Pomes

Robert Frost wrote an introduction to E.A. Robinson's 1935 book-length poem King Jasper. In it he made several shrewd observations that do not apply to this collection except by negation. Here is the astonishing first paragraph of what he said about early 20th century poetry.

"It may come to the notice of posterity (and then again it may not) that this, our age, ran wild in the quest of new ways to be new. The one old way to be new no longer served. Science put it into our heads that there must be new ways to be new. Those tried were largely by subtraction--elimination. Poetry, for example, was tried without punctuation. It was tried without capital letters. It was tried without metric frame on which to measure the rhythm. It was tried without any images but those to the eye; and a loud general intoning had to be kept up to cover the total loss of specific images to the ear, those dramatic tones of voice whch had hitherto constituted the better half of poetry. It was tried without content under the trade name of poesie pure. It was tried without phrase, epigram, coherence, logic and consistency. It was tried without ability. I took the confession of one who had had deliberately to unlearn what he knew. He made a back-pedalling movement of his hands to illustrate the process. It was tried premature like the delicacy of unborn calf in Asia. It was tried without feeling like murder for small pay in the underworld. These many things was it tried without, and what had we left? Still something. The limits of poetry had been sorely strained, but the hope was that the idea had been somewhat brought out."

One can read the rest, and the entire Robinson poem, online at http://archive.org/stream/kingjasperpoem00robi#page/n21/mode/2up/.

As I said, Raymond Terry's poetry collection does NOT involve all the subtractions Frost wrote of with his characteristic gentle irony. Mr Terry is, among other things, a skilled metrist, a humorist, and a poet both aware of the classic tradition and willing to participate in it without apology.

I commend this collection, which includes much enjoyable commentary, to any reader who enjoys formalist poetry, which I believe deserves equal consideration with the free verse that dominated the twentieth century. I think it is a mark of sophistication to be comfortable with many poetic voices, of which Mr. Terry's is among the more melodious.

Bill--Faust's Butterfly, A Stony Path

I'm not much of a poem reader but I really liked Seeing Garden. I also like that you were true to your origins by using the spelling from your region. HIgh Stars and lots of luck.

Jennie Lyne Hiott

if you get a chance could you take a look at Hearts and Lies?

always give them one/never give them two/at least not consecutively/your love they can have/ but a poem is not that. That is what kind of what i was thinking at the finish of this piece. Though I liked a lot of your pomes, especially the one about the dosers, i oddly enough found your prose introductions more interesting, perhaps because you capture the ryhthm of speech well. It struck me that you spend a fair amount of time uniting the classical and the common, the theme of unrequited love is as much a theme for the latin poet is it is for folks who write "pomes", i rated this piece high, enjoyed it much, if you could would you take a look at one of my pieces

Your title drew me in because I was curious about the spelling and you explained it right from the get go. Your style is unique and so easy to read and therefore easy to enjoy what you created for us. My late wife's anem was Kathryn so of course in chapter 2 I found so many poems I liked very much. This is the sort of book one savours a bit at a time. Thanks for sharing - very well done indeed.

Henry

Dear Raymond, I love your paragraphs before your poems - it gave them so much more meaning - I've never seen that done before - unique. :) Your pitch is excellent, so set the hook for me to read your book. :) Each poem makes me want to keep reading to find out what the next one will say. :) I'm backing your book. :)
Could you please take a moment to back my TWO memoir books? Thanks, Susie :)

This is information from authonomy (so beware of any other untrue information you may receive that is spam & not quotes of authonomy):
"When you back a book, it only improves the ranking of that book, not yours. However, the author whose book you are backing may decide to back your book also, in which case yes, your ranking would be improved"...authonomy quote.
"Every time you place a book on your bookshelf, your recommendation pushes the book up the rankings. And while that book sits on your bookshelf, your reputation as a talent spotter increases depending on how well that book performs.

Raymond, I loved the poetic presence; I found the book fresh and alluring
I think you are on to something. Good luck--this will make a great book
Backed with pleasure
Best wishes
Scott

I think my favourite is Summer Days. If these pomes are the product of a diseased mind I hope it's catching. Backed. Lynn

Raymond,
I took a look at your “Pomes” and cackled over Dozer Daze. As a fellow Floridian who has seen Orlando’s skyline sprout highrise buildings like so many mushrooms after the rain, I had a laugh at your little ditty about bulldozers. Then you wax lovingly about roses and gardens and summer days with dewdrops and spider webs. Just whose side are you on – the machines or the forest fairies? Wow! Your intro for Pome #5 – now that hits home. Over here in Orlando I wear sweaters and switch the thermostat from cool to heat when it drops to seventy. Can you imagine how I’m dressed now that it’s going down to 26 degrees tonight? Oh, the fern growers are weeping over their dead Valentine’s Day crop. Oh, the orange growers are praying for a government bailout as their already sickly crop of “greening” disease infected oranges freeze. But I digress. The pome itself is quite genteel – a very gentlemanly look at pretty girls sunbathing. Then you go traveling – Alaska, gods, Propertius, Diana – goodness, you have diverse interests and eclectic taste. An interesting collection of homespun wit and classic lines. I’ll move this to my shelf.
Mary

Raymond - really love your pomes
Hope they end in lots of homes
Think you have terrific style
On my shelf I gladly file

Anna (Black Damask)

hi raymond, I enjoyed every line although I need to re-read the poems to scoop the depths properly. One thing shines through and illuminates the writing and gives it great beauty : you actually like women and cherish their mysterious ways rather than hate them for being irrational and unobtainable. Equally, you're very good with words and can make the lines flow. On my shelf.

Pomes

Hi Raymond

I love your irreverence in the face of poetry, you are playful with words and you send yourself up as well as others, a very democratic bit of satire here as well. If all poetry was like this it would be a damn sight more accessible for everyone, I had a lot of fun reading these, thanks for posting them.

Best wishes and good luck
Andrew W
(Sanctuary's Loss)

hi terry..
read chilkoot pass....
i really know very little about this area.. spending more time around keno city, tombstone park and kluane. However, i liked what you wrote but i will not pretend to you that i understand the dynamics of poems except for the ryhming couplet!

Great.... and i love your ovsevations about women filling in the details later to suite themselves... how they were justified to perfom something. Yep, my wife is life that... or was like that.... before she justified... oh never mind....


BACKED

hi terry..
read chilkoot pass....
i really know very little about this area.. spending more time around keno city, tombstone park and kluane. However, i liked what you wrote but i will not pretend to you that i understand the dynamics of poems except for the ryhming couplet!

Great.... and i love your ovsevations about women filling in the details later to suite themselves... how they were justified to perfom something. Yep, my wife is life that... or was like that.... before she justified... oh never mind....


BACKED

hi terry, I only read half so far, but it is so funny and uplifting that I have been smiling all along and look forward to the rest.

Hi Terry,

I Looooooove your opening narrative. Your raw voice and sarcastic flare make the sunny dayz sparkle as though magic dust drifts through the air and fills our imagination. And how refreshing for poems to be cheerful. Certainly, you have attracted this female. Job well done.

On my shelf you go. And in my thoughts your pomes will stay. At least for more than most of the day.
This is authomatically copyrighted, so you can't use that spat.

Hi Terry,

I Looooooove your opening narrative. Your raw voice and sarcastic flare make the sunny dayz sparkle as though magic dust drifts through the air and fills our imagination. And how refreshing for poems to be cheerful. Certainly, you have attracted this female. Job well done.

On my shelf you go. And in my thoughts your pomes will stay. At least for more than most of the day.
This is authomatically copyrighted, so you can't use that spat.

The opening lines made me smile -- I wish I could write poetry...(see note at end of chapter as I would be one of the grateful ones :)

Loved #6 and #7. And no, I wasn't bored. I'm gonna let you sit on my shelf and milk you for the TSR.