Contemplating Sunrise

Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
It's much harder to sleep
when the sky outside is dimming
and clouds roll, black and foreboding
like lumbering monoliths,
and every car moving in the distance
is a doppler hum of alertness.
Through the curtain gap I
see the mottled glow of a streetlight
creeping over the hair salon,
casting a spotlight over the sign
that reads "dreadlocks: £45".
I scratch my head and think of
the buses passing my window,
not half as often as they will in the morning,
when I'll catch a moment or two of sleep.
"I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
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Comments

  • AmadeusDAmadeusD Posts: 44
    Its a nice piece. I think in essence it's really good, but you kind of switch out of an abstract-ish metaphorical first half in to the real-life regaling second half. Perhaps that was your intention? I don't know, but personally i think it gives the piece a run on feeling....But, its a really nice piece considering each section seperately..
    Won't you come see me, Queen Jane....

    Leaving the pillow alone tonight
    And I can see for miles
    Speak father with all your might
    Drive in one last nail
    I’d walk right into your hands
    From the end of the earth
    I’d make one final stand
    If you could see what I’m worth
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    AmadeusD wrote:
    Its a nice piece. I think in essence it's really good, but you kind of switch out of an abstract-ish metaphorical first half in to the real-life regaling second half. Perhaps that was your intention? I don't know, but personally i think it gives the piece a run on feeling....But, its a really nice piece considering each section seperately..
    Thanks :) Yeah, the two contrasting ideas was intentional although the fact that it was really written while contemplating watching the sun comes up means that maybe I didn't realise my vision as well as I could have hoped for :D All criticism is good though.
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • I like this. My only feeling is that it feels as if it reads like prose? If you took away the line-breaks, it would be; what would happen if you cut some of the words without destroying the meaning? The biggest challenge with poems is to say as much as possible with as few words as possible.

    The problem only really starts with 'Through the curtain gap' but here's an example of what I mean. (I apologise in advance for fucking around with your poem):

    It's harder to sleep
    when the sky outside dims
    and clouds roll, foreboding
    like lumbering monoliths,
    every car in the distance
    a doppler hum.


    I've got rid of 'much' as it doesn't add anything, imo. I've made 'dimming' into 'dims' to match the gerund-less 'roll' of the next line. I've got rid of 'black' as it seems redundant; foreboding clouds I imagine as black. I've got rid of 'moving' and 'alertness' because 1) I like 'doppler hum' so much and 2) 'doppler' and 'hum' imply movement without the need for the words 'movement' or 'alertness'.

    Make sense? :o
    'We're learning songs for baby Jesus' birthday. His mum and dad were Merry and Joseph. He had a bed made of clay and the three kings bought him Gold, Frankenstein and Merv as presents.'

    - the great Sir Leo Harrison
  • Jeremy1012Jeremy1012 Posts: 7,170
    I like this. My only feeling is that it feels as if it reads like prose? If you took away the line-breaks, it would be; what would happen if you cut some of the words without destroying the meaning? The biggest challenge with poems is to say as much as possible with as few words as possible.

    The problem only really starts with 'Through the curtain gap' but here's an example of what I mean. (I apologise in advance for fucking around with your poem):

    It's harder to sleep
    when the sky outside dims
    and clouds roll, foreboding
    like lumbering monoliths,
    every car in the distance
    a doppler hum.


    I've got rid of 'much' as it doesn't add anything, imo. I've made 'dimming' into 'dims' to match the gerund-less 'roll' of the next line. I've got rid of 'black' as it seems redundant; foreboding clouds I imagine as black. I've got rid of 'moving' and 'alertness' because 1) I like 'doppler hum' so much and 2) 'doppler' and 'hum' imply movement without the need for the words 'movement' or 'alertness'.

    Make sense? :o
    Absolutely :)

    I certainly agree that it's very prose-like. Too much even. Good corrections :D
    "I remember one night at Muzdalifa with nothing but the sky overhead, I lay awake amid sleeping Muslim brothers and I learned that pilgrims from every land — every colour, and class, and rank; high officials and the beggar alike — all snored in the same language"
  • AmadeusDAmadeusD Posts: 44
    I think the prose criticism is a little naive to be honest. Free verse IS a form.
    Secondarily, i think if you wrote that more lyrically and rhyming or something it would just seem arrogant in my opinion.

    take care
    Amadeus.
    Won't you come see me, Queen Jane....

    Leaving the pillow alone tonight
    And I can see for miles
    Speak father with all your might
    Drive in one last nail
    I’d walk right into your hands
    From the end of the earth
    I’d make one final stand
    If you could see what I’m worth
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