The Song Thrush
A Ballad68 total reviews
Comment from Contests
reply by the author on 27-May-2016
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 A contest winning entry! A seven star rating from the Contest Committee for posting the winning contest entry. |
Comment Written 27-May-2016
reply by the author on 27-May-2016
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Very many thanks for this singular honour!
Comment from Ric Myworld
New to poetry and its many styles and forms I'm forced to trust my eyes and ears to find what touches and entertains me. For as I've said many times, I wouldn't know a sonnet from sorbet. But even with my untrained ears and eyes, and knowing nothing of poetry, only the deaf and blind couldn't find beauty in the words of your fine poem. Great job, and good luck in the contest. :-)
reply by the author on 24-May-2016
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New to poetry and its many styles and forms I'm forced to trust my eyes and ears to find what touches and entertains me. For as I've said many times, I wouldn't know a sonnet from sorbet. But even with my untrained ears and eyes, and knowing nothing of poetry, only the deaf and blind couldn't find beauty in the words of your fine poem. Great job, and good luck in the contest. :-)
Comment Written 24-May-2016
reply by the author on 24-May-2016
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Very many thanks for thumbing back through my portfolio to find this and to award it six stars. Very much appreciated! So glad that you enjoyed it! Best wishes, Tony
Comment from ciliverde
Well, I was going to give you a six for this Tony, but my last one went to you for the blank verse about the winter trees. But I'd give this twice six, or more, I absolutely LOVE THIS. It is written so beautifully, in lilting rhyme and meter, the story is enchanting (and sad) and Gynt's reading of it is just so perfect. The whole thing is just so wonderful. The way you incorporated the Irish names, and a bit of folklore, such as the selkies and the curlews is a perfect touch.
You have really outdone yourself, this is honestly one of my favorite things I've seen on Fanstory!!! So exaggeration.
Carol
reply by the author on 11-May-2016
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Well, I was going to give you a six for this Tony, but my last one went to you for the blank verse about the winter trees. But I'd give this twice six, or more, I absolutely LOVE THIS. It is written so beautifully, in lilting rhyme and meter, the story is enchanting (and sad) and Gynt's reading of it is just so perfect. The whole thing is just so wonderful. The way you incorporated the Irish names, and a bit of folklore, such as the selkies and the curlews is a perfect touch.
You have really outdone yourself, this is honestly one of my favorite things I've seen on Fanstory!!! So exaggeration.
Carol
Comment Written 11-May-2016
reply by the author on 11-May-2016
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What a delightful review, Carol. Worth far more than six stars! I was so glad that Robyn suggested the recording and that Jim was happy to do it.
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
Amazing, beautiful, creative, . . . just get a dictionary out and look up all of those adjectives of praise.
Tony,
I enjoyed your poem. I read it through. Then thought on it a while. When I read that there was a recording, I came back and listened. It was just as I thought--exceptional.
Thanks for sharing. Jan
reply by the author on 09-May-2016
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Amazing, beautiful, creative, . . . just get a dictionary out and look up all of those adjectives of praise.
Tony,
I enjoyed your poem. I read it through. Then thought on it a while. When I read that there was a recording, I came back and listened. It was just as I thought--exceptional.
Thanks for sharing. Jan
Comment Written 09-May-2016
reply by the author on 09-May-2016
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So many thanks for this lovely review, Jan. I was so glad that Robyn Corum suggested this to me. Pantygynt does have just the right voice for it!
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but it would nothing without your words
Comment from Treischel
A beautifully lilting tale of love, mystery, mythology wound into this story poem. The 8-6 cadance was excellent. The abcb rhymed quatrains flowed well on the iambic meter, the imagery of the flora and fauna of the isle was delightful. An intricate tale full of the things of folklore. I really enjoyed it.
reply by the author on 09-May-2016
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A beautifully lilting tale of love, mystery, mythology wound into this story poem. The 8-6 cadance was excellent. The abcb rhymed quatrains flowed well on the iambic meter, the imagery of the flora and fauna of the isle was delightful. An intricate tale full of the things of folklore. I really enjoyed it.
Comment Written 09-May-2016
reply by the author on 09-May-2016
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Very many thanks for this, Tom. I've just added a sound file of Pantygynt reading the ballad. He does it rather well.
Comment from IndianaIrish
You have such a clever imagination, Tony, to create this wonderful Irish legend. I very much enjoyed your storytelling in this poetic format, and of course your use of meter, rhyme, and enjambment made for a delightful read. Best wishes to you in the contest.
Smiles,
Karyn :-)
reply by the author on 10-May-2016
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You have such a clever imagination, Tony, to create this wonderful Irish legend. I very much enjoyed your storytelling in this poetic format, and of course your use of meter, rhyme, and enjambment made for a delightful read. Best wishes to you in the contest.
Smiles,
Karyn :-)
Comment Written 08-May-2016
reply by the author on 10-May-2016
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Thank you, Karyn! What an uplifting review! So glad that you enjoyed it! Best wishes, Tony.
Comment from MSJVClarke
This is a very nice ballad. It certainly meets the criteria of a ballad. I liked the smooth flow of your words and appreciated the note beneath. I can envision these words in a folksong accompanied by a mandolin.
reply by the author on 07-May-2016
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This is a very nice ballad. It certainly meets the criteria of a ballad. I liked the smooth flow of your words and appreciated the note beneath. I can envision these words in a folksong accompanied by a mandolin.
Comment Written 06-May-2016
reply by the author on 07-May-2016
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Yes, a mandolin would be interesting. Thanks for your review and suggestion. Best wishes, Tony
Comment from kiwisteveh
Should 'goulish' be 'ghoulish'?
Tony, this is a brilliantly executed ballad, and I predict it will be very hard to beat in the story-poem contest. The inclusion of words and phrases from Celtic mythology adds interest and realism, and the tale itself is of such a suitably tragic nature.
Meter and rhyme combine well to tell the story and there are lots of imaginative touches. I particularly liked the ending where the story of the love-sick girl is linked to natural phenomena.
Great job!
Steve
reply by the author on 06-May-2016
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Should 'goulish' be 'ghoulish'?
Tony, this is a brilliantly executed ballad, and I predict it will be very hard to beat in the story-poem contest. The inclusion of words and phrases from Celtic mythology adds interest and realism, and the tale itself is of such a suitably tragic nature.
Meter and rhyme combine well to tell the story and there are lots of imaginative touches. I particularly liked the ending where the story of the love-sick girl is linked to natural phenomena.
Great job!
Steve
Comment Written 06-May-2016
reply by the author on 06-May-2016
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Thanks, Steve. I was really in the soup there - mixing my goulash with ghoulish! I didn't mean her to decompose that quickly! Glad you enjoyed this one. It went through several metamorphoses before seeing the light of day! Delighted that the end result earned one of your precious six star awards. Much appreciated! Tony
Comment from rspoet
A fine tale of the folk
with all the garnish and trimmin'
written in superb alternating tetra and tri meter lines
reads as smooth as an iam's bum
You've created a new folk tale,
now you have to do is go to all the Irish pubs
(that could take a lifetime)
and tell the tale, between sips of ale, so it gets repeated
and woven into the fabric of Irish soul
and The Ballad of the Song Thrush
will live long, as well it should
Well done
reply by the author on 06-May-2016
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A fine tale of the folk
with all the garnish and trimmin'
written in superb alternating tetra and tri meter lines
reads as smooth as an iam's bum
You've created a new folk tale,
now you have to do is go to all the Irish pubs
(that could take a lifetime)
and tell the tale, between sips of ale, so it gets repeated
and woven into the fabric of Irish soul
and The Ballad of the Song Thrush
will live long, as well it should
Well done
Comment Written 05-May-2016
reply by the author on 06-May-2016
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Thanks for your delightful review and six stars. What a splendid excuse for a visit to Ireland and a re-acquaintance with proper Guinness! I shall have to practice my Irish brogue!
Comment from Pam (respa)
-Beautiful image and excellent poem.
-Thanks for the author notes.
-The ballad flows so smoothly from one part to the next.
-It begins on such a light and happy note as Maeve awaits her true love.
-Poor Maeve was led astray by the Sith, and taken from the "stagnant pool" by the eagle.
-She became the Mavis bird, who could sing so sweetly and nests in the rowan tree.
-I know the ballad is all about Maeve, but I wonder what happened to her love? Maybe he has his own story to tell.
-I enjoyed the ballad very much. Good luck in the contest; you have a strong entry.
reply by the author on 06-May-2016
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-Beautiful image and excellent poem.
-Thanks for the author notes.
-The ballad flows so smoothly from one part to the next.
-It begins on such a light and happy note as Maeve awaits her true love.
-Poor Maeve was led astray by the Sith, and taken from the "stagnant pool" by the eagle.
-She became the Mavis bird, who could sing so sweetly and nests in the rowan tree.
-I know the ballad is all about Maeve, but I wonder what happened to her love? Maybe he has his own story to tell.
-I enjoyed the ballad very much. Good luck in the contest; you have a strong entry.
Comment Written 05-May-2016
reply by the author on 06-May-2016
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Many thanks, Pam, both for the complimentary review and the six stars. I did consider weaving her lover into a much longer ballad, but chickened out!
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You are very welcome for the review and stars. There's always another time.