Widows

Gerry This is an outstanding poem, for its theme and sensitive narrative. I was surprised at the title, and expected a sad story. But even more [pleasantly] surprised to read this wonderful story of hope. Cheers Tania

Lovely poem, even lovelier this Sisterhood of Starbucks, mellow, and smooth with age. ~A "There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic." Anais Nin

Hi, and welcome to the site... I've seen you around but this is the first piece I've commented on... Widow, great title, it draws a reader in and sort of prepares them for a sad write only to find it is but one aspect of the character's persona... I think it adds much flavor to the poem for the things unsaid... truly loved the last line, for compassion does become a blanket, a friend to warm up to in the dark of night or at Starbuck's... and that blanket is seen by others and warmed by it... yes, much depth in this little write... welcome again... Richard

but I love the poem, the alchemy of years, the sisterhood, the compassion. Beautifully done. Craig.

The community of concerns is illustrated and explained in a few deft strokes. My observation of that adds nothing here, though, so I'll move on to the secondary question about title. Since it is the community, the sisterhood, that is the focus of the piece, and since the individual in the first stanza is apparently a 'generic,' undifferentiated from the mass of the sisterhood, it seems wrong to call it 'Widow.' It is in my estimation more natural to title the piece 'Widows.' The remaining questions are all easily answered: the language of the piece is nowhere inaccessible, but is nowhere lazy or inexact; the theme is non-trivial---though it may matter less to some of us than to others of us---and the piece could serve as an easy introduction to consideration of the losses in life; the piece is logically coherent, dealing with only the one matter, and it is as comprehensive of the matter as the length of the piece allows. You've, uh, like, done this before, haven't you? Perry

Dearest Gerry, you made me weep (& no it wasn't hormonal)... this is truly supurb & I hope it makes Spotlight for several reasons. You have a beautiful fluidity with your words & rhythm & the sentiments are just perfect Gerry, truly a great poem, may I have permission to print it to join a few special works on my noticeboard? I feel I want to be a part of this lovely gathering of good women of heart & soul (felt like that about you from the first words we exchanged), I am also a widow, though recently have met with another widow & found a magic sharing I could not have made up, more lovely than a fairy tale... But you poem here, I am so moved & so proud of you, my heart sings to this lovely lyric you have penned.. & I want to thank you, with love & warmth. Anni We dont believe in ourselves until someone reveals that deep inside us is valuable, worth listening to, worthy of our trust, sacred to our touch. Once we believe in ourselves we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight or any experience that reveal

Gerry, so many times women are truly unkind to each other. Women can be their own sex's worst enemy. I hate when that happens, and friendship, no matter what age, kindness, no matter where, family, workplace, etc. is a joy. Sometimes marriages come and go, husbands die, as you so beautifully alluded to, and what's left? Friendship. ~A "There are very few human beings who receive the truth, complete and staggering, by instant illumination. Most of them acquire it fragment by fragment, on a small scale, by successive developments, cellularly, like a laborious mosaic." Anais Nin