Vesuvius Comments

I am reminded of Robert Browning's dramatic soliloquies; like a true poet you have made an instant into eternity! Wonderful! - Raj Nandy New Delhi

The other day I read this statement by the French philospher, Louis Bergson: 'Art has no other purpose than to brush aside...everything that veils reality from us in order to bring us face to face with reality itself.' Your poem certainly does this. Great work!

Dull, memorized words of the tour guide juxtaposed with one man's nightmare in reality. With millions of miles in between. Brilliant. Simply brilliant in the handling of this 'now' vs 'then'. If any reader is even vaguely curious about the reality of Vesuvius...read this powerful, almost epic rendition, of what occurred on the day this volcano changed Roman life. xxElysabeth

Awesome graphical construction....Inventive and literarily tantilizing to the minds-eye..Superior work here, Robert...Bravo! ~ F. j. R. ~ -02/04/07

My gosh, Robert, this captures the imagination and the viscera all at once! We think alike in these things: history is NOT dead. Real beings suffered the questions, the fear, the final suffering... I was there, years ago on a quiet day, and the place is alive with unknown memory. Thank you for writing this affecting piece. Esther

Howard, This poem very cleverly juxtaposes the dry 'historical' tour guide rendition of the dramatic explosion against the earth-bound reality of a real man running for his life to great dramatic effect. Tell me - is this the libretto for an opera? love, Allie xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It is a different poem. Interesting Anjana