Dinner By Candlelight Poem by Tom Billsborough

I started to comment on this, then realized it applied to all of your work, so I copied it there. I read your pieces slowly, Tom, measuring each line against the chasm between what I have known and experienced, and what your poetry reveals to me of the luminous beauty of life in this realm. Your art is layered deep, and each stroke of your brush worth savoring. We dance in the court of masters and knaves, Tom, and you sit on the dais.

she leans Intently into the candlelight As though it were a crystal ball To conjure up his soul, The ghost still wavering In the smoke of silent shadows.- - You have no equal when you write poems like this and lines like these, Tom. You are a Rembrandt with words. 10 billion stars and onto my fav list

Well, all I can say, Sue, is that Rembrandt is one of my favourite painters. If I could achieve one tenth of his psychological depth in his portraits I would be a happy bunny!

any title containing Dinner is sure to 'draw me in', and i just sent comments to poem(s) by Anna, so here goes for Tom. now to read 'it'. but first i read Seamus's comment; i didn't realize how talented (some people think) you are! ! ! i think PH (PoemHunter) caused this gaff***: Asabsence .......some weird things have happened around here of late! *** OOPS. gaffe [an error], not gaff [a fishing tool]. (to continue) ..

i 'had to' check the definition of 'gutter' as a verb***. here in 'The States' we (mostly) use electricity [for years and years], perhaps unlike in U.K., the 'backward' birthplace of many American ancestors. ha! *** intransitive verb 1 a: to flow in rivulets b of a candle: to melt away through a channel out of the side of the cup hollowed out by the burning wick 2: to incline downward in a draft (continued) ...

Hi Bri, Not me. You are quite right but he realises that he can't compete with the ghost of her former lover or more likely the one previous to the former lover and realises the game isn't worth the candle. Gutters was also partly an allusion to her furrowing her brow. I've been feeling a bit rough these last few days but I'll catch up on your messages soon. Thanks for your comments.

(continued) ...you obviously made the right decision, though i think it's not YOU in the poem. well-crafted, though a bit difficult (a bit) for me to get through due to the imagery. ......and gutters. bri ;) i did NOT read what Susan wrote; it may have been 'too personal'! ! !

(continued) ..other than the missing 'space', i also enjoyed (very much) : In the smoke ofsilent shadows. So, do i have this right? : you were at a candle(s) -lit table with your babe, but the babe was thinking of a previous boyfriend/husband/lover? and you became the next one to be disposed of. how am i doin'? ? (continued) ..

(continued) ..AND: I know I shall not share Her yesterdays tomorrow. And as she speaks it's only Of her sorrow...........I'm getting to like the poem during my second reading. (continued) .. (continued) ..

(continued) ..favorite lines: Her curvatures of calm Encircle my dismissal.......nice alliteration! to MyPoemList (continued) ...