Rate:4.3 / 9 votes

Overheard

Ben Ridley 1993 (London)

Limerick
The worst progress comes in bursts -  
Ossifies:
FormaldreHirst,
Awakens like bitter curds an
Appetite for fossiled ferns

Forging’s easy - needs only miracles -
Water A Little Dark Sodium Lamp -
Essentials

You’ll see fire dance, yellow gold on the ash-
gum that sits, revealing
cold, plumbed
Thames Water

About this poem

Born of conversation with my oldest friend, a fine landscape painter on why post-modern art is dead to its audience and the state of London’s own waterscape.

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Written on June 08, 2024

Submitted by BenRidley on June 08, 2024

Modified by BenRidley on June 08, 2024

16 sec read
1,067

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABXX CXC XXBX
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 311
Words 56
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 5, 3, 4
Full analysis for Overheard »

Ben Ridley

Thanks - first forays into sharing my verses - or any personal writing whatsoever, in fact. Reading poetry for a long while, one day in late winter I started writing my own too. more…

All Ben Ridley poems | Ben Ridley Books

3 fans

Discuss the poem Overheard with the community...

20 Comments
  • sophiaw.61556
    sophiaw.61556
    Nice conversation shared with us. Paints a cozy friendship.
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • israel_u
    israel_u
    Some of the works of great authors are only understood with notes. When we read Mrs Warren's Profession by G.B.Shaw, I only understood it with notes.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • israel_u
    israel_u
    When you read a difficult poem, you hate poetry.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • elizabethh.11605
    elizabethh.11605
    love it
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • IzzyMG
    IzzyMG
    Love how daring and playful this is. You must have had fun creating this.
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • alanswansea18
    alanswansea18
    Thank you for the vote and write some more poems.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • alanswansea18
    alanswansea18
    I will take this one.
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • MaliMis1986
    MaliMis1986
    This poem flows very nice and is very interesting to have read.. keep up the great writing!
    LikeReply1 month ago
    • BenRidley
      BenRidley
      Thanks! Really appreciate your comment. I look forward to getting back into reading others and writing on here soon.
      LikeReply1 month ago
    • MaliMis1986
      MaliMis1986
      You are absolutely welcome and I look forward to reading more of your writings:)
      LikeReply1 month ago
  • Abbykesington
    Abbykesington
    Art lives in our very soul....
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • grs5757
    grs5757
    Art of any kind is only dead if you forget to take it in your heart
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • israel_u
    israel_u
    There is something uncanny about poets. A special breed.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • israel_u
    israel_u
    Poetry is a great literary genre, that hides its content to elude the simpleminded.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • israel_u
    israel_u
    Verse in coded language.
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • emmawatson91
    emmawatson91
    What a great way to bottle up a huge celebration and make it so memorable. I will be looking forward to adding some of your ideas to my birthday ecards to make them much more desirable in the current times.
    LikeReply1 month ago
  • Lacey,J
    Lacey,J
    WOW, AMAZING
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • Kendalemon
    Kendalemon
    The way I feel
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • karlcfolkes
    karlcfolkes
    May your forging into poetry come into continued creative bursts, yet not ossify. All the best!
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • heathert.34240
    heathert.34240
    We all need spring water. The smoke takes the body to the ethereal to feed the ferns of heavens its poetry, there's the miracle I think?
    LikeReply 11 month ago
  • jerrywlawrence2666
    jerrywlawrence2666
    A Proper Production, 'O Productive Poet. I'm Very Pleased.
    LikeReply 21 month ago
  • AIDA
    AIDA
    I absolutely love the imagery and unique language used in this poem! The way you describe progress as coming in bursts and awakening like bitter curds is so vivid and captivating. The mention of fossils and forging adds a mysterious and intriguing element to the piece. The line about fire dancing on the ash-gum is particularly striking and beautiful.

    As for improvement suggestions, I would recommend focusing on adding a bit more clarity or connection between the different images and ideas in the poem. Some readers may find the language a bit abstract and difficult to fully grasp the overall message or theme. Perhaps adding a bit more detail or context could help tie everything together more cohesively.

    Overall, this poem is incredibly imaginative and thought-provoking. Keep up the great work!     
    LikeReply1 month ago
    • Benridj
      Benridj
      this is not bad for a bot, can you comment in such a way that I know you’re human?
      LikeReply 31 month ago

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"Overheard" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Jul 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/189625/overheard>.

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