Who am I?

[NovaSpace888]

Hi Jennifer,

I am not sure how to leave a response to your response to me (lol), so I will leave another comment : )

Thanks for enlightening me on ^^. I love to learn something new everyday.

To give something back, here is a wiki link to the Raven paradox, in case you haven't already seen it. Note the Nevermore reference. I love a good paradox. Just be sure to have some headache tablets ready, just in case.

Take care.

Nova

[NovaSpace888]

Can I ask one favour?

Can you tell me what ^^ means.

Very embarrassing, but I only know it as the Caret or Exponential symbol.

: ) This is the meagre extent of my abstract symbolic ken.

Nova-noob

[TheRavenOfPoe]

@NovaSpace888 That symbol is used for different meanings by different people. I use it as something akin to the feeling of a twinkle in the eye or sweet excitement/joy :) Like two little eyes perhaps.

[NovaSpace888]

Hauntingly beautiful thoughts.

I am the 100th like for your video, and I will upgrade that like to a really, really like.

"Know thyself" is one of my favourite maxims. I have had a lot of pleasure in discovering myself, often by observing peoples reactions to me. People can be like the mirror in your poem. As I have very slowly matured and transformed, I have watched the people around me gradually change how they interact with me. Totally fascinating. Thanks for the wonderful video.

Nova

[TheRavenOfPoe]

@NovaSpace888 Thank you very much! That is a favourite maxim of mine too ;)

[teucer3]

I just popped a huge stiff



[SpiderChad]

I adore your words.

[artdeco101010]

Wow - that reminds me a lot of "In Held Twas I" by Procol Harum. Their lyricist, Keith Reid, was a poet from England.

[forestskog]

I can't believe it. I just accidentally heard a poem that I actually really really really enjoyed.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

@forestskog hehe, thank you! :) I know just the feeling, and keep it in mind whenever I write ^^

[twish1999]

Ooh this gave me shivers!

Excellent poem... and excellently delivered

Music is perfect too

:-)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks eldonfitz!

[cogiterium]

Using the mirror reflects the theme of your video well. Well done!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you! :)

[KennyWrites]

Very nice, 5 stars!

[Darktiop]

One of the biggest questions in the human live .

[Possumlivingdotcom]

Wonderful writing and recital, Jennifer.

[PulsarPoet]

It's quite frightening really. When I look in the mirror and old git stares back! Good poem.

[ASAngelo]

Miss Raven. May I say something?

I don't know how to express ... and I wasn't going to make a comment ...but but well I wish to say this is one of the finest constructed original short poems I have heard visually recited this year?

It is another gem. So much comes together here.^^

A.

[achigurh]

you've been answering this question all your life...you just didn't know it

A. Chigurh

[SpiderChad]

I'll tell you who you are, Raven my dear... you're AWESOME. So THANK YOU for the lovely poetry. Please never stop.

=)

[eglanio]

que introspectivo!

[czarkhasm]

Very nice... your cadence reminds me a bit of a couple of songs by Procol Harum in which some of the lyrics are spoken, one of which is here (first of two parts):

youtube [dot] com/watch?v=6rY1WYhfWTM&

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you for the link to the song =) I hadn't heard any of Procol Harum's work before and enjoyed this piece. I like a lot of music from that early time of progressive rock for the very reason they add in spoken word and classical music. It is an influence of mine I hadn't considered before :)

[gpello]

There was an old lady from Ealing who had a peculiar feeling, she laid on her back and opened her crack and pissed all over the ceiling.

I know, I know I can't claim that poetic classic as my own lol

Seriously though, great poem (please excuse my humour). :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you, and you are excused hehe ;)

[kcatthedog]

well of space ,;very evocative; thank you

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you Matt :)

[chrisnatti]

love your poems. Thank you.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

And thank you Chris! =)

[ThreeofThree]

Love your hair. I got to do a "reading" in class. It made me want to do another reading video. And then I get on youtube and here is one from you. :D I think it is a sign.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thanks Ash! and yes definitely a sign, hehe! I'd love to see another reading video of yours!

[Shipskeel]

always nice things you create, but "between my shadow and I" in incorrect. Even in poetry you cannot use improper grammar. "Between my shadow and me". If it is not correct then you need to change the words of the poem.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I would like to make a video about poetry and grammar sometime :) I am a grammar enthusiast in that I enjoy learning the rules of a language but I also enjoy learning how languages have changed over time. The grammar we use today is part of a long chain of changes in how we manipulate words to express our meaning. While I believe there is great value in adhering to the current grammar rules of a language, I also believe that there can be as much value in

[TheRavenOfPoe]

breaking them. There is no better place than in poetry for such delightful freedom of expression! =) In this particular poem about self reflection I found that using "I" instead of "me" in that line was more powerful. It not only allowed for a sound and rhythm I preferred but also stands out to the listener because of the replacement of the expected "me", thus nicely emphasizing the speaker at a turning point in the piece.

[Stickler84bs]

Could you kindly put subtitle,please?

[TheRavenOfPoe]

The words of the poem are written in the video description box =) I wasn't able to put them as subtitiles yet though

[Stickler84bs]

Thank you

[sistaspooky1013]

Beautiful poem and presentation :) Love it

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you! =)

[mangosr4me]

As the youth say in the current vernacular, "You Rock!". Love your words and presentation...I will be pondering on your words for the next few days. By the way, you also look great.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe, thank you Fritz =)

[NormanKim]

nice!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you Norman!

[flyingmojo5]

Wonderful. And I really admire your presentation, as well. Very inspiring. I'm going to have to redo my reading I uploaded after watching yours.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you :) I think the presentation of my poetry is quite important - I'm never sure how much life they'd have on the page alone ^^

[AurorasDawn]

I love the well analogy. Are you asking if we are forever searching for ourselves - we live and grow everyday, shaping and erasing parts of ourselves every day? I'd say one born stubborn stays stubborn :P - And do we really leave no trace after? Do we not carry pieces of ourselves through generations (children) - values and beliefs we instill, traditions.. etc

- I love your poetry, I simple love it

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you! =)

[rhythm7a]

I don't know which I like more.... your poetry, or the way you perform it. It's always a treat to see a video from you in my inbox.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you very much jeff! :)

[blueastcoast]

Very well done, Jen, as always.. =)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you jordan!!

[charlyandjosh]

I really, really hope that I've not yet become who I was born to be. If I've reached my creative peak at the age of 22, I shall not be happy.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Yes I don't like the idea of already being all I can be - but to know I am not makes me wonder who I *will* be in the future, hehe ;)

[LoveMattersMost]

For the answer..look no further than the next comment below this.. hehe! ; )

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe!

[LoveMattersMost]

Really fine poetry. It was pleasing to the ear, but also contained a strong message. To answer the question of "who am I?"- You are the young Artist and Thinker, who has already touched thousands without even trying, through YT and other places. You are Jennifer, and NOT your shadow. You will create your own "Harry Potter", "Last Unicorn", or "Frodo Baggins", one day.. You are on your way to becoming immortal in the minds and hearts of those who will sample your Art.

[LoveMattersMost]

Classic Raven..to those who know you, that says it all! : ) hehe!

To those that don't know you, your classic pieces are always deeply philosophical, disturbing because they open doors most people try to keep closed. And you come away from the piece, haunted, touched, and changed.... I rate this piece equal with my favorites of yours. Delighted to see you still have the Raven's touch.. -Brian.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Aw "Classic Raven", hehe ^^ I like that there is perhaps a term like that which can be applied to certain pieces of mine =) Thank you Bri!

[TheFaustianMan]

Very cool. Beautiful poem, wonderfully articulated, and directed.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Faust!

[Miholik]

Wow, awesome poem.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks mike!!

[Nessysnape]

Your entire poem is lovely and does give a good, refined and wonderfully simple interpretation of that question we ask ourselves so many times. But there is one part in particular I really enjoyed.

"To free that anyone,

Whose fleeting footprints

May dance across history"

It gives off the notion that maybe instead of asking ourselves "Who am I?" perhaps we should ask "Am I free to be who I truly am?" Either way, both questions are very important. Well done.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Nessa! That particular line "To free that anyone" was a turning point for me while writing the poem as it steered it in a new direction - and you picked it too! ^^

[RealitysTyranny]

That one touched me, the last part reminded me of Robert Bloch's short story "Black Bargain", although there's not much relation, and i suppose you have already read it so maybe im being redundant.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I have not read it but my interest is now piqued! - I shall certainly seek it out next time I am browsing bookshelves =)

[Regusername]

You are a part of the foundation of further inspiration.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

One of the most wonderful things about inspiration is that it is almost always part of a chain =)

[ThePeacefulCat]

I just love it.. I still play old medieval music in bars:)

-P-Cat

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you P-Cat! =)

[PerthPete1]

This, like all of your poetry performances, was superb. Well read, written and produced. camera angle, and lighting.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Pete! I had fun playing around with the camera for this one =)

[Mattsam1000]

beautiful... dosent even come close to your work :) your poetry is truly amazing :) hope you are well my friend :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Matt! I was very excited to see you've started making videos on YouTube! =)

[Mattsam1000]

thank you jen :) hope you are well

[garotobossanova]

I like it!

I will try to compose a song with your poem...

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I would be honoured for my poem to be transformed into song =) I would love to hear it should it be done!

[osirisra]

Geil!

[harleynanda]

Another elegant piece, dear Jennifer, in its concept, its penning, and its recitation. It is common to inquire of our reflections but only admit our shadows, and even then reluctantly, but here you inquire of both to remind us of our duality of nature and the revelations contained in each.

[CleverDjembe]

WTF!? lol

[harleynanda]

CleverDjembe: Our mirror's image is a metaphor for those things hidden within which we seek, those things to which we would aspire. Our shadow is a metaphor for those things hidden within which reveal our inner darkness and fears. To know ourselves we must understand both. There is another metaphor, that of the distance between us and our shadow, the measure of our inner growth. This poem not only inquires of life's purpose, but extols the virtues of ...

[harleynanda]

(cont'd) ... inspirations and aspirations in life. Like our shadow, our fears and darker side will pass with death. However great or small, our life is measured by our will to persevere and aspire to the positive.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Michael, your analysis itself is poetry =)

[benzone50]

nice!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks ben!

[zebidee55]

Ah! _Written_ and read by... About time we saw some of your stuff in the light of day! ;P

Beautiful as always. Loved every aspect of it.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

hehe, sometimes it takes a while but eventually I find the courage it takes to share my own pieces ^^ Friends like you make it much easier to ;)

[ottodix]

Thankyou !!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks brian! =)

[ReliableInsider]

People put too much emphasis on the end of things, on goals, on results, as if life were breaking rocks or writing books and the point were to see how high a pile one could amass. It isn't.

The highpoint of my life is today! Every day.

For I am free.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I think balance is the key - one must strive to enjoy life as it comes (living in the moment) while also working towards making something of their future =)

[stars1861]

This was a nice way to end a kind of a crappy day. Thanks.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

most welcome, hehe!

[TheRealGentleman]

I recently went through some old poems I'd written at about 14 or 15 and found one with the exact same title as this (it may have been written for school).

It was rubbish; this, however, erases the memory of my juvenile trash and replaces it with something much better!

As always, you've created a very beautiful piece here, Jennifer! Thank you, as always, for sharing.

(By the way, which Macleod song was that? Quite lovely too, it was, and very fitting with your poem!)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I have some poems from when I was young that make me cringe, hehe, but there are others too where I marvel at what I penned and expressed then that I could not now in quite the same way as my mind is more cluttered with life and experience.

The MacLeod song was called "Unpromised" and if you're interested in hearing the whole song it is available to download free from his website =)

[moob744]

Wow! short, but beautifully formed and...delivered/presented. :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Mark! I often enjoy writing poetry as succinctly as I can - forms like haikus can be too succinct for me sometimes though, hehe ;)

[ZED74]

beautiful ,, the poem aint bad neither :P

[TheRavenOfPoe]

aw hehe, thank you :)

[thorkyll]

Hey, you're really talented! Nice poem, very insightful. I like this way of blending the medium of poetry with video. By the way, pardon me if this sounds like a dumb question, but is there actually a mirror there or is it just a computer effect added in? Thank you.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you! =)

I was wondering if people would think it was a mirror or an effect, hehe, I should love to take a poll on the matter. But I will confess I did it with editing software ;) I should love to have worked with a real mirror instead but I had no suitable filming place and tripod, hehe

[1BustedMyth]

You are who you are 5 star

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you ;)

[jeffwolfheart]

graceful

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks jeff!

[CleverDjembe]

Who am I? I am nothing but a dumb dude.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

I don't believe that for a second, hehe! =)

[rosesofsunshine3]

great video:) your poems are awesomely thought provoking!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you Roses! =)

[MARSHOMEWORLD]

"Or have I yet

To see that someone,

To free that anyone,

Whose fleeting footprints

May dance across history

Fantastic.

Yes, how do we know that the people we interact daily with won't go on to affect history in major ways?

Or , that we wont do likewise under the influence of another soul at the right time and place.

Wonderful poem Raven.

MARS

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you very much Mars!

[Wwerner25]

So emotive - so awesome - just wonderful!!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Vielen Dank Werner!

[xpoc]

That was brilliant. Very impressive. :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks Rob! =)

[DavidRandallCurtis]

five stars and faved :)

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you David!

[JoanIsNotTheMaid]

Fantastic.

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks!

[MikeSkullman]

Uhhhhhhh... I guess you are a... duck!

What do I win?

[jcourt404]

Very awesome! Your poems always empress me!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thank you Joey!

[VoodooMagick]

Raven!! that was.. magnifique, Can't wait for more!! <3

[TheRavenOfPoe]

thanks tobez!! =)

[arcanus121]

An excellent rendition; moving, atmospheric and emotive.Thanks for posting!

[TheRavenOfPoe]

Thank you very much Steven!