Comment from The Death

Excellent

It's a lovely free verse, Carol! Your words paint the whole scenery well. I guess I can relate to your emotions very much here. Some places are close to our hearts and leaving those are as difficult as saying goodbye to a close one. Although the mind knows it's the time to move on, the heart is lost in dreams of all the wonderful memories. Loved the phrasing throughout. The ending is effective too. It was a pleasure reading this.

Regards,
Anupam

 Comment Written 09-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 10-Jun-2018

Thanks so much for the review, and for understanding.

Carol

Comment from johnwilson

Excellent

This is wonderful! "tailgate daydreams;my boot swinging rhythm with
river's rush.Never leave a place you love in spring -
spring is for beginnings.Sadness doesn't belong.--and all the adjectives to paint spring and fall and" winter's breath begins". How do you do that? It reads like an inner conversations with yourself, yet it speaks the goosebumpy words of poetry!
Bravo!

 Comment Written 08-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 10-Jun-2018

Thank you, that was a rough week - when we moved my mother from her home in Montana down to California. I had just come from the ranch where I used to ride when I went up to help my mom, and toward the end I was going 4-6 times per year. Thanks, Clem :))
Carol

Comment from Dorothy Farrell

Excellent

Lovely descriptive poem Carol. You make this journey sound convincingly real. I love the line 'Never leave a place you love in spring - spring is for beginnings.' Nice double meaning there and I agree. 'American Spirit's smoke in rising curls.' A very poetic way to describe a 'smoke' - naughty but nice. Well written and a good read. Warm regards Dorothy xx

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 10-Jun-2018

Thanks, Dorothy, I don't smoke very often but I tend to do it when I'm stressed out. Thanks for the review, I appreciate it very much,
Carol

Comment from RGstar

Exceptional

How beautiful was this. Excellently written. Your grouping of words in portraying the scenery or thoughts gelled like the perfect jigsaw puzzle.
Beautiful adjectives working well.
Aura filled phrases.
Bravo.
My best wishes.
RG

 Comment Written 05-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 10-Jun-2018

Thank you so much, Roy. I really appreciate your feedback on this...the poem meant a lot to me, as does your review :))
Carol

Comment from dragonpoet

Excellent

I get pretty images of mountains and clear streams flowing the the speaker is following. I agree that Spring is a time to stay and enjoy the beauty and hope
of the season.

Keep writing

Joan

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

What it boiled down to was, moving my mom, feeling depressed, it just felt strange when it was so beautiful outside (sigh)

Thank you :)
Carol

reply by dragonpoet on 05-Jun-2018

You're welcome.

Joan

Comment from Michael W Hogan

Excellent

You are learning to leave Montana and I'm learning that you are truly nature's wild child, Carol. I very much like that. Your poem draws me in and makes me wish I was there for the adventure; paced moment to moment...no rush. Awesome! --Michael

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

You got that exactly right - being out in nature is my favorite thing in the world. Well, don't worry I will still go to Montana. In fact I'm going at the end of next week for a half marathon in East Glacier. Thanks for such an awesome review, Michael :))
Carol

Comment from l.raven

Excellent

Hi Carol, I have always wanted to go to Montana...that and Vermont...sounds beautiful...I love your free verse poem...very well written...and I love this picture...love you...Linda xxoo

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

I have never been to Vermont but it must be great. Thanks so much for your nice review :))

xxoo,
Carol

reply by l.raven on 04-Jun-2018

you are so welcome Carol...all the movies and pictures I have seen in Vermont...it is beautiful...smiling back at ya...Love you...Linda xxoo

Comment from meeshu

Excellent

this is a great work, Cilverde. I had this same conversation with myself, sitting on top of Mt. Harvard in Colorado. I had to leave, I hope you don't.........meeshu

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

What was happening with me was moving my mom to California, and she had lived in the same place I grew up. Thankfully I still have friends in the area, and my dad is not too far away so I still go up there. It was definitely the end of an era though.

Thanks so much, Meeshu,
Carol

Comment from Mark Valentine

Exceptional

Seems to me you wrote something with the feel of this one before - lingering a while before leaving a place you love - don't remember the place, but I remember that I loved that poem. This one is equally beautiful, particularly the third stanza with its "never leave a place you love in spring" - what a bittersweet truth that captures. That sentiment and lines like "Aimless routes are best. No place to go but down the empty road." give it a Robert-Frost like feel/

You could be the "Robert Frost of the West" with lines like "frosted peaks sailing the big sky."

I hope you were able to take a piece of the Blackfoot with you when you left.

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

This poem is actually "repurposed" - I posted an earlier version of it as prose awhile ago so that may be why it feel familiar. You are giving high praise with the Robert Frost of the West comment - thank you!! I do like that line myself as well :))

We moved my mom down to California, she lived in a house very close to where we grew up. It felt like losing a foothold, selling the house and moving her. But, my dad lives in Montana too, just not in the same area (they are divorced). So I will still be going up there, maybe more often as my dad is moving in on 90 years of age.

Thanks Mark,
Carol

Comment from Pantygynt

Exceptional

I think I have an advantage over many readers for I believe I know why you are writing this when you have little reason any more to return here, the main reason for returning no longer being there. Although the reason is not stated within the poem, that this place has meaning for you is clear enough.

Although the place names mean little to reader unfamiliar with Montana, they clearly resonate with the writer and and there inclusion adds to the sadness that pervades the poem. It is is a piece of free verse on considerable beauty.

 Comment Written 04-Jun-2018

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reply by the author on 04-Jun-2018

Yep, you know exactly what was going on. I do actually have reason to go back, including my dad and a few of my mom's best friends who I have become close with. Thanks for your review and encouragement. Sometimes I feel like I've done something really good but it can be hard to tell from the responses. The stars are much appreciated, along with your very kind words.

Carol

reply by Pantygynt on 05-Jun-2018

You make a valid point concerning your dad and close friends but with your mom and her house gone from your circle of influence it just isn't home any more.

I felt your poem actually said something important about the nature of 'home's. The place is still as beautiful and the people as friendly but you no longer have that close indescribable bond. It has lost that aspect of meaning.

I have moved so many times in my life and have loved most of the places I came to call home but going back is usually a mistake for me. So I try to avoid it. I think it is different when you have childhood memories linking through to adulthood.