Comment from dragonpoet

Excellent

Mark,
This haiku personifies the glacier and iceberg well. It provides a good image of the power of water in breaking down big things to smaller.
I like the color scheme of the presentation of the poem and picture.
Congrats on placing third in the contest.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
Joan

 Comment Written 02-Sep-2022

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reply by the author on 02-Sep-2022

Joan,

Thanks for your review and contest placement recognition. I am extra pleased when the contest committee awards me a spot on the podium. I am even happy with a tie for third (-;

Mark

reply by dragonpoet on 02-Sep-2022

You're welcome, Mark. I would be happy with an honorable mention. I seldom enter contests any more, since I have never placed in one in all my more than a decade on the site.
Joan

Comment from Bill Schott

Excellent

I guess spelling doesn't factor into the competition. I wondered for a couple seconds what "calves" meant. until I figured it was carves misspelled. Nice sentiment though. Congratulations.

 Comment Written 31-Aug-2022

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reply by the author on 31-Aug-2022

Bill

Carves works, but calves was intended. It is a phenomenon that often applies to icebergs. See my clip from the dictionary:

intransitive verb
1 : to give birth to a calf
also : to produce offspring
2 of an ice mass : to separate or break so that a part become so cute detached

Thanks for your congrats. Always pleased when the FS committee awards me a spot on the podium.

Mark

reply by Bill Schott on 31-Aug-2022

Well, alrighty then. I learned again today.

Comment from PoemsOfDD

Excellent

An excellent entry for the Haiku poem contest. The photo adds to the telling and the content a stark reality of the environmental issues that face Mother Nature today. I grieve when I see emaciated polar bears clinging to an ice-float that is melting beneath their paws. Yes, the sunlight and climate change are eating away at the much needed icebergs. I applaud you for making a statement in this well written haiku. It deserves a six but I have melted them all. Please accept my virtual ******

 Comment Written 08-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 08-Jan-2022

Thanks DD!

Pleased this entry had an effect on you. Our environment truly is in crisis. Hopefully, we can turn this situation around before it is too late. World governments must act to (re)solve it. Yes, the polar bear scenario is scary and heartbreaking.

A virtual six boosts my ego in the same way.

Mark

Comment from Janetsue

Excellent

I would really like to put a six on this, Mark. It is an intriguing posting. However, haiku is about what can truly be observed in nature in a moment of time. We really can't see sunlight giving birth to an iceberg. I'm still rating a five because I think it is such a clever idea.
-- While this is not as exciting, you could say: sunlight reaction. It would then be a true haiku.
(People also get confused sometimes with contemporary haiku which only refers to a varied syllable count, and not the use of poetic elements.)

 Comment Written 06-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 06-Jan-2022

Janet,

Sometimes I slide with my use of contemporary Haiku in truth, the theHaikuFoundation.org web site has many Haiku that have less than 17 syllables. I believe my use of calves reflects what happens in nature in a moment. I just stuck in sunlight for cause and effect and to keep to my strict syllable count. (-; I do appreciate you keeping me in line with ?my? Haiku writings.

reply by Janetsue on 06-Jan-2022

Thank you for being so gracious. Some people would be tempted to block me. lol

Comment from BLACKTITANIUM86

Excellent

This Haiku is definitely a global
warning. Nevertheless, your skill is dope.
For, you have to the ability to say a thousand
words within such a short poem. Keep Writing.
And hope to see you stop by my spot, to enjoy
some of my poetry.

 Comment Written 06-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 06-Jan-2022

Hi!

Thanks for your review and comments. I googled you and visited your poems. We share a similar NYC connection. I lived on Staten Island, but commuted to high school at Brooklyn Tech.

My poetry wheelhouse is most strictly short poems, particularly 5-7-5 format. Writing long verses is not within my bailiwick at all and hardly do I review the same (even when I am a fan of the poet - sometimes I do, at least, read the longer poems).

However, if you want info about more traditional Haiku poetry, take a peek at theHaikuFoundation.org web site.

Hope your side of the country is enjoying warmer temps than my northeast corner.

Stay safe. Keep healthy.

Best wishes for the New Year.

Mark

Comment from tempeste

Exceptional

Ciao Marco!

This is one of your finest entries yet.

I have seen a few documentaries on the effect of climate change in the Arctic and your description

rivulets
etch the weathered glacial face ~

describes it to the T ..

I get this imagine of small streams of gushing water ( melting ice ) making their way down .. as if someone were crying heavily.

I have heard of calving ice : when a big chunk due to an initial crack which eventually gets bigger, causes a huge piece of ice to detach from the glacier.

Just last May 2021 in the Antarctic a humungous iceberg cracked away ..

https://earthsky.org/earth/worlds-biggest-iceberg-a76-2021/


https://www.severe-weather.eu/news/worlds-largest-iceberg-a76-breaks-off-antarctica-2021-fa/


The closing line explains why calving occurs .. the hotter weather due to climate change combined with the warmer winds start the process.

PS: just a suggestion :

instead of water ( which is a repeat referring to rivulets which are streams ) you could put an adjective .. sparkling , gushing , silvery, limpid

Ciao!

 Comment Written 05-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 06-Jan-2022

Tempeste,

It is hard to believe you deem this one of my best. Your generosity frequently overwhelms me. I always enjoy your commentary.

Mark

Comment from Iza Deleanu

Excellent

The strange beauty of the frozen land - water rivulets
etch the weathered glacial face ~
sunlight calves iceberg - thank you for sharing and good luck with your writings.

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 05-Jan-2022

Iza,

Thanks for your thoughts. You are correct that my depiction of the frozen land has its beauty, but that the environment is still fragile.

Mark

Comment from Jay Kemper

Good

Good word choice and good flow, but the split between lines isn't super clear. You could utilize capitalization to help with that. And your last line: "sunlight calves iceberg," I think you meant "carves?" Not completely certain on that, i might just be misunderstanding.

This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 05-Jan-2022

Hi Jay,

We do carve the turkey, but when part of the Antarctica glacier shelf falls into the sea, the term is calved when it slices off.

I am not a fan of capitalization for my short poems, especially Haiku-esque poems. Check out the free site, theHaikuFoundation.org for poems and discussion about this format.

Mark

reply by Jay Kemper on 05-Jan-2022

Ah, I see! I didn't know that term

Comment from Sugarray77

Excellent

I like this thought provoking verse, Mark. All of your parts work together to create an entire landscape of thought and meaning. The word 'calving' is correct but also unique. Great write.

Melissa

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2022

Melissa,

The bird gets carved, but the (ice)berg gets calved LOL

Thanks for your review and insight about my poem?s meaning. Do appreciate your critiques always.

Mark

Comment from June Sargent

Excellent

This is a sad reality and many choose to ignore it. I like the idea of sunlight calving icebergs instead of carving them. A thoughtful piece. Should do well in the contest!

 Comment Written 04-Jan-2022

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reply by the author on 04-Jan-2022

Thanks June for your support for this type of poem and its messaging.

Mark