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148 Public Reviews Given
186 Total Reviews Given
Public Reviews
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26
26
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
Hello Cj,

This is a very informative piece. I'm a postmodern writer of poetry (if I have to pigeonhole), and I think it's the best. I have actually never written a story in postmodern or modernism, so I'm glad I stumbled onto your editorial. I will definitely be checking out those writers you mentioned.
Thanks for writing this!

All the best,

M.
27
27
Rated: E | (4.0)
LOL. I had an inkling George Dubyah Bush would be on this list.

George W. Bush--without a doubt, I'd say he's the most delinquent--he even beats Nixon. Probably because Nixon did have a brain and wasn't cloned (oh, wait, we're on earth now)..nevermind, you didn't hear it. Forget everything I said.

George Bush--It's bad enough the Bush clan had to procreate--I kinda feel sorry for him for having such a mix-up of a son.

Bill Clinton--Ah, the human dildo...there's no shame in his game. At least he's interesting. We need another horny, old dude in the White House again.

Richard Nixon--liked Deep Throat...he's good by me.

Harry S. Truman--I wasn't around then, so...

Anywho, good poll.

Suggestions:

by "srew" did you mean "screw"? Was it spelled that way for any reason? Just curious.

Have a good one,

M.
28
28
Review of Bare Desert  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Hello Mensforde,

Spotted this in the Review Request Page.

Well, I can't really tell you how you've improved because I don't believe I've read any of your haiku/senryu--I gues i'd better surf your port then, eh?

But I can tell you this is pretty good, but it would be more true to a haiku if you flipped it around a little.
Example:

the lonely moon shone
on surface of desert sea
the desert wind howls

I would put it this way because the first line is separate from the rest. In the first line, you want to evoke an image. The second and third lines are not directly related, but add to the image in a new way.

Aside, it is unnecessary to capitalize the first word of every line in a haiku/senryu.
The first line should be gripping, and if you want to really get technical, a haiku should not have personification or amorphisms.
But, in general, your haiku is better than most.

Further suggestions:

Since this is mainly in present tense, you may want to keep it that way.
shone=shine.
Hope this helps a little!

All the best,

M.

29
29
Review of MUSE ACROSTIC  
Rated: E | (2.5)
Hello Titania,

I like the subject matter of your acrostic, but I found it too simplistic. Acrostics are only truly challenging when you have either a double acrostic (spells out the word on both ends), extended acrostic (word or words more than four letters), and a rhyme scheme. So, while the acrostic form may look easy enough, it shouldn't be--I didn't find this much of a challenge read as I would have liked. Keep it up, though. Acrostics are much fun.

All the best,

M
30
30
Review of Intake  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hello DeGora,

Welcome to Writing.com!

I like seeing two versions of the same poem. I'm surprised not many people do this--it would definitely help with revisions.

Do you plan on combining these two versions into one poem? Or, are you placing both versions on here to see which one to keep?

In any event, I like the second version the most. When you narrow it down from "them" to "he" it's easier to see the conflict, and perhaps, relate to it in some way. "They" is broad "he" is exacted.

Suggestions:

I like the simplicity of this poem, and I don't really have any suggestions. Other than the typo I spotted (in the second version), I think this is pretty good.

Keep it up!

M.
31
31
Review of Critical Mass  
Rated: 13+ | (3.0)
Hello Apropos,

Welcome to Writing.com.

The beginning of your poem is very good. I like the rhythm and tone of the first six lines, but after that, I got a little tired of the sing-song, lyrical chant of the following lines. Not that it's bad, but it's almost too lyrical, and I became uninterested in the rest.

I do think you have something going here, but I'm not sure about the "chorus".
Keep at it!

M.


Sorry *Frown*.
32
32
Rated: E | (1.5)
Hello Samuel,

I commend you for being able to find happiness. Even though you had to try all of those bad things, it's what makes you who you are today. Some people never get that chance to change, and that's sad.

As for your article, it doesn't really say much. Yes, you bring up drugs and why not to take them, and excess sex, but you don't go into much detail about it.
Example:

You’re still in danger of Violence or unwanted sex.

I don't get the violence part. How does it relate to drinking? In what ways? I feel you're just skimming the surface with this article. If you really want to move people--or at least change their perceptions a little--I'm afraid you'll have to be more descriptive.
Give a scenario, since you say you've been down this path.

Aside, I wouldn't recommend calling things "stupid", because if there's someone in your audience who does take this drunken-sex-crazed-druggie route, you will be offending the person, making it harder to convince them. It's like saying "You're dumb and useless, but listen to me". It just doesn't work, and it doesn't make you sound like you have a case.

As for the ending of your article, it's also lacking. You say Jesus will lead you onto the right path. Now, this is not an attack on your faith, or whatever faith you choose to help you along the way, but WHY is Jesus so important. Are you telling us (the ones that haven't found Jesus), that we will find him in our hearts, and thus the "jigsaw" of the heart (as you call it) will be complete?

If this is what you're getting at, maybe you can give an example of how he has helped you in your life.

Overall, this article does need work on detail and there are some grammatical/spelling errors that need tending to (see paragraph three).

All the best,

M.
33
33
Review of Pure White  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello T.L.,

Thanks for sharing this poem with me *Smile*. You have wonderful descriptions of Winter. It's amazing how you can write two poems about Winter and have them touch on so many different levels.

I don't have suggestions for this piece ( a disappointment, I know). The meter is dead-on, you paint a vivid picture, and your word choices are great. I especially like how you personify Winter as a woman, and you make it mythological--is this a myth from anywhere in particular, or did you create it?
In any event, I think it's wonderful you portrayed Winter as a woman, and not as Jack Frost, or something--which may take on a whole sinnister feel, whereas this takes on a feeling of innocence and sadness.

A job well-done.

M.
34
34
Review of Winter's Foe  
Rated: E | (2.5)
Hello True Blue,

Not too bad for your first sonnet. The only thing I see that needs work is your iambic pentameter. You need ten syllables per line (or an occasional elision--redundant syllable). Yours has, for the most part, seven syllables per line, making it an imperfect sonnet. In some places you have eight syllable lines, which, in effect, throws off your meter.

Aside, you make great use of imagery, and I love your descriptions of winter--they're very picturesque.
I'd just suggest working on the iambic pentameter a little bit.

Keep at it!

M.

P.S when/if you do revise this, please let me know, and I'll change the rating.
35
35
Review of Whirlwind  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello Nightwriter,

Excellent poem! I love the abstract feel to this piece, and it's short--even better!

Suggestions:

Just a small thing. Since this is such a short poem, maybe you can find another word for "expose", since you use it two times in a row.

Other than that, this is a great poem, and I enjoyed it immensely.

All the best,

M.
36
36
Review of Divine Joke  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Hello Stone,

This is a great poem--I enjoyed its simplicity, and I like the fact that you incorporated a simile. I would have never thought of the comparison--very good.
All in all, a great read.
Thanks for sharing, and welcome to WDC *Smile*.

Warm wishes,

M.
37
37
Review of ~~~ANGRY SEA~~~  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hello Michelle,

Although I'm not really one for rhyming poetry, yours is done well. In some places your rhyme scheme is erratic, but I'm assuming this was done on purpose to match the tone/topic of your poem.

All in all, you have a good hold of diction, your words are rich with imagery, and I enjoyed the read.

Suggestions:

"pitch black" is a cliche`. I would suggest finding an original idea to describe the sea.

You need a space between Inclementeye


Other than that, I enjoyed the abstract feel of this poem.
Keep it up!

M.
38
38
Review of Wisteria  
Rated: E | (2.5)
Hello T.L.

Firstly, I love the title of your poem--that's one of my favorite words...it's very magestic.

As for your poem, it is also magestic, and you do a wonderful job with diction.

On the other hand, your iambic pentameter is a bit off. Now, as I understand it, it's okay to have an occasionalelision (i.e. redundant syllable), which would make a syllable count of eleven. It is not okay to throw in twelve syllable lines, because this will damage the flow/rhythm of your poem. Now, I'm not sure if you wanted to stick to the iambic pentameter, but I think it could only help if you get as close as possible to the syllable counts.

Here's what you have

Octet:

L1-11
L2-11
L3-10
L4-12
L5-12
L6-10
L7-11
L8-11

sestet:

L9-12
L10-12
L11-13
L12-9
ending couplet:
L13-12
L14-12

As you can see, most of this is off.
One thing to remedy this is to take out unnecessary words like:
and, as, for

In addition, there are also some redundant words here.
{e.g. early morning)--morning is usually early, is it not?

I don't want to give the impression that I'm picking at small things here. I commend you for trying this very difficult form--to some, it may seem easy, but it is definitely not. There are more strict guidelines to writing a sonnet, but if you're just starting out, it is imperative to get the iambic pentameter and rhyme down before attempting the rest.

Suggestions:

Keep in mind theses are just my opinions, and are to be taken with the proverbial grain of salt. Disregard where you see fit.

I have bolded everything that could be taken out to give your poem a better rhythm...

Stanza 1:

I sought a calm where the Wisteria grows

--This is a beautiful line, by the way. Very tranquil and engaging.

finding peaceful rest in quiet solitude;

I would suggest:

Finding peaceful rest within solitude

--You'll probably be able to find a better word.

Line three is perfect.

with sparkling dew and I in calmest interlude.

--This is a very complicated line. I would suggest taking out "and I" to meet iambic pentameter requirements.

Overall, this stanza is pretty good. Your end rhymes are interesting--not at all amateurish. Very good.

Stanza 2:

Why do I ponder under this ancient archway?

--although I like the word "ancient", it doesn't really do anything for this poem, and it throws off your meter.

Line two is great--very imagestic.

in the beauty and fragrance of a spring day

I would suggest:

In the beauty and fragrance of Spring days,

as I sit and watch the early morning weep.

If you take out "as", early would work for the syllable count, but (as I pointed out earlier) "early morning" is redundant--maybe another word would work?

Overall, this is a weak stanza. You do have some great imagery, but it reads sloppily.

Stanza 3:

It is this favorite place and pose that I prefer

--I'm not sure I like the word "favorite", because it decreases your imagery. You start out with good imagery, but I think it needs to be consistent--not so in-your-face, but also not lacking depth.

and this mysterious dream is forever mine

Watch out for "and" in poetry--usually it can be cut out without effecting the poem.
Also, instead of "mysterous", maybe "magestic" would work? It would fit.

for I resign myself to the moment undisturbed ,

This is the longest syllable count in your poem.
I would suggest:

I resign myself to moments undisturbed-- it will be okay to throw in an eleven syllable line, since all have been cut down to ten. Here would be the elision.

with Nature's scheme and pristine design.

--good line. Maybe "withholding Nature's scheme and pristine design" would work? It will be eleven syllables, but since you had eleven in the previous line, it should match up okay, and I don't think it would throw your poem off that much.

Ending couplet:

Forever shall I find the calm and feel her love;
--a bit awkward. I wouldn't suggest reversing words because it does sound unnatural.

My suggestion:

Forever I find calmness in her love


Dreaming dreams under the Wisteria above.


Dreaming beneath Wisteria above.

--I do like the repetition of "dream", but if you leave it in, it makes this poem heavy with verbiage.

Overall:

This poem does have potential to be something great--I really do believe that. There are, of course, some issues with the iambic pentameter, and a couple punctuation problems, but they are problems that can be fixed. Do consider some of my suggestions. If not, I won't be mad (grin), or shake my fists at you. After all, it's your poem. I think you use some wonderful imagery, and it is such a delight to read about what an effect wisteria has on you.
Keep at it! The sonnet is not an easy form.

M.

PS--If/when you revise this piece, let me know, and I will check it out again, and raise the rating.









39
39
Review of 26 + 18  
Rated: E | (2.5)
Hello Shootthemoon,

I found this piece in the Review Request page, and I'd like to give it a review, so here goes *Smile*

Stanza 1:

Very nicely put--I feel much emotion from your words, and I get a sense for what kind of poem this would be.

Stanza 2:

There are some parts which I think need detail--you have good imagery, but instead of saying:

different flowers bloom,

Which isn't very poetic, maybe you can name some flowers. Flower names are great for poetry, because they have such foreign names. I would suggest using a few--it could only heighten your language, and make it fresh and unique.

but has the sun set
on our perfect day?


Not sure I like the word "perfect". It's too general, and it demeans the image you're trying to convey. Instead of saying "perfect", maybe you can describe, through sensory detail, what would make this such a perfect day--or the ending of a perfect day.

Stanza 3:

I really enjoyed the first two lines of this stanza--they're beautifully worded, and rich with meaning.
In the third line you use "perfect" again, which kills the moment for me. What makes your lover so perfect? I sense a bit of jealousy in these words, but I could be wrong--again, "perfect" says very little, and has no imagery to it.

Stanza 4:

I'm not sure why you start rhyming all of a sudden, but it throws your poem off, and it makes it look a bit amateurish with the simple rhyme of "skin" and "sin"
I get the feeling I'm reading two poems smushed into one. This damages the original flow your poem started out with.

Stanza 5:

I'm not getting what you mean here. It seems like you're just rhyming for rhyme's sake. If I am right, and this is another poem altogether, I would suggest having the reader aware of this by double spacing between parts.

Stanza 6:

A good ending (sans the rhyme). I can see you're coming back to your original flow, but I am still a bit thrown-off by the rhyming parts.

Overall:

I really like the first couple of stanzas, but as I read on, I found you took this poem in 1000 different directions, thus making a sloppy read. If I were to revise this piece, I'd focus on imagery, tone, what you want to convey to the reader, and some kind of structure (either with the rhyme as a whole, or broken into two parts). Hope this helps a little.
Keep it up!

M.


PS--If/when you do revise this piece, please let me know. I will read again and change the rating.
40
40
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Hello Kare,

Another delightful, albeit sad, poem about a microwave--who would have thought? I actually shed a tear! lol...I'm just kidding. I couldn't help but thinking how many microwaves I've left to rest in such a horrible fashion.

I can see this really isn't comedy for comedies sake, but instead of "Rest In Peace" it would sound better as "Rest in Pieces"--kinda corny, though.
Anyway, it's still a good poem. I enjoyed *Smile*.

Val X

><terminate all rational thought
41
41
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Hello Kare,

Being one for tea, I had to check this out. I've never heard of this before...is it a herbal Chinese tea?

As for the poem, the first stanza is great. I get a sense this truly is an acquired taste! It sounds almost as pungent as the pig feet/vinegar/egg/sugar soup my husband made me drink after I gave birth--now that's rancid! So I can only imagine what this is like.
Probably worse smelling than tofu cheese, eh? (holds nose).

Back to the poem, ah, yes...as I said, the first stanza is great, and the second is also good until the end.

giving off a smoky fragrance
only ancestors can love.


--This doesn't explain anything to me. Not that it has to be explained, but it is puzzling, and doesn't do anything to make me see why this tea is an acquired taste.

As for the rest of the poem, it doesn't flow well to me. The first and second stanzas have definite rhythms, but the rest that follows is a bit uneven in sound and rhythm. It has to do with some of the words you use (especially "quenched" in the last line). When I say "lust is quenched" aloud, it's a bit rough on the tongue. Same goes with "it coats my thirst"--very sharp. Ah, but now I know this was intentional *Smile*. It matches the bitterness of your poem very well. So, it works. I enjoy the onomatopoeias.

Overall, this was a good read. I'm still unsure about the ancestor thing, but that's okay.

Val X

><terminate all rational thought


42
42
Rated: 13+ | (1.5)
Hello Koolman,

Welcome to Writing.com *Smile*.

Pretty good for a first effort! The ending is very poignant, and sweet because she stuck by your (character's) side the whole time, even if you thought yourself to be deformed in any way, or unwanted. Her love has shone through at the last moment--very powerful message.

Likes:

I enjoyed your ending as well as your first paragraph. Those first lines really set the mood for your story--good job!

Suggestions:

I'd like to make some comments/suggestions/corrections to your work because I believe this to be good, but it can always be better--keep in mind these are just my observations, and to be taken as such. Please disregard where you see fit.

Introductory para.:

It's a good opener, but it's a bit rocky. I'd suggest doing is omitting the comma between "met" and "that"...also, I notice you use a lot of adverbs--be careful with adverbs, they tend to weigh down a piece
{e.g. "initially met", "fateful day", "extraordinary months"). Sometimes less is more. All of these words can be taken out without hurting your story line and the emotions you present.

Paragraph two:

This paragraph is a little heavy on the verbage.
Again, the unnecessary words weigh this piece down.

~"built up" should be hyphenated.

~"it will bring" should be it would
--also, you have frequent tense shifts in this paragraph. Try picking either past or present for the whole story (until you get to the end where it's reflective thought of what happened). If there are frequent tense shifts, it confuses the reader, and it just makes your piece sound sloppy.

I set myself on a bare and shallow quest to find the answer in the silence, yet all I can conceive is an abandoned void in my belated heart, as it beats ever so slowly under my arctic feeling breasts.

There is way too much here. You have the heart of a poet, but it doesn't come across so well in story writing. The words in red can be omitted for better flow.

Paragraph three:

I draw back wishing i could turn back time,

What exactly are you drawing back? Your breath?
Maybe "draw in" would suffice, and it would kill the repetition of "back".

wishing i had just eclipsed my crevasse hidden feelings from you, my gratification and my drift of life was stripped from me, like a cold wax torn from my arms and placed in a piddling unpurposed box [[and placed into the filth basket where they were never to be seen or felt again.]]]

Sometimes going into too much detail kills a story. Personally, I like detail and imagery, but when it comes to writing, I'm more focused on the story line, and less focused on the flowery-type words used--it's all about being precise, clear, and free of too much description.
Words in red can be omitted.
The words in brackets need serious attention.

Paragraph Four:

Okay, this is too much. It is now four paragraphs into the story, and I'm still feeling your empty heart--it's gotta progress somewhere, and it needs to be quicker. If you keep on like this, you will lose your reader.

Now I’m collapsing and my heart{'}s corroding more with each fatigued pulsation of my heart.

This is quite an action. Your heart is collapsing whilst corroding...it's a bit much.

I struggle to [alude] the image of being alone, abandoned and unwanted, my [heart] is starving for the sweet taste of a companion, yet i have trifle to satisfy it with. I can't contend without you,

"alude" should be "allude"--also, what are you making an indirect reference to?

You use "heart" way too much. I'd suggest trimming, because redundancies lead to monotony.

I can't contend without you, it’s like we have become two far-flug people, the last thing you said, was twenty seconds ago, it cut like a keen(,) uncontaminated sword deep beneath my skin. It feels like an eternity has just passed without you.

Watch your tense shifts, and you may want to remove some of those commas with periods. You also have too much going on in this paragraph, and there's a change in scene which needs to be established through another paragraph. I would suggest sticking part of this sentence in with the next paragraph (before "the last thing you said").

Paragraph Five:

This is a pivotal moment, but it has taken too long to get to this point. Again, watch the tense shifts, and seriously consider removing the word "heart".

Paragraph Six:

I collapse right there and then in a heap, like a pack of cards that were blown over by the wind. [I am out cold, I feel nothing and then I start dreaming that I am counterfeiting that i can have a significant bond with another girl]. She is not my type, she won't exclusively fill my void, but she’s got to be better than trifle. [[[I ask her the same six worded question i asked you, and she said yes with open arms.]]]

Why do you collapse? This is a bit dramatic, considering an argument hasn't occured--also, the six words you said...aren't they nine?

I have no idea what you're talking about here. Are you saying you're trying to fool yourself into thinking you can have another girl? That's what I kind of get, but "counterfeit" doesn't really go with this sentence, and makes it too complicated to read.
In addition, there's a continuity problem here. How can you be talking to this one girl about parting, and then ask another girl the six-lettered words at the same time?

Paragraph Seven:

Our new accord is already feeling hollow, my sentiment for her astray, I’m just using her for the girlfriend appellation, and it feels erratic. I am her enchantment but she is not mine. I am going to hurt her as I did you. I just started a shallow relationship, and I know it’s not going to develop.


"are" should be "is" or pluralize "sentiments".
Feeling too much verbosity in these lines--consider trimming a little.

Paragraph Eight:

Not bad--it's all clear (maybe too clear in some cases), but it can be said in less time, I think.
This reads more like a Dear Joan letter.

I take up to continue the lie

Simplified: I continue to lie.

Paragraph Nine:

You're repeating yourself too much here--we've already established your feelings in the first and second paragraph (with the bottle reference)--no need to repeat.

Paragraph Ten:

I lied to her for a just over three weeks before she realised i just didn't feel as she did.

Make sure to capitalize all "I"s. Also, before this paragraph, you need a double space to indicate this is a different scene.

I went over to her place that afternoon straight after school, prepared for the worst, I drove my little blue corolla over there, I spent all of about ten minutes there, she stated how she felt, and I told her my side of the story.

Too many commas here. There needs to be a period after "I drove", and instead of saying "I spent all of about...", add and before that. You need a period after "she stated".

Paragraph Eleven:

I take of(f) down the road like there is no tomorrow

Not sure I'm fond of the "no tomorrow" bit, but you redeem yourself in the next line--good.

Paragraph Twelve:

I tell myself there is no partner for me in this town, I haven’t many friends and I’m telling myself I have no chance at finding a partner.

You are repeating what you already said.

Paragraph Thirteen:

Why have you decided to head to Newcastle out of all the places on Earth? I am curious. What's there that is so welcoming? I think you should mention something about this.


Paragraph Fifteen:

Wait a minute...you (the narrator) is the one that lied, and you're saying you were hurt by them? I see the selfishness of this person, it's clear--kind of makes me loathe him in a way...

I leave it on my desk hoping that somehow miraculously you get it.

Paragraph Sixteen:

down all 18 stairs and out the door, I see my mum standing on the porch, she’s looking straight at me, there are wells of tears in her eyes, but she does nothing, and she says nothing, she just watches. [[She doesn’t understand why, but neither do I.]]

Think about it. Does a reader need to know how many stairs you climbed down, or that you had climbed down stairs?

And understand what? This is where you do need to be descriptive.

Paragraph Seventeen:

It's okay. It shows the narrator is definitely human.
Watch out for excessive use of commas. I didn't point all of them out, but there are a lot. I'd suggest sticking this in MSWord, or read aloud to figure out where the periods need to be.


Paragraph eighteen:

Watch for unnecessary tense shift.

Paragraph nineteen:

You do have the detail here--it's definitely not lacking, but you may want to ask yourself if it's relevant. Is seeing your neighbors a moment you want to reveal to the reader? What part do they have to play in this story? I do see where you're going with this, though. You want to show how embarrassed you are, or ashamed because you're leaving your hometown.

Paragraph Twenty:

I'm sure I lost track of what paragraph is what, but you will get it I'm sure.

I drive onto the main road and continue on for 4 hours straight. Eventually I can’t take it anymore, I stop on the side of the highway, my hands move from the steering wheel to cover my eyes from the world [and] I start to cry. “I have no future”, I scream “I only have a past”.


All small numbers need to be typed out (e.g. 4- four)
"and" should be "as"

I'm really not feeling sorry for this individual. He lies, then wants the world to feel sorry for him, or to take pity on him--not sure I get why. It seems the only thing he has to be depressed about is losing two girls. It seems a bit superficial to me...but it's a story--gotta keep telling myself that.

Paragraph Twenty-One:

Story makes progress--you arrive at Newcastle.

Paragraph Twenty-Two:

All good

Paragraph Twenty-Three:

So much for the promised land, eh? What sounds off to me is the fact that you know this is a "doghouse" of a place before you go see it.

Paragraph Twenty-Four:

I like this paragraph. Great description. I definitely get a feel for the scenery, and know too well that icky smell of lonliness--good.

Paragraph Twenty-Five:

be harder [that] I could have ever imagined.
than

Paragraph Twenty-Six:

on the mouldy and swollen kitchen bench

In the great abstract of things, a kitchen bench can be swollen, but when you say it here, it just sounds awkward.

Paragraph Twenty-Seven:

Titles of movies need to be capitalized.

Paragraph Twenty-Nine:

The narrator thinks he can escape from his problems--there's good conflict here.

Paragraph Thirty:

and I put the flowers on the swollen and mouldy kitchen bench next to the photo of you.

You already mentioned this.

Paragraph Thirty-One:

I call you and on the phone you start crying, calling yourself a cow, [your] telling me that the only reason you said no, was because of the way your now ex-boyfriend treated your fragile heart.

A cow? Maybe the connotations are different where I am, but "cow" usually refers to a fat person.
Aside, I'm not sure I get this paragraph. I thought the narrator had been dumped by this girl, and then you bring in her boyfriend? Is she that quick to get another guy? A little confusing here.
"your" should be "you're"

Paragraph Thirty-Two:

He swept you off your feet, too you to the highest point of the tallest building, he took your heart and threw it off. It hit rock bottom with an almighty force, shattering your fragile heart [into a million pieces].

This still doesn't explain it. You're just stretching this out too much. Also, this is very cliche`, and almost kiddish--heavy on verbs.

Paragraph Thirty-Three:

You say you sincerely love me with your heart, but [your]-re not ready to, because part of your heart is still in other places, and you don’t want to start what would be an already failing relationship.

Omit a couple "hearts". I'm not sure I get this one, either. It's all too vague, and it goes nowhere and takes up unnecessary space. I'd suggest trimming the repetitious/dead parts. This should allow your story to come out more, rather than being weighed down with things that don't really matter, or can be trimmed.

Paragraph Thirty-Four:

Not sure about the anger, but then again, I'm not sure about much of this part.

Paragraph Thirty-Five:

A lot of rhetoric, not a lot of explaining.

Paragraph Thirty-Six:

Another pivotal point...perhaps leading up to a climax of sorts.

Paragraph Thirty-Seven:

How odd...by the way, how did she know where to send the flowers???? Is she psychic? She must be if she's standing on the edge of the ocean a couple feet away from you doing the same thing you're contemplating doing. Coincidence? I dunno...it's kind of far-fetched.

Paragraph Thirty-Eight:

A little bit corny, but it shows love prevails.

Paragraph Thirty-Nine:

So here's the great epiphany moment...you're saying your heart was never incomplete, but your mind had been--but then you say it was your mind that "seen through" other people--that doesn't necessarily make it incomplete, it just makes it more perceptive, perhaps? Because you have an ability to see through to the core of a person, rather than just the guiise. I'd suggest re-wording this part.

Paragraph Forty:

As I said earlier, you do have a poetic flair, but it's hard to be poetic and write an effective story at the same time. Too many hearts in this story.

Paragraph Forty-Two:

You see I have woken, and you cry harder and I start crying to. Then the nurse comes in, she tells me what happen, I had hit my head on the side of a seat and split it open and knocked myself out, so told me how lucky I was to be alive, and all I could do was agree - because I had you.

Interesting turn of events--I like it. I think the ending is what is strong, and definitely worth revising for.

Conclusion:

This shows how blind love is. A good conclusion.

Overall:

Overall, this story needs serious TLC, but it has the skeletal structure, and it can be molded into something great.

Recap:

These are the main areas you need to work in strengthening/doing away with:

Tense shifts--for every shift of tense, make sure it gets a new paragraph, or better yet, don't shift until the end.

Comma splices: There are many places that need attention. You can use periods in most cases.

Clarity: There are some parts that are very unclear, and a bit contradictory to what's going on in your story.

Repetition: This is the big one. I can't count how many times I read the word "heart" it loses it's luster after a while--like anything that's been over-polished. On the same note, sometimes you repeat the same sentence (or parts of the same sentence) twice. Keep it fresh and engaging for the reader--they'll want to read more if you do.

But please don't get discouraged. I'm only one opinion. It's best to get many opinions in this case, and hopefully it will make your work blossom--you have the words, just need to form them into a story.

I wish you well, and I thank you for sharing this piece.

Val X

PS-If/when you decide to revise this piece, let me know and I will change the rating to match the edit.
Thanks!










































































43
43
Rated: 13+ | (3.0)
I had no clue about the Mexican/ USA blockade--it seems like the Great Wall of China, only we wouldn't be using it to "protect" ourselves in that sense of the word...it is asinine. We benefit if anything from Mexican labor here in America (just like you pointed out). To do away with this, the head honchos would have to dish out more money for the same labor if they hired pure-bred Americans to do the job--hey, just look at the Katrina incident. They hired people of Hispanic dissent to rebuild LA...kinda crazy to me!

On another note, paragraph four and five is a little confusing to me. I do not understand why we would need to bring in Arabic people to take over the jobs of those possibly deported Mexican workers...are you saying (hypothetically) that will be happening if we build the wall and deport all non American citizen Mexicans? So, in turn, we end up supporting what caused 9-11 because we would need to hire these people to do the jobs left by Mexicans?

If this is the case, I think you need to mention that this is a possible route politicians are discussing--or something to that effect. There's a gap of information when you go from talking about the Mexico situation to the Arabic one.
But since we are on the subject, it wouldn't be the first time we supported terrorism...we gave Osama a goodie bag of weapons way back when...it's all politics--I oppose it, but there's not much I can do...I'm just a wee, little lady *Smile*.

I like how you question what's going on--that's most important. Keep it up! I'm behind you.

Val X

><terminate all rational thought
44
44
Rated: E | (5.0)
Very interesting quotes!
I especially enjoyed the last one *Smile*. You have a great sense of being and humor.
I love it!

Warm wishes,

M.

"Middle age is when you're surfing the cable channels you find yourself watching CNN"....

What if you find yourself watching C-SPAN 1 and 2? Does that mean you wind up in the 50+ range? (chuckles)

><terminate all rational thought
45
45
Review of Family Poem  
Rated: E | (2.0)
Hello,

The first two lines are good--I like the repetition of "forever" which adds to its importance...not sure about the last line, though. "Light up like a Christmas tree" is a cliche`, and this damages your poem because there really isn't much to it to begin with, and to have this in here just makes it less of a good ending--it kinda flops.

Have a happy New Year.

Val X

><terminate all rational thought
46
46
Review of Grace  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hello Luthien,

You paint a vivid picture here, and even though you kind of downplay your short story in the caption, I think it does have a point and it's clearly resonated within your scene. It's a sliver of the past meant to capture the essence of what grace is, and why grace is so important--personified.
Keep it up. This is a good piece.

Val X

><terminate all rational thought.
47
47
Review of Conformity  
Rated: 13+ | (4.0)
Hello MMrainbow,

Thought I'd revisit your port *Smile*

When I first read this poem, I asked myself a couple questions...

A) Are you trying to say she is a conformist?

or

B)are you trying to say (based on her dress) she's anti-conformity?

or

C) leaving the interpretation up to the reader?

In any event, I'm going to assume C is the case.
It seems she is being both. She thinks she's all anti-conformist, yet there are people who are doing the same thing she's doing who think they're nonconformists, so it's a blind notion.

I used to dress "different" because I thought I was actually different, until I met people who also thought they were different, and it seemed fake to me the way they were behaving/dressing/acting as if they were unique individuals--yet they all looked/dressed/acted the same!
I learned You don't need to dress differently to prove you are.
Maybe that's what this piece discusses as an underlying message--or not.
I like the fact that you don't really explain it, and it's not so much black or white.

Although this isn't my style poem, I can respect it because I like the fact that you are ambiguous as to the message you want to get across to your reader, and that always makes for interesting reading.

You have a Happy New Year, too!

Val X


><terminate all rational thought

48
48
Review of If Been  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Hello Flip,

I like the idea of this poem, and you do a great job with the metaphor of "if" and "been" or could have been. I had to read this twice to get the full effect, but I'm glad I made the effort to do so.
I especially enjoyed the ending with the "ifing" it all along--clever!
There's a couple things I'd like to point out...
L12-this is a good line, but I think you may have an unnecessary word in here: "completely"...usually if you bathe in something, you're immersed in it completely, are you not? To add "completely" just seems a little redundant. Maybe "drown" would work? But then it's not as poetic sounding.
Also, "seems" a couple lines down isn't really effective as if you said it didn't seem but was entrenched in a loop.
These are small things, but I think in some places it sounds like you're just telling instead of showing what's happening to you.

Overall, this is a good poem, and the flow is very good for the most part. There are a couple nit-picky things, but I don't think that takes away from the overall enjoyment of the poem. This is a creative piece, and I enjoyed it as such--it has a Frost feel to it. Good job!

Val X


><terminate all rational thought
49
49
Rated: 13+ | (2.5)
Hello Shara,


Nice imagery. I especially liked the way you described the shadow, and the one night stand--very good...the only thing I found bothersome was the frequent change of rhyme schemes throughout this poem. It was hard to follow because the tempo/format changed too much, and it just looked a little sloppy to me, and read even worse (ie there was no sense of smoothness or flow to your poem).
Example:
First stanza is way too long in comparison to the rest of your poem. You go from long and drawn-out, to short and precise.

In addition, there is one spelling error "mercyless" should be "merciless", and a couple cliches (eg. shudder down his spine)


Overall:

I love the imagery, and even some of the archaic language you use (ie smite), but it's hard to follow this long poem because the rhyme schemes clash and halt the natural flow your poem should have.

Wishing you the best this season,

Val. X


50
50
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Hello Solace,

Although I'm not sure if I understand this, I don't think that takes away from the poem. Clarity is not something I search for when reading a piece--so, I like this poem. It's well-written, interesting title, and your voice is very eloquent, and strong. There's nothing I didn't like about it--
it has a certain enigmatic quality I'm drawn to. Keep it up!

Val. X


><terminate all rational thought
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