You're a Reader/Reviewer, not a writer?

A plea for thoughtful reviews, based on a misinformed critique of a poem of mine.

As a reviewer, it's your responsibility to thoroughly understand the work you’re critiquing before sharing your opinion. Unfortunately, some reviewers overlook this, offering complaints like, “I'm somewhat confused by the premise of this poem," and immediately assigning a low score — in this case, a 2.5, to a piece that merits a 4.5 or 5. This happened to me today. I was disheartened by one reviewer's email questioning my intent and insinuated some kind of spiritual judgement on my part. I judge nobody; that’s GODS prerogative.

To be sure this incident does not reoccur, I added a statement above the poem clarifying its meaning. To me, the poem vividly portrays vandals keying Teslas, getting caught, facing trial in the court, being convicted, and going to prison. This narrative is reinforced by the image of a person crouching near cars with a key in hand. While platform constraints limit the image size, making it a little harder to see, the poem's short description and the genres indicated in the information bar provide sufficient context for readers to grasp its intent.

I understand that some readers may struggle with poems written with nuance and satirical writing in genres like political or Gothic. As a writer, I’m eager to answer any questions about my work, and I welcome thoughtful discussions. Most writers share this enthusiasm for engaging with their audience. However, it’s discouraging when a review is offered that's based in confusion or misinterpretation rather than a careful analysis. In an academic setting, such a review would likely receive a failing grade.

Writers invest their hearts in their craft, and we ask reviewers to approach our work with care. If something is unclear, please seek clarification before judging — your fairness and insight make a difference.

I drip this ink to the page because I don’t want this sloppy and unfair review practice to happen to other writers here on Writing dot com.