In Poetry: Meaning of Words [And ...Rocket-belt]

In Poetry: Meaning of Words

When I write poetry, I check out the meaning of words for too often they sound the same, but once written, and if spelled wrong, in consequence, give a complete different meaning of what I had intended; this I call a moment of damage control. If my rhyme is flat, and my cadence is off, so what, I can survive, as long as the meaning of my words are not; and are as I meant them to be. Even punctuation can be off, and not do too much damage, but not so with my meaning of words, when they are off; or, is not as I intended them to be. I am not a professor, or perfectionist in/of English, nor need to be, a minor in literature is it and will do, but here is the bottom of the iceberg in poetry-the meaning of words. Write what you mean in words, and mean what the words say in writing poetry; or so I must remember for myself; or at least now and then remind myself; remind myself that poetry is the highest point or form in/of writing. Yet, sometimes I must give up something to get something, but never the meaning of a word. Well, that is how I feel anyhow. Why? it is damaging not only to me, but to the reader.

A poem on Vietnam called:

"Corporal Siluk and the Rocket-belt"

"It's a 'ell of a night
for rockets in flight,"
Private McGee reminded me?
thinkin' we're done for the day
ready to go to sleep
(perhaps, thinking about his pay).

When, out of the clear
we both could 'ear
the whistle of a rocket's thrust-
'ver-our little tin-roofed hut.

"Got to grab our rifles again,"
said I, to Private McGee-
"Steady there, ol' pal,"
half drunk, falling to his knees?;
as the rocket explodes-
somewhere, nearby
in the shrubbery.

#738 6/24/05

Dennis Siluk's new book, "Spell of the Andes," presently on http://www.amazon.com; he lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Lima, Peru. He is working on two more books, and several short stories.

---

Caught in the Arms of ED

YOU MIGHT THINK I AM STRONGI THINK YOU GOT IT... Read More

The Game of Life

When your life becomes unbearable And the light of... Read More

Three Poems: Phantom of the Rocks; Lady from Lima & Bell Ringer of de Copan

Phantom of the Rocks[Huancayo, Peru]Night falls deepUpon the traveler!Low, over... Read More

A Different Place...

I wish we had met 20 years ago... A different... Read More

Hindu Poet - Kamalakanta

Kamalakanta was born in Burdwan India in the late 18th... Read More

In Poetry: Meaning of Words [And ...Rocket-belt]

In Poetry: Meaning of WordsWhen I write poetry, I check... Read More

Joined

JOINEDHeart beat of man pounding - yet unheard joined... Read More

Ceasar Vallejo: Black Roses [In English and Spanish]

Cesar Vallejo: Black RosesBow down your head ol' poet- To... Read More

Lima, City with the Stretched out Wings [In English and Spanish]

Lima, City with the Stretched out WingsIt's an ink-black... Read More

Storm Rising along the Lima Coast

Storm Rising along the Lima Coast [Summer of 2002]?wind was... Read More

Lamenting Poetic Moods [six Poems]

Advance: in Mr. Siluk's poetry one finds symbolist values, sensuous... Read More

Why I enjoy Writing?

During interviews and general conversations with the public,one of the... Read More

Superman

So many looked to you for inspiration,Unlikely hero for the... Read More

Elizabeth Barrett Browning: A Discussion of How Do I Love Thee?

"How Do I Love Thee?" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning was... Read More

Three Poems: The Monkey Man of Lima, Plus Two More

What Hides behind the Minute?What hides behind the minute? It... Read More

The Butcher of Lima and Footprints to Mantaro Valley (Two Poems)

Footprints to Mantaro Valley (Peru; in English and Spanish)In what... Read More

Shadows of the Andes; Ollantayambo; and Cesar Vallejo [Poems in English and Spanish]

1) Shadows of the Andes [or: Song to the Andes]I... Read More

Memoirs of a Wastelands Rim [a Poem: now in Spanish and English]

Memoirs of a Wasteland's RimIt still was light when she... Read More

Eight Poems

Out of the eight poems provided here [all previously unpublished],... Read More

Two Poems and an Analysis [?Witness,? & ?An Old Love?]

Two Poems and an Analysis ['Witness,' & 'An Old Love']WitnessMy... Read More

Robert Burns Love Poem: A Red, Red Rose

Robert Burns, a poor man, an educated man, and a... Read More

A Case of The Fears

Chicken Soup is good for a coldSleep is good for... Read More

The Last King of Mars [A Poetic Mytho]

[As Told by the Last] King: it was in the... Read More

The Dead God of Copan (in English and Spanish)

English VersionAnd the Death God said: "Let it rise to... Read More

Rocks

Take some time to stop and look at nature. Pick... Read More

Uamaks Aquatic [suspense: now in Spanish and English]

Delicately, my mind was selecting a muffled tune, out of... Read More

The King and Delka & Moiromma: the Cold Planet [Parts 25 and 26]

#25The King and Delka [Split Mawkishness-on Moiromma /Part V]Sickly SentimentalityI... Read More

House of the Goblin [Part Two of Three/with notes]

House of the Goblin [Part Two of Three]Here is where,... Read More

Burning Autumn Leaves [a poem in Spanish and English]

Burning Autumn Leaves [1950s in St. Paul, Minnesota]My long steel... Read More

The Time Has Come and Buzzing

Most of my poems are written late at night, often,... Read More

Bleed

now is not the time to open open that great... Read More

Farewell to Lester Graybill

I never met a man, who could shake my hand,... Read More

Rhymes of an Ordnance Man [Vietnam War: 1971]

Rhymes of an Ordnance Man [Vietnam War: 1971]An eleven part... Read More