A Reading of ‘Endless Bloom’ by Angel L. Villanueva The Society October 17, 2021 Beauty, Love Poems, Poetry, Readings, Video 15 Comments . On Rumble here: https://rumble.com/vnvehl-a-poem-for-aging-beauties-endless-bloom-society-of-classical-poets.html?mref=iosaf&mc=6b8az Poet: Angel L. Villanueva of Massachusetts Audio/Visual Work: Society of Classical Poets Voice-Over: Evan Mantyk Photo: Pedro Ribeiro Simões, “A very beautiful old lady II” (used under creative Commons License 2.0) Music: (1) Victoria, from Chopin’s Ballad No. 4; and (2) Victoria, from Mozart’s Piano Sonata in A-major (KV331) — used with permission © 2021 Society of Classical Poets complete poem text: . Endless Bloom by Angel L. Villanueva She worries that her softest bloom is gone, The beauty that was hers in younger years. She reminisces days of early dawn, When flawless skin awoke to gleeful cheers. She frets her steps have lost their sultry dance, Her slender figure time has cast away. She dreads her crown to white will soon advance, So feels it is in vain to hide her gray. But I don’t see the years her mirror shows, Instead I view a bloom’s maturing glow. Her smile, her lively eyes and button nose, Are still like early days of long ago. The mirror only sees her graying years, But I the graceful bloom beneath the tears. . . . . 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. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 15 Responses Mike Bryant October 17, 2021 Truly beautiful… the poem, of course, the reading, the music, the entire experience. Beautifully conceived and presented. Reply Brian Yapko October 17, 2021 Gentlemen, this is absolutely stunning. I love the tender and skilled treatment of the subject. This is a poem of deep compassion which is greatly enhanced by the multimedia experience of Evan’s reading, the music and the visual. Would it be possible for this fine poem to be presented by itself as well so that one can go back and re-read it? Thank you for this wonderful offering. Reply Paul W Erlandson October 17, 2021 Wonderful! I thought immediately of these lines from John Donne: “No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace As I have seen in one autumnal face.” (from Elegy IX: The Autumnal) Reply Allegra Silberstein October 17, 2021 Thank you for reminding me of those lines! Reply Allegra Silberstein October 17, 2021 As an older woman this poem seemed especially beautiful to me. Reply Jan Darling October 17, 2021 A beautiful poem exquisitely read. Reply James Sale October 18, 2021 A lovely poem, a lovely reading and a lovely production, so – all-in-all – lovely!!! Well done all. Reply David Watt October 18, 2021 I add my opinion that this is a lovely poem, and that the reading complements the whole. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant October 18, 2021 The poem is beautiful and the privilege of hearing it read aloud so perfectly enhances the beauty. The entire experience is an absolute treat. Thank you! Reply Paul Freeman October 18, 2021 Top drawer poem; top drawer reading. Reply The Society October 18, 2021 Thank you all for your comments! And thank you, Brian and Mike, for your suggestions. I have taken them. The video production was done by an SCP Member who prefers to remain anonymous. He was the driving force behind this. My thanks to him. Hopefully there will be more! -Evan Reply Yael October 18, 2021 Nice performance art. I like how it’s short and sweet and so peaceful with the music behind it. Reply Margaret Coats October 18, 2021 The sonnet itself shows some remarkably lovely features. There is the very sharp turn exactly where it is expected in line 9, and then the rhyme sounds of the third quatrain (long “o” and long “o” with “z”) clearly differentiate it from the others. The sound effects subside in the couplet, but combine yet more effectively with the meaning in the alliteration of “graying” and “graceful.” The final rhyme sound “eerz” is a reprise from the first quatrain, but with all that has been said, “tears” are no longer sorrowful. Evan presents these sounds well, and adds little touches of his own, such as a very slightly off-iambic rhythm of the “steps” in line 5. The music offers a fine complement, but the poem and the reading stand out as they should. Reply C.B. Anderson October 19, 2021 For some reason, Angel, which I can’t explain, every time I read one of your poems I feel that God is in His heaven and all is right with the world. The reading of it was excellent as well. Reply Michael Pietrack November 1, 2021 If poetry is going to capture the attention of the next generation, presenting it in ways like this is a step in the right direction. Well done all who were involved. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Mike Bryant October 17, 2021 Truly beautiful… the poem, of course, the reading, the music, the entire experience. Beautifully conceived and presented. Reply
Brian Yapko October 17, 2021 Gentlemen, this is absolutely stunning. I love the tender and skilled treatment of the subject. This is a poem of deep compassion which is greatly enhanced by the multimedia experience of Evan’s reading, the music and the visual. Would it be possible for this fine poem to be presented by itself as well so that one can go back and re-read it? Thank you for this wonderful offering. Reply
Paul W Erlandson October 17, 2021 Wonderful! I thought immediately of these lines from John Donne: “No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace As I have seen in one autumnal face.” (from Elegy IX: The Autumnal) Reply
Allegra Silberstein October 17, 2021 As an older woman this poem seemed especially beautiful to me. Reply
James Sale October 18, 2021 A lovely poem, a lovely reading and a lovely production, so – all-in-all – lovely!!! Well done all. Reply
David Watt October 18, 2021 I add my opinion that this is a lovely poem, and that the reading complements the whole. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant October 18, 2021 The poem is beautiful and the privilege of hearing it read aloud so perfectly enhances the beauty. The entire experience is an absolute treat. Thank you! Reply
The Society October 18, 2021 Thank you all for your comments! And thank you, Brian and Mike, for your suggestions. I have taken them. The video production was done by an SCP Member who prefers to remain anonymous. He was the driving force behind this. My thanks to him. Hopefully there will be more! -Evan Reply
Yael October 18, 2021 Nice performance art. I like how it’s short and sweet and so peaceful with the music behind it. Reply
Margaret Coats October 18, 2021 The sonnet itself shows some remarkably lovely features. There is the very sharp turn exactly where it is expected in line 9, and then the rhyme sounds of the third quatrain (long “o” and long “o” with “z”) clearly differentiate it from the others. The sound effects subside in the couplet, but combine yet more effectively with the meaning in the alliteration of “graying” and “graceful.” The final rhyme sound “eerz” is a reprise from the first quatrain, but with all that has been said, “tears” are no longer sorrowful. Evan presents these sounds well, and adds little touches of his own, such as a very slightly off-iambic rhythm of the “steps” in line 5. The music offers a fine complement, but the poem and the reading stand out as they should. Reply
C.B. Anderson October 19, 2021 For some reason, Angel, which I can’t explain, every time I read one of your poems I feel that God is in His heaven and all is right with the world. The reading of it was excellent as well. Reply
Michael Pietrack November 1, 2021 If poetry is going to capture the attention of the next generation, presenting it in ways like this is a step in the right direction. Well done all who were involved. Reply
