SUBJECT>Re: First version, please. POSTER>Christopher T George EMAIL>editorcg@yahoo.com DATE>1111643104 IP_ADDRESS>pcp02822717pcs.mtromd01.md.comcast.net PASSWORD>aaXga4uf0tS3k PREVIOUS>85354 NEXT> 85374 IMAGE> LINKNAME> LINKURL>

: I MUCH prefer "our" to "the
: nation's." With "our" this is
: more personal, and thus I can stomach the
: political intrusion into such georgeous
: imagery as:

: the U.S. Capitol ghosts
: behind winter trees

: because it seems honest, and
: relevant. When you insert the more
: presumptuous "the nation's" this
: is suddenly much more cold, and distant, and
: less personally felt. In short, it would
: please the political analysts more with
: "the nation's" but political
: analysts are paid to trade in grand-sounding
: hollow phrases. You, my dear, are a poet,
: and are charged with writing truth-conveying
: phrases of grand import, if not sound. Does
: that make sense?

: Also, selfish, I know, but I want more than an
: amber (nice word choice, by the way) light
: and that wonderful description of the
: capital building (I felt I was back in DC,
: standing on the mall, looking at that white
: capital building through a fog--excellent
: languistic choices IMO). I want more to feel
: like I'm losing out on by this
: "limbo." I want more to remind me
: what is at stake. And, perhaps it is that I
: am homesick and you are such an excellent
: poet of place, I want more contrast between
: the real world DC and the
: removed-from-reality politics that it hosts.

: I really don't wnat this to become a poem that
: loses it's direction once the next huge
: political debate distracts the nation from
: the current one. I am loathe to relegate
: those two lines I quoted, of which I am im
: mensely enamored, to the realm of temporally
: limited purely political poetry. But, you
: are the poet, and must pick your purpose:
: political statement to serve the now, or
: enduring statement to serve understanding of
: truth. Perhaps "tubes" is really
: what is limiting this too much, for me,
: anyway, to Terri Schiavo’s case alone.
: Hmmm... if I get any more thoughts, I'll
: give 'em to ya, if ya want 'em. I really
: want this piece to work excellently, as it
: has captured me.

Hi Jessica

Well, I am humbled and honored that you like those lines so much. I will do my best to use them in a poem that will do them justice. Thank you for your interest and support. Indeed, if you have any other thoughts or suggestions, I would be most interested to hear, either here in the forum or by e-mail.

All my best

Chris