foxtale's (foxtale) Reviews

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299 Public Reviews Given
300 Total Reviews Given
Public Reviews
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Review of Tragedy  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
Very close to a traditional style of Haiku - Senryu (Human foibles)
Each line can stand alone, and the enlightenment could be either the second
or the last line. That's well done.
Notes -
You could drop "A" to get 5 count in first line.
Also, instead of ! in second line drop all punctuation,
(as title and punctuation are not needed in
traditional Haiku.)
In fact, the title should never disclose the moment of enlightenment.
Perhaps insert a cutting symbol -- (m dash) after "tragedy"
to get a complete traditionally styled Haiku.

Still easily a 4 star rating as is.


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Review of Alone Haikus  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
I have revisited this Haiku, focusing on the second stanza
as a stand-alone Haiku(Senryu)
- this is Senryu styling in that human foibles are disclosed -

Trapped, alone, scared, silent
Afraid to express my views
Everyone has fears

This is very close to the traditional Haiku (in English)
in that each line can stand alone, then are drawn to gether in the last line, creating enlightenment for the reader.
(of note - it need not always be the last line)
I see in the last line where
"everyone" is juxtaposed against "alone" in the first line,
leading the reader to understand that they are not alone
in everyone has these fears.
My only suggestion would be replace "silent" with "mute"
to create an even more traditional 5-7-5 syllable count Haiku

Well done


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Review of Freeform Haiku  

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Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Dreaming about you
Girl you mean the world to me
Red eyes see blue skies

I like this, especially since it is in the traditional style (for Haiku/Senryu)

Each line can stand alone.
Then the first two are drawn together in the last,
the "Red eyes" causing the pause to consider.
Now the realization that this may be for a lost love. Or unrequited love.
But wait... that is not all.
Blue skies.... could mean hope for reconciliation...
or empty without her!

Masterful!


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Review of Autumn Haiku  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
Very seasonal (traditional Haiku)
Black Cat conjures Halloween, tossing leaves = fall

For me the middle line is weak. Perhaps replace "chilly" with "fristed" to better paint a picture.
What I like best about this poem, after reading this, the writer is drawn back to the FIRST line as
the moment of enlightenment! Traditional yet honoring the concept that Haiku can make any stanza that moment.
Well done!
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Review of The Skeleton Dance  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
... seeking solace beside her mother's still form. Together, they listened to the wind's mournful wail--a haunting melody that echoed through the house her father had built with his own hands ...
Well written piece. It is rare to see a work that ends with such closure (without using that word used so often)
The set-up leads the reader down a path of impending doom... then pivots to end of life, with a hereafter in view.
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Review of The First Day of Fall  

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Rated: E | (4.0)
I suggest that to make this more of a traditional styled Haiku, change we in first and last line into I.
Don't make weather the possessive weather's (as that prevents the line from standing alone as a single thought.)
Now the last line will draw both the previous lines into the moment of enlightenment, and you've taken the reader on the journey, instead of telling them what to think! Also drop the period at the end.
The only punctuation in traditionally styled Haiku is a dash (which is a pause) and it's not counted in the syllable count.
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Review of Weighed Down  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
what if i ruin me
Now, that IS angst in a single line. Great conclusion to the poem!

Two suggestions
where you used "like I'm on a wheel" you've established in the first line "I" so here "as if on a wheel" would work better poetically and image-wise.
Secondly twice you capitalize = I feel... = like I'm...
lowercase then through the remainder of the poem (e e cummings style)
so maybe lower case the "I" for continuity.
Still, this is easily 4.5 stars!
I found this perceptive poetry.


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Review of Ryan Reynolds Lines: 10  

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Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
I like his work too.
Cute "reality check" poem.
As the first stanzas rhyme, I suggest a change in one line of the second set -
.... I sit, sort and watch 'my man' that I've recorded ...
(now adds rhyme to the middle two lines. I think this keeps a meter going, to create more poetic musing.)

Also perhaps move "in my dream" to the bottom of the first set. This places it irectly above the start of the next ... In my reality: ... and thus the reader goes immediately into your narrative without first seeing it is a daydream!

as always = a critique is just another person's suggestions, not a mandate.


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Review of December  

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Rated: E | N/A (Review only item.)
I like this composition.
Seasonal allusion is there.
(This converts to Senryu style, I think,
because some animals sing, some dance, but only humans do a song and dance.)
And you have kept to 5-7-5 each line able to stand alone, but linked together
(either the first line, or even the last line can be the moment of enlightenment!
Easy 5 for me.
(I have a tutorial of sorts about traditional Haiku in my portfolio
"Adventures in haiku"
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Review of My name is Jay and I am not real  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
Yes, angst. I can see that.
We the People - to lovve one another - walk a mile in another's shoes
a few mechanics in my review =

It hit him exactly what he was. This seems clumsy. perhaps rewrite it, to not use "it hit him"
(because you are speaking about thought, not physical action)

also, double spacing your paragraphs helps the readers (some are boomers like me) to read this.

Still an easy 4 from me.
p.s. I heard a comedian say "If you walk a mile in someone else's shoes, you are far enough away to outrun them and keep the shoes.
LOL
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Review of April  

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Rated: ASR | (4.5)
I liked this.
You have worded this so that each sentence seems to be able to stand alone as a thought.
Except for the next to last line.

Suggestion - change from ... that waits... to .. waiting now to reflect...
(keeps almost the same number of characters, yet continues that ability to stand alone as a thought).
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Review of Perception  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
"... a trickle of fear zigzagging down my spine ..."

"... that vile thing..."

very good word-smithery (I hope that's a word.)

What I most enjoyed was the mother not simply making pronouncements, but leading the daughter by question and observation =
"How long do you think the table is?"
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Review of Prelude in C-sharp minor  

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Rated: E | (4.5)
I liked how you ended the poem with the same verse as the first.
To me that is the picture of the pianist, who enters,
sits at the piano for a moment of reflection, then begins.

Your poem built the tempo faster, then more passive then strident,
just as I feel much of Rachmaninoff's compositions seem to be presented.

The ending is just as the pianist finishes, and there is that tiny moment of reflection,
before they turn to the audience. A moment of perhaps, "Have I done justice to this piece, did they understand me?"

Well done.
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Review of DANCE OF THE CRANE  

Review by foxtaleMail Icon
Rated: E | (4.5)
Mechanics = Something went wrong with setting the font
Other than that this is extremely close to Traditional Style Haiku.
Very well done.

Except the first line doesn't stand alone.
Also drop the punctuation.
(perhaps a clue from Sara Teasdale?
drop the word "In" in favor of "Come"

Come morning's soft light
(see how much more poetic and yet also Haiku!)