by Richard Subber | Dec 3, 2024 | Book reviews, Books, Human Nature, Joys of reading, My poetry, Poetry, Reflections, Theater and play reviews
unforgettable…
Movie review and book review:
Atonement
Atonement is a story of lives of irredeemable sadness. Ian McEwan wrote the book that is faithfully portrayed in this 2007 film (rated R, 123 minutes)—it got seven Oscar nominations—starring Keira Knightley (Cecilia), James McAvoy (Robbie), Romola Garai (child Briony), Saoirse Ronan (18-year-old Briony), and Vanessa Redgrave (mature Briony).
In brief: Briony, a child, tells a dreadful lie about her sister’s lover, forcing Cecilia and Robbie to live separate, desperately tormented lives during World War II.
This poem is my “Thumbs Up” review of the movie and the book.
Unforgettable
This memory is lava hot,
it mingles, lava slow,
in all my thoughts,
in all my mind.
It is a crumble, peat, dark,
peat rich, no single whole,
but bits of all.
I cannot grasp it entire.
It fills me,
it is full of me,
full with my dread imaginings,
full with my discarded dreams,
so full…
It burns, it sears,
a red haze in my every gaze,
a scarlet shackle on each heartbeat.
I accept the impotence of atonement.
My long-ago childish deed cannot be undone,
that indulgence in excitement
and attention and novelty
and vengeance and purest love.
Unbidden, I saw an act I didn’t understand,
two lovers, I cherished them,
their coupling had no inner meaning for me,
yet showed they had more love for each other
than each for me…
Later, a twisted crime he did not—could not—commit,
yet I accused—“I saw him”—I lied,
to hurt him and to keep her, apart, for me.
That lie broke them.
At that moment, the words tasted brave
and older than my years.
The taste became gall.
Later, I was to know that I killed them.
My life has been my penance.
Now I understand what I could not see
and could not then feel.
Now I feel their horror that I invented
in place of their happiness.
Now I endure the unhappiness
they could not escape,
the terror born of a child’s simple plan
in a child’s heart.
…I keep those false words—“I saw him”—
spoken in righteous innocence,
in unknowable ignorance,
in unremembered pleasure…
I did not know I was trading my portion of happiness
for a memory that I keep
in a hole in my heart.
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Movie review. Book review. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.
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In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”
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by Richard Subber | Nov 23, 2024 | My poetry, Poetry, Reflections
who’s watching whom…
Exit
I lingered after light sleep,
the empty snowbound afternoon was my prospect,
a warming wrap was my comfort,
no urge disturbed my rest,
the necessity of loneliness pinched my gaze…
I think the fox had been watching me
in my windowed bay,
I think she had one snuff of fear,
I think she paused, on the crusted snow,
and found no scent of interest,
I think she may have wondered
how I could feel at ease
in my tight world…
I raised one hand in greeting and adieu,
and she took her own royal time
in walking away on her grand stage.
November 8, 2018
Inspired by “Closer” by Roberta Marggraff in the Fall/Winter 2018-2019 issue of the Aurorean.
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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.
Book review: The Scarlet Letter
the beating hearts…by Nathaniel Hawthorne
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In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”
Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.
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by Richard Subber | Nov 23, 2024 | My poetry, Poetry
The Book of Days
The dawn’s early light can be pleasure enough for the whole day.
There are words enough to tell the story of “the temptation of day to come.”
It is my delight to write some of them for your delectation.
Flash
The arrows of day are bright
in the waning waste of night,
how brief their flight
to herald light.
July 20, 2024
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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.
Book review: Shantung Compound
They didn’t care much
about each other…
by Langdon Gilkey
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Writing Rainbows: Poems for Grown-Ups with 59 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”
Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.
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by Richard Subber | Nov 19, 2024 | Human Nature, My poetry, Poetry, Reflections
76 trombones…
Grace
As we gather here
we learn once more
that each of us is one,
that we hear our own music,
and yet we know
that 76 trombones
sound better than one.
We learn once more
that we are family,
and we like each other.
Food probably was the first thing
that humans shared.
It’s a nice tradition.
Let’s be grateful
for our good food
and our good fellowship.
Savannah, GA
November 24, 2022
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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.
Book review: The Bridges of Madison County
If you’re looking for
highly stoked eroticism
and high-rolling lives
that throw off sparks when they touch,
look elsewhere.
by Robert Waller
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In other words: Poems for your eyes and ears with 64 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”
Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.
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by Richard Subber | Nov 14, 2024 | My poetry, Poetry, Reflections
that entish slang…
ken
The words of stones
come soft,
and there are whispers,
and the birds’ chirping
is a refrain,
and the trees talk
mostly to themselves
in their entish slang…
Are we listening?
Do we give them moments
to speak as they will?
Can we trust the words
that we barely understand?
Do we need to hear
the stones and their mountains?
Shall we learn from these scant words
a new way of knowing?
Shall we hear the words
that exist with us,
persist without us?
Shall we allow those words
to fill our ears and minds and hearts?
Is there new meaning
so near to our ken?
June 20, 2024
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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.
“The beginning is always today.”
(quote, Mary Shelley)
so get started…
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Above all: Poems of dawn and more with 73 free verse poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”
Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.
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by Richard Subber | Nov 7, 2024 | Human Nature, My poetry, Poetry, Reflections
in stiff embrace…
duchess with a bird
The hennin is the mode,
it weighs upon her head
but she does not wonder
that it claims the eye,
it is a tower, but a trifle,
the flaring horns are innocent
of finery or fancy,
they trail alike to capes
that hide much of her gown.
She flaunts her wealth and her self,
and marvels as she stands alone
in stiff embrace of the tiny bird,
her new universe, a bird’s horizon,
without joy, nor caper,
she cannot twirl.
The bird does not incline to fly,
it has no song,
quiet instants escape their time,
the bird is mystic,
it does not flail or flee,
she moves her empty hand to no avail,
together they make a tableau.
She who has no name
does not think to share a word,
she feels no need to seek for more,
the bird is indistinct, content,
it stays.
She is a duchess with a bird,
she tilts her head,
her double-horned hat flares,
it makes a scene,
it conjures trailing musics,
and pomp of court.
July 27, 2024
Inspired by sculpture at Birch Creek 315, Linden Ponds, Hingham, MA
Revised based on feedback from Dee Bayne
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My poetry. Copyright © Richard Carl Subber 2024 All rights reserved.
–
Writing Rainbows: Poems for Grown-Ups with 59 free verse and haiku poems,
and the rest of my poetry books are for sale on Amazon (paperback and Kindle)
and free in Kindle Unlimited, search Amazon for “Richard Carl Subber”
Your comments are welcome—tell me what you’re thinking.
* * * * * *
