Hallo and good evening. I'm Grateful Jess and as I beat the heat of the day and relaxing my aching leg, I have read The Lament of Saint Joseph and I will be reviewing this poem for RAOK Upgrade Brigade Group. Please remember these are only my opinions; feel free to take whichever you find the most helpful.

First Impressions:
I'm not really familiar with the story of Saint Joseph, so I can't really comment on the religious aspects of The Lament of Saint Joseph; however, I will get the copy of the Bible I have to familiarize myself with the connotations. I thought the way you laid out this piece was very beautiful and very descriptive. It made me feel a sense of sorrow.

Overall Thoughts:
I really loved the rhythm and flow of The Lament of Saint Joseph. I loved the ABAB rhyme scheme because it added to the emotional depth of this piece. It almost reminded me of Walt Whitman's poetry with the way it flows and the imagery that it portrays.

However, as I page through the NIV Bible I have, I didn't see it right away. After Googling Saint Joseph, I see he's in Matthew. I knew he was Jesus's father, but I wasn't sure of his further contributions. I know this is meant for religious folks, but I would suggest putting a background at the end of this because anyone can read this. I think putting St. Joseph's story would be important for this and it'll make your message a bit clearer to non-religious or spiritual people.

Other than that, I thought this read almost perfectly and beautifully. I suggest this to everyone: go back and proofread to make sure you're conveying everything you want to convey.

Rating:
***

Final Thoughts:
Beautiful and wonderfully written. I'm glad you wrote this, even though I'm more spiritual, I am glad I read this and learned something. Keep up the good work and write on! ~Jessica

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