Poet Republik-River Atwood Tabor
Presto Manifesto
I
Exegesis
reach
space bend
time
II
Greater forces
We guess
two dots
three spirals
all paisley
III
I (?)
extended:
know not
place of “man”
IV
Monk,
“Ruby My Dear”
rectify
beauty
circle
the
Fearsome
V
Hand
contortions
She watches
his eyes
Summit
heights
VI
Pens
pour
sacred Words
VII
Bread in Captivity,
release
wander streets
work
dream of Monte Negro
graffiti
the travel store
VIII
Swans escape Nights
in the strange tongue
of childhood
cannot Understand
the nest of I am
IX
Steep
jasmine tea
bitter ignorance
hot
X
lowercase humanity
negative certainty
XI
In black cars
reefer hazes
we whisper smoke rings
the American Dream
XII
Blind Paul
tries
to return the Ocean
XIII
Ignorance of Waters
a typhoon of decline
XIV
Water
viciously couples
with
Destruction
XV
Redwood
Cathedral
light breaks
on fallen
log
blackened Altar
of bark
XVI
River
spectrum
my reflection
is Fool’s Gold
XVII
Spread
ripple circles
make Union
water
Crown
Back
XVIII
Bare
skin
woman
She—and—I grammatically
XIX
We
burn
our bodies
Meerschaum
XX
Born
under
Waters
River Atwood Tabor is a freestyle poet in recovery from his first year at university.
This poem reminds me of nature. Although I’m sure the poet uses them more as metaphors. I found it somewhat hard to read through this piece of writing, I might have not exactly read it how the author intended. However there are some things that stuck to me and reminded me even of my own goals and others too, we all fall for the American Dream. And then stanza XVI killed me just a little. It reminded me of failure and having to come to the realization of things. This poem is a true piece of art.
X
In black cars
reefer hazes
we whisper smoke rings
the American Dream
XVI
River
Spectrum
My reflection
Is fools gold
It was kind of difficult for me to understand some parts of this poem. But it seems to me like it is very deep and personal. A little emotional. It seems like he is talking about a woman in some parts. I would also like to know what the roman numerals stand for.
“Ruby My Dear”
rectify
beauty
circle
the
Fearsome
V
Hand
contortions
She watches
his eyes
I think it would be great to hear this read aloud. I like that it seemed like it was really deep and insightful but I had a tough time actually comprehending it.
I struggled to understand many parts in this freestyle poem. The part I liked was …
XVIII
Bare
skin
woman
She—and—I grammatically
This could relate to a man and a women holding each other closely and being connected as one.
XX
Born
under
Waters
I took this as all babies are born under waters until they leave the womb and they are no longer in water, unless you are in a tub.
I would like to see this poet live as he recites this poem in action. This may be something personal he has experience or observed in his life.
The poet’s literature is very unique and powerful. I have read the poem a few times and I am still scratching my head on some lines. I don’t think I am reading the assertions as the poet’s own assertions. It would be nice to hear the poet read this poem so we can see him express his feelings directly.
This is poem, like almost everyone else has said, is hard to understand. Especially me because I usually do not read poems. However, it is very visual and alluring. It talks about separate subjects however they are all related. It is beautifully written and definitely a work of art.
http://www.infocenters.co.il/gfh/multimedia/Photos/Idea/29209.jpg
XIX
Growing up around older people, I was exposed to many of past hardships. One of my grandmother’s dear friends was a Holocaust survivor, around the time she pass or a middle before I had in World War II project to due. Naturally I asked her questions, I feel if I was little bit younger than I asked these questions she wouldn’t have been so unforgiving with the facts. This poem brings up many of the details described to me, from watching people being burned alive her expressions as she explains to me will always be embedded in my mind.
We
burn
our bodies
was something similar she said.
Reading this poem and growing up with only a brother feelings were not expressed. I felt compeled that his well the poet expressing his feelings and while interpreting this at some points not sure if it was him or a women. Speaking of reiencarnation in our assignments test and surveys this week my brain may have wondered into the senario of the poet as translated. Inverted perhaps into the two sexes. Staying and focusing on the poem I didn’t get the roman numerals. It is late however.
Regrets to not attending the poetry contest as I underwent surgery and I was so looking forward to understang poetry crossing off the calander was a filled anxiety attack.
This piece is very deep with heavy existential overtones that offer a peek into the author’s internal reflections while remaining vague enough to allow the reader to reflect on their own existence. The poem in itself is very powerful, but as others have noted, I believe the delivery would add an additional dimension that would take this piece to another level of impact on the audience.
I found this poem somewhat hard for me to understand what the purpose the poet was trying to write about. Yet, I felt that different parts contributed to different times in history. For example, when he talked about the smoke, car, and the “American Dream” I began to think of the 1920’s and the new era for America.
I have to admit that it was very difficult for my to understand and follow, but I did feel a connection to spirituality and nature and being completely in tune and connected with it all.
Some parts of the poem were difficult to understand. It seemed like it was very personal to him. I think his poem is about him meeting a girl and they start a family together. They see it as they have the perfect life, the American Dream. It was different but I liked it because it seems very deep.
I truly wish I could hear his verbal interpretation of this poem. As I read it, I have a range of emotions overcome me. I found myself searching for meaning not only in his words, but in area of my own life. Wonderfully profound.
I believed the poets message to this poem was a little confusing and hard to gasp. Although, I do feel this poem in way is written as a “rhyme scheme”. For example, in his poem he mentioned this part “River spectrum my reflection is Fool’s Gold” I noticed it’s almost a AABB rhyme scheme pattern. River matches with my reflection and spectrum and elaborate a “fool’s gold”.
I personally didn’t understand half of this poem. As you read the poem, you feel the personal touch that the writer is expressing. I do feel as if the poem is talking about life and how one experiences it. I feel as if the author is telling us about an experience he encountered while walking around in a busy, city.
Stanza VII & VIII “Bread in Captivity,
release
wander streets
work
dream of Monte Negro
graffiti
the travel store”
“VIII
Swans escape Nights
in the strange tongue
of childhood
cannot Understand
the nest of I am”
I think the author is speaking about possibly being sheltered all his life and he’s finally able to go out and explore the world through his eyes and the way he wants to by wandering the streets, because the only way to experience life is to walk the streets and see where life takes you. You have to see things for yourself to experience it. The author goes on to further explain the experiences he has while wandering; sees people smoking in cars as they pass him by, he probably sees a homeless blind man on the street begging and when he says “ignorance of waters, a typhoon of decline” could be referring to being on a busy sidewalk where people just walk by and ignore those who are homeless. The author’s work is freestyle which makes it a little more difficult for most to understand because there isn’t a construct rythmn, it follows one train of thought, and it doesn’t have any traditional stanzas. It’s based off of metaphors, similies, and other literary devices that help bring out the message of what the author is trying to express. For me, this poem did have many parts of it that I did not understand as clearly as other parts but overall, after reading it a few times, I did end up really liking this freestyle poem.
This poem is cryptic to the point where I believe that the grand majority of readers cannot understand or relate to it. Every so often, a stanza appears that is slightly more accessible, but for the most part, it strongly reminds me of a string of Ezra Pound pieces with its abrupt vagueness.
I loved how this poem swayed from being super straightforward to being very abstract, all the while sustaining a profound prospective of the world. In our culture, we tend to have tunnel vision when it comes to our environment. While reading this poem, I imagined a bunch of businessmen dressed up in navy suits, red ties, and starched white button downs walking down a city sidewalk on their way home from work. But even in such a cookie-cutter environment, there are still dark feelings and feelings of love. We are all just oblivious and in our own minds. This is such a unique poem. His insight is very intriguing.
I thought this was great. At first, reading through it I had no idea how or what any of the phrases had to do with each other. I still don’t, but something about
Pens
Pour
Sacred Swords
caught my immediate attention. I got the sense that what we write to each other often causes fights, such as social media posts. Poetry has never been something I have been good at doing myself, or even understanding, but this poem gets you thinking. It certainly made me think outside the box.
I love the free style in this poem. The author sounds to be so free willing and a free sprit. This poem reminded me about myself when I was a little girl, not having a care in the world because I didn’t know any better too have a care.
“We
burn
our bodies
Meerschaum
XX
Born
under
Waters”
I have always loved being in the water because it made me feel alive.
This is a Poem that I can read over and over, and every time find something new. This is very interesting, captivating and beautiful.