Hi there, Rhyssa,

Here is a review for your "renewing an old acquaintance" .

Comments and Observations:

Your poem is lovely and powerful in a quiet way. It is personal, and yet, literary with nostalgia. I love how gentle it is as well as being reflective and tender. You have successfully captured the closeness of feeling with your childhood literary heroine.

The first line is strong and intimate, establishing the setting, which is your "bedroom."

Then comes the words that reminded me of "Little House on the Prairie," such as log cabins, maple, and snow.

Added to it, is an intelligent perception and emotional parallel, like "worries," "insecurities," and the sensitive, "making mine forgivable." This, I think, is truly insightful.

Then the name dropping at the end with "Laura Ingalls Wilder // retained her magic," reveals and ends the poem. Now we know who the"friend" is. Fictional maybe, but it enchants, too. And "her magic" becomes your gentle and graceful closing.

I also loved the humanness in "We tormented //our sisters // together, // then carried // the guilt."

I don't see how I can say anything that would make this poem any better, but in the title, the word acquaintance sounded more formal to me than the poem itself. How about replacing the word acquaintance with something more like, “Renewing an Old Friendship” or “Revisiting Laura”?

Overall, this is a lovely poem and I enjoyed it very much.

Suggestions on the text as to grammar, usage, and punctuation

I saw no problems in this area.

Best wishes with your work.



My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .