"North, South, East, and West","If Only", and "Hidden Gardens"

From: Kavita P. Pai

I just read your poem, North, South, East, and West, on the Rainbow Garden pages. It was was extremely touching. I also greatly appreciate your other poems, If Only & Hidden Gardens. I find your poetry so profound because you write about reality, in simple, beautiful verses that carry their message right into one's soul.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts with our world and shining light, through your verse.

Yours sincerely,
Kavita P Pai

Bombay, India

From: Russell Alexander
Alan, You're quite a prolific poet .. What an enchanting spirit I found here .. especially the discovery of co-authored poetry, friendship, even love that I stumbled onto, seemingly born over the Web .. between you and Michelle. Thanks for awarding The Rainbow Garden pages your Inspirational Excellence Award.

From: Bet
I just wanted to tell you that I have spent hours reading your poems..Never have I read such feelings before.. My husband works away from home and reading these have helped me understand some of his feelings...Thank you so much..... I have bookmarked your page and will return to check for any updates...Again, I would like to say, They are all wonderful and full of true feelings.......Bet

From: Kayhlan
Oh my goodness!

I have been searching so much for a site like yours.

I have spent literally hours at your "cabin" site this morning, and I will do so again until I have read everything I can find there. In all honesty, I might not agree with every sentiment I have read there, but I have lived each one as I read them, and I have felt alive today, like I haven't for a long time.

thank you for that

Kayhlan

"Angel's Prayer"and "In Remembrance"

From: J.E. Blackledge
I wish to thank you sir, for helping to revive the true romantic buried in all of us. Your poems were very touching and inspiring. We all need to lose our formed natures and get back to who we were meant to be. Many blessings to you for continued works. Thanks. J.E. Blackledge

"If Only" and "A Song for Jennifer"

From: Jayson Taylor
I really like the perfect rhythm you keep going throughout these. A pleasure to read.

From: Harvey.L.Wickes
I wanted to comment on "If Only"and "A Song For Jennifer". What a wonderful person Levon Parker must have been, to inspire such a beautiful poem, and to leave such love behind!

You seem to be a very people orientated poet, which is a wonderful thing, especially when you can share it in the way you have. I believe your work is good enough to stand the test of time. It has a timeless humanity to it which will continue to stir the human heart way into the future. You have given such people as Levon, Michelle and sweet tragic Jennifer a kind of immortality which will keep them remembered way into the future. I salute you my friend, I envy your penmanship and I admire your work. I look forward to reading more soon. Keep up the good work and thanks once again.
Harvey.L.Wickes.

"Silent Screams"

From: Garth Wehrfritz-Hanson
I quite appreciated your poem "Silent Screams." It communicates well the contemporary state of our large cities here in North America and around the globe. I like the way you address individual and collective ethical-moral, social and spiritual isssues in the poem.

From: Randy Pelletier
I have to tell you how much I enjoyed Silent Screams, it's terrific!! I'm not qualified to judge form, but I know what I like. It's well written, has excellent rhythm and conveys a meaningful message in a captivating way. Easily my favorite so far. Thanks for sharing it.

Randy

From: Raelyn Greene
Alan,
This poem left me breathless! Since I live in a major (highly populated) city, I hear and see all of the things you express in your poem. The horrors of this time rise to greet me each morning when I turn the TV on. Keep your poetry coming and let's all hope and pray for peace. Raelyn Greene

"Where The Day Takes You"

From: canna
Alan, I read all of the poems from every submission. I didn't realize that this was yours too until I set about to make my comments (I pen them down on the printed pages, first). This poem is also fabulous! I especially love the way you put it together with the "subliminal" messages tucked in between. Great work!

I am smitten! This is a truly great poem! What would we do--what would we be--how could we live without our Friends. You have captured the essence of what a friend means to me. Keep up the good work.

All I can say is the passion and the thoughts that came through in your writing is amazing. I like them all.

From: Harvey L.Wickes
Alan, Thanks for sharing you work with us. I came across them only yesterday, and have printed them all out. At the moment, I have not had time to read them all, but what I have read, I have certainly enjoyed. "In Remembrance" is a thing of beauty which struck a chord with me, as I remember the good friends and loved ones I have lost. I am sure Curtis lives on. As for "Angel's Prayer"... what can I say? I would give my left arm to be able to write a poem half as lovely as that! Michelle sounds like quite a woman, and what a blessing!

"Perceptions"

From: S.L. Silverthorne
A very thought-provoking poem, and one I liked a whole lot. Great ideas and fantastic images come together in this very well written piece. I very much enjoyed reading it and the thoughts it left swirling in my brain.

From: Joe Gustin
I am sure there are poets out there now currently a buzz with what they can do with this idea of destiny and fate and all that must or should be. Robert Swindall (yup thats his name) once said "life is 10% of what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it" Your poem carries the same truth the same vision seen. Your presention of it will reach a great many hearts

From: Jordan Brendez Bandojo
This must be new! When I read this, I was deeply moved with the philosophy being featured here. The ideas are profound as to consider its meaning. 'I like the imagery being featured here. The ideas are simple but very effective and convincing! Very profound! It teaches life! The poem is very philosophical. It is easy to comprehend. It is realistic!

From: Joanne M Uppendahl
This poem raises many philosopical questions, and is a worthy work and well as a thoughtful piece. The flow is good, and thoughts are deep.

"North, South, East and West"

From: Joanne M Uppendahl
There is far more to this poem than catchiness, and rhyme. There's a spirit underneath it that seeks a solution! It's far better than watching the evening news or reading the paper, and feeling helpless. I like the straightforward, yet far-ranging ideas presented. Below are my favorite stanzas:

Somewhere another child is born,
His cries ring through the night.
He knows no fear or prejudice,
No thoughts of wrong or right.
But in his soul a dream lives on
Of destiny and fate,
Where peace and hope and love will join
To end the wars of hate.

I almost feel you could have ended the poem with this last stanza. But then, your additional notes, and the One World really added a nice touch, too. This is a major work, and I think you will have touched many hearts with it. I hope you'll keep it close to you, so that you may add on or revise as more inspiration comes. Thank you for this!

From: O. Michael Patton
A sardonic, sorrowful, and yearning song that communicates past ideology and writes directly on the heart and soul. This is beautiful (to me), not just because of the sentiments expressed, but because of the presentation. It is a marvelous work that only once or twice made me stop to reread a line. But how can I complain. It does not betray the poem or the message. My sincere compliments.

From: Ellen K Lewis
I don't have a problem at all with the length of your poem! In fact, I was admiring the way you had covered so much without losing (this reader's) interest. The short sentences are a little distracting, but they are nicely written, so it doesn't affect the reading too much. Some will tell you that your rhyming is trite, or forced, but it is also effective. It would be interesting to see if you could combine some things and give it a 'slower' read. At times the short stanzas almost have you 'running' through them, they read so fast. But I like your content and your thoughts.

From: Judy P. King
Wow! I'm almost speechless, a condition I don't achieve very often. At first glance, I thought, "too long, too long." However, after printing it off & reading it at my leisure, I changed my mind. This poem really spoke to my heart, it really speaks to our human condition. It leaves me feeling drained and a little depressed. I really am so impressed by this poem! I hope it will move some of us to try harder to change some of the things we can! Poet, I don't know if you have a personal faith or not, but as for me the only thing that gets me through this life and this world is the hope and promise of Christ to reconcile us with a holy God. I have to have something, else I could not bear it. But His grace is sufficient for me, and I hope for you as well. I congratulate you on a well-done work that must have taken a great sacrifice of time and effort. Thank you for sharing it with us. God bless you.

From: Dawn Anne Hall
Alan I like how you showed the comparison of the misjustice around the world. It made me think and realize that what you had to say is true. God bless you and keep up the good work!

From: Kelly Denise Evans
WOW! From North-South-East-West,,,I'd say you touched the injust, the injustices with equal rotation, each being a facet of truth brought to mind through the elite words of your poem,,,I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, it was alive, read well, very well, and contained the greatest flow...kept me interested. I say WRITE ON, don't worry about length...this story of poems deserved to be told. THANKS for writing, sharing.

"He's In There"

From: Joanne M Uppendahl
This is a beautiful poem, which could describe someone who is quiet on the outside, but so very alive on the inside. It's also the description of the boy inside the man, and is very well done. I found the poem very moving. Beautifully written!

From: Jay D. Savitz
I LOVED THIS POEM ! WHAT A WONDERFUL DESCRIPTION OF ONE'S THOUGHTS AND OF ONE'S FEELINGS. I ASSOCIATE WITH THE CHILD (WHO IS ALWAYS WITHIN) WHO ALLOWS YOU TO "FEEL" AND KEEPS YOUR SPIRIT ALIVE.

From: Sharon K Patterson
Wonderful! The child grown older, kept secret inside and cherished. I love the child that was and the man who is. The girl...the woman. For the poem has the element of common delight. Structure is unfettered. Perfect and controled. Also, perfect. We take this journey through past and present with you. We hold your hand. Excellent piece!

From: Evelis Medina
This poem was written perfectly and this poem was the most banging poem that I ever read for any other poet besides my aunt Nancy Rivera who is too a famous poet.

From: William G. Cross
I liked this piece a lot! I can relate to it as that little boy is still in me as well ! I especially liked the lines..."he collects things too, small things mostly, interesting rocks, snake skins....FEELINGS ! Wonderful!! If I am not mistaken that little boy is you. I only hope that when you think of that little boy, that ALL the memories aren't sad, because one's childhood should be magical & filled with wonder...not regets :( A very poignant poem..thanks for sharing.

From: Roberta Guillory
I thought it was an interesting look into the process of becoming a man. I like the way you touched upon the realizations one has in the process of becoming a man. Most poems i read about life focus on something that is positve or on something that is negative. i like the way this poem focuses on the positive and the negative of life and gets across to the reader that there are two sides included in life, that life is not JUST positive or JUST negative but that there are both. Positivity and negativity is what makes life...life. Good job.