the moot words. Yes, this a crie de coeur. The poems cited are of greater relevance to me than to you, cliches have to start somewhere but I plead guilty anyway. I am envious of those poets named for some of what they wrote...but I feel the same way about some of your stuff. Frankly, I feel the same way about every poet who writes something greater than me...and that's what it's all about.
Best,
tectak

They don't make 'em like you anymore tec. You are such a gent, I carry a tissue to all of your posts.

I like the poem. What's with all the ellipses? And the meter in L4 of the davies stanza?

I like ellipses...especially when the em dash is missing on thumb keyboard. Some say that they broke the mold before they made me:
I don't see the meter problem. Is it accentual?If yes, say "...ALL plans." not "all plans"
tectak
Auden's "Stop all the Clocks" cracks me up.
Davie's "Leisure" likewise.
Hopkins "Pied Beauty" comes out of the joy of pure observation...difficult to pen without losing something in the translation.
And of course, Dylan Thomas's " Do not go Gentle" rounds the whole enviable thing off nicely.
All bastards I wanted to say that.( Though as an erudite friend of mine commented (when I said "I wish I had said that"), succinctly and perniciously, " Oh, you will. You will")

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hi tectak,

this is exceedingly clever and well thought out. stanza two is a fave (and so is Davies...) and wrapping it all up with Thomas is perfect.

if i had one thing to critique (well maybe not so much critique as comment on), it would be the rhymes in stanza 3, lines 1 & 3:

I wish that I could say a prayer
in praise of God who gave the brush
to colour in our living layer
in brindled, dappled, freckled flush…
but Hopkins said it all.

i pronounce prayer as one (albeit very long) syllable and as /pre(ə)r/
while layer is two syllables and /ˈlāər/

this is due to my terrible American English, most likely, but it's how i read it and i keep stumbling over it,
as it's affecting the meter. it's such a minor point though and i hate even bringing it up because i'm so fond of the poem overall.

anywho, i very much enjoyed this and i like that you pull from several eras
(Georgian, Victorian, modern/romantic/neo-romantic/however-you-want-to-classify-Thomas)...it really does make for a well-rounded read.

Thank you. It is unfair if layer and prayer are there, but who's to care if it's a rare occurence. Slant rhymes?
Very best,
tectak