Nellieanna Hay - Poetry at its Best
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The Art of Poetry
Poetry has always been the highest, most sophisticated form of creative writing, the quintessence of pure thinking and controlled outburst of emotion. In its succinct and metaphoric way, poetry paints a delicate yet powerful canvas of life while revealing an unexpected potential of human reactions.
Most people are almost afraid of poetry and feel somewhat inadequate when confronted with it; it is the preconceived notion that poetry has a coded way of expressing itself and it requires a specific knowledge or sensitivity. Not true. It may be an acquired taste, but so is black caviar.
In order to appreciate poetry, one needs to expose himself to it by opening his heart. Never question what the poet wanted to say; it is not important. Poetry is not supposed to teach you anything; it is supposed to move you and make your soul permeable to an unseen world of beauty. All one needs to do is just enjoy the emotions that become overwhelming and will allow the reader to be transported into a world whose conventional boundaries have been forced to the very limits or banned altogether.
The 20th century reformed poetry the same way it reformed figurative art; canonic forms became unimportant and were abandoned, strict and limiting rules were replaced by essentiality and as a result, suggestion rather than still picture became the norm. Poetry was quick to follow the liberating model of new expression and the metaphor became open-ended
Mind - Spirit and Heart
Poetry should address emotions rather than intellect; the first impact is always sensorial and only then a more profound and abstruse meaning will capture the imagination. When that happens, we have poetry at its best.
Reading Nellieanna’s poetry was a revelation; when a great mind meets a sophisticated spirit and a generous heart, the result is a poem that takes your breaths away. When that happens time and again – when each and every one of those poems is a pearl on itself – we end up with a precious string of natural pearls; they may not be perfectly rounded as the mass production of Mikimoto cultured pearls, but their beauty is in the authenticity of the grain of sand that created them without intervention. Real beauty is always intriguing, but seldom perfect.
Since her poetry is so dense and her ways are so concise, I will take only a few examples to illustrate my point. The examples will be from different poems (all of them untitled), but the message will emerge coherent and in tune with her most intimate beliefs.
Let’s start with her artistic creed that expresses in just a few words what I have tried to explain in a few paragraphs:
“From life’s / messy mixture / poetry rises / to the top / or settles / to the bottom / in its time”.
And just to make sure we all understood, she will say it again: “a poem is a flower arrangement / every kind of art / is a love affair / with life”. That we know to be true just by looking at her paintings; we have to admit she is the eternal courtesan in love with life, in love with love, in love with beauty.
Vulnerable BUT Strong
Nellieanna will openly profess her life philosophy, her fears and hopes, her vulnerable – strong nature: “to live / I must fall freely in uncertainty / without restraint / and trust the landing to be soft / but moving”.That is exquisite poetry.
The confession goes on: “my soul has crest /upon the shores / of life and love" and we become part of the process of maturing and nurturing of the very soul that helped the poet: “expressed its deepest self”. That is poetry at its best!
Just when you think it could not get any better than that, it does; with unparallel candor she let us know that all her wisdom comes from “sucking up the best / of what Mother earth / has to offer” and the apogee comes in the following verses: “return to the sea / to quest once more / for being”
Here we have more than just superb poetry; we have an expressed understanding and a quasi religious and humble approach to life as a perpetual journey.
Using the metaphor of water – the primordial source of life – a metaphysic dimension comes into play and the identity of a single drop becomes part of a whole, an ocean of promise, an invitation to explore more, to get deeper, to get lost and to find yourself once again when less expected.
In this regard, nothing is really being said (that’s a perfect example of open-ended metaphor), but everything is masterfully implied and we can see or feel or just imagine the continuing transformation of water into vapor and then precipitation, into phreatic pools, into springs and then rivers that will “return to sea”. That is poetry at its best!
Nellieanna in Context
The general tendency of any critic is to look for ways to define a poet by comparing its art to the master of the genre. We can always do that, but why? Would anything change in terms of value or originality of Nellieanna’s poems just because we bundle her together with names that have endured the challenge of time? If that’s the case, then look up Prevert’s (“Children in love”, “Sanguine”) or Ungaretti’s (Variation on nothing”, “Prelude”) and by all means check out Quasimodo’s “Ed e’ subito sera”.
Nellieanna Hay does not stand alone, but in the end, what counts most is that her readers will forever be captivated by the clarity and intensity of her commitment to the world, to love, friendship, beauty and ultimately, life itself.
Nellieanna Hay
- Sequences
My soul has crest Upon the shores Of life and love, And there, expressed Its deepest self, Suckling At the breast Of Mother Earth - And then returned to sea ...
Nellieanna Hay
- Facets Of Verse
Upon a hill I climbed one day By accident I found my soul And recognized it Instantly. I could have Just as easily Missed it And gone Another way. ______ Nellieanna H. Hay ...
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Beautiful hub, Petra, fitting tribute to a beautiful woman and yes, I agree with everything you wrote about Nellieanna.
I am one of those who wish to be able to write as beautiful a poetry as she does!!
Thank you for sharing!!
Hi, petra, this is a beautiful summery of a great lady, I love her poems they are really lovely, and I am sure she will be suprised and very pleased with this, loved it, cheers nell
I'm more than just pleased. I'm honored and more than a bit flabbergasted! Petra, your words are so majestic, they make mine look good. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this lovely perceptive response to my efforts. It's just beautiful. Lovely!
And thank those who have added such complimentary comments, too.
Hugs and love, Nellieanna
Hello SilverGenes.
I am so happy you liked it; Nellieanna is a great poet and a beautiful lady and her poetry reavels the nobleness of her spirit.
Hello msorensson,
It is always a pleasure for me to give credit where credit is due and pay tribute to greatness. Our friend Nellieanna deserves it all and I am glad you are one of her many supporters
Hi Nell,
I am very glad you liked it; I was tempted to make it a lot longer, but I am sure this is only the biginning and a lot of other people will be writing about her.
Nellieanna dear,
It must be a very good reason why so many people like your poetry, respect your mind and love your spirit. It is because of who you are and what you do, it is because of the way you make us feel.
Your strenght is being YOU, so please never change!
It's a pleasure to be following such a talented poetess. I am always anxiously waiting for a new published Hub by Nellieanna and can't wait to read her amazing poems and prose.
She is a woman filled with talent and her art always fits her poetry. I am so delighted that someone of your stature Petra has gifted us with this hub on one of the greats in HP.
Hello Ken,
I am not surprized she has smitten you; she dit that to all of us and I do agree with you entirely, Nellieanna is one of the best HP has to offer.
Just being in her company is a great privilage for all of us
This is a review Nellieanna must certainly cherish.
Hello sheila,
Thank you for stopping by to pay a well deserved tribute to Nellieanna
Hi Petra,
This is really some thing unique you have done, though I do not understand poetry and I am not much ashamed to admit it and that goes for poetry in any language,but "the lady with the poems" is really beautiful and kind hearted,Thanks for your nice hub.
As I said in my hub Suny you learn to appreciate poetry ONLY if you expose yoursefl to in with an open heart. Go back and read the first part of my hub again :-)))
DO NOT try to understand it; there is nothing to understand in the biginning, just let yourself go and enjoy the emotions that come with words, sounds, images that come to mind.
Please read some of Nellieanna's poetry posted on the links and you will develope a teast for it
Nellieanna's poetry and art touches my heart. I have had moments when my eyes have gotten wet as her poetry stirs my emotions, perhaps bring back feelings of my path in life. If she ever publishes a book, I will purchase it. I like to support the work of our talented hubbers, and already have purchased the works of two writers in hubpages.
You write beautifully Petra, you captured the soul of the poet.
Enjoy I do Petra,otherwise I would not be admiring and loving her,and I read and enjoy every word she writes,also as you are a regular visitor on her pages you might have seen probably that I have even tried a few lines myself,but being an Indian you know, we have a tradition to appreciate some one in this manner,thats my way of saying "you are great and I am so humble and small that I do not even understand your great words that you say"please do not take them in so literal sense.Thank you.
Writing and reading poetry was my salvation during some traumatic times. I enjoyed your well written article even though this verse is not really of my taste...Bob x
What a wonderful hub - and so fitting for a wonderful poet! Petra, you are a super poetry critic - and I love the way you've interspersed it with her art. Loved it!
Petra, This was a lovely tribute to Nellieanna's wonderful poetry. She is an amazing woman with her ability to put into words those deep emotions and experiences. You did a great job with this tribute.
It is nice to see, that in this world of selfish people, there is still someone with the generosity of spirit to pay compliments to another artist. There is too much carping all the time. I have just read some of Neilleanna,s poems, and I find myself to be in agreement with everything that you say.
Hello VioletSun,
Nellieanna's poetry will resonate with many people precisly because brings out feelings that we all have and emotions we all went through. The sincerity of it makes it great the simplicity of it makes it greater.
Hi Suny,
It got "lost in translation", sorry about that. I am glad you explained the Indian way of showing appreciation and now all makes sense.
I knew you read her poetry, I saw your name on her pages, but most of the time I do not read the comments other people leave on hubs - unless is a heated dispute.
The important thing is that you like poetry in general and Nellieanna's in particular; I know you have an appreciation for beauty.
Petra, what a poetic piece you have written! Your introduction to this story is poetry itself and I think that this is possibly your best work! Obviously the undoubtedly gifted Nellieanna has been a wonderful influence on you. I cannot imagine anyone not wanting to write as well as Nellieanna, and to my knowledge few can compare with her, but in this case you have managed to do it, I think :-)))
Very well done!
Hi Bob,
With its magic power to enchant and to heal poetry has saved many of us during difficult times. Reading or writing poetry can be very therapeutic
Hi Petra, you shall be pleasantly surprised if you visit Nellieanna's new hub today.
Hello Shalini,
Nellieanna's paintings express once more the beauty of her spirit and is the only appropriate art to illustrate the complexity of such an accomplished artist.
I am glad you liked my review of her poetry; I have been a poetry critic for a long time now and always enjoyed finding the "hidden pearls" or discovering new valences of a poet I admire; Nellieanna is a gold mine of sensitivity and beauty at its best
Hi Pamela,
Loving Nellieanna as a human being and paying tribut to her art is an easy thing to do; she makes it easy with the generosity of her spirit and with her talent as a multi level artist
Great tribute to a great poet, and the paintings are wonderful too. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have read Nellieanna and this is a beautifully crafted homage to her work')
Hello Christopher,
Giving credit where credit is due is the least we can and we should do to celebrate talent. Nellieanna has a special way to bring out the best in people, just like she brings out the best in life
Hello my dear De Greek,
I am humbled by your recognition of my talent :-))) see what it means to be in good company? Between reading your work and Nellieanna's I got to polish my own writing skills :-)))
Aside from the jokes (I could not resist), Nellieanna is one of the greatest writers on HP and her forte is poetry - no doubt about that
Hello again Suny,
As soon as I am done responding to the kind people who left comments I am going to Nellieanna's site to see her new hubs
Hello McHamet,
I am so happy you got a chance to read Nellieanna's poetry and appreciate the beauty of her multi-dimentional artistic talent
As you must know by now that i love poems, i didn,t know about nellieanna,s poetry, she now has a new follower.
Thank You
Thank you for introducing me to Nellieanna's poetry. I am heading over to her site right this second.
Hello always,
It is a great pleasure to make Nellieanna'a poems known to people who appreciate the beauty of poetry. I am sure you will be enchanted by her work
Hello Pop,
I am sure you will find her poetry moving and you will appreciate the sincerity of her feelings so masterfully expressed. Would be wanderful to hear your comments after reading her poems, so please come back and let us know.
I'm totally overwhelmed by such an outpouring of caring about me. Hang the writing! It's nice to be cared about! And that you all like my scribbles & artisic dabs is such a bonus and so very humbling. Their only reason and effort ever is just to express what is inside. If it pleases anyone else, it's icing on the cake. And there is no doubt that YOUR writing about it makes it sound good, Petra. Your writing talent is superb! Thank you again for choosing me as a subject to invest it upon.
Hugs and love - Nellieanna
Hello Nellieanna dear,
You should know well by now how much you mean to our community of writers and how appreciated you are for your talent and your kindness.
Have you read De Greek's comment? LOL. In reality it is quite easy to write about a great person and I am happy to see a few people are now your new fans.
Wow ! Brilliant Hub! Nellieanna is really special lady and you presented her talents and accomplisments on so great and touching way. "Bravo Petra and bravo Nellieanna."
Thumbs up for the both of you.
Brava, Petra, and brava, nellieanna - two of the most talented and articulate hubbers I know. Your tribute, Petra, is as beautiful and meaningful as the poetry by Nellieanna that you describe. How fortunate Hubpages is to have you both, and how lucky I am to consider you both my "hubbuddies."
And oh, yes, Petra, the slide show works perfectly. :)
Yes, yes! Of course! - I've read and much appreciated De Greek's comments and greatly appreciate them! He's so right, Petra, about your talents - but I have one little "crow to pick" with him about that: to attribute any of your marvelous talent to my influence is giving me 'way too much credit because yours are truly stellar and were well establshed before we met! And I'm not just saying that! I feel it in my bones! You're surely one of the best writers on Hubpages - or anywhere around! I was so flattered when you wanted to write about me! And I'm still pinching mysel!
He is right about the constructive way we Hubbers do inspire each other, though. I feel it every time I read another great hub and every time I receive the wonderful comments on mine. It's like getting our nutritious constitutional "food" to sustain and to nourish our spirits and creativity, being able to associate and exchange ideas and encouragement among our peers here. We seem to boost each others' enthusiasm and efforts. When I feel that mine have also helped someone - well I don't feel so greedy about all the help I receive!
We all probably have experienced how it is in many online groups and networks in which it feels like being plugged into but nothing much or of value is flowing back in. But here! So different! I don't know about others here, but I feel like I get more than I give, but at the same time, it also feels good when whatever I do contribute is received so graciously - and perceptively, especially. So I want to thank each and every one of you who have written here on Petra's hub for the wonderful comments. I feel the warmth and graciousness deeply. I wasn't thinking I could possibly acknowledge each one of the comments here though I appreciate each one. But I do want to tell my friend De Greek how much I appreciate his if only because they've been sustaining me since Day 1 on HubPages! I guess if you hadn't encouraged me in the beginning, I literally wouldn't have published anything and wouldn't have felt the warm glow I've felt here ever since. Thank you.
Hello Tatjana Mihaela,
It has been forever since I saw you last. I am happy to hear you appreciate Nellieanna's poetry; she is a fantastic talent.
Nellieanna, you must have heard the phrase "Beware of Greeks bearing gifts" - Be careful, I may be sceeming for something dastardly .... muaaaaahahaaaaaa........ :-))
Hello dear drbj,
Thank you for teaching me the trick of the slideshow; love it. It is such a pleasure to write about a talented and well loved Hubber as Nellieanna and pay tribute to a special multi-rounded artistic personality.
I am flattered by your compliment and appreciate your friendship more than I can say in just a few words. Thank you.
Hello again Nellieanna,
I could not agree with you more. The beauty of Hub Pages is its people and the way they interact and grow. Everyone is bringing a personal experience and an unique point of view, but most importantly, the community allows all writers to shine in their own way. That is fantastic.
There is really no outside competition and no tendency to outdo each other; we all compete only with ourselves and in the end, we all win.
Now that my friend De Greek put the pressure on me, I wonder how can I top that. Maybe I should write about him next? I might :-)))
Oh, De Greek,
Sure we know, my dear friend, but we never look the Horse in the mouth
Hi'a Petra.I'm poetically illiterate but you have sparked my interest with this hub.What a gentle lady.I shall visit Nellieanna's home page and try to educate my self.
Nellieanna,I bow to such an elegant lady.
Well done as usual Petra.Thanks
Dean
Thank you Dean
I am sure you will appreciate her poetry and you may become a poetry lover yourself. Go for it
Nellieanna's grand wisdom and turn of phrase is unmached:)!!Petrah,your interpretation of poetry is masterful!
Thank you Mentalist on both counts. You are a master of poetry yourself, so the compliment is even more appreciated.
I'm one of those that stays away from poetry but I have to admit this tribute is very well deserved...Nellieanna, take a thousand bows...and you too, Petra, for a lovely hub. :)
Hello Feline
If you give poetry a chance you may even end up loving it:-))) However I know what you are saying and many people feel the same way. I love Tagore and I am sure that in original his poetry is even better, so maybe you start there
I didn't know about Nellinanna's poems until now, but certainly, I will be following her. However, you, my friend has written a truly beautiful tribute, worthy of praise. Well-done and rated awesome!
Hello anglnwu,
So good to see you again. I am sure you will enjoy Nellieanna's poetry; she is a special lady and I was happy to pay tribute to her talent.
Thank you for appreciating my writing and for voting this hub awesome
Petrah what a lovely tribute to one of my favorite people on HubPages - I always enjoy her poetry and descriptive hubs, the comments she shares on my own hubs and the uplifting mood she always passes on. It is not just her poetry but the way she presents it with fantastic images. Thanks again Petrah.
Hi Bill,
Happy to see you again. You have a lot of competition on HP, where everybody loves Nellieanna, but her generous heart has room enough for everyone. Thank you for stopping by and leave a comment.
Nellieanna is indeed, fluid! She puts beautiful poetry together with her artwork and staggers and twists the words to allow us to follow the flow smoothly. She is a gem! Great hub Petra!
"...it is supposed to move you and make your soul permeable to an unseen world of beauty." I think that is about the most beautiful thing I have ever read about poetry! Thank you so very much. I too am a huge fan of this lovely lady and even, with her permission, of course, have posted one of her beautiful poems on my profile. She is just amazing!
Thanks for this lovely and moving and most deserved tribute!
Love and peace
Tony
Thank you Micky,
I know you appreciate poetry and are a poete yourself (of a different sort, but just as talented). Nellieanna's artistic ways are impressive - wheather poety or paintings - and it is almost impossible not to be moved by her depth and sense of beauty
Thank you so much Tony,
I have always been a devoted fan of yours and I keep your opinions in high rigard, so your comment is much appreciated. Nellianna is loved by many hubbers - and rightfuly so - for her artistic talent and her caring personality. My tribute to her was almost "easy to write", since all the elements are there and speak by themselves. I will go back to your profil and read the poem you posted.
Just read Nellieanna's poem you posted and is indeed a sample of her philosophy of enjoying life and considere it a privilege, but also an opportunity.
I'm indeed honored & flattered by the caring outpourings of so many beloved fellow-hubbers here! But, dear Petra - it's hardly fair for each one of them to call forth more kind and generous accolades from you, though I appreciate each kind word, which truly feels just as well-meant as those of the hub itself. It's really heart-warming and so encouraging to this writer.
De Greek would be an excellent Hubber for you to honor next, Petra! As for his Trojan Horses, - well, we'll just have to have lots of Hay (ahem) on hand for them to keep them docile and fun.
Dear Nellieanna,
I am not quiet sure I understand your comment, but I know you mean well.
I appreciate your vote of confidence about my abilities, but before turning into an unofficial Hub Page "literary critic" I think I will be concentrating on finishing my series about "Romania the Beautiful" first.
By that time De Greek will write more wonderful hubs. Lots of people are keeping an eye on him and are ready to pay tribute to his talent - the same way others have done in the past
What a great tribute to a beautiful lady. I love Nellieanna and her poetry.She is very talented and knows how to express herself through her hubs so perfectly. From the moment I found her here on hubpages I knew she was special. Great hub for a great lady. Cheers.
Thank you ladyjane,
As they say "it takes one to know one" and the fact that you love Nellieanna makes you just as special as she is. It is a pleasure having you visit my site and hope you will be back.
Oh, dear. I only meant that it seems that with each complimentary comment here about my poetry or me, you're called upon to again express your kindness toward me! I meant it as praise of your generosity & graciousness to add your own agreement to each good comment. I'm deeply touched and humbled by the outpouring! I'm aware that your beautiful way of presenting my snippets puts them in a very fine and flattering light! My appreciation knows no bounds that you took your time & with all your ability to describe and present it, did so with such in-depth interest and care, Petra.
My reference to De Greek was in playful response to his "beware of Greeks bearing gifts" comment & also refers to your mention that you perhaps should write a hub about him, which I hope you do at some future time.
You're a dear friend and a most special lady and I'm awed and deeply gratified by each comment by dear friends here!
Thank you Petra I will definitely be following you more closely. Cheers.
Petra, this is such a nicely detailed tribute to Nellieanna's poetic skills and artistry. At the same time, I found it a very strongly written piece on your part that flows so well and easily in its delivery. Thanks for a great hub! WB
Thank you Wayne,
I am glad to hear you liked the critical presentation of Nellieanna's poetry and I appreciate your comment. It has been long since you stopped by and I am happy to see you back
Petra, I met this extraordinary lady but only the other day, but it felt like she was part of me since the beginning of time. Your own talent is in no way most probably the best to be found on earth, to sing praises to this exceptional lady. I am totally enslaved by Nellieanna, and when she speaks, I sit down at her knees and listen attentively. Your resume do her talent honour. Thank you for saying what I most probably never will be able to do.
Hello Equealla
Glad to see you made it to my side and thank you for the compliment. Nellieanna's spirit brings out the best in people and her many fans are enriched by her presence
Your Hub express why many are so appreciative of this gentle lady. Nellieanna's poetry breathe with the Joy's of life. Each time I reread the verse and lines I find myself walking besides a stream and discovering another embedded and shiny nugget.
What a wonderful, Inspirational hub. This to me are what hubs should be. I love the analogy of poetry is like a bouquet of flowers ................................
Cheers, so glad I read this
Kimberly
Hello SilentReed,
Happy you stopped by ang
d left a comment. I am glad to hear that Nellieanna's poetry has such an effect on you and the shiny nuggets are there for all to enjoy.
Hi Kimberly,
It is a pleasure to meet you and I do appreciate your compliment. I hope to see you again and I will be reading your work soon
Thanks for this introduction and tribute to Nellieanna. I will have to read some of her articles.
Thank you coolmon,
Thank you for visiting my site and leaving a comment. I am sure you will appreciate and enjoy Nellieanna's poetry as it is of great value and sensibility.
Beautiful words. Beautiful works of art! Thank you for sharing them. I especially like what you said, "In order to appreciate poetry, one needs to expose himself to it by opening his heart". That is so true.
hello bayareagreatthings,
So nice to meet a fellow Californian. Thank you for your kind words and I am sure that all forms of art require an open heart and mind in order to be enjoyed and appreciated.
Well! Yet another exquisitely crated piece of literature from Petra Vlah! I'm hard pressed to say which has more beauty, the story you've told or your artfulness in telling it.
Did you know that this piece is number two on Google in response to a search for "Nellieanna"? Right below Nellieanna herself!
Cheers and best wishes.
Thank you Niteriter for your compliment, I really appreciate it and I know, this time is not a joke. I will have to check Google now that you mentioned it and see how it looks. Google is a "funny guy" at times; there are about 10 pages about me, but not with my most inspired work. Happy to see you again, it has been long.
Thank you for this piece. It wonderful to find more creative writers on HubPages. Now that I have discovered Nellieanna I will have to look into her more.... and you as well. JM
Hello James,
Thank you for visiting my site. There are plenty of creative writers on HubPages and some of them are really great. If you like poetry Nellieanna is one of them and so is Donna Beadford. Hope to hear from you again and I will be reading some of your hubs
thank you for pointing out great tallent, I also loved your exp;lanation of poetry and its meanings. We write becasue we love to write and explore our passions. And I alwasy enjoy meeting tallented hubbers.
Hello must65gt,
I appreciate your comment and believe that recognizing talent and giving credit to other hubers is a much more productive way of contributing to the HubPages community.
Hello Petra. Poetry is a healer for broken soul. Poetry guides our soul and let our mind wonder about what we read. Poetry has the power to lift us up, makes us happy.
Thank you for sharing this article.
Lizzy
Hello Lizzy,
You are right; poetry can heal the soul whether you read it or write it, since it has the power to bring emotions into our life and make us more aware of the beauty of everything around us.
Petra,
I recently began following Nellieanna and have marveled in her use of language. I intend to read her as often as I can. And then there's you... This is likely one of the best written Hubs I have had the pleasure of reading and I would not be surprised if, someday, an HPer wrote something similar of you.
Thanks.
-J
I thank you Jay for reading this review and I appreciate your comment.
While I wrote this hub out of pure admiration for Nellieanna’s poetry, unfortunately many of our fellows are into the politics of “I scratch your back and you scratch mine”, a game I found to be childish and so I am not interested in playing it. As a consequence, my chances of being recognized by other hubbers are very slim at best and I do not mind it at all.
She is wonderful and I talk to her on the phone form time to time, Maita
Hello Maita,
Happy to hear you are such good friends with Nellieanna; please tell her I said "hello"
Petra, What an amazing and giving hub! Your words with Nellieanna's words create something extraordinarily touching. I love her poetry. She is a very special soul. Thanks for this excellent piece.
Hello Tracy,
Happy to see you again and thanks for the kind compliment to the both of us. Always a pleasure to meet a fellow poet so I hope you will stay in touch.
I have come so late to this party I feel like I should be catching up by ordering doubles and helping to empty the ash trays. (That could just come from my working 8 years as a bartender.)
At any rate, Petra your praise of Nellieanna is as well done as it is deserved.
I am in the midst of the enjoyable endeavor of reading everything I can that she has written; a pleasant task I have set myself, a stroll, an amble, something I intend to savor. So much more truffle than trifle, her poems are accessible and grounded yet ethereal...and tasty too!
The two of you give great promise that I'm going to like it here.
CP
Hello Christopher,
Whether by luck or skill in 5 short weeks on HP you managed to identify some of the best writers of this community – I saw a few of your comments in other hubs – so I am sure you will enjoy this experience. Welcome and make up for being late for the party; rather than cleaning ashtrays, please bring the champagne and let’s celebrate.
Petra,
Well aren't you just the nicest person on the forum or what? This is truly a wonderful gift and Nellianna deserves the accolades but so do you!
Hello Mark,
Glad you got a chance to read this. As I mentioned to you before I was doing poetry critique for a few good years now and I thought Nelieanna has a unique poetic style so I thought to do a hub about it. Your poetry is also changing for the better, so one of this days I will write about you
That would be a real honor Petra... truly... an unexpected gift from someone who made me wonder if I belonged (from your writings) and then who made me feel that I do belong (from your encouragement)...
One of those days I will be writing a hub about "what poetry is and what it is not". I will mention some of the poets I had the pleasure of meeting on HP and you will be one of them.
Wow!
At least two great minds: both poets. Great article and comments. Flag up and awesome.
That's quite a tribute to a dear lady and I learned some things about the meaning and message of poetry. You expressed it so very beautifully!
I had not dropped by for awhile. What kind comments have been added by you, Petra, as well as these other Hubbers I admire and respect. Thank you! I am glad my poetry speaks to you who have commented. I am only one of so many outstanding poets here. It is gratifying to be mentioned among you.
wow...not only did this make me fall in love with Nellieanna's view of life, it paints such an amazing picture of what poetry is, why it reaches so far beyond the surface, that it gave me goose bumps. hats off. Now i need to go read Nellieanna...
To simply refer to myself as a fan of Nellieanna Hay is like saying I like flowers or the sea. Whatever my tribute, it will lay insufficient as garbled scribbling dribbling from my own inadequacy. I can not read her words without adoring both poetry and the lady.
I hadn't visited to see these recent lovely comments. SheZoe, thank you, for your beautiful comments, coming from a poet such as you, whose poetry gives me goose bumps. I'm humbled.
arb - What a beautiful soul you are. Your dear words are graciousness personified. Thank you. The feeling is mutual - I've such deep respect for you as a person and a writer.
Wow! What a beautiful tribute to a beautiful and talented person! I love Nellieanna's artistry and you said it all here!
Rated up and beautiful!
She writes beautifully.Well done on a great review
Petra, what a lovely tribute to our dear Nellieanna. I have only had the pleasure of her acquaintance here on HubPages for a short while but she has been nothing less than a friend, a great encouragement to me and a wonderful writer! Thanks for publicly giving her the credit she is due.
I'm so happy this piece was a featured article today in the poetry section or I may have missed it Petra Vlah. You've written such an in depth lovely critique on Nellieanna's poetry. I love how you included her artwork in the layout as they go together in representing the deep artistic vision of this very classy lady.
This tribute is a lovely gesture to a lovely lady and one I believe is well deserved. It is well written and presented. I have read and commented on many of Nellieanna's creations and wholly agree with your words. Looking at the numerous comments I believe this may be of wide spread agreement..... Brilliant
This is a wonderfully written piece, and of course I agree with all that you say about Nellieanna. The ideas of poetry - what it is and what it isn't have expanded my thinking about writing. Lovely!
SilverGenes Level 4 Commenter 22 months ago
Petra, this is a wonderful tribute to Nellieanna! She has a gentle, guiding spirit that reaches right off the pages time after time in wisdom, hope, joy and love.
You've done a beautiful job and your reference to pearls is just perfect. I've bookmarked many of Nellieanna's pages and now I am bookmarking yours.
Thank you!