The Maureen trilogy: Afterglow

George J.

unread,

Feb 1, 2024, 9:35:15 AMFeb 1

to

"Afterglow" is the third poem in what I call my "Maureen trilogy" - you can read more about that trilogy on the thread devoted to its first poemm "Spring Again." Likw "Spring Again", "Afterglow" is a sonnet, but accidentally so, merely because I was learning to write sonnets at the time, and I wanted to write one for my wife for our anniversaryl I wanted to write not just a sonnet but a love poem, as a gift that would make up a little for the fact that, as too often in our relationship, I was ignoring our relationship to go off by myself and write instead.

So there's no complex theme here, just a simple poem to tell Maureen that I love her (while acknowledging that I don't do that enough. There are a couple of good lines, and a couple of Eliot-style allusions to works by other poets (Charles III and Eliot himself). But I'll let the readers look for those, if they choose; for now, I'll just give the definitive text:

Afterglow

My darling, on this night of Valentine's,
Excuse me while I find a way to say
I love you, knowing I could never pay
For thirty years with only fourteen lines.
But let me try to say just what I mean:
That in the depths of February's chill,
As long as I can have you with me still,
It never will be dark or cold, Maureen;
For, holding you and looking at the snow,
I see a light from thirty years ago
Still blazing, gleaming, dazzling all below!
And looking in your eyes, Maureen, I know
A passion from as many years ago,
Which warms my body with its afterglow.

~~
George J. Dance, 2007

Faraway Star

unread,

Feb 2, 2024, 1:12:38 PMFeb 2

to

A fantastic series of poems so far, I must go back and start from the start..!

Message has been deleted

W.Dockery

unread,

Feb 3, 2024, 10:30:23 AMFeb 3

to

Faraway Star wrote:

> On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 9:35:15 AM UTC-5, George J. wrote:
>>

> Good idea, I have stopped posting new poetry here for about a year because of the great epic flame war, maybe I'll posts a few of the new ones here before Google Groups closes down this month...

Agreed, I should probably do that, also.

George J.

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 2:15:14 AMFeb 5

to

Faraway Star wrote:

> On Thursday, February 1, 2024 at 9:35:15 AM UTC-5, George J. wrote:
>>

> Good idea, I have stopped posting new poetry here for about a year because of the great epic flame war, maybe I'll posts a few of the new ones here before Google Groups closes down this month.

I think that is an excellent idea. There's only 9 days left; I'd say pick the four or five you like the best, and post them over the next nine days, no more than one per day. If I had new poems, I'd do the same but, alas, I have none; all I can do is revive some of my older works, like here.

George J.

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 2:20:19 AMFeb 5

to

I agree, Will. It should be even easier for you, since you've been blogging your newer poems as you write them; it wouldn't be hard to copy and paste them right off the blog, the way I did for the 3 Maureen poems.

Will Dockery

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 5:51:41 AMFeb 5

to

Only 9 days, it will be strange to have no Google Groups after all these decades.

%

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 7:21:17 AMFeb 5

to

Will Dockery wrote:
> Only 9 days, it will be strange to have no Google Groups after all these decades.
>

https://countingdownto.com/?c=5322740

George J.

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 9:35:15 AMFeb 5

to

Cool site. I just checked, and Google gives that date - Feb. 22 - on its notice. But that's new; originally they'd said it would shut down Feb. 15:

On Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 5:31:45 PM UTC-5, NancyGene wrote:
> "Effective February 15, 2024, Google Groups will no longer support new Usenet content. Posting and subscribing will be disallowed, and new content from Usenet peers will not appear. Viewing and searching of historical data will still be supported as it is done today."
https://groups.google.com/g/alt.arts.poetry.comments/c/whhQW0oBeHA/m/XGCSLkdiAgAJ?hl=en

That's good news that we get an extra week of life here.

Faraway Star

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 8:55:40 PMFeb 5

to

Okay, another week, that's a significant change.

Perhaps Google will change their mind?

Will Dockery

unread,

Feb 5, 2024, 9:16:01 PMFeb 5

to

On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 9:35:15 AM UTC-5, George J. wrote:
> On Monday, February 5, 2024 at 7:21:17 AM UTC-5, % wrote:
> > Will Dockery wrote:
>
> > Only 9 days, it will be strange to have no Google Groups after all these decades.
> > >
> > https://countingdownto.com/?c=5322740
> Cool site. I just checked, and Google gives that date - Feb. 22 - on its notice. But that's new; originally they'd said it would shut down Feb. 15:

Yes, in the announcement made on December 15 2023.

> On Thursday, December 14, 2023 at 5:31:45 PM UTC-5, NancyGene wrote:
> > "Effective February 15, 2024, Google Groups will no longer support new Usenet content. Posting and subscribing will be disallowed, and new content from Usenet peers will not appear. Viewing and searching of historical data will still be supported as it is done today."
> https://groups.google.com/g/alt.arts.poetry.comments/c/whhQW0oBeHA/m/XGCSLkdiAgAJ?hl=en
>
> That's good news that we get an extra week of life here.

Indeed.

%

unread,

Feb 6, 2024, 4:04:31 AMFeb 6

to

not a chance, too much abuse and spam coming from that shithole

Message has been deleted

Will Dockery

unread,

Feb 22, 2024, 4:41:02 AMFeb 22

to

Well that's something we won't miss.

:)

Will Dockery

unread,

Feb 22, 2024, 10:14:08 AMFeb 22

to

Again, good stuff.