Sometimes when reading a poem I stop and take note
The images conjured by the poem explode in my mind
How do I know the Poet thought the same as she wrote?
Or is the poem a template for whatever meaning I find?
If so when I write and use symbols for thought
and send messages I want to be understood
it depends on my reader and what he's been taught
the finer point's chance of transmission aren't good.
I accept that poetry is an impression
of the heart-felt thoughts of the poet
put down in words as her expression
but her inner thought - I'll never know it
The Reader's mind decodes interpretation
uses his images and word association
The readers and writer's collaboration
yields a different poem, each reader's adaptation
Sadly for me on this occassion
"bead strung to the navel" association
the image that sprung unwanted from my mind
was body pierced hippy - that's all I can find...
But please don't get me wrong
I like the poem, it is strong.
You speak of our Mortality
all things in Seasonality
of the heart-felt thoughts of the poet
put down in words as her expression
but her inner thought - I'll never know it
The Reader's mind decodes interpretation
uses his images and word association
The readers and writer's collaboration
yields a different poem, each reader's adaptation
Sadly for me on this occassion
"bead strung to the navel" association
the image that sprung unwanted from my mind
was body pierced hippy - that's all I can find...
But please don't get me wrong
I like the poem, it is strong.
You speak of our Mortality
all things in Seasonality
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Comments: 20
Thanks for posting to Angela's group -- Anything Writing!
Metaphorically, I am deaf, dumb, and blind! But, I am loving learning of the use of metaphors and many of the poets I've come in contact with here in my few months on Gather have given me much knowledge. One of the things I do a lot of is look words and phrases and metaphors up, google is an awesome tool! If I look it up, I'll not soon forget it.
As for the poem with the phrase "bead strung to the navel" -- I guessed "umbilical cord" but I'm not sure I guessed right. When you posted this poem I googled the phrase and came up with the link I've shared with you above.
Thanks for the interesting comments and links. If you had "Gathered" it instead of Googled, you would have found my muse:
"Another bead strung
to the navel of life and death"
Sometimes I read a poem and think
This is unholy disorganised crap
yet the comments all praise and explain the meaning
and I fall into a cognitive dissonance trap.
Sometimes I want to say
To the poet "Take a hike
And send your muse away"
:)
untimely tourist
Communication Breakthrough!