My Comments

Cotton Nightdress Morning by Reachingforthestars

Exceptional

This work has reached the exceptional level

Gorgeous, funny, sweet, meandering, self-revealing (no, not the nightie), gorgeous (did I already say that?) and too darned near perfect to be anything less than a six and wish it could be more.
Oh, and did you get that I liked it?

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

A Thousand Answers by adewpearl

Excellent

Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Brooke, your iambic pentameter is perfect, as I would expect and I like the 'thousand' repetition which gives this unity.
However, I think I see a weakness here - you have a nice enjambement line 1 to 2 but then your lines are all pretty well end-stopped and the couplets go tick-tock like a metronome throughout - that strict pairing off also gives a feeling that they should rhyme (to my ear anyway). I think it needs more variation ....

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

A Thousand Deaths I Could Have Died by Liberty Justice

Good

There is some strength in your poem in the build up to what must inevitable be the key to your poem's message in the final stanza.

However, I don't believe this is blank verse and I suspect many more reviewers will tell you the same thing. It has too much rhyme - blank verse traditionally has none or very little. It also does not have a regular meter and it does have regular stanzas....

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

Eroded by JLPuckett

Excellent

Well this is weird in a kinda nice theatre of the absurd 'Waiting for your Order' way. You could even have posted this as a script, I suppose to strengthen that theatrical feeling.

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

A Full Poem by sengmeng

Excellent

And what a lot of fun you had throwing all those poetic devices around - you have certainly learnt the lessons well, even if you choose to use them in a tongue in cheek way here.
I especially liked the later lines with their surfeit of internal rhymes. Always good to poke fun at what we do....

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

Midnight Swim by nancyjam

Excellent

Nancy, after making assumptions from your title, it was nice to find they were all wrong!
Love the imagery you have used e.g. silken ebony
What a vivid word picture you have created.

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

Excuse Me

Excellent

Ah, there'[s a clue to the mystery funny poet - it won't let me give you six stars....
Love the easy naturalness of this one and the true to life faux pas!
Good luck.

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013
Read and reviewed with blinders on.

The Enigma and Kelly Harris by Justin Dunn

Good

Well, I have to admit I have no idea what you're talking about!
There is a certain power in the repetition . I believe there is some anti-war feeling expressed (which is always nice), but apart from that the mysterious 'it' continues to elude me - is it because I have never heard of Kelly Harris?

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 25-May-2013

I Got An Invitation by adewpearl

Excellent

Simple language and strong rhythm make this highly suitable as a poem for children. In addition the common animals mentioned are frequently to be found amongst a child's toys.

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 24-May-2013

Blank Canvas by gail126797

Excellent

An interesting idea, but as your poem explains, a frustrating one - there can be no blank canvas.
You have maintained the metaphor of paint and canvas well throughout the piece and I liked some of the vivid word pictures such as 'shards of memory glistening in hindsight.'

Steve

Comment Written by kiwisteveh on 24-May-2013