| Muses Review - Poem Reviews Winter 2005- February Poem Reviews by Andrew Angus 1. Long Comments on Mark Stellinga's poem "Old Babe" by Andrw Angus Title of Poem: Old Babe Source: Phonetical Imagery (2004) Rating: 5 olives Mark's poem "Old Babe" is about the legendary American baseball player Babe Ruth. This poem is 41 stanzas long. This is the longest poem of Mark in his book of poems "Phonetical Imagery". This poem is written in a rhymed pattern -ABCB- throughout the 41 stanzas. This poem is one of the best poems of Mark in his book. I noticed that Mark uses a meter that has a syllabic pattern either of the following patterns: 8-6, 7-7, 9-5, 10-4, 6-8 or even 14 syllables in one line. Note that 8+6 =14, 7+7=14, 9+5=14, 10+4=14, 6+8=14. a. Example of the 8-6 syllable pattern is found in Stanza 1. Hey did I ever tell you 'bout 8 syllables. the greatest baseball game. 6 syllables b. Example of the 7-7 syllable pattern is found in Stanza 34. Now Old Babe showed the patience 7 syllables of a wise and crafty fox. 7 syllables c. Example of the 9-5 syllable pattern is found in Stanza 15. The next three pitches gave new meaning 9 syllables to the old team "smoke"! 5 syllables d. Example of 10-4 syllable pattern is found in Stanza 10. His half a dozen warm up shots were clocked 10 syllables at one-o-eight. 4 syllables e. Example of 6-8 syllable pattern is found in Stanza 16. but that the bat, the "pitch" 6 syllables and Big Gun grinned and waved goodbye.... 8 syllables f. Example of 11-3 syllable pattern is found in Stanza 26. He lined all seven fielders up against the 11 syllables outfield fence! 3 syllables Free verse does not have any syllable pattern. Mark likes to write his poems in syllable patterns that add up to 14 syllables. This is what makes Mark's poems unique Here is a stanza that is typical in many of Stelling's stanzas in the poem "Old Babe". The fans of both teams liked the way the 8 syllables strategies were done 6 syllables It looked as though, no matter what 8 syllables this game would soon be won. 6 syllables The stanza's rhyme scheme is ABCB. Mark cannot hide his love for the sport baseball in this poem. 2. Short Comments on Mark Stelling's poem "El Matador" by Andrew Angus Title of Poem: El Matador Source: Phoetical Imagery (2004) Rating: 5 olives Mark's poem "El Matador" is a poem about the popular Iberian sport - bullfighing. It is 8 stanzas long, This poem is a rhymed poem using "abcb" rhyming pattern in all the 8 stanzas. The major characters in the poem are i) the matador, ii) the matador's girlfriend, iii) the bull "Toro". The minor characters in the poem are i.) the other matadors ii.) the keeper of the bulls. The matador proudly and bravely faces the bull to please her fair girlfriend who is watching him from the crowd. In the end, the matador is gored by the bull and the matador dies. The bull is triumphant. This poem reminds us of the famous fiesta in Pamplona, Spain- the San Fermin Festival where the bulls are slaughtered in the bullfight at the end of the day. I like this poem because this poem reminds me of my poem "The Bullfighter of Madrid" and my poetic play "Dionysus and Alessandra" where bullfights also happen. (End.) (Poem reviews posted on Feb18, 2005 Friday) |
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