A Matter of Life Remembered
A Remembrance told in prose and haiku41 total reviews
Comment from Tootie
This is so beautiful and really got to me. I really like how you presented this story about your aunt. Very effective and moving. AWESOME. Thank you for sharing this. I'm so glad I stopped by to read it! Blessings, Cathy
reply by the author on 08-Jun-2019
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This is so beautiful and really got to me. I really like how you presented this story about your aunt. Very effective and moving. AWESOME. Thank you for sharing this. I'm so glad I stopped by to read it! Blessings, Cathy
Comment Written 08-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 08-Jun-2019
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Hello Cathy!
I am honored by your exceptional rating and positive review.
A difficult piece to pen...
Thank you for stopping by to read my offering; so appreciated!
diane
Comment from davisr (Rhonda)
A very stirring story about your family, most specifically, about your aunt who loved forget-me-nots.
I am so very glad that changes have been made to medicine and its perception. Even true of true psychiatric disorders, which was a prescription for torture.
Well written, informational and tender.
Worth all of my last 6 stars.
Rhonda
reply by the author on 06-Jun-2019
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A very stirring story about your family, most specifically, about your aunt who loved forget-me-nots.
I am so very glad that changes have been made to medicine and its perception. Even true of true psychiatric disorders, which was a prescription for torture.
Well written, informational and tender.
Worth all of my last 6 stars.
Rhonda
Comment Written 06-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 06-Jun-2019
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Hello Rhonda!
I am thrilled that you found my offering exceptional.
Thank you for your heartfelt rating and review. So pleased that my words resonated with you!
Thank you again!
diane
Comment from ExperiencingLiphe
I have a sinus infection and I'm bawling. This isn't good at all. Anyways, I'm sorry the pastor didn't speak about your aunt as a person. When I got married I made sure my pastor married us. My aunt made a comment to my dad about how personal he made our ceremony. She could tell that my pastor knew me as a person. I go to a huge church but it didn't matter, he knew me and that I mattered. We all matter. You were young, you didn't know the right thing to do, your aunt loves you the same. Don't dwell on the things you didn't do or didn't know. She's looking down upon you with the biggest smile she has. Big hugs my friend.
reply by the author on 06-Jun-2019
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I have a sinus infection and I'm bawling. This isn't good at all. Anyways, I'm sorry the pastor didn't speak about your aunt as a person. When I got married I made sure my pastor married us. My aunt made a comment to my dad about how personal he made our ceremony. She could tell that my pastor knew me as a person. I go to a huge church but it didn't matter, he knew me and that I mattered. We all matter. You were young, you didn't know the right thing to do, your aunt loves you the same. Don't dwell on the things you didn't do or didn't know. She's looking down upon you with the biggest smile she has. Big hugs my friend.
Comment Written 06-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 06-Jun-2019
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Hello Friend!
Goodness!
Sinus infections are horrific!
I am deeply honored by your exceptional rating and thoughtful review.
So very pleased that my words resonated with you!
diane
Comment from JudyE
How lovely that there are now forget-me-nots blooming for you - and in memory of your aunt. Some old remedies and cures were hellish. Thank goodness science has come quite a way since those times.
reply by the author on 06-Jun-2019
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How lovely that there are now forget-me-nots blooming for you - and in memory of your aunt. Some old remedies and cures were hellish. Thank goodness science has come quite a way since those times.
Comment Written 06-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 06-Jun-2019
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Hello Judy!
So very pleased my words resonated with you!
Thank you for your excellent rating and thoughtful review!
Much appreciatd!
diane
Comment from Gloria ....
This is a dynamite read, Diane. From the opening sequence setting the scene for how the memories will unfold down to the current day you captured my interest with lush imagery and the emotional responses of a girl grown into woman pondering her inevitable path through life strewn with flowers, misfortune and the numbing, yet gorgeous flow of time.
Each haiku a brilliant burst of concrete imagery adding to our appreciation of events.
I absolutely love this. :)
Gloria
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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This is a dynamite read, Diane. From the opening sequence setting the scene for how the memories will unfold down to the current day you captured my interest with lush imagery and the emotional responses of a girl grown into woman pondering her inevitable path through life strewn with flowers, misfortune and the numbing, yet gorgeous flow of time.
Each haiku a brilliant burst of concrete imagery adding to our appreciation of events.
I absolutely love this. :)
Gloria
Comment Written 05-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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Dear Gloria,
I am beyond thrilled and honored that you would find my offering exceptional.
I was hoping that you would stop by!
This piece began as a haibun, but it took a sizeable detour on its way to what you have just read after I realized that the prose pieces are far too wordy and descriptive to meet the requirements of a haibun.
What a journey this was for me to write this piece. I wanted to share my aunt's story without being overly-sentimental and/or maudlin.
That was the greatest challenge.
Thank you for your positive comments; I am so pleased my words resonated with you...
Be well!
diane
Comment from judester
This is a wonderful glimpse into your life and the relationship with your aunt. Though you did not interact, she left a charming yet powerful influence. I love the idea of your story sectioned with a haiku, nice. I enjoyed this story and happy that the delicate forget me nots bring joy, not only for their fleeting beauty, but also for the enduring memories of your distant aunt. Bravo, judester
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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This is a wonderful glimpse into your life and the relationship with your aunt. Though you did not interact, she left a charming yet powerful influence. I love the idea of your story sectioned with a haiku, nice. I enjoyed this story and happy that the delicate forget me nots bring joy, not only for their fleeting beauty, but also for the enduring memories of your distant aunt. Bravo, judester
Comment Written 05-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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Hello Judi!
Ah! I am so pleased that my offering resonated with you.
Thank you for your excellent rating and positive, perceptive review.
So appreciative!
diane
Comment from Ulla
Hi Diane, this is a poignant write, indeed. I wished I had a six, which it so obviously deserves. What a tragic life for your aunt, and all because of the ignorance of the time. But at least she was rescued by the family instead of spending her life in an asylum. Very well written. It made a very big impression on me. Kind regards. Ulla:)))
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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Hi Diane, this is a poignant write, indeed. I wished I had a six, which it so obviously deserves. What a tragic life for your aunt, and all because of the ignorance of the time. But at least she was rescued by the family instead of spending her life in an asylum. Very well written. It made a very big impression on me. Kind regards. Ulla:)))
Comment Written 05-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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I am thrilled, Ulla, that my words resonated with you. This offering was a challenge to pen as I did not want to appear melodramatic or maudlin.
Thank you for your excellent rating and thoughtful review!
diane
Comment from Aliene
A wonderfully written piece which illustrates Wordsworth's definition of poetry as "...powerful feelings...recollected in tranquility." There is honest emotion in your writing without sentiment, heard through the even voice of the narrator. This is a biography of one person, a family and a society. I like the juxtaposition of prose and haiku (which is excellent) and the irony that at the time this memory begins the US and Japan will soon be engaged in war.
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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A wonderfully written piece which illustrates Wordsworth's definition of poetry as "...powerful feelings...recollected in tranquility." There is honest emotion in your writing without sentiment, heard through the even voice of the narrator. This is a biography of one person, a family and a society. I like the juxtaposition of prose and haiku (which is excellent) and the irony that at the time this memory begins the US and Japan will soon be engaged in war.
Comment Written 05-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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Hello Aliene!
What a beautiful name!
I am thrilled by your exceptional rating and thoughtful review.
Re: Japan: My uncle, William Kenel, (My aunt's older brother) was a Japanese POW following the fall of the Phillippines. He survived the Bataan Death March, and following that horrific ordeal, for thirty-one months he suffered the hardships of Cabanatuan Prison only to be killed by the torpedoes of the USS Snook. The captain of the Snook did not realize that the Arisan Maru, the Hell Ship my uncle and 1800+ prisoner were on, was a POW ship...His remains lie at the bottom of the Black Sea...
I have written extensively of his ordeal.
My father's family truly suffered great tragedies, but they kept their faith in God and mankind...
Thank you again!
diane
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
You did a great job, Mrs. KT, telling this 'love' story. I was engaged from start to finish. I like the way your interspersed the poetry. All of the prose plus poetry work together to tell this heartfelt, poignant story. Thanks for sharing. Jan
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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You did a great job, Mrs. KT, telling this 'love' story. I was engaged from start to finish. I like the way your interspersed the poetry. All of the prose plus poetry work together to tell this heartfelt, poignant story. Thanks for sharing. Jan
Comment Written 04-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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Hello Jan!
So pleased you enjoyed my offering.
A bit of an experiment.
But what a tragic story.
Thank you for your excellent rating and review.
diane
Comment from Carla Trinklein
So very beautiful. I lost a dear friend to suicide brought on by mental illness, and I have a cousin who suffers from schizophrenia. So often these people who are considered on the fringe of society are pushed aside. No one quite knows what to do for them. We all try, but our efforts are fumbling at best. What we need to remember, and what they need to know one way or the other, is that they matter. They matter so very much.
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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So very beautiful. I lost a dear friend to suicide brought on by mental illness, and I have a cousin who suffers from schizophrenia. So often these people who are considered on the fringe of society are pushed aside. No one quite knows what to do for them. We all try, but our efforts are fumbling at best. What we need to remember, and what they need to know one way or the other, is that they matter. They matter so very much.
Comment Written 04-Jun-2019
reply by the author on 05-Jun-2019
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Hello Carla!
I am thrilled that you would find my offering worthy of an exceptional rating.
Thank you for your thoughtful rating and review.
Such a tragic loss...
diane