Rain, Isolation, Self-Analysis Comments

Rain encourages isolation; isolation fosters self-analysis. The self within the lines of this poem can be seen, heard, and- most strongly- felt. Indeed powerful imagery- making one want to return for a third or fourth reading. Definitely one of my favorite poems!

'The House Was Quiet and the World Was Calm' when, after prolonged illness and a hankering for the company of men made out of words, I chanced the inauspicious title and envied the adroit harmonies of the rain-educed introspection and retrospection orchestrated by Monsieur Palmer. Like Stevens, he can not only wrinkle water across the face of the mind's pond but also sustain feats of introversion in a mode notoriously susceptible to Wordsworthian sprawl or Stevensian bravado and solipsism. Anaphora here, apposition there-a mellowed rage for order-a meditative clavichord.

Beautiful words - your poetry continues to amaze me. SG

Thanks for the comment, Shep. I miss your wisdom and wit. -LP Date & Time: 6/5/2005 5: 13: 00 AM Remove this comment Poem: 1286921 - 1 -Rain, Isolation, Self-Analysis Member: Michael Shepherd Comment: I agree entirely with Andrew. Curiously, I felt that TSEliot would admire this for its confessional subsumed in the detached observation by the eye of wisdom. And I understand now what you mean by 'music', Lamont - here,4-7 stresses in a line, with iambics as default foot. And the similes and metaphors arise naturally and colour the drawing, so to speak. A model of a mature poem, if I may say so...

Thanks for the words, Andy. -LP Date & Time: 6/4/2005 11: 07: 00 PM Remove this comment Poem: 1286921 - 1 -Rain, Isolation, Self-Analysis Member: Andrew Konisberg Comment: The best poem that I have read today. I am never shy of giving a '10' because I appreciate wildly differing styles. Despite your 'prescriptivism' (ala Thomas Wentworth Higginson) in forum discussion, I could not help but admire the sheer artistry of this composition. I will go as far as to say that this is one of the very best pieces I have ever read on this site, and there are a few truly gifted people here. I am not one of them, but this poem's construction is immaculate. Adroitly assembled. Refreshing language and imagery. A '10' with a golden star (I've only ever given a 'golden star' twice, in 4 months) . Brilliant.