Precious Gems: An Anthology
Viewing comments for Chapter 7 "Thirty Iron Bars"A Rhyming Collection of Treasured Works
15 total reviews
Comment from mywrite
I have a feeling I'm going to be giving you a lot of 6 stars... atleast until I run out and have to give you 5's. lol... I absolutely love this, it's very moving and even has me a little upset. I felt his injustice and plain out being upset. I agree that zoo's are better places now, but then I think of the circus and the very awful carnival I went to as a child. My absolute favorite animals are elephants. Well they had an elephant there and they would let you sit on him as he walked around his little circle... I wasn't scared of the elephant, I felt safer with it than the man incharge of him. Every time the elephant would slow down the man would basically beat him with a stick that shocked him. I was so upset and I cried while I was on him. I gently pet his side and told him it would be okay. (I'm crying) I can't understand the hostility and hurting an animal. It broke my heart... Sorry if I'm so mushy (so to say) but my cat died last week and I still am not over it. He was my best-friend of 15 years and I miss him so much. So anyway, before I start rambling, I could never find something wrong with your writing, it's darn near perfect!
-Katie
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2008
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I have a feeling I'm going to be giving you a lot of 6 stars... atleast until I run out and have to give you 5's. lol... I absolutely love this, it's very moving and even has me a little upset. I felt his injustice and plain out being upset. I agree that zoo's are better places now, but then I think of the circus and the very awful carnival I went to as a child. My absolute favorite animals are elephants. Well they had an elephant there and they would let you sit on him as he walked around his little circle... I wasn't scared of the elephant, I felt safer with it than the man incharge of him. Every time the elephant would slow down the man would basically beat him with a stick that shocked him. I was so upset and I cried while I was on him. I gently pet his side and told him it would be okay. (I'm crying) I can't understand the hostility and hurting an animal. It broke my heart... Sorry if I'm so mushy (so to say) but my cat died last week and I still am not over it. He was my best-friend of 15 years and I miss him so much. So anyway, before I start rambling, I could never find something wrong with your writing, it's darn near perfect!
-Katie
Comment Written 29-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 29-Sep-2008
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Very sad to lose a pet after all that time. I lost my treasured cat, Yoda, when he was 14 and I grieved for a long time over his loss. It was only when I bought another little kitten (who I've still got) that the grief finally left me. A word of 'gentle' advice: if you do get another little moggie, try not to get one who is anything like the one you lost - it helps so much with the grief having a completely different cat; at least that's what I found. I hope your grief eases soon my friend. Thanks so much for another great review! xoxoxoxoxoxo
Comment from kassey
Excellent poem and excellent theme. You have carried that memory all those years and at last released it in a beautifully written poem. How you must have felt that day. the poem is well writen and presented and the rhyme and rhythm are excellent. Great poem with a lot of depth in it's meaning. Excellent Kay
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Excellent poem and excellent theme. You have carried that memory all those years and at last released it in a beautifully written poem. How you must have felt that day. the poem is well writen and presented and the rhyme and rhythm are excellent. Great poem with a lot of depth in it's meaning. Excellent Kay
Comment Written 15-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thankyou so much Kay for your wonderful review and thoughtful comments; they're very much appreciate xoxoxoxoxoxoxxo
Comment from carolm5415
Yes, the modern zoo is a big improvement over the ones we saw as children. The wide open spaces the animals now live in approximate their natural environment. This is a lovely poem.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Yes, the modern zoo is a big improvement over the ones we saw as children. The wide open spaces the animals now live in approximate their natural environment. This is a lovely poem.
Comment Written 15-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thanks so much Carol. I'm very glad you enjoyed this one xoxoxoxox
Comment from chesli
Very well written :) I love poetry that comes from personal experience. It has much more meaning. I enjoyed reading and reviewing this.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Very well written :) I love poetry that comes from personal experience. It has much more meaning. I enjoyed reading and reviewing this.
Comment Written 14-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thanks so very much chesli. I'm just glad they're kept in much better conditions these days. Going to any zoo now is more of a pleasure than a perplexity! xoxoxoxoxo
Comment from venusanblue
This is a perfect poem. I felt exactly the same when I visited a zoo for the first time. Maybe its only children that can pick up on an animals distress. But your dads words were true. NIce, V,xxx
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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This is a perfect poem. I felt exactly the same when I visited a zoo for the first time. Maybe its only children that can pick up on an animals distress. But your dads words were true. NIce, V,xxx
Comment Written 14-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thanks so much venusanblue! this is even more appreciated, considering you reviewed with blinders on - it lets me know I'm doing something right! Have a great day xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Comment from pixiemillie
Thank you for this poem. The rhyme and meter are very good. All of us have seen, particularly in older zoos the captured and displayed animals that would be happier in a more free environment. Thank goodness this is becoming more the case than the exception.
Because this is orange on black, which is beautiful and matches the picture so well, it is a little hard to read. I wonder if making the print larger would help those of us with 'old' eyes. Just a suggestion.
This is beautiful and I'm sure seeing an animal such as this has impacted you- -hence the read. Thank you.
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thank you for this poem. The rhyme and meter are very good. All of us have seen, particularly in older zoos the captured and displayed animals that would be happier in a more free environment. Thank goodness this is becoming more the case than the exception.
Because this is orange on black, which is beautiful and matches the picture so well, it is a little hard to read. I wonder if making the print larger would help those of us with 'old' eyes. Just a suggestion.
This is beautiful and I'm sure seeing an animal such as this has impacted you- -hence the read. Thank you.
Comment Written 14-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thanks so much pixiemillie! I always appreciate reviews with blinders on as I know the reviewer is not swayed by who wrote the work, so your excellent rating and comments lets me know I'm on the right track.
I'll fiddle with that orange on black thing you mentiion - thanks for pointing it out! xoxoxoxox
Comment from Artasylum
you and me both apalachy lady...i have seeing critters captured in unnatural man made environments. yours....................diana
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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you and me both apalachy lady...i have seeing critters captured in unnatural man made environments. yours....................diana
Comment Written 14-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 15-Sep-2008
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Thanks so much Diana. At least now they're kept in environments more like their natural habitat. Thank goodness in some ways, man does learn from his mistakes. Pity that didn't apply to a whole lot of other things...xoxoxoxoxoxo
Comment from vertigo50
I'm glad I check out your poem. It's wonderful and the picture is a perfect match.
You wrote:
His words made sense, but still I found it hard to understand:
How could this tiger live, content, imprisoned by man's hand?
The sight of him, as said above, stayed with me all this time.
For life behind those thirty bars, I never knew his crime.
I never knew his crime! Now that is powerful writing. Super job that deserves six stars if I had them.
reply by the author on 14-Sep-2008
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I'm glad I check out your poem. It's wonderful and the picture is a perfect match.
You wrote:
His words made sense, but still I found it hard to understand:
How could this tiger live, content, imprisoned by man's hand?
The sight of him, as said above, stayed with me all this time.
For life behind those thirty bars, I never knew his crime.
I never knew his crime! Now that is powerful writing. Super job that deserves six stars if I had them.
Comment Written 13-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 14-Sep-2008
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Thanks vertigo; the 'six star thought' is the main thing, and I appreciate that you thought enough of this to rate it so if you could!. Yes, back in those days, what crime did these animals commit to be put behind bars? Always wondered that...
Agian, thanks for your great review - I'm glad you enjoyed this one! xoxoxoxoxo
Comment from joan marie
I am rating this a 5 because I know you handled the subject well because of your love of animals. I have some kind of wired idiosyncrasy about animals in cages that belong in the wild. If I won the lottery there would be no animals being put to sleep in my county. They would have to be extremely ill. My last cat lived 19 years. That's a lot in human years. But I get really upset. I can't watch Animal cops and shows like that. I have nightmares. I don't know why but I have some kind of deep inner link. I wasn't able to read the whole thing. I am the kind of person who calls animal services if I see one being mistreated. I have called 3 times on neighbor across the street. I know have his cat living with us. No more cold, wet weather or going for days having to forage because the BA----rd doesn't feed him. He is old and loves free kitty pets and doesn't claw or fight with ort other cats. I think he just wants a place to be safe. He won't stay in after dark. But we leave the garage door open enough he can sleep in there and stay dry and safe if it's raining!!!!! Couldn't go to zoos for a long time. Walk on other side of the street of pet stores. But I do not hesitate to call for an injured or abused animal. Even if their owners are suppose to be my friends. Explosive topic for me. Guess I can empathize with being abandoned or abused and not being able to stop it. Very important subject. joan marie
reply by the author on 13-Sep-2008
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I am rating this a 5 because I know you handled the subject well because of your love of animals. I have some kind of wired idiosyncrasy about animals in cages that belong in the wild. If I won the lottery there would be no animals being put to sleep in my county. They would have to be extremely ill. My last cat lived 19 years. That's a lot in human years. But I get really upset. I can't watch Animal cops and shows like that. I have nightmares. I don't know why but I have some kind of deep inner link. I wasn't able to read the whole thing. I am the kind of person who calls animal services if I see one being mistreated. I have called 3 times on neighbor across the street. I know have his cat living with us. No more cold, wet weather or going for days having to forage because the BA----rd doesn't feed him. He is old and loves free kitty pets and doesn't claw or fight with ort other cats. I think he just wants a place to be safe. He won't stay in after dark. But we leave the garage door open enough he can sleep in there and stay dry and safe if it's raining!!!!! Couldn't go to zoos for a long time. Walk on other side of the street of pet stores. But I do not hesitate to call for an injured or abused animal. Even if their owners are suppose to be my friends. Explosive topic for me. Guess I can empathize with being abandoned or abused and not being able to stop it. Very important subject. joan marie
Comment Written 13-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 13-Sep-2008
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joan, I find your review honest and the fact you've rated it 5 tells me you rated it on its poetic merit rather than content. That's a big plus my friend. I feel the same way as you do, but to a degree, sometimes our intervention (positive only) is necessary to keep these creatures thriving. I'm just glad, as said in my notes for this, that conditions are much more like their natural habitat in zoos these days. I never did enjoy seeing this big, graceful creatures cramped in cages all those years ago. So thank you very, very much for reviewing this at all, considering how you feel about the topic xoxoxoxoxo
Comment from mmichelle97219
Ironically the captive animals may be the last surviving animals of their breeds. As the lands disappears so will they. This is a really good poem.
Michelle
PS you have a typo in your dedication
reply by the author on 13-Sep-2008
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Ironically the captive animals may be the last surviving animals of their breeds. As the lands disappears so will they. This is a really good poem.
Michelle
PS you have a typo in your dedication
Comment Written 13-Sep-2008
reply by the author on 13-Sep-2008
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Oh no! Will go and look for the sneaky spag straight away....
Thanks so much my friend. I'm glad you enjoyed this one and appreciae you spotting me bit 'o' spag... xoxoxoxoxo