[kiaga89]

WOW...i just read most of her poems and they are great, but no offense, I like the books better...

Yes, the books are longer and more substantial. However, I don't think they should over shadow her poetry as they do, considering she included poetry in the books. Not that I don't enjoy the books better myself...:rolleyes::)

[summer]

Yeah, I prefer the books too, because I prefer stories to poems, but I do really like her poetry.

[Blue_Elidhu]

Beautiful.

[Sirkana]

I agree, Blue_Elidhu.

[JMlovesHP]

Yes, the books are longer and more substantial. However, I don't think they should over shadow her poetry as they do, considering she included poetry in the books. Not that I don't enjoy the books better myself...:rolleyes::)

I will definitely have to agree:D

[kiaga89]

Shall I resurrect a dead thread?:p:D

All of the poetry in the books are amazing! With all the characters who became brilliant poets (Dernhil, Maerad), I think it would be amazing for Alison to think of creating a sort of side book of these, with the character names as her pseudonyms. I'm quite sure it would satisfy our hunger for additional Pellinor related material, and Alison is an amazing poet. :D (yes, I know it's been mentioned before somewheres, but I figured I'd mention it again).:rolleyes:;)

But with this idea out of the way, I wanted to ask and perhaps get a discussion going.

Singing Spoiler:

what do you think the idea was behind the last poem in the appendices? I know Icelands did a story on it being written after Cadvan's death but I just wanted to get some other ideas on what she could have written it for. The poem is as following:

Some say an army of horsemen
some an army on foot
others say ships laden for war
are the fairest things on earth.

But I say the fairest sight
on this dark earth
is the face of the one you love.

Nor is it hard to understand:
love has humbled the hearts
of the proudest queens.

And I would rather see you now
stepping over my threshold
than any soldier greaved in gold
or any iron-beaked ship.

[waahoo!]

I'm not good at this, but I'll give it a try.... Ummm, she would rather see the face of her love than the most breathtaking sites on earth?

Yeah that's pretty obvious. We can probably make it into something more if we over-examine it a little ;)

[heatherlynn]

i think its saying that people who crave power and wealth would rather see/have things that will help them gain power but one with a pure heart would rather see the people they love and could care less about power.
singing spoiler:
to me it pretty much sums up wat maerad has learned rite before the actual singing and the difference between her and sharma.(im not gonna type the whole exchage but if youd liketo read it its pages 426-429) maerads love for her friends and their love for her is the only thing that kept her from becoming like him.

thats wat i think if anyone has a better idea post it!:)

[dreamer]

Looking at the poem on which it's based (Sappho fragment 16), I thinkthe person described as "the one you love" is probably Cadvan, given that they are definitely together at the end of the Singing. It could be another lover, I suppose (though I'm not going to argue that that lover could have been female. That's reading too much into it)The reason for this is the Greek verb for love here is the verb which has the meaning of "to be in love with" (a person) or "to desire" someone or something. Although, curiously, the Greek for the equivalent of that bit has the neuter, not the masculine or feminine, which suggests that it's not a person being referred to, potentially killing my argument. Unless you argue that it's quite possibly word-play to make the gender of the beloved unknown... hmm...

Some say an army of horsemen or footmen or rowers
Is the most beautiful thing over the coal-black earth,
But I say it is that thing, whatever it is,
That one loves and desires.

All easy it is to make this clear to anyone,
For Helen, far surpassing all mortals in beauty,
Leaving behind the best of all men,
Departed, sailing for Troy --
And not at all did she remember
Parents, nor love of children,
But passion directed her....

Now my Anactoria too is gone, and
I would rather see her supple walk
And the bright sparkle of her face
Than all the chariots of Lydia
And foot-soldiers in arms.

Alternatively, the cynic in me is saying that Alison based her poem on Sappho 16 to increase the apparent links between Edil-Amarandh and Atlantis. Choose a Greek poet, and you have a link; choose Sappho 16 and it fits rather well with Maerad disliking war and her relationship with Cadvan

[waahoo!]

You know what's wierd? I can see what poems mean, in the most simple way. I don't agree with picking it apart and trying to find what it could possibly mean, because then you could make it mean something completely different than it's supposed to. And then that ruins it.

Or maybe I'm just lazy :D