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Hello ImMortalAmy !
I am here to review your writing. While I am by no means an editor, I am a reader. Please take what you can from my humble review and disregard the rest
Overall feelings:
You state in the intro that this is a subject that no one wants to speak about. I disagree. It is a good way to draw attention to your poem, however, but the topic is not taboo in any shape or form except to perhaps a parent who has lost a child to drowning. If the poem was in fact a poem about a death of a child, only then would it be something that would make someone uncomfortable. This is just my opinion.
The poem is about someone who saves a child from drowning and is dedicated to those children who die every year, many times, senselessly, and that is honorable of you. In the poem, you are the savior and I wonder if this is fictional or if this is something that you experienced. It does not change my feelings about the poem, except for me to want to extend my gratitude that you were there for this particular child in need.
I see that you are still considered a new member and hope that my critique does not scare you off. When I was new, I was at first a little daunted with some of the brutally honest reviews I received. I joined a group called the 'Paper Doll Gang" and eventually another group called "The Rising Stars". The both helped me grow as a writer and as a reviewer. I am not a editor, or even a perfect poet myself, so please understand I am just sharing what I THINK would be helpful to your poem. Take it for what it is, my opinion. If you see value in any of it, use it, if some of it seems to not ring true, discard it.
Suggestions:
There are some lines in the poem that bother me. I am sure, when looking at the form you were not only trying to stay with a rhyme scheme but keep the first words of each verse repetitive. This may have harmed the flow and also some of the words chosen.
For her head couldn't speak.
Heads do not speak, mouths do. Perhaps you might want to look over the verse and see if you meant her mouth or perhaps something else was going on with her head?
For her shape wasn't fair.
I, personally, do not get this. What is her shape and what does it have to do with her drowning? Was she overweight and that is why she was not floating? Was she bent into a pretzel? I just do not feel this line....sorry.
The trash overflowing,
You have not set the scene so this jarred me. It made me stop in the middle of what flow I had going and try to imagine the scene. Perhaps setting the scene before hand either by adding a verse or the prior line? The next lines make me think she was eithr in a fast flowing river or ocean, but why trash? Do you understand my confusion?
I took one step,
I wasn't even thinking,
I dived into the deep end,
For she was sinking.
Now I love this verse, but that just means that everything I thought prior about her being in the river is questioned. How is there a deep end to a river or ocean. I guess there could be, but not usually. If it were a pool, which makes more sense...where is the trash?
I could go on verse by verse, but I feel that you are talented enough to know how to revise. I do not want you to feel I am tearing your poem apart. If you want help, feel free to message me or there are a lot of groups here that help you. I am just trying to share my thoughts and what little experience I do have.
You do have some good descriptive words and an ability to draw the reader into a story. I think you may have gotten caught up between your personal attachment to the piece while still trying to stick to some kind of formal 'poetry form'
Parting thoughts: I do hope that if you do revise, you will invite me back to read it again. I would be more than happy to help in any way. You have talent. You just have to hone it. I learned a lot from this site and more skilled writers than I. I hope you will too. I hope to see you around.
Much
Just call me Omni |