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Silent Journey
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Slow Dancing in the Dark
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Shadows Falling
Shadows Falling
Sometimes, sadness darkens our hearts and hope is gone ...
from 2 reviews.
General Poetry
Analie Shepherd: I have a thought I would like to put out there, and would love your opinions ... I constantly come across poems in reviewing other's work, in which the syllables are all very neatly even throughout ... but still the poem does not flow. From my years of leading choirs, and teaching the art of music, I have learned that it is the internal beat that one must find, not the strict syllable count. The stressed beat is very different than just counting ... you can actually put two syllables or even two words, on one beat ... i.e. "One day, when skies were blue" has 3 beats, but six syllables, whereas "Girls are very smart" still has 3 beats, but only five syllables. In the first sentence, "one day" has just one beat ... the same as "girls" in the second sentence. So, my suspicion is that sometimes writers are counting syllables and ignoring beats. The beat is the important thing! Even in free verse there is a dance like beat .. but it is modern dance and therefor doesn't follow any rules! Another interesting observation ... in a four line stanza, each odd numbered line has a silent beat at the end of it, which must be taken into account if one wants to keep the dance-like quality. Same with much choral music! Of course, all of this is just my humble opinion, based on years of teaching the arts. |
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You forgot the Review Police, & the 5 -6 or Else Egotists. - | ||
Everyday people --5 syllables crowding my ways, -- 4 syllables no time to get closer, --6 syllables I'm caught in their maze. -- 5 syllables But ... each line has two beats. (because it is two beats for each line, there is no silent beat at end of odd lines. It is a duple beat and a silent beat would ruin the one, two, one, two) - | ||
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Analie Shepherd: I am new to this site and am thoroughly enjoying it. What fun to read all of the varied writing available here! I have also had fun reviewing some of the writings, but am taken aback that there is sometimes such anger at what is perceived as a rating that is unfair. Someone, in reply to my four-star rating of their poem, told me they never gave anything less than five-stars. I was shocked to hear this, and suddenly the five-star ratings I had gotten meant nothing. I don't want a gift of five stars, I want to earn it! Someone else got very hostile over a three-star review, and then said, "Well, I have lots of five-star ratings, so obviously you are wrong!" No matter how many five star ratings this author received, my opinion is still not wrong! It is only my opinion ... if you don't agree, ignore it. So, I am enjoying the poems and stories, but wonder if we are helping each other to improve if we are not willing to give an honest rating. Even a poorly rated writing often has many wonderful things to comment upon ... and that is what the review is for ... but shouldn't five stars be reserved for the best of the best? And shouldn't we all be striving to give our best?! Just my thoughts. Blessings to all, Analie |
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