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51
51
Review of Poetic Scavenging  
Rated: E | (5.0)
Dear Elisa the Bunny Stik

*Smile* This is a great wordsearch. I had a lot of fun and you've selected some wonderful words. Thanks for brightening my day with a challenging and entertaining search. *Smile*

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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52
Review of Untitled  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Dear Journey

This poem is touchingly emotional and connects deeply. I really enjoyed some of the very strong, vivid words used and parts felt almost like a sad sigh.

There were a few points I felt could tidy the poem up and make it flow better. Some of the lines felt a little jarred when read aloud, in a way this worked because it forced me to pause and reflect on the line a moment before moving on. But it did detract from my overall enjoyement.

Also:
No longer with this, I can bear and Your lies no longer I will fall for *chuckles* I love to find these, it is what I've taken to calling a Yodaism. *grins* As in a sentence out of order. It's generally discouraged to Yodarise poetry just to fit rhyme. I'd recommend trying to rewrite this and the rhyming line so that you find one that reads forward. Having said that you've Yodarised a few lines in this poem so perhaps it's a theme you can work with.

Ohh and you know one last thing? You need a title *grins* Untitled is just slack. *Smile* I bet you can think up a title if you give yourself a few minutes. You've already shown your creativity. So, get a title on this one. *Smile*

I'm really enjoying your poetry Journey

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
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53
53
Review of Those Memories  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Dear Journey

Told you I'd be back, sorry it's taken so long to return to your portfolio. This poem touches a lovely subject and you've done an excellent job with the rhyme scheme. I love the message you're sending and the clear way you put it across to your reader.

I did feel that this poem lacks some more emotion-hitting words. Some good ones you use are dwell, release, and vow but I felt that some more stronger words could have been used.

There are also a few lines that could be made stronger. For example:
Don’t dwell upon a painful past
Don’t even shed a tear
Bad memories should never last
So do not hold them dear


That example might be a little flat but I just wanted to show you how a word or two can tighten up the 'meter' of the poem. I don't know if you were after any specific meter but it flows very well for the most part and so a couple lines could pull it together even better. Other lines to consider are lines 7, 10, 11, and 12.

Overall I think it's a lovely poem and your description is perfect. *Smile* Thanks so much for the delightful read to start my day.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
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54
Review of One Night...  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Journey

Beautiful! This captures such an incredibly stunning visual that I envy your eyes for having seen the sight. *chuckles* That's a bit rediculous of me since it's not that your eyes saw a more beautiful sky then I've ever seen it's just that your words make it so much more.

Just a few things I noticed that you could tweak to make this perfect:

The word angles I believe should be angels

I sighed in delight when I saw that crescent shaped figure gleaming further than the eye could see.
Um, this is what I'd consider an oxymoron. You sighed in delight when you saw something you couldn't see? I think the sentence just needs a little clarification. I believe you mean that the gleam stretches out of sight. I'm not entirely sure but it's definately worth having a look at this one to see if you can make your meaning clearer.

The word setting I believe should be settling I'm not positive but I can't seem to 'see' something being set to sleep.

Beyond these very slight blemishes on the crystal clear window to the sky outside your room, the rest is brilliant. I really loved it the visual imagery. It almost makes me wish you could use the peice for something more but I can't imagine where it could fit. It's TOO descriptive and intense to really work as the scene of a short story or novel. It's almost poetic in the crafting of the words but it's not poetry. It stands alone and yet on it's own it doesn't seem to have a category under which to gain publication. It's worthy of publication but finding the niche to publish it would be difficult.

I have to stop raving about all the great things lol it's taking up too much of my reviewing time and you've got so many more peices in your port I want to get to. From what I've seen so far I have a feeling I'm going to love every moment of this raid. *Smile*

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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55
Review of Silence  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Forge

Beautiful and it flows very well with clear images and strong words. We were talking about this poem in chat before so I've got a little insight into what you were trying to achieve and while the poem on it's own without thinking of that works beautifully I wanted to see if we could really draw out your attempts to sharpen the concept.

"Silence is golden", a little clique but the mixture of two senses is very clever. The next line reinforces that and makes a strong statement invoking a lack of visual with is a visual in itself. *chuckles*

The first two lines are brilliant actually and I love them when you look deeper to context and meaning and really study them.

Lines 3 and 4 however seems less concrete. It feels unresolved. Yes the last line is a resolution on it's own but it doesn't resolve line 3. To me it feels more like line 4 is a sepate entity from line 3 and the comma is out of place. But I also think that it's perhaps the structure of the last line that makes them not join together like they should.

Ohhh I think I've figured it. I think the use of the meter there to make it flow (even if unintentionally placed) means the bottom line copped an extra word that shouldn't have been there. Yes it's important to keep the blow but the word 'now' changes the connection. Reworking the bottom line so that it's still got that meter but doesn't use the word now would probably help clear the confusion.

You've done a brilliant job capturing the creativity of mixed senses. It's sharp and effective and while short really does say exactly enough to be a full complete thought. It's a poem. *Smile* (yes there are some poem-like substances out there that aren't poems) Beautiful, Forge, simple (and yet complexly) beautiful.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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56
Review of Night  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Forge

This is really clever. You know I think there is a poetry form (maybe more than one) that does this but I don't know enough about that form to know if you were deliberately trying to follow it. If you were then what's the form I'd love to be able to judge this with that in mind. If you weren't then very well done on doing something unusal and making it work. *Smile* Oh, btw the this I mean is having the last word of each line repeated at the beginning of the next.

I love the expressive words you've brought out in this poem. Visual, evocative and powerful words crafted together to make images that are just as stiring.

The negative I felt about this poem was that it jarred a little when I was reading it. The images flow nicely but I didn't feel like they joined up with each other, line to line, stanza to stanza very cleanly. Yes, I know you dread the word flow but I also know having read some of your other poems that you're capable of it so I'm not going to go easy on you when I find a brilliant diamond in here where flow is the only issue.

Of course I'll explain the easiest way to figure out where it does and doesn't flow is to read it aloud. Use your voice and say it nice and loud, speak clearly as if you're standing at an open mic night or writers conference reading your poem to an audience. Sometimes I record myself reading a poem I'm working on and play it back to myself. Because when you say it aloud you can hear your voice, you see where your tongue stumbles and you really 'feel' the jolts of where it jars.

As I said, flow is the only thing I think could be improved in this poem. Everything else works brilliantly. *Smile* This is a masterful poem and I think it's the best of what I've read from your port so far. I want to see more.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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57
Review of Without You  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear Forge

mmm this is rather invoking and you've captured something unique. The rhyme scheme, aaaab ccccb is something I've not seen before and it really works well here. It's kind of like a drumbeat all of it's own.

As I read the first verse I felt a let down on the last line. You've drummed me, got my heartrate up with strong rhymes, gone, long, song, wrong. They're solid and give each line that last oomph. (a word my mother uses roughly translates so something like a final hurrah, cheer, push or some such but is more than that) But then the next rhyme is 'you' which is kind of more like letting air out of a balloon. It's gentle soft and tender and doesn't give a final dramatics like the four lines above. Usually the FINAL line in each stanza needs to be the MOST all emcompassing. It leads onto the next stanza and you don't want your readers to deflate there because you want them to push into the next bit.

Basically what that translates to is that I felt the last line of each stanza needs more power. The rhyme 'you' can be powerful. You can make that word as the last of the line pulse. You just have to give what comes before it more solidity.

Having said that it's not an easy thing to do here. I'm looking at your lines trying to figure out how I'd do it if it were my poem. I don't have time (got to many reviews to get done so I can catch up to Sherri) to focus on that at this point and it's your poem anyway so I'll leave it to you to do. It can be done but it'll take time and a bit of sandpaper to find what would perfect those lines. At the moment it just feels like it's missing something.

There was one image that I didn't connect with. It's not my phobia of bee's that causes me trouble I assure you.
Second stanza:
I look in the mirror and all I see is me,
Your missing from the scene,
Like stinging from a bee,
Its hurt the heart of me,
Living without you.

For starters I think perhaps the punctuation needs to be looked at. Are you certain those should all be comma's? The line "Like stinging from a bee" changes depending on if it's connected to the line above or the line below and it doesn't seem able to connect to both.
Your missing from the scene,
Like stinging from a bee.

or
Like stinging from a bee,
its hurt the heart of me,


It's possible that part of the issue isn't the punctuation but rather the tense. Like stinging, or like a sting, or like a stinger. As I said, you can play with it a little if you get a chance and see what it could become.

Beyond those small things I really enjoyed the message, the heart, in this peice. "Without You" It's solid, strong, and heart-wrenching. Oh but to have love that is like this. *chuckles* I think so many of us want love to touch us to the very core. Passionate love. Transcendental love. Eternal. I really enjoyed how this poem captures the POV of someone who's right at that moment feeling like that love is all that is or ever will be again, and is ripped apart because it's all gone.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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58
58
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Dear Forge

Some nicely weighted words go together here and there is a story in this poem. You go from having the key, to finding the lock, and then to opening the heart. It's very cleverly done and it makes me intrigued to see if I could write a poem that does the same sort of thing. It's a progression from beginning to end and I really like that aspect about it.

Of course it's supposed to be a love poem and I felt a little let down. It doesn't have enough of your heart in it. I didn't get the impression that you really meant this that you resonated it within your being.

Forgive me for turning into one of those wacky councellors we've had occassion to laugh and cry about. - Gets fraudlin on you, it FEELS like you're holding back, afraid to love. I mean YOU might not be, but this poem, about love, feels restrained.

Each stanza also feels upside down. *chuckles* It's actually very strange for me to feel that way and it honestly made me blink and say, "Wouldn't that sound better up the other way? Here let me show you what I mean:

I’ve got the key to your heart,
I won’t let go;
I know the person you are -
I see you glow.


I see you glow -
I know the person you are.
I won't let you go:
I've got the key to your heart.


The shorter lines above give you a solid base and then the final line, longer just seems to give that base a topic. The other two stanza's don't port quite as beautifully and with as few changes as this one but I feel like those would work better up the other way too.

There is definately a beautiful gem in here Forge. I can see it gleaming there. It's touching and I think with a little more polish it'll really capture readers and say YES! THAT is love.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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59
Review of I can't write!  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear Forge

*chuckles* You've definately captured the dilemma very cleverly and it's definately obvious what the message is. I mean you can't get much clearer then, "I can't write".

You've also accomplished, wait for it, FLOW!!! *grins* Yes Forge, this has flow and lots of it. Oh, btw Kings & Queens, what I was talking about with the tempo stuff, that's a form of flow too. So kudos, two poems that do flow when you've said you don't even understand what flow is. lol

I've rated the poem a 4.0 but as I think I kind of wonder if what I didn't like about it actually makes it a part of why the message is so clear. But my rating is what I feel about the poem. Because of the issue I can't bring myself to call it 'perfect'.

Oh yeah, I should tell you what it is, shouldn't I. It's stutter. Opps, contradicting myself saying it flows and it studders, talk about an oxymoron. But what I mean is that it feels like you actually wrote this poem in the midsts of writers block. Which you probably did and thus the topic.

Each word and line feels like it too real effort. I read it and can't feel like you really had to drag it all onto your fingers. It doesn't feel natural.

As I said, considering the topic, the message, this could actually make the poem better, not worse. But for me it really made it harder to enjoy. It would be interesting what you could do with the topic of writers block if you're not suffering it when you write about it.

Overall thought this poem works. It's effective and I wouldn't change it. If that means it'll always be an Above Average but not Perfect then so be it. Sometimes there are poems that just always will be. To use the gemstone analogy you've heard me use before, some of the stone are just natural flawed and no matter how much polish you give them that's the best they'll get. That's not to say there aren't more gems within you that ARE perfect. So put this one aside now, it'll still bring you some joy as it is, but go hunt up a few flawless mineral deposits. *Smile*

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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60
Review of Kings & Queens  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear Forge

*grins* Hey Forge. I'm giving you a port raid so you'll just have to live with my name taking over your inbox. See I have to catch up with Sherri and Debbie in the "Invalid Item and you've got enough items to give me a good start. (Also means I'm avoiding the chat room today, too much reviewing to do) *Wink*

Ok, onward to the poem. I normally wouldn't like a poem like this on the fact that the lines are often too short to really get into. Then again most 'amatuer' poems that are written like this don't crystalise images and find words that are weighted enough to hold it all down.

THIS WORKS!!! I really enjoyed it. The short lines gives the reading a tempo that's rather like a heartbeat. In fact this would work as lyrics. When you needed to speed up to say a line in the same time as the one above you used short words. Poetic devices to control rhythm to perfection. I bet you didn't even realize you were using a 'poetic device'.

As I've said you've captured some lovely weighted words. These are words that on their own evoke strong images as a reader. Journey, transcend, explore, treasure, independently, Kings and Queens. Those are the most obviously strong words you've included.

Having raved about all the good things I have to remind myself why I gave you a 4.0 instead of a 5.0 I lost the message. In fact I had to read the descriptive breif above with the title to figure out what you'd been trying to portray. The breif you gave rather clearly shows that even you noticed the message isn't clear. "I guess its about..."

You can put that message in there, but like we talked about the other day in chat you could give any poem any connotation at all if you go in looking for it. A powerful poem is one you go in just as yourself and come away with a strong, clear impression of the message the author was associating with. You take something away from having read the poem that you hadn't gone in with or at least didn't know you had.

So while you've some great words, great rhythm and your rhyming connections are all perfect I feel you could make the message clearer. Without a clear message it's just beautiful words on a page. At least that's how I've always felt. Still even your beautiful words transcend average.

Great poem and very enjoyable and I'm never going to catch up with Sherri I lose myself in every review like this. *chuckles* Write On, Forge! And stay tuned for my next hit, coming right up.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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61
Review of A DREAM DENIED  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear SHERRI GIBSON

This poem is intense and evokes deep emotion. I love how you've capture words and used sound and letter repartition to pull each line into a tight package.

Line 6: dreams, denied, deceit, distrust The use of four D words on this light makes an very sharp emotional teather. Brilliantly done.

I found most of the lines as I read them flowed well into each other but a couple were less rounded then others. I'd say the poem as a whole is great as it is but if you looked at lines 8, 10, and 12 you might be able to hone them a little to make it brilliant.

Double check lines 11 and 12 for context as well. for if I'd simply quit
I feel that if I follow

Notice it doesn't seem to be a complete thought there. What would have happened if you'd quit? Not that I feel that's the answer you need to give, morely likely the 'for' part of things needs to be looked at.

Overall it's a beautiful poem, full of hope and inspiration. Putting it in your Inspirational Poetry Folder gives it the perfect home. Youre sharp word choices and connections make for unique images and everything is, for the most part pulled together smoothly creating a whole that is most definately a poetic success.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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62
Review of Mailbox Surprise  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Dear ms_penguin

What a delightful story poem. *Smile* I really enjoyed the glimpses of the little bird you gave and it made me think of a dainty little beauty.

I did feel that some of your lines didn't maintain the flow as well as others.
With a broken little wing
I keep trying to read it aloud as:
With a little, broken wing

I LOVED these two lines together. *Smile* Perfection here:
I asked her, "Why my mailbox?"
"It was raining," she replied

However the last of that same stanza seemed to trip me up when reading. I felt it wasn't as smooth.
so I sought shelter here inside."

Same comment for the following lines:
Thinking that she was a mouse
And asked what I could do
As I washed the dish

There is also some puncutation that seems to be lacking. Punctuation could really crystalize this peice so I recommend looking over it carefully to see where you could work some more in.

Beyond those things this poem is really very cute. I can imagine it as a little ditty to entertain children, perhaps converted with pictures into a story book. You've worked the rhyme very nicely and most of the poem sings along. Some of the visuals are wonderful.

Thanks for the enjoyable read and I hope my review proves useful for you. Good luck and all the best with your writing.

Have fun
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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63
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear Florence C.

This is a great article Isa. I enjoyed all your points and agree that rating and reviewing is only helpful when constructively written. I mean if you aren't offering something useful in your review, why bother? If you're going to take the time to comment at least have something to say that is worth taking the time to read. *blushes* Ok, well I'm not as eloquent as you at making the point.

While the content of your article is great I couldn't help but wish your layout and sentence arrangement were 'tidier'. Perhaps punctuating some of your comments in bullet form would help this, or giving more detail so as to give each aspect a well-rounded paragraph.

If you were interested you could really polish this into an exceptional article. Of course being that it's WDC related for the most part it's not like you could have aim to submit it to publishers so you mightn't be interested. *Smile*

Anyway, great read, I enjoyed it very much and will remeber to keep your comments in mind when I review.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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64
Review of Falling Away  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Dear NS needs a new muse

I really enjoyed the interconnections from one stanza to the next in this poem particularly in the earlier stages before the mention of becoming a monster. After that however, the attempt to rebuild the 'You' feels a little jarring. I'm not sure why but I think it has to do with POV. I'm the sort of person who can bristle at being told what to do and what I am. So the constant reference to 'You' makes me pull away saying, "You don't know anything about me." I know this wouldn't be the case for all readers and it's obviously a part of your poem that makes it what it is so I don't know if you'd want to change it.

I did notice the following line that you might want to give some attention: You are become a monster Substituting "becoming" for "become to make it grammatically correct.

Of course doing so leads to a repetition of the phrase and I noticed the repeating 'mantra-ish' aspects of the monster concept which means it wasn't as smoothly integrated as it could have been. The way you repeat the first part of lines 2, 3, and 4 of each stanza gives the poem a uniform feel which works. The constant thrust of "don't be a monster" however felt overworked, unnecessary. It's like, 'we get the point already' or something like that.

Overall I love the message in this poem and the connection of the stages. I felt the first three stanza's were the best. The visuals of 'falling away', 'collapsing', 'consuming', 'withering' down into the depths of your being were wonderful. The climb back up is a bit bumpy however and I think it's because it lacks the image evoking words of the earlier stanza's.

I'm sure we can all relate to the message of this poem and I like how you've encouraged 'You' to find himself again. It's something that everyone can relate to. Having to stay strong and come back from the darkest moments of life. It also sends the message that we all have a choice over how our life proceeds. We could let the monster take us but we don't have to.

A beautiful and though provoking peice NS needs a new muse and I hope my feedback helps you develop it further.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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65
Review of The Painter  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear GregRyan

I'm more than happy to return the favor. You've listed this static as a story and I'll attempt to review it as such. Bare with me because my confidence in my own opinion these days is battered. A part of me keeps saying, "What right have I to judge this, I don't know how to write." lmfao Yes, the evil self-doubt rears in even professional writers.

Anyway, let me digress from the review one more moment to thank you again for all the wonderous feedback you gave me on "Invalid Item I've made a couple more changes based on your comments and am very pleased with the poems progress.

Now to your story:

You've got the makings of a great first paragraph with enough information to provoke the readers interest. The only problem is that its wonders are lost because the punctuation and sentence structure are clumsy. *kicks self, because as a copyeditor I'm used to 'fixing' things for people instead of giving them the information they need to know "WHY" it needs to be fixed and "HOW" to fix it themselves*. Bare with me I'll show you what I mean:

St Illtyds church; founded in early 13th century, and being the visiting place of the likes of Charles 1st and John Wesley, the church now stands almost modestly in its place after being restored in the 20th century. Once a vision of desolation, an empty and window bricked shell of a place that looked, for all the scaffolding that adorned it for support, like it might fall at any moment. Now a monument, still as magnificent as the day it was built.

*trips over the semi-colon and rolls down the stairs of a run-on sentence* Now you know why I used the word, 'clumsy', above. That's how it feels to read. At this point I'd say cut the semi-colon and rephrase so it can be joined with what follows.

Almost modestly St. Illtyds Church still stands. It was founded in early 13th century and restored seven centuries later (be more speficic and give a year of completion).

It had at one time been an empty, window-bricked shell of desolation. The supporting scaffolds could barely hold aloft the cracked ceilings. Today, her youth reclaimed, she is a monument, as magnificent as the day she was built and as Charles the First and the great John Wesley (give details of who these people are and why we care), might have remembered her.


*chuckles* Um... See what I mean about my copyediting experience. I'm going to stop right there on that issue and try going back to telling you my observations and NOT doing the work for you. *Pthb* Hopefully that example shows you what I mean about tidying up the loose structure so readers aren't falling over things.

Ok, paragraphs. I recommend when publishing content online like we do on WDC to double-enter. That way your paragraphs are broken by a line of what is called 'white space' Yeah ok so on WDC it's yellow not white but that's the term for any space on webpage that doesn't have image or text on it.

One of these people...
I felt this needed to be the start of a new paragraph.

Falling to the less than welcoming grass below and looking up, slightly dazed, he saw only the superficial shell of the church’s former glory and, riding on, he soon forgot.
Um... Didn't he just fall OFF his horse? So how can he 'ride on'? Having been tossed so dramatically we'd think there is a reason to his having fallen at that point. If there isn't a reason for it then, 'snip!', doesn't belong in the story.

Harsh sweeps stole the drama of the sky and tactful strokes captured the shadows of the dark gravestones.
Ohhhhh, LOVE this sentence. It's almost like poetry. The words "stole" and "captured" together really give the readers a gripping visual.

stabbing leaves, branches and trees into existence.
Yep, just like the last part I loved. "stabbing" great descriptive word that really 'shows' the reader rather then tells them. *Smile*

I enjoy the way the past and present come together at the end. I'd separate both the section of the boy and the final paragraph with stars like you did in the devision between boy and man to make them each segments of a whole.

I think the section about the man, the painter, is brilliant and the boy didn't capture that in me. We saw less of how the building spoke to the boy then we did for the man. The energetic descriptions of how he put what his eyes saw on paper made it very clear that his heart took in the building as more than a pile of bricks. Obviously a boy wouldn't resonate so completely but we don't really get an impression of how much the boy noticed.

Perhaps instead of having him ride past on a horse you could put the boy closer to things. Have him wander the halls, or climbing up a wall or tree to peer inside. Have him more interested in the building. You could again have his interest broken by something so that there is a definate detachment giving the break from boy to man as you already have.

Obviously you've written something intriguing here because I've really seeped into it to give such a lengthy, indepth review. It's a lovely story that captures the building.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

Ohhh and PS. FILL IN YOUR BIO BLOCK! *Wink* I'd like to know more about you. *Pthb*
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Review of Oblique  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Dear bkcompton

mmm, I can totally relate to this and it speaks a teenage voice very clearly. Social disjoint is a very emotional subject and your poem overall gave my heart and mind a little tingle that made me nod and say, "Yes." As in yes, I know this too. It's wonderful to connect with a poem like that.

A few comments on structure however, as with others of your poetry, punctuation can do some incredible things to sharpen poetry so I recommend you see how you could use it in this peice.

Check line 8: What do I do, whay can I say?
I believe "whay" should actually be "what".

The only other thing I felt seriously detracted from this poem is meter. The lines don't seem to read as smoothly as I'd like and it makes me as a reader too conscious of how I try to say each word.

Let me grab two lines at random to see if I can show you what I mean.

I seek refuge in my mind
hiding words people seek to provoke


Together and away from everything else it's easier to focus on how each line 'should' flow with each other. However in the case of these two you have lots of short words in the first line and longer ones in the second. It makes the short one run faster and then you go to continue reading fast and your tongue almost trips over the words in the next line.

*chuckles* I started thinking on how to smooth the lines and my heads still stuck in my Shakespearean Sonnets so it turned it into iambic pentameter. lol Not what you're going for here but perhaps I'll show you just as an example of how using meter can improve the flow.

I shelter, seeking refuge in my mind
where hide the words that people would provoke


When I focused on this aspect of the poem I also came to notice some slight word repeatition. This could be deliberate on your part however using the same word, such as "seek" and "words" in your second stanza is generally discouraged in poetry. There are so many beautiful words in the English language, why use the same one twice?

Anyway, again another poem that could really be shaped and transformed with a little more time. You've got something to say and I think you'll really enjoy coming to see how many ways it could be said. *Smile*

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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Review of Deny the Heart  
Rated: E | (3.5)
Dear bkcompton

Um, apparently an American poet, Theodore Roethke (1908-1963) uttered the quote you use in your description. [Ahh the wonders of google for searches in general and thinkexist.com for all things quoted.] *winks*

This poem I felt is a little vapid. Many of the words used are broad leaving so much to each readers interpritation of what 'they' feel it means. "heart", "soul", "lasting fulfillment", "endless hole". Some seem almost cliche and because they aren't coupled with sharp visual connections they lose a lot of power.

I think the message however is beautiful and from it you could pull together an equally beautiful poem. It's almost as this is the base of something more than itself. Like having laid the foundation of a house, now it's time to brick by brick, build a home.

I know from writing poetry myself that some poems you just don't want to touch again, to rework and you might decide that's the case here. I believe however that this poem holds the groundwork for another so if you have the chance perhaps you'll chisel away at it in search. *Smile* If you do then let me know. I'd love to see what it evolves into.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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Review of Hidden Flower  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear bkcompton

I love some of the discriptive visual word connections you've put gathered here and the poem holds together very well. I felt however, that you could really crystalize things by including some punctuation. I'm sure you already know how the location of punctuation can sometimes dramatically alter meaning.

For example:
Releasing the coiled tendrils
I grasp and drink.
The secreted dew
beneath tender leaves


Releasing the coiled tendrils
I grasp and drink
the secreted dew.
Beneath tender leaves


Notice the way the meaning changes by the simple addition of a period on either one line or another? I think by adding punctuation where you feel it fits we readers will find the poem clearer, sharper, and more closely related to the images you were trying to portray.

Overall, some very lovely scenes and the message of hope as a counter to the 'waste' makes for a touching peice.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith

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Rated: E | (5.0)
Dear Mitch

As you already know, I love Shakespearean Sonnets and I'm surprised I haven't already sent you a review. Your contest is great, despite the USA bias when it comes to holiday prompts. *Wink* Us Aussie's have to do research to enter. *Bigsmile*

I wanted to show my appreciation and encourage future rounds by giving a donation to this worthy cause. *Smile*

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours Truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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Review of Storm Surge  
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear a Sunflower in Texas

Wow! I've never heard the specifics described so effectively for the common person. You've done a wonderful job sharing facts and insight in a straight forward manner, without all the hype that the media usually loves to include.

You might want to run a spell-check over it as I noticed a few errors. They appeared to be the sort you'd get from typing too fast. *Wink* For example, 'facotors' in the last paragraph and a couple of others that I've lost and won't search for since spell-check will find them.

Thank you for the very interesting read. It puts movies like Twister to shame, they miss out a lot of the important information, I suppose in favor of the entertainment value rather than for those few people, like me, who are interested in the facts as well as the fiction.

Great Read!
Have fun and keep writing.
Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear revbob

This poem is really lovely, you've got some beautiful images and a really touching message to share. I found the form interesting and it created an echo effect that worked well. I was disappointed that you deviated from the form in the seventh and final stanza. For the last stanza you could try:

"The Sprit loves the lost and kept
and for their pain our Lord has wept,
kept evermore in His arms, I sleep
beneath the falls outside my keep."

I don't know, perhaps that changes the meaning a little, or perhaps not. Perhaps this could work for the seventh stanza:

"To One Whose Spirit calls us all
I fled my castle, heed the call,
ran to the water, entered the deep
beneath the falls outside my keep."

These are just suggestions to show you how you could keep with the echo effect right to the end of the poem. With more thought and your own verse you would undoubtably find your own version.

Even without these changes you have a beautiful poem. The message it touching and I enjoyed the emotions that swirled to the surface as I read. Thank you so much for sharing and all the best in the contest.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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Review of Whispers  
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear James A. Osteen Jr.

Oh, there are some absolutely beautiful lines here it is a shame that other lines let them down. I loved the first two stanzas but I really didn't feel the last four lines stood up with them. 'fail the test' seems a bit weak after having been so strong stating 'winds will every whistle' and 'weeping willow tree' and that weakness is doubled with the non-descript adjective, 'best'.

I really think a little more thought in these two lines would improve the poem dramatically. I did really love the rest of the poem and I hope you do well in the contest. All the best to you, have fun and keep writing.

Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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Review of NATURE CALLS ME  
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Dear COUNTRYMOM-JUST REMEMBER ME

I really enjoyed this poem. It's almost a five star except that I felt some of the rhymes were tired and lacked imagination. I felt really terrible saying that just then. It really is a beautiful poem but I had to be honest about my first thoughts.

I think you did an excellent job with the prompts and really brought some touching images to your readers. Best of luck in the contest. *Smile*

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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Review of Numb  
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Dear ~Layla~

This was a very interesting read. "Numb, is thought provoking and you use some intriguing images. I particularly liked the line: "I view life through a lense cap,"

I do recommend reevaluating your grammatical choices. Some of the commas could be replaced with fullstops and others removed completely. For example: "a raging storm of silent chaos.
I see but cannot hear,"


Also watch your tense and the way you connect sentences. The first part of your poem: "Raindrops batter the windscreen,
shatter on impact,", might flow better if you replaced 'shatter' with 'shattering' or 'batter' with 'battering'.

Check your second to last line: "now the dream is more real that reality," I think 'that' should actually be 'than'.

Overall I really enjoyed reading this poem. You capture emotion with compelling thoughts and leave an impression with your words. I look forward to reading more of your writing. Thanks so much for your recent visit to my port.

Have fun and keep writing.
Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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Review of Final Warning  
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Dear Scarlett

lol, oh what a delightful twist at the end. The 'grandma' in this poem sounds like an interesting old woman who undoubtable drives her daughter insane. She reminds me of my five year old daughter actually, picking clothes that clash and sitting on footpaths because she's tired. Of course I'd be a bit more than bothered if I discovered brandy under my daughters bed. *Wink*

You've given such a humourous tilt to the story in this poem. I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you so much for sharing, have fun and keep writing.

Yours truly,
Rebecca Laffar-Smith
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