Comments received on poems by Matthew R. Callies
Nine on the Field
Doggerel Dave said:
Action! You caught it. Never heard of this game before; where is it played?
You are using a form, not quite a villanelle. Has it a name?
March 20th, 2026 12:18
Doggerel Dave said:
Action! You caught it. Never heard of this game before; where is it played?
You are using a form, not quite a villanelle. Has it a name?
March 20th, 2026 12:18
Nine on the Field
sorenbarrett said:
A great poem packed with action verbs full of images all set to sport and fun. Nicely worded
March 20th, 2026 11:41
sorenbarrett said:
A great poem packed with action verbs full of images all set to sport and fun. Nicely worded
March 20th, 2026 11:41
A Night at the Theater
Katie B. said:
Clever, original, excellent!! Loved it.
Katie
March 19th, 2026 17:25
Katie B. said:
Clever, original, excellent!! Loved it.
Katie
March 19th, 2026 17:25
A Night at the Theater
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is a really strong proof of concept…you keep the sonnet form intact while making the trivia clear and engaging. The reveal of “Our American Cousin” lands naturally, and the historical weight carries through without overpowering it. As someone who enjoys both trivia and poetry, I can say this idea works. Well done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 19th, 2026 10:21
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is a really strong proof of concept…you keep the sonnet form intact while making the trivia clear and engaging. The reveal of “Our American Cousin” lands naturally, and the historical weight carries through without overpowering it. As someone who enjoys both trivia and poetry, I can say this idea works. Well done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 19th, 2026 10:21
A Night at the Theater
sorenbarrett said:
Lovely the poem reads smooth and though in rhyme its meter lets the reader read as if in prose not verse. It is intriguing and unravels line by line with more hints added until the answer become evident. Nicely done my friend and a fave
March 19th, 2026 04:42
sorenbarrett said:
Lovely the poem reads smooth and though in rhyme its meter lets the reader read as if in prose not verse. It is intriguing and unravels line by line with more hints added until the answer become evident. Nicely done my friend and a fave
March 19th, 2026 04:42
Clash of Strength
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this pulls you straight into the dust and doesn’t let go…that “fleeting crown” image sets up something bigger than just a match. It feels ancient, ritualistic, almost sacred in its intensity. Strength and honor woven together all the way through. Really powerful work, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 18th, 2026 09:27
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this pulls you straight into the dust and doesn’t let go…that “fleeting crown” image sets up something bigger than just a match. It feels ancient, ritualistic, almost sacred in its intensity. Strength and honor woven together all the way through. Really powerful work, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 18th, 2026 09:27
Clash of Strength
sorenbarrett said:
This very well could be about any martial art. Nicely written it draws focus on the physical and becomes sensual in that sense of muscle and force. Well written
March 18th, 2026 04:21
sorenbarrett said:
This very well could be about any martial art. Nicely written it draws focus on the physical and becomes sensual in that sense of muscle and force. Well written
March 18th, 2026 04:21
After the Fire, Road Home
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this carries real weight…it feels like a long road walked with purpose and cost. The closing lands hard...“where one battle after another / hollows out the courage of return.” That stays with me. Powerful piece. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 17th, 2026 08:34
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this carries real weight…it feels like a long road walked with purpose and cost. The closing lands hard...“where one battle after another / hollows out the courage of return.” That stays with me. Powerful piece. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 17th, 2026 08:34
After the Fire, Road Home
sorenbarrett said:
Strong wording, marvelous metaphors fill this poem of a deep dive into character and experience in a personal history that seems classic but forgotten as most all important sagas are. Very nicely written to the point that it feels identifiable at some deep level of human existence. A fave
March 17th, 2026 07:43
sorenbarrett said:
Strong wording, marvelous metaphors fill this poem of a deep dive into character and experience in a personal history that seems classic but forgotten as most all important sagas are. Very nicely written to the point that it feels identifiable at some deep level of human existence. A fave
March 17th, 2026 07:43
You Are Not Chaos
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this carries a powerful emotional arc. The shifting waves of the mind and heart set the stage, but what stays with me is how it resolves with that gentle affirmation. By the end, the storm isn’t denied…yet the voice chooses compassion. “You are not chaos…you are poetry.” That lands beautifully. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 16th, 2026 08:48
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this carries a powerful emotional arc. The shifting waves of the mind and heart set the stage, but what stays with me is how it resolves with that gentle affirmation. By the end, the storm isn’t denied…yet the voice chooses compassion. “You are not chaos…you are poetry.” That lands beautifully. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 16th, 2026 08:48
You Are Not Chaos
sorenbarrett said:
It is the last line that gives closure to this wonderful piece that holds in it a sense of nature and all its glory. Most wonderful Matthew
March 16th, 2026 07:16
sorenbarrett said:
It is the last line that gives closure to this wonderful piece that holds in it a sense of nature and all its glory. Most wonderful Matthew
March 16th, 2026 07:16
Ring Over Net
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is wonderfully vivid…you can feel the motion of the game in every stanza. The spinning ring, the dives, the rhythm of throw and return all come through clearly. It reads like both a celebration of the sport and a snapshot of the energy inside the match. Nicely done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 15th, 2026 18:41
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is wonderfully vivid…you can feel the motion of the game in every stanza. The spinning ring, the dives, the rhythm of throw and return all come through clearly. It reads like both a celebration of the sport and a snapshot of the energy inside the match. Nicely done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 15th, 2026 18:41
Ring Over Net
sorenbarrett said:
Although I have heard the name it is a game that I know nothing about. A most interesting write with great composition and flow. Well done
March 15th, 2026 03:39
sorenbarrett said:
Although I have heard the name it is a game that I know nothing about. A most interesting write with great composition and flow. Well done
March 15th, 2026 03:39
Sinsiesta
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this gave me a good laugh…such a perfect snapshot of that half-awake misery when the body wanted a nap and the world refused. The pacing of the short lines really sells the exhaustion and frustration. It’s simple, sharp, and very relatable. Nicely done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 14th, 2026 08:27
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this gave me a good laugh…such a perfect snapshot of that half-awake misery when the body wanted a nap and the world refused. The pacing of the short lines really sells the exhaustion and frustration. It’s simple, sharp, and very relatable. Nicely done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 14th, 2026 08:27
Lolita
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this feels like a thoughtful reckoning with a book that refuses easy answers. You acknowledge both the controversy and the unsettling power of Nabokov’s work…how stories that disturb us often reveal something deeper about ourselves. The mirror to the human heart image really holds the whole reflection together. Well done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 14th, 2026 08:20
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this feels like a thoughtful reckoning with a book that refuses easy answers. You acknowledge both the controversy and the unsettling power of Nabokov’s work…how stories that disturb us often reveal something deeper about ourselves. The mirror to the human heart image really holds the whole reflection together. Well done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 14th, 2026 08:20
Sinsiesta
sorenbarrett said:
Clever and fun to read this poem describes it well. My afternoon naps take the form of dozes unscheduled when the moment seizes me. A good read Matthew
March 14th, 2026 03:48
sorenbarrett said:
Clever and fun to read this poem describes it well. My afternoon naps take the form of dozes unscheduled when the moment seizes me. A good read Matthew
March 14th, 2026 03:48
Sinsiesta
Doggerel Dave said:
It is five PM local time and that is completely correct. My afternoon nap forsook me for reasons unknown. I predict I will now fall asleep in front of the TV this evening, wake up one AM and remain awake for the rest of the night....aaah....
March 14th, 2026 01:03
Doggerel Dave said:
It is five PM local time and that is completely correct. My afternoon nap forsook me for reasons unknown. I predict I will now fall asleep in front of the TV this evening, wake up one AM and remain awake for the rest of the night....aaah....
March 14th, 2026 01:03
Lolita
Doggerel Dave said:
\"For stories that disturb the walls we build
are the ones that teach us how to behave.\"
How to work out and define our own moral sense. Hopefully land in the right position.
Neatly said.
March 13th, 2026 20:45
Doggerel Dave said:
\"For stories that disturb the walls we build
are the ones that teach us how to behave.\"
How to work out and define our own moral sense. Hopefully land in the right position.
Neatly said.
March 13th, 2026 20:45
Lolita
sorenbarrett said:
Very nicely written it is powerful and evocative. Nicely done
March 13th, 2026 16:43
sorenbarrett said:
Very nicely written it is powerful and evocative. Nicely done
March 13th, 2026 16:43
Before the Bark, the Howl
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this has a strong mythic feel to it… the movement from wild wolf to domesticated dog carries a quiet sense of memory and loss. The repeating lines give it a haunting, almost chant-like rhythm. Btw, wolves are one of my fave animals. Well done, my friend.🌹🖤🙏🕯️
March 12th, 2026 10:08
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this has a strong mythic feel to it… the movement from wild wolf to domesticated dog carries a quiet sense of memory and loss. The repeating lines give it a haunting, almost chant-like rhythm. Btw, wolves are one of my fave animals. Well done, my friend.🌹🖤🙏🕯️
March 12th, 2026 10:08
Before the Bark, the Howl
Doggerel Dave said:
Villanelle form suits the wolf\'s existence perfectly - cyclic the way survival enforces, then the bargain with man.
Found this work (and work it would have been!) satisfying.
Great picture you posted there as a bonus.
March 12th, 2026 09:53
Doggerel Dave said:
Villanelle form suits the wolf\'s existence perfectly - cyclic the way survival enforces, then the bargain with man.
Found this work (and work it would have been!) satisfying.
Great picture you posted there as a bonus.
March 12th, 2026 09:53
Before the Bark, the Howl
sorenbarrett said:
Being slow, it took me a few lines to put this together. So nicely constructed and framed it tells the history and evolution of generations of man\'s best friend from wild to today. Loved it a fave
March 12th, 2026 09:38
sorenbarrett said:
Being slow, it took me a few lines to put this together. So nicely constructed and framed it tells the history and evolution of generations of man\'s best friend from wild to today. Loved it a fave
March 12th, 2026 09:38
When Words Are Feared
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this resonates with the feeling that books carry more than stories… they carry voices that refuse to disappear. Even when buried or burned, the ideas tend to surface again through those willing to read and listen. You captured that persistence well, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 11th, 2026 07:56
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this resonates with the feeling that books carry more than stories… they carry voices that refuse to disappear. Even when buried or burned, the ideas tend to surface again through those willing to read and listen. You captured that persistence well, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 11th, 2026 07:56
The Dash Between
Beth VanVliet said:
This describes my feelings exactly when I walk through cemeteries. I see their names and contemplate their lives. It\'s a stark reminder of our own mortality. Thank you for capturing it all so perfectly.
March 11th, 2026 06:48
Beth VanVliet said:
This describes my feelings exactly when I walk through cemeteries. I see their names and contemplate their lives. It\'s a stark reminder of our own mortality. Thank you for capturing it all so perfectly.
March 11th, 2026 06:48
When Words Are Feared
sorenbarrett said:
Thought control the aim of every institution, religion and government that has ever been. Maintaining control by banning or censoring printed, video, radio, or spoken word all under the pretext of being for the public good to prevent corruption of minors, protect rights of minorities and anything else that would justify what common sense, sensitivity and self restraint and respect should control. A lovely write and a fave
March 11th, 2026 03:30
sorenbarrett said:
Thought control the aim of every institution, religion and government that has ever been. Maintaining control by banning or censoring printed, video, radio, or spoken word all under the pretext of being for the public good to prevent corruption of minors, protect rights of minorities and anything else that would justify what common sense, sensitivity and self restraint and respect should control. A lovely write and a fave
March 11th, 2026 03:30
A Medieval Mishap
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this one made me laugh out loud…history has no business being this absurd, yet here we are. The poem walks that fine line between courtly dignity and absolute farce, and the contrast makes it land beautifully. A medieval debate ending like this…you truly cannot make it up. Brilliantly done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 10th, 2026 09:49
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this one made me laugh out loud…history has no business being this absurd, yet here we are. The poem walks that fine line between courtly dignity and absolute farce, and the contrast makes it land beautifully. A medieval debate ending like this…you truly cannot make it up. Brilliantly done, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 10th, 2026 09:49
A Medieval Mishap
Doggerel Dave said:
Honestly I had no idea that politician\'s arguments over shit had such a glorious antecedent.
Many thanks Mathew for dragging me out of a well of ignorance (thankfully fairly clean down there).
I enjoyed the write.
March 10th, 2026 08:58
Doggerel Dave said:
Honestly I had no idea that politician\'s arguments over shit had such a glorious antecedent.
Many thanks Mathew for dragging me out of a well of ignorance (thankfully fairly clean down there).
I enjoyed the write.
March 10th, 2026 08:58
A Medieval Mishap
sorenbarrett said:
Clever wordsmithing and rhyme make this a wonderful poem and to cap it all off the story itself and the irony involved make it a fave
March 10th, 2026 07:03
sorenbarrett said:
Clever wordsmithing and rhyme make this a wonderful poem and to cap it all off the story itself and the irony involved make it a fave
March 10th, 2026 07:03
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