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Jun 20, 2025
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Intoxicated Amongst The Flowers
Jade willow
Dancing swallow
Shy nymph
Wild phoenix
Lonely mandarin
Solitary orchid
Lotus flower
Mountain lady
Moon fairy
Caltrop picker
Mist maiden
Peacock hairpin
Yellow silk
Lofty emerald tower
None of these as lovely
As the one who steps
Amongst the flowers
To my summer-mat
Imbuing with the scent
Of her sex
Departing with the dawn
About This Poem
Review Request Direction:
What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?
Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing Stage: Not actively editing
Comments
neopoet
3 months 1 week ago
Neopoet AI [2025-04]
The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:
This poem presents a series of evocative images, each line conjuring delicate and often exotic elements—flora, fauna, and mythic figures—that collectively build a lush, almost otherworldly atmosphere. The initial list-like structure creates a rhythm that feels like an invocation or a catalog of beauties, setting a tone of admiration and reverence.
The transition to the speaker’s personal encounter is striking, shifting from abstract or symbolic imagery to a concrete, intimate moment. This contrast effectively highlights the uniqueness of the subject, who surpasses even the rich tapestry of natural and mythical beauty previously described. The phrase "Imbuing with the scent / Of her sex" is bold and sensory, grounding the poem’s ethereal qualities in physical reality.
Consider the following points for further refinement:
1. **Line Breaks and Punctuation:** The poem’s sparse punctuation and line breaks contribute to a dreamlike flow but occasionally create ambiguity. For example, "To my bed-mat / Imbuing with the scent / Of her sex" could be clarified with punctuation or rephrasing to ensure the intended meaning is clear and the rhythm is smooth.
2. **Imagery Cohesion:** The initial list is rich but somewhat disparate—ranging from animals (swallow, phoenix) to plants (orchid, lotus) to human-like figures (nymph, fairy). While this diversity adds texture, consider whether focusing on a more cohesive set of images might strengthen the thematic unity.
3. **Tone and Voice:** The poem’s voice is admiring and somewhat formal, which suits the elevated imagery. However, the final stanza’s intimacy introduces a more personal tone. Balancing these voices more deliberately could enhance the emotional impact.
4. **Originality and Cliché:** Some images, like "lotus flower" and "moon fairy," are familiar motifs in poetry and mythology. To deepen the poem’s originality, consider adding unexpected details or fresh metaphors that reveal more about the speaker’s unique perspective.
5. **Title Connection:** The title "Intoxicated Amongst The Flowers" suggests a state of being overwhelmed or enchanted. The poem captures this well, but the "intoxication" could be more explicitly developed—perhaps through sensory language or metaphor that conveys the speaker’s emotional or physical state more vividly.
Overall, the poem’s strength lies in its evocative imagery and the contrast between the universal and the personal. Attention to clarity, cohesion, and voice could elevate its expressive power.
Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to neopoet.com/contact
Candlewitch
2 months ago
dearest John,
are most of the things mentioned, flowers or plants? these are my favorite lines:
None of these as lovely
As the one who steps
Amongst the flowers
To my summer-mat
Imbuing with the scent
Of her sex
Departing with the dawn
enchanting...
love Cat xxx
Dalton
2 months ago
Dearest Cat
Left quite an extensive respensive reply here hope it reveals the poem in a little more depth just incidentals really xxx
Dalton
2 months ago
Dearest Cat
One Way or other all are references to erotic euphemisms for beautiful women in chinese poetic lore "Jade willow" a lithe young woman, "Dancing swallow" a courtly songstress so well known for that melody that it became her epithet, "Shy nymph" obvs just to a shy girl innocent to love, "Wild Phoenix" phoenix being an erotic symbol in itself, "Lonely Mandarin" a lonely woman without a lover as mandarin ducks in lore and poetry were traditionally employed as a symbol for conjugal relationship so maybe a woman without a lover or a widow, "Solitary Orchid" again like the phoenix orchid is an erotic symbol like the peony, "Lotus flower" can be a reference to the female sex, "Mountain Lady" a ref to the goddess of Mount Wu whose emanations were clouds and rain which came to be codes for copulation, "Moon fairy" was Chang E who stole the elixir of immortality from her archer husband and stole away for refuge on the moon where she dwells for eternity gazing down upon the world separated from love, "Caltrop picker" or waterchestnut pickers were traditionally women so took on an erotic significance, "Golden hairpins" connected to women, "Yellow silk" the hue of silks worn by courtly women but also Mists around Wu Mountain, "Lofty emerald towers" in ancient china referring to a brothel or the home of a concubine. All these high references to female beauty in history and legend forsaken for an ordinary country girl
Candlewitch
2 months ago
Thank you
my dear friend. I have inhaled your poem and found it completely refreshing, once again. It is too bad that we cannot attach fragrances to our poems when we post them...
much love, Cat xxx
Dalton
2 months ago
Dearest Cat
Let the fragrance exist in your beautiful mind xxx