Reviews from

A Look Back

A sad state of affairs.

32 total reviews 
Comment from Mary Vigasin
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

An excellent and thought-provoking poem. In your words with imagery and truth, you inform and educate your reader. Great presentation to reinforce your subject.
Good luck in the contest.
Best wishes,
Mary

 Comment Written 26-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 27-Oct-2023
    Thanks, Mary. One of the great injustices of our time.
Comment from Neonewman
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Incredibly crafted piece, my friend. The truth flows from beginning to end. No one has suffered greater at our hands than the Natives of this land. Thank you for sharing.
God bless,
Steve

 Comment Written 26-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 26-Oct-2023
    Thanks, Steve. This is one of my most important poems.
reply by Neonewman on 27-Oct-2023
    My pleasure. We have Blackfoot in our blood. My grandfather (Mother's Dad) was quite the character.
Comment from gramalot8
Excellent
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Thank you for your thought provoking poem. History has shown the real plight of our Native Americans. It's sad the conditions of a lot of their Reservations in this day and age. I personally have a adopted Indian neice. She still has natural relatives living on a Reservation... and she says she's grateful and blessed to not still be in their situation. Hopefully it will someday be improved.

 Comment Written 26-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 26-Oct-2023
    Thanks for the review. Have you seen the movie, Wind River?
reply by gramalot8 on 26-Oct-2023
    No, I?ll have to check it out.
Comment from Tom Horonzy
Excellent
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Of all the truths written here we cannot argue, but the first is the last and the best of each verse which man has a trouble understanding ...
He wakens with the morning breeze;
Another sunrise then he sees;
He gets down on his bended knees
To give thanks for the day.
MOST OF US CANNOT CONTEMPLATE HOW GREAT THOU ART.

 Comment Written 26-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 26-Oct-2023
    Thanks for the review, Tom. I'm afraid you are right.
Comment from Ginda Simpson
Excellent
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Your poem flows with ease as it tells the hard facts of the history of our native American peoples, deceived and displaced and suffering still. What right did we have to claim this land as ours?

 Comment Written 25-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 26-Oct-2023
    Thanks, Ginda. Have you seen the movie "Wind River"?
Comment from Raul1
Excellent
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This poem meets the requirements for the contest. Well written. It's beautifully written. The sentences flow with clarity. Excellent work! No mistakes found. I like it. Good luck on the contest!

 Comment Written 25-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 25-Oct-2023
    Thanks, Raul. This is one of my most important poems.
reply by Raul1 on 25-Oct-2023
    You're welcome, buddy! It is great to hear. Awesome!
Comment from Alexandra Trovato
Excellent
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This is very deep and excellent work. Your presentation is very good. You use expressive words and imagery, through well written and timed rhymes, that will draw in readers.

Best wishes,

Alexandra

 Comment Written 25-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 25-Oct-2023
    Thanks, Alexandra. This is one of my most important poems.
Comment from Katie Mae Dead
Excellent
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You seem to have invented a great poetic form Paul.
I like the 3 lines.of teteameter followed by a new, repeated end rhyme line of 6 syllables.
You seem to wander off and back on this template as the poem goes on. Consider editing so every stanza is 8-8-8-6 like your first one is.

As for your subject I am very much a native Indian fan. Read a lot of books about them as a child. Many tribes were more socially advanced than we were. They turned their back on technology because deep down they knew. They lived a balanced lifestyle. We, today are very unbalanced. Our social deleopment is out of synch with our technological development.

I live in Cleveland Ohio, USA. Our baseball team called The Indians with an insulting image called Chief Wahoo was finally changed after years of pressure from the native American community.
Thought you'd like to know that if you didn't.
Thanks for writing Paul
Very effective piece.
Luv&stuff
Katiemaedead

 Comment Written 25-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 25-Oct-2023
    Thanks for the review and suggestion, Katie Mae. The Cleveland Indians name came from the great baseball player Louis Sockalexis, who was from my home state, Maine.
reply by Katie Mae Dead on 25-Oct-2023
    Hey! You learn something new every day. I did not know that. Thanks!
Comment from Aussie
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Well done Paul. When the white men take any country, the black man will suffer. All told, they are peaceful people and their ways are wonderful (could teach the arrogant whites how to really live.) Recently our referendum failed, and the Prime Minister jumped in with both boots before thinking it through. He wanted our people to have a voice in parliament. Of course, they would have only submitted questions. I'm afraid that indigenous folks have no voice. My people have owned Australia for 58, 000 years! Until the British took the land, teased the owners with baubles, chained the men in work teams, and raped the women. Yes, that was a long time ago, we have long memories and no written language. Our people are kin to the Indian folks in the US. White men will always rule, throwing crumbs to the black men. K xx

 Comment Written 24-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 25-Oct-2023
    My apologies for the terrible things that we white people did throughout the world over the past centuries. "Quigley Down Under" is one of my favorite movies.
reply by Aussie on 25-Oct-2023
    We have to put the past behind us and just get on with life, such as it is with WW3 looming in the Middle East. I have just found out that our black troops were not paid to fight for Australia...just because they were black! My dad fought in New Guinea and our wounded were carried out by the Fuzzy Wuzzies (New Guinea natives) they risked their lives for our men. Thanks, Paul.
Comment from Gypsy Blue Rose
Excellent
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The way white Americans treated native Americans is shameful. I feel so bad for them. Great way to raise awareness about them and what they go through. Well done.

 Comment Written 24-Oct-2023


reply by the author on 24-Oct-2023
    Thanks, Gypsy. This issue bothers me as much as any.