Reviews from

The Voyager

A poem describing myself

143 total reviews 
Comment from NicciFaye
Excellent
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Everyone falls short of the glory of God, but we press on! This is an excellent, sincere, outcry to God. A beautiful and honest plea. For HE knows our struggles and just waits for us to call on him. This is a amazing poem and I hope you did find your identity within God.

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you Nicci. Yes, that's from Romans 3:23 isn't it?
reply by NicciFaye on 12-Oct-2013
    That it is my friend. That it is.
Comment from Pili Pubul
Excellent
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An excellent poem , many will relate with the struggle to find faith and inner peace. Good style , honest and real images. I think are struggles that always existed, regardless of the times. Good one ! Pili

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you Pili.
reply by Pili Pubul on 12-Oct-2013
    You very welcome Justin. Pili
Comment from tfawcus
Excellent
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It is a difficult road with many doubts and distractions along the way. It is hard to be steadfast, especially in these troubled and largely atheistic times where the line between falsehood and reality is sometimes thinly drawn. The sojourn in the forest that you speak of is a good metaphor for solitude while wrestling for the salvation of your soul. The allusion to Pilgrim's Progress helps to emphasise that men have been struggling thus for many years.

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you fawcus.
Comment from Norbanus
Excellent
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As often is the case with tales in verse,
your story shows a poet fair and clear.
For some of us, whose thoughts are muddle worse,
we find our battered muses cringe in fear.

Your stanzas flow to paint a troubled fate.
confusion and a soul you try to save.
The demon's eyes brim full; contempt and hate
Not to be damned, but with love He forgave.

With tenderness he clipped the wings inside
Now, learn to give the devil all his due
Then live a life of confidence and pride
Yes, God. We serve by holding onto you

When looking back at life here's what he found.
There is no substitute for Holy Ground.

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you Norbanus.
Comment from dragonpoet
Excellent
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The picture illustrates the poem well.

Your rhymes work well and I like the way it is broken up like an introduction and a story.

It vividly tells of a search with a happy ending. How faith makes you a stronger person.

Keep writing

dragonpoet

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you Poet.
reply by dragonpoet on 13-Oct-2013
    No problem, Justin.

    Joan
Comment from rama devi
Good
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So nice to see your real name and to see you back posting on FS, Justin (Boz!) I love the deep flavor of faith this poem exudes.

NOTES

*
He meditates and pleads while
Sitting next to a tranquil tree.(,)
Searching every orifice
Of his heart for a Christ-given harmony.

nice alliteration and consonance of T, and consonance of S and soft C as well. The whole stanza reads as one sentence, thus the spag suggestions above.


*Same thing here--it is one sentence, so why the period after find?--
But it seems in his
Struggling he cannot find.(no period)
Anything to alleviate
The demons of his mind.

Very nice alliteration on A


Good shift from third person to first:

He is a lonely, monotonic Christian
And this is his tale:

*
I tried to sojourn to the forest,
A tranquil Promised Land.(,)
So that Lucifer could not touch me
With his flaming, tortuous hands.

* tense shift from past to present. Thus spag suggestion below:

But with every step and with every turn
I begin(began) to lose my fragile hope.
Jesus, please help me
Because I just cannot seem to cope.

Or, even better (I think), maybe alter it so the tense shift works--because it continues in subsequent stanza. IDEA: use NOW instead of WITH. Example:

But now with every step and every turn
I begin to lose my fragile hope.
Jesus, please help me
Because I just cannot seem to cope.

*
The world around me is changing
And in its transformation I can feel.(no period)
I'm losing touch with reality
And no longer distinguish what is false or what is real.

Potent stanza...emotional intensity and spiritual crisis flavor is tangible.

My heart is beating so intensely
With every step I take.
Jesus, I give you my spirit and my soul
For I know I am yours, never to forsake.

Good closing stanza. Consider altering the voicing of the first line from passive to active. Example;

My heart beats so intensely


This is a superbly expressive poem--raw and real and deep and sincere. I am sure most people gave it at least five stars, but as you might recall, I always try to review the WHOLE work with integrity, and on a technical side, this has much room for improvement.

Thanks for sharing your spiritual self, here, so openly. Nice picture...it captures the mood of humility spurred by suffering and longing for Divine Grace. May your Jesus ever be with you and fill your heart with Bliss.

Best wishes,
rd

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you for the advice devi.
Comment from RPSaxena
Excellent
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Hello Justin Chopin,
"My heart is beating so intensely
With every step I take.
Jesus, I give you my spirit and my soul
For I know I am yours, never to forsake."
My Friend, you are in the right hands and thank yourself for the right decision.
Marvelous theme/simple, but impressive wording/smooth flow/nice rhyming scheme/lively imagery.
Lovely and worth appreciating!

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you Saxena.
Comment from Shirley E Kennedy
Excellent
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Very touching and well written with raw emotion.
A strong spiritual quest searching for the peace and serenity of the Saviour.
Nicely formatted and rhymed and avery effective presentation.

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank yo Seken.
Comment from Cajungirl
Excellent
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Your heartful struggle to find Our Savior is very well expressed in your poem. God has blessed you with a gift of words. I enjoyed the read. Thank you for sharing.

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thanks Cajun! .
Comment from Sanku
Excellent
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When I saw the art ,I thought this was a commentary about PILgrim's Progress' .but this is a personal emotional pilgrimage.it is well composed, the sincerity and depth is very evident.thanks for sharing.

 Comment Written 12-Oct-2013


reply by the author on 12-Oct-2013
    Thank you Sanku.