Comments received on poems by Matthew R. Callies
Steel and Stream
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, what works here is the structure. Gears, hammers, steam, conveyors…each stanza feels like another camera angle. Then you widen it to “machines and men, / a city of labor built in motion.” It honors the machinery without losing the human presence. Clean and cinematic. Well done!🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 24th, 2026 08:22
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, what works here is the structure. Gears, hammers, steam, conveyors…each stanza feels like another camera angle. Then you widen it to “machines and men, / a city of labor built in motion.” It honors the machinery without losing the human presence. Clean and cinematic. Well done!🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 24th, 2026 08:22
Ode to the Biscuit Bringer
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this made me smile immediately. It’s playful, but there’s real affection under it. “The crinkle that summons wagging storms” is such a joyful image. My doggy was extra happy yesterday! LOL!🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 23rd, 2026 10:05
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this made me smile immediately. It’s playful, but there’s real affection under it. “The crinkle that summons wagging storms” is such a joyful image. My doggy was extra happy yesterday! LOL!🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 23rd, 2026 10:05
I Don\'t Want to Wait for Our Lives to Be Over
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, what moves me most here is the restraint. The imagery of tide, shoreline, rerun flicker…it’s all soft, but it lands heavy. “We did not know then / how quickly the credits roll” feels universal, not just about one life. This elegy honors both the person and the era. Beautifully done. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 23rd, 2026 09:52
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, what moves me most here is the restraint. The imagery of tide, shoreline, rerun flicker…it’s all soft, but it lands heavy. “We did not know then / how quickly the credits roll” feels universal, not just about one life. This elegy honors both the person and the era. Beautifully done. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 23rd, 2026 09:52
Ode to the Biscuit Bringer
sorenbarrett said:
Cute in subject but so nicely composed in poetic form with wonderful rhyme. This poem conveys a sense of childlike joy with each line. It has energy, innocence, a warmth and tenderness. A fave
February 23rd, 2026 04:03
sorenbarrett said:
Cute in subject but so nicely composed in poetic form with wonderful rhyme. This poem conveys a sense of childlike joy with each line. It has energy, innocence, a warmth and tenderness. A fave
February 23rd, 2026 04:03
Ode to the Biscuit Bringer
Doggerel Dave said:
I had more than a passing suspicion that International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day was a figment of your imagination until I checked it out. Well it is a figment of someone\'s imagination which they\'ve translated into a full on web page...
Anyway there\'s not a greater expression of joy than a dogified version when offered a tasty treat, and you\'ve captured that.
PS: No reference back to my image please.
February 23rd, 2026 00:36
Doggerel Dave said:
I had more than a passing suspicion that International Dog Biscuit Appreciation Day was a figment of your imagination until I checked it out. Well it is a figment of someone\'s imagination which they\'ve translated into a full on web page...
Anyway there\'s not a greater expression of joy than a dogified version when offered a tasty treat, and you\'ve captured that.
PS: No reference back to my image please.
February 23rd, 2026 00:36
I Don\'t Want to Wait for Our Lives to Be Over
sorenbarrett said:
There is a wistful nostalgia in this tribute to a face printed on memory\'s wall. Nicely penned this poem speaks of fond memories
February 22nd, 2026 06:07
sorenbarrett said:
There is a wistful nostalgia in this tribute to a face printed on memory\'s wall. Nicely penned this poem speaks of fond memories
February 22nd, 2026 06:07
The Graying Side of Life
Doggerel Dave said:
I completely relate. There are many lines I wish I could quote, but I\'ll keep them in the piece above where, in context, they belong.
However, just one:
\'It ain’t losing youth, it’s earning pride
In the miles you’ve walked and the tears you cried\'
February 21st, 2026 20:07
Doggerel Dave said:
I completely relate. There are many lines I wish I could quote, but I\'ll keep them in the piece above where, in context, they belong.
However, just one:
\'It ain’t losing youth, it’s earning pride
In the miles you’ve walked and the tears you cried\'
February 21st, 2026 20:07
The Graying Side of Life
Tristan Robert Lange said:
This hits in that reflective way that only comes with time. The shift from fearing age to embracing what it’s taught you feels deeply relatable. The chorus reads like a hard-won understanding… not flashy, just true. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 21st, 2026 10:57
Tristan Robert Lange said:
This hits in that reflective way that only comes with time. The shift from fearing age to embracing what it’s taught you feels deeply relatable. The chorus reads like a hard-won understanding… not flashy, just true. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 21st, 2026 10:57
The Graying Side of Life
sorenbarrett said:
A message that I can feel all too real. A most lovely write where the message is bright. Nostalgic and warm it tells its story well with wonderful wording my friend a fave
February 21st, 2026 09:14
sorenbarrett said:
A message that I can feel all too real. A most lovely write where the message is bright. Nostalgic and warm it tells its story well with wonderful wording my friend a fave
February 21st, 2026 09:14
To Forgive, Divine
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this balances theology and humanity without tipping into lecture. The imagery stays tangible, the tone stays grounded, and the closing gesture toward openness feels earned. It’s firm, vulnerable, and quietly radical. That restraint is what makes it powerful. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 20th, 2026 11:19
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this balances theology and humanity without tipping into lecture. The imagery stays tangible, the tone stays grounded, and the closing gesture toward openness feels earned. It’s firm, vulnerable, and quietly radical. That restraint is what makes it powerful. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 20th, 2026 11:19
To Forgive, Divine
sorenbarrett said:
Simply beautiful the poem holds a dignity and grace that is divine. Human divinity that we all hold within us. The ability to forgive and thereby redeem ourselves from personal hell. It is not so much for the forgiven as for the forgiver and you have expressed it well in this wonderful verse. A most lovely write and a fave
February 20th, 2026 06:26
sorenbarrett said:
Simply beautiful the poem holds a dignity and grace that is divine. Human divinity that we all hold within us. The ability to forgive and thereby redeem ourselves from personal hell. It is not so much for the forgiven as for the forgiver and you have expressed it well in this wonderful verse. A most lovely write and a fave
February 20th, 2026 06:26
To Err Is Human
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, that image of history as a hallway marked by wet paint is what really struck me. It’s simple but layered…mistake, memory, imprint all in one motion. The tactile quality throughout makes the reflection feel lived-in rather than abstract. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 20th, 2026 02:41
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, that image of history as a hallway marked by wet paint is what really struck me. It’s simple but layered…mistake, memory, imprint all in one motion. The tactile quality throughout makes the reflection feel lived-in rather than abstract. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 20th, 2026 02:41
To Err Is Human
sorenbarrett said:
A lovely philosophy that ask us to be careful what we leave behind. Nicely written it seems to speak out of the past.
February 19th, 2026 07:36
sorenbarrett said:
A lovely philosophy that ask us to be careful what we leave behind. Nicely written it seems to speak out of the past.
February 19th, 2026 07:36
The Night That Would Not Sleep
marissa said:
I love this, it feels like it was written from your bed with a tea besides you, very cosy but deep
February 18th, 2026 17:24
marissa said:
I love this, it feels like it was written from your bed with a tea besides you, very cosy but deep
February 18th, 2026 17:24
Elegy for Jesse Jackson
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is dignified and intentional. The flicker to flame image ties Dr. King’s unfinished dream to continued labor without overstating it. The insistence that justice is not quiet keeps the tribute grounded in action. It honors legacy while pressing forward. Strong, purposeful work. RIP Rev. Jesse Jackson. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 18th, 2026 11:41
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is dignified and intentional. The flicker to flame image ties Dr. King’s unfinished dream to continued labor without overstating it. The insistence that justice is not quiet keeps the tribute grounded in action. It honors legacy while pressing forward. Strong, purposeful work. RIP Rev. Jesse Jackson. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 18th, 2026 11:41
Elegy for Jesse Jackson
sorenbarrett said:
A most beautiful tribute to a man of ideals and values. Nicely said
February 18th, 2026 09:08
sorenbarrett said:
A most beautiful tribute to a man of ideals and values. Nicely said
February 18th, 2026 09:08
Lines Written in Contemplation of Suicide
marissa said:
Poetry is not a competition,but honestly this was the best self reflection poem i’ve seen in a while!
February 17th, 2026 11:39
marissa said:
Poetry is not a competition,but honestly this was the best self reflection poem i’ve seen in a while!
February 17th, 2026 11:39
Lines Written in Contemplation of Suicide
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this carries real weight without collapsing under it. The restraint makes it stronger. It sits in the dark honestly…then allows that final thread of morning to breathe. That closing couplet doesn’t shout hope…it steadies it. Beautifully handled. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 17th, 2026 10:53
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this carries real weight without collapsing under it. The restraint makes it stronger. It sits in the dark honestly…then allows that final thread of morning to breathe. That closing couplet doesn’t shout hope…it steadies it. Beautifully handled. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 17th, 2026 10:53
The Twenty-Ninth That Would Never Die
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this balances wit and vulnerability beautifully. The auditor metaphor gives it structure…then the lighthouse candle holds it steady. “More thoroughly twenty-nine” feels playful at first, but by the doubled flame in the glass, it turns reflective and earned. That final line doesn’t surrender…it expands. Truly well done. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 17th, 2026 10:11
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this balances wit and vulnerability beautifully. The auditor metaphor gives it structure…then the lighthouse candle holds it steady. “More thoroughly twenty-nine” feels playful at first, but by the doubled flame in the glass, it turns reflective and earned. That final line doesn’t surrender…it expands. Truly well done. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 17th, 2026 10:11
Lines Written in Contemplation of Suicide
sorenbarrett said:
Darkness falls but even in the darkest night there remains a glow. Sometimes it takes a while for the eyes to accustom to the dark and see it. A most heart felt write
February 17th, 2026 08:13
sorenbarrett said:
Darkness falls but even in the darkest night there remains a glow. Sometimes it takes a while for the eyes to accustom to the dark and see it. A most heart felt write
February 17th, 2026 08:13
The Twenty-Ninth That Would Never Die
Doggerel Dave said:
Delusion rulz....... nice work if you can get it...
Enjoyed your journey.
February 16th, 2026 05:26
Doggerel Dave said:
Delusion rulz....... nice work if you can get it...
Enjoyed your journey.
February 16th, 2026 05:26
The Twenty-Ninth That Would Never Die
sorenbarrett said:
Denial is sweet until it meets reality in the mirror and from the union is birthed acceptance. A most lovely write a metaphor for makeup and facelifts shutting age outside the door of vanity. Written so well it has to be a fave
February 16th, 2026 05:11
sorenbarrett said:
Denial is sweet until it meets reality in the mirror and from the union is birthed acceptance. A most lovely write a metaphor for makeup and facelifts shutting age outside the door of vanity. Written so well it has to be a fave
February 16th, 2026 05:11
Pee Pee in the Potty
Doggerel Dave said:
You recited that at her 21st birthday party? The role of eccentric uncle is yours! Is it compulsory that every family has to have one?👍😂
February 15th, 2026 15:28
Doggerel Dave said:
You recited that at her 21st birthday party? The role of eccentric uncle is yours! Is it compulsory that every family has to have one?👍😂
February 15th, 2026 15:28
Pee Pee in the Potty
sorenbarrett said:
One step at a time. The first toward the bowl the next on the step stool and then we are on our way to life and its eventual flush. Well written Matthew
February 15th, 2026 12:52
sorenbarrett said:
One step at a time. The first toward the bowl the next on the step stool and then we are on our way to life and its eventual flush. Well written Matthew
February 15th, 2026 12:52
Pee Pee in the Potty
Friendship said:
Proud, Uncle, and yet so beautifully written. Your poem focuses on the everyday experience of a child learning to use the toilet, portraying both the anxiety and excitement associated with this rite of passage. It contrasts the intimidating nature of the “big toilet” with the comfort of the “little plastic throne,” symbolizing the child\'s transition from dependency to independence.
February 15th, 2026 12:41
Friendship said:
Proud, Uncle, and yet so beautifully written. Your poem focuses on the everyday experience of a child learning to use the toilet, portraying both the anxiety and excitement associated with this rite of passage. It contrasts the intimidating nature of the “big toilet” with the comfort of the “little plastic throne,” symbolizing the child\'s transition from dependency to independence.
February 15th, 2026 12:41
A Valentine in Lead
Doggerel Dave said:
As a contribution to Valentine\'s day I would be hard put to find anything more satisfying, particularly as irony is a form I\'m quite addicted to from time to time.
February 14th, 2026 18:22
Doggerel Dave said:
As a contribution to Valentine\'s day I would be hard put to find anything more satisfying, particularly as irony is a form I\'m quite addicted to from time to time.
February 14th, 2026 18:22
A Valentine in Lead
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is chilling from the first stanza. The calm setup makes the violence hit even harder…measured, cinematic, and brutal. “No trial, no plea, no final word” lands like a gavel in the dark. You captured both history and horror in one sweep. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 14th, 2026 10:53
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is chilling from the first stanza. The calm setup makes the violence hit even harder…measured, cinematic, and brutal. “No trial, no plea, no final word” lands like a gavel in the dark. You captured both history and horror in one sweep. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
February 14th, 2026 10:53
A Valentine in Lead
Cheeky Missy said:
Seems to be a fitting echo of the supposed real cause behind the holiday, as men likewise met their deaths and the priest Valen too, for love and marriage. Thank you for sharing. And some say we should indulge in chocolate truffles today...
February 14th, 2026 10:44
Cheeky Missy said:
Seems to be a fitting echo of the supposed real cause behind the holiday, as men likewise met their deaths and the priest Valen too, for love and marriage. Thank you for sharing. And some say we should indulge in chocolate truffles today...
February 14th, 2026 10:44
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