Greetings GeminiGem survived GoT !

I am currently reviewing as part of the tasks set by the "Game of Thrones" . I especially visited your port to dig your most precious gems then this piece appeared. In this review, I mainly focus on the positives of your piece and I may point some Areas for Improvement if found any. Without much a do, here are the things I noticed after delving deeper into the contents:


"The Terrible Gift" is a poem brimming with raw emotion that explores the weight of an inherited burden. The title itself sets a somber tone, hinting at something unwanted and destructive that disrupts the speaker's life.

The poem opens with a sense of detachment. The gift is described as "unwitting" and arriving before the speaker's own existence, emphasizing the powerlessness of the situation. It wasn't a deliberate choice, but it has a profound impact nonetheless.

The second stanza throws light on the "terrible powers" of this gift. The impact is far-reaching, affecting the speaker's relationships ("to break my loved one's heart"), finances ("to break our bank account"), spirit ("to break my spirit"), and even their sense of self ("to break my very existence"). The insistent repetition of "to break" creates a hammering effect, relentlessly driving home the destructive nature of this burden.

The poem then delves into the emotional turmoil caused by the gift. The speaker progresses through a series of contrasting reactions, showcasing the complexity of their struggle. Numbness gives way to fear, mirrored by the image of a "lost child," a powerful metaphor for vulnerability and helplessness. This fear then ignites into anger, a desperate cry of "Why me?" The poem doesn't shy away from the existential questions that arise – "How do I survive this?" "What if I don't?" – capturing the raw vulnerability of the situation.

The speaker is then presented with a series of conflicting desires. They want to run away and escape the burden, yet also feel a compulsion to fight it. The poem beautifully portrays this confusion through contrasting desires to cry and laugh, scream and contemplate. They oscillate between wanting the world to know their pain and wanting to hide it entirely. This section showcases the lack of control the speaker feels and their yearning for some way to manage the overwhelming emotions.

Finally, the poem ends with a powerful image: "I want to return the terrible gift." This encapsulates the speaker's longing to be free of this burden inherited from their past. The poem doesn't offer easy answers or resolutions, but rather leaves a strong impression of the character's internal struggle. It forces the reader to contemplate the weight of the past and the difficulty of dealing with burdens that are not of our own choosing. Thank you for sharing this. Write on!


Best regards,
Gervic