“Contemplation: Silver and Orange” by Jeffrey Hayes‘Silver’ by Charlie Bauer The Society June 14, 2020 Beauty, Culture, Poetry 8 Comments Consider black’s effect; when it’s combined With other colors just a little trace Creates a shade but more will hide, erase The hue till just the dark is left behind. Is white black’s opposite? Its presence tints When tweaking tones, but mixes that diverge To mostly white begin to bleach, converge On unity from which no color hints. Developed to full strength both black and white Conceal all colors; when the two combine What possibilities arise? Could freed Potentials spread their wings and take first flight, Not dulled by gray but bright with silver’s shine In search of truths some circumstance might need? Charlie Bauer resides in Chapel Hill, NC and is a salesman for a commercial carpet manufacturer. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. ***Read Our Comments Policy Here*** 8 Responses Leo Zoutewelle June 14, 2020 Very clever, Charlie, I like the humor in your poem! Leo Reply Charlie Bauer June 15, 2020 Thanks Leo! Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant June 14, 2020 A serious point made creatively and beautifully. I like the allusion to the science of color in the first stanza giving way to the spiritual message of the second. The wonderful image of those wings of potential, “Not dulled by gray but bright with silver’s shine” is lovely. An admirable poem, indeed. Reply Charlie Bauer June 15, 2020 Thank you Ms. Bryant; your comments are very appreciated! Reply Margaret Coats June 14, 2020 Charlie, this is a very, very beautiful poem on color and its philosophy. You take the combination of black and white to be either gray or silver, and point to the choice of silver as one with higher potential. And of course you’re suggesting that this applies in many other areas. It is a great deal to say in the scope of a sonnet, but you’ve done it quite well. Another sonnet that does a fine job on the topic, but with a different perspective, is “Grey Sonnet” by Theresa Rodriguez, which is here on classicalpoets.org, somewhat obscured because the lead title on the posting is “Writer’s Block.” Your sonnet and Theresa’s make quite a pair for comparison. Thanks! Reply Charlie Bauer June 15, 2020 Hi Margaret, Thanks for your kind words! While writing this poem there were several times in which I despaired of my choice of the form of a sonnet… Thank you also for making me aware of Ms. Rodriguez’s poem as it is excellent. Reply Monty June 23, 2020 That’s a clever piece, Charlie. I didn’t find it immediately obvious what you were trying to convey, but after slowly re-reading it a couple of times, I grasped what you were saying. You’ve made a good case for your theory; and you’ve presented it in a very well-written sonnet (apart from the minor incongruity of trace/erase). It’s had the effect of making me think more closely about something we normally take for granted. Reply Charlie Bauer June 23, 2020 Thank you Monty, I appreciate you taking the time to read it. It was written as a meditation on Zoroastrian/Manichean (polarized) thinking; I hope you find it useful. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Susan Jarvis Bryant June 14, 2020 A serious point made creatively and beautifully. I like the allusion to the science of color in the first stanza giving way to the spiritual message of the second. The wonderful image of those wings of potential, “Not dulled by gray but bright with silver’s shine” is lovely. An admirable poem, indeed. Reply
Margaret Coats June 14, 2020 Charlie, this is a very, very beautiful poem on color and its philosophy. You take the combination of black and white to be either gray or silver, and point to the choice of silver as one with higher potential. And of course you’re suggesting that this applies in many other areas. It is a great deal to say in the scope of a sonnet, but you’ve done it quite well. Another sonnet that does a fine job on the topic, but with a different perspective, is “Grey Sonnet” by Theresa Rodriguez, which is here on classicalpoets.org, somewhat obscured because the lead title on the posting is “Writer’s Block.” Your sonnet and Theresa’s make quite a pair for comparison. Thanks! Reply
Charlie Bauer June 15, 2020 Hi Margaret, Thanks for your kind words! While writing this poem there were several times in which I despaired of my choice of the form of a sonnet… Thank you also for making me aware of Ms. Rodriguez’s poem as it is excellent. Reply
Monty June 23, 2020 That’s a clever piece, Charlie. I didn’t find it immediately obvious what you were trying to convey, but after slowly re-reading it a couple of times, I grasped what you were saying. You’ve made a good case for your theory; and you’ve presented it in a very well-written sonnet (apart from the minor incongruity of trace/erase). It’s had the effect of making me think more closely about something we normally take for granted. Reply
Charlie Bauer June 23, 2020 Thank you Monty, I appreciate you taking the time to read it. It was written as a meditation on Zoroastrian/Manichean (polarized) thinking; I hope you find it useful. Reply