BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places

Subject: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Jeep man
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 10:41 PM

I am putting together some memories of places I remember in these old mountains. Old farmsteads, old house sites with just a rock chimney remaining. The title and thread will be Lonesome Places or Lonely places.

Mudcat has some really good writers in the family. What is the correct title. Thanks, Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: GUEST
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 11:09 PM

"Lonesome Places/Lonely Places"

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: bengi
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 11:10 PM

The correct title is Loneliest Lonesomes.

Subject: Lyr Add: THE BIG HIGH AND LONESOME (Baxter Black)
From: Rapparee
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 11:33 PM

THE BIG HIGH AND LONESOME
by Baxter Black

The big high and lonesome's a place in my mind
  like out from Lakeview to Burns,
Or up on the Judith or Promontory
  'bout where the UP track turns.
It's anywhere you feel tiny
  when you get a good look at the sky
And sometimes when it's a-stormin'
  you can look the Lord in the eye.

I stood and watched in amazement
  out on the San Augustine Plain
While the sky turned as black as the curtains in Hell
  and the wind come a-chasin' the rain.
And standing there watching I felt it
  in the minutes before it arrived
An unearthly stillness prickled my skin
  like the storm itself was alive.

When it hit, it hit with a fury
  the wind with its saber unsheathed
Led the charge with the scream of a demon;
  the storm was barin' its teeth.
The thunder cracked and sky split apart
  with a horrible deafening roar
I felt like a fox in cage made of bones
  in sight of the hounds at the door.

The blackness shook like a she-bear.
  The lightning blinded the sun
The rain fell like bullets around me
  scattering dust like a gun!
It was over as quick as it started
  leaving it peaceful instead
The only sound was the beat of my heart
  pounding inside of my head.

I took of my hat, too shaken to move
  afraid of making a sound
I felt like a man on the head of a pin
  with nobody else around.
But the sun was already sparkling
  in raindrops still wet on my face.
The big high and lonesome is only God's way
  of putting a man in his place.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Amos
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 11:36 PM

Far, High and Lonesome: Lonely Places in Old Hills


A

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Jeep man
Date: 07 Jul 04 - 11:48 PM

Thanks guys. Maybe we can get a few more replys. Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: LadyJean
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 01:05 AM

I spent a summer housesitting for a friend in a nice neighborhood, where I didn't know anybody. It was just me and her two cats in a large house. It was terribly lonely for me.
I've sold my apartment, and I'm buying a house. That'll be lonely too, I'm afraid.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: mg
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 01:22 AM

Lonesome for sure.

mg

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Ebbie
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 01:54 AM

'lonely' rolls better off the tongue.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Jeri
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 08:47 AM

'Lonesome' seems more descriptive of a place than 'lonely', at least for me. It's probably just the way I interpret the words. Places are lonesome, people are lonely. High lonesome, lonesome pine, lonesome valley, etc, all have the feeling of places left behind, out of time, while the world of man has moved on or completely missed them.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: GUEST,MMario
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 08:49 AM

I agree with Jeri - places lonesome; people lonely.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Amos
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 08:55 AM

A "Lonely Place" is one which makes you feel lonely, but this is found much less often than a lonesome place is use. "All on my lonesome" is semi-humorous vernacular. So the division isn't cut and dried.


A

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Rapparee
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 09:08 AM

You're neither alone nor lonesome unless you want to be, because you're always with yourself (you can't escape it). Folks who are comfortable inside their own heads are never lonely OR lonesome, and yet they're not antisocial, either.

People who live out in lonesome places either move back to "civilization" pretty quick or are so self-comfortable that they don't miss other folks. The really balanced ones welcome both company and solitude.

Maybe 'solitary' would be a better adjective. How about "Solitary Haunts" for a title? Brings up the idea of the ghosts of those houses, too.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: freda underhill
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 10:10 AM

..Only the Lonely...

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 11:53 AM

Lonesome is about solitude, being on your own; lonely is about feeling uncomfortable with being on your own. You can easily be lonely in a crowd, I don't think you'd ever be likely say you were lonesome.

Lonely tends to imply that you are missing other people, or are feeling out of touch with them. Lonesome suggests, to me, the solitude is there to be enjoyed.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 12:29 PM

I agree that Jeri's subjective impression may be common, but I also suspect that the impression is borne from the widely known term "lonesome prairie."

Technically, I think that lonesome and lonely are synonyms. They are felt by a person, not by a place or thing. The next word in line might be isolated. However, that term requires one to specify (or imply) isolation from what. (Maybe from people, but that's not a necessary implication.

Another word might be desolate. I think that one is the most technically accurate for the intended meaning. The problem, of course, is that seems to overstate the concept.

Still working. With hundreds of thousand of nature bnooks in print, the correct word must be well-used.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 12:37 PM

(which means I vote for lonesome absent any surprises, as it does sound a little better, and seems to hold less of the negative emotion implied by the other)

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: GUEST,heric
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 12:41 PM

"Places which inspire a sweetly melancholic feeling of isolation" using two words only. This can be done.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Jeep man
Date: 08 Jul 04 - 03:31 PM

I knew Mudcatters would come through. You are very observant and thoughtful. Thanks a load. Jim

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: Snuffy
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 09:24 AM

Where Ravens Feed by Graham Miles is all about lonely places, but using the definition Kevin (08 Jul 04 - 11:53 AM ) would apply to lonesome

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: bengi
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 04:20 PM

Now listen! Didn't I tell you that the correct one is, Loneliest Lonesomes.

Subject: RE: BS: Lonesome Places or Lonly Places
From: GUEST,non english major
Date: 09 Jul 04 - 06:33 PM

Forget about grammar in a book title - what you want is something that will sell.

How about: Lonely, Lonesome Places