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The Two of Me

Viewing comments for Chapter 27 "The Witty Crow"
Chochee Medina Life and Times

7 total reviews 
Comment from seaglass
Excellent
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Ah yes, the crows and the Ravens are some of the smartest birds on the planet. I read that they never forget a face are a deed that's been done to them. This is the perfect animal to honor in this contest.

 Comment Written 21-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 21-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the review and insight on this interesting contest.
    God's Blessings to you.
Comment from sfharper
Excellent
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I like the imagery and the message behind this short 5-7-5 poem. It tends to keep the message separated by use of the lines, which aids the connectiveness in the poem. I enjoyed reading it.

 Comment Written 21-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 21-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the insightful review and your time. God's Blessings to you.
Comment from victor 66
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Reading your entry, all I can think of is Edgar Allan Poe's poem, The Raven:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore--
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door--
Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;--vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow--sorrow for the lost Lenore--
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore--
Nameless here for evermore.

And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me--filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door--
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;--
This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"--here I opened wide the door;--
Darkness there and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!"--
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore--
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;--
'Tis the wind and nothing more!"

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door--
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door--
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore--
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning--little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door--
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered--not a feather then he fluttered--
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have flown before--
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."
Then the bird said "Nevermore."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore--
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never--nevermore'."

But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore--
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee--by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite--respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!--
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted--
On this home by Horror haunted--tell me truly, I implore--
Is there--is there balm in Gilead?--tell me--tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!--prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us--by that God we both adore--
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore--
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting--
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!--quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted--nevermore!

Good luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 20-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 21-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the review and compliment.
    God's Blessings to you.
reply by victor 66 on 21-Feb-2019
    You are welcome.
Comment from HealingMuse
Excellent
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Hi Mystery Author,

Ooooh - I really like this poem!

I like your author's notes, too. Really yummy mond candy.

Crows are great jokers for sure!

Best of luck in the contest with this great entry, and thanks for sharing.

Jan

 Comment Written 20-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 21-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the review and compliment. God Bless you.
Comment from 24chas
Excellent
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I enjoyed this read, unknown poet. I liked the random lines and they made sense taken as a whole. Nice creative effort here. Good job and good luck in the contest.

 Comment Written 20-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the review and encouragement. God's Blessings to you.
Comment from Y. M. Roger
Excellent
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A well-written and correctly formatted offering for the contest -- your poem and picture combination certainly make for a unique entry! :) Thank you for sharing and best of luck in the contest! ;)

 Comment Written 20-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the review and insight,I have had a few disqualified entries recently for what can be considered minor misinterpretations. I'm still learning poetry types and refining techniques.
Comment from Wabigoon
Excellent
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I appreciate the effort and with the aid of the note I see where your lines are coming from. If you were angling at a picture of the crow I think other lines could have been chosen that would suggest him/her better.

Thanks
Wabigoon/Jeff.

 Comment Written 20-Feb-2019


reply by the author on 20-Feb-2019
    Thank you for the review and insight.
    My selection seemed to be most fitting to the contest, I'm hoping?
    God's Blessings to you.