Comments received on poems by Matthew R. Callies
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
Learning the Shape of Better
Doggerel Dave said:
You have provided a poetic richness to what otherwise is sterile managerial gobbledegook, Mathew.
Small correction: I merely pointed out that the phrase \'continuous quality improvement\' contained ten syllables but cast doubt upon its status as an iambic pentameter. That you have gone ahead, interpreted that as a task request and succeeded admirably, puts me to shame as I struggle with those buggers and have a low achievement rate.
March 9th, 2026 18:33
Doggerel Dave said:
You have provided a poetic richness to what otherwise is sterile managerial gobbledegook, Mathew.
Small correction: I merely pointed out that the phrase \'continuous quality improvement\' contained ten syllables but cast doubt upon its status as an iambic pentameter. That you have gone ahead, interpreted that as a task request and succeeded admirably, puts me to shame as I struggle with those buggers and have a low achievement rate.
March 9th, 2026 18:33
Learning the Shape of Better
sorenbarrett said:
To become the road or vessel far superior than the contents. A lovely write Matthew
March 9th, 2026 08:52
sorenbarrett said:
To become the road or vessel far superior than the contents. A lovely write Matthew
March 9th, 2026 08:52
Learning the Shape of Better
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, the line about “craft is patient tending fire” really stood out to me. That image captures the entire philosophy of the poem…small acts of effort feeding something larger over time. It’s a powerful metaphor that echoes through the rest of the piece. Powerful poem, my friend, and another great rise to another challenge from our friend Dave! 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 9th, 2026 08:36
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, the line about “craft is patient tending fire” really stood out to me. That image captures the entire philosophy of the poem…small acts of effort feeding something larger over time. It’s a powerful metaphor that echoes through the rest of the piece. Powerful poem, my friend, and another great rise to another challenge from our friend Dave! 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 9th, 2026 08:36
The Night\'s Ledger
Doggerel Dave said:
I believe you really enjoyed that as you laid it out. I certainly interrogate my dreams (when I remember them) without any insight evident.
March 8th, 2026 16:48
Doggerel Dave said:
I believe you really enjoyed that as you laid it out. I certainly interrogate my dreams (when I remember them) without any insight evident.
March 8th, 2026 16:48
The Night\'s Ledger
sorenbarrett said:
Dreams are fascinating and still poorly understood. Freud tried, Jung tried, Gestalt self interpretation has been done and yet they remain cryptic.
March 8th, 2026 08:41
sorenbarrett said:
Dreams are fascinating and still poorly understood. Freud tried, Jung tried, Gestalt self interpretation has been done and yet they remain cryptic.
March 8th, 2026 08:41
The Night\'s Ledger
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, what a fascinating piece…there’s a real sense of intellectual patience running through it. The way you explore dream interpretation without pretending to solve it gives the poem a thoughtful humility. A wonderful response to Demar\'s challenge, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 8th, 2026 07:25
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, what a fascinating piece…there’s a real sense of intellectual patience running through it. The way you explore dream interpretation without pretending to solve it gives the poem a thoughtful humility. A wonderful response to Demar\'s challenge, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 8th, 2026 07:25
The Sparrow\'s Unfinished Lesson
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is a clever and beautifully handled response to Dave’s didactic challenge. The prose carries that earnest teacher’s voice…carefully arranging lessons and signposts…while the sparrow outside carries no footnotes at all. That quiet shift into the haiku lands perfectly. Lovely work, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 7th, 2026 09:49
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, this is a clever and beautifully handled response to Dave’s didactic challenge. The prose carries that earnest teacher’s voice…carefully arranging lessons and signposts…while the sparrow outside carries no footnotes at all. That quiet shift into the haiku lands perfectly. Lovely work, my friend. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 7th, 2026 09:49
The Sparrow\'s Unfinished Lesson
Doggerel Dave said:
Thanks Mathew - you responded to my request handsomely. Words have syntax, but other realms, such as the natural world do not necessarily conform. Message correctly received?
March 7th, 2026 08:25
Doggerel Dave said:
Thanks Mathew - you responded to my request handsomely. Words have syntax, but other realms, such as the natural world do not necessarily conform. Message correctly received?
March 7th, 2026 08:25
The Sparrow\'s Unfinished Lesson
sorenbarrett said:
Very nice I can see the blend here and it is quite enjoyable Matthew and beckons the reader to listen and interpret images and metaphor that seem to come in flashes. A fave
March 7th, 2026 03:43
sorenbarrett said:
Very nice I can see the blend here and it is quite enjoyable Matthew and beckons the reader to listen and interpret images and metaphor that seem to come in flashes. A fave
March 7th, 2026 03:43
Coin Return
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, I’m genuinely impressed with what you did with that challenge. The moment you wrote “a smudged cathedral of delay,” the vending machine stopped being a machine and became exactly what the prompt suggested…a little shrine for forgotten wishes. And the closing image seals it perfectly…“a shrine of stalled and carbonated dreams.” Wonderfully executed, my friend, and I really dug what you\'ve done here by inviting challenges. It\'s a cool poetic exercise that you are pulling off brilliantly. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 6th, 2026 13:20
Tristan Robert Lange said:
Matthew, I’m genuinely impressed with what you did with that challenge. The moment you wrote “a smudged cathedral of delay,” the vending machine stopped being a machine and became exactly what the prompt suggested…a little shrine for forgotten wishes. And the closing image seals it perfectly…“a shrine of stalled and carbonated dreams.” Wonderfully executed, my friend, and I really dug what you\'ve done here by inviting challenges. It\'s a cool poetic exercise that you are pulling off brilliantly. 🌹🖤🙏🕯️🐦⬛
March 6th, 2026 13:20
Coin Return
Doggerel Dave said:
I cannot see Tristan complaining about your piece Mathew, which has materialised the vending machine in all it\'s broken glory.
March 6th, 2026 08:20
Doggerel Dave said:
I cannot see Tristan complaining about your piece Mathew, which has materialised the vending machine in all it\'s broken glory.
March 6th, 2026 08:20
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