Humble beginnings indeed,
At age ten a terrible verse
It’s haunted me all these years
‘Green trees grow beyond the meadow green’!
Ever since striving to write a better line
more erudite, more precise
Exploring poetic terms
With succinct random words.
At the centre of all excellence
A learned well credentialed Professor,
Waxed lyrically about my brief verse
In words I could not comprehend.
Disillusioned! What I asked?
He’d missed my point, my deeper meaning.
But a lesson learned, language you see
We come at it from different angles.
So I now write my words
Aware you may read what I don’t see.
I am happy you find significance
In responding to my simple verse.
Written for: http://dversepoets.com/2014/03/04/poetics-poetically-evolving/
Morpethroad 
I think you have found your way out of the forest of green trees beyond the meadow green my friend. How many times we write fully aware of what we are saying, only for readers to see it another way. I’m happy responding to your verses, because they are clear (most of the time) 😉 and don’t have me scratching my head.
Thank you Jenny that is such a relief.
You are welcome 🙂
part of writing is the letting go…and realizing that what we saw may not be what the reader sees…they may interpret it different and it is not that it is wrong, its just different and its no longer the artists right to control it.
So true Brian I learnt that lesson and often it is refreshing to see another interpretation of your work. Thanks so much, I hope your dad is ok.
How we see and remember things/events/places evolves over time, this includes our own appreciation and understanding of our own work. I love your youthful line, such attractive alliteration always appeals!
Thank you so much, your comment is much appreciated.
I am glad that you found a way to express yourself in a way that speaks to me and others. Like Rambly, I enjoy poems I can understand.
Thanks Gabriella that is a lovely comment.
I’m with everyone else Michael, I enjoy poems that I understand. You do it wonderfully.
Thank you so much Jackie, appreciated as always.
ah.. I really like the fact that one my read different ways — and as long as the reader is part of the process of creating meaning… (and I love that haunted line of yours)…
Thanks Bjorn that haunted line I knew was lame when I wrote it all those years ago. It’s a reminder of where I have come from, it spurs me to try harder each time but always to enjoy what I write.
I’m reading all the comments and nodding. “Yup, ditto.” I say. And I’m also with Bjorn, iGreen trees grow beyond the meadow green is a good line. Like you say, you were only ten, so I think it’s a pretty good line for a little nipper. I occasionally write a poem, but I’ve only ever really been pleased with one of them 🙂
Thanks Lyn, oh go on put yourself out there we will be very gentle with you.
LOL
What you think/see in your work is most important… some will get it, some won’t…and that’s okay 🙂
Thanks Anthony I agree totally, you can’t reach everyone, we all come at language from different contexts, as I well realise when I read so many in d’verse.
Well said, Michael. I am learning more from talented people like you to write and so appreciate the varied interpretations readers may have. It really is art in a different form…I always admired my aunt who is a painter, sculptor and she would welcome our interpretations of her art. I can see now how it adds richness to each piece. And language too…we all come from different parts of the world …the written word can mean so much more. Thank you for sharing this, it encouraged me to have a go too:) Oliana
Thanks great Oliana. I will post a new poem later today that may not teach you anything other than what a cynic and idiot I can be. Now I must go in search of your poem…
what changed? You did.
Thanks so much, I would hope I still am.
When I was a young man I studied Kung Fu and our instructor used to tell us that it is possible to improve all our lives. I believe that to this day.
Absolutely, it’s what gives us reason to wake each morning look about and see what new experience awaits us. Then to embrace it whatever it is.
“So I now write my words
Aware you may read what I don’t see.”
So great to reach that point of knowing this to be true, and not being concerned about it. I will read just what I need, even if it is not what you see, and that’s okay. Peace, Linda
Thanks Linda, it took me a while to accept that, but that was just youthful pride back then.
It’s not uncommon for me to find out that a reader has heard or seen something else in my poetry – and I delight in that. I think we all read through an interpretative set of reading glasses anyway, informed by our own experiences, or just how we are feeling at that moment.
It is a delight as you say Freya. Often very humbling to see what others have read into your words. That’s an excellent comment. I was moved by the comments I received on this poem that I penned another if you would like to read. It is a bit tongue in cheek:
Thanks so much for that great comment as well.
So I now write my words
Aware you may read what I don’t see…. nice.. and that’s what i love about poetry…it touches people where they are…and can be there are 10 different people and for everyone it means something different… cool
Thank you so much Claudia, that’s the magic of language. I followed up this poem by writing this one that I will give you the link to:
I thought you might like to see where my mind took me as the result of d’verse and he comments this poem generated. Thanks again.
‘But a lesson learned, language you see
We come at it from different angles.’
I love this and hate this about my own words.
I am always conscious, sometimes overly so about how things I write may be perceived. I enjoy that we all have our own experiences and journeys that mean we think and feel about things differently – BUT there are times when things can be so wrongly perceived that people may be hurt of offended. I hate for this to occur.
Sometimes I can get obsessively long winded trying to explain things.
There you go again taking me on my own journey… lol
If you accept that language is universal then you also have to understand every one comes from a different context so our perception of what someone writes is a valid response even if the author doesn’t agree. If you worry too much then you may be tying yourself in knots unnecessarily. Let people respond as they see your words it’s often eye opening what people think.
Agreed 🙂
I remember back in school having to interpret poems. I was always a nervous wreck & hoped that I wouldn’t get picked. LOL
Know how you feel. I wrote a companion poem to that one poem 105 you might get a giggle out of it.