Reviews from

The Midnight Hour

She is coming for me...

68 total reviews 
Comment from NurseBarb
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Well deserved six star rating Dean. Beautifully crafted masterpiece with fantastic presentation. Impressive rhyming and flow. Great author notes, very informative. As
always, a joy to read. Thank you for sharing.

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from Sasha
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I think we are all a little insane at times...how could we live in this world and not be? Absolutely marvelous poem and definitely give the reader plenty to think about. I love Poe, even though he still has the power to scare me. Great work with this one, thanks so much for sharing.

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from padumachitta
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Hi. This is a great 'tribute' to a genius. Poe was no madder than you my friend, and you seem sane enough:-)..What of Hitchcock, Hesse's(whose books though not true horror, could sure feel like hell)...perhaps the sane ones are those who write about it. Perhaps the crazy ones are the ones who read it and feel titillated...perhaps.
However, as usual your poem made me shiver and read it twice and so I enjoyed it...
ha,ha...happy screams indeed...
may Poe never rust in peace...but forever be remembered

padumachitta

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from adewpearl
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Stunning visual presentation of your poem
strong use of rhyming couplets
excellent use of internal rhyming
good use of alliteration and vivid descriptive detail
strong sensory appeal to senses not limited to the visual - love the mournful moans
what a fascinating look inside the mind of Poe
Brooke

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from Rmocruz
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Mono-rhymed quatrains poetically present dark imagery.
Internal rhyming is also effectively employed. A well crafted macabre story in a poem, a fitting tribute to
Poe as well.
Extremely well crafted overall.

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from kiwijenny
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Dean, your writing is superb upon a midnight hour. You seem to wend our way through the dark with the choicest words...abhorrence minions squalled....ok here's a few ..oddment, blubber, tweak..sorry I digress.
I loved this poem..exceptional
God bless

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from c_lucas
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Voter fraud is still going on today. This is very well written with a smooth flow of words, making for a very good read. There is good imagery.

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from Domino 2
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

Re: notes, Deano.

Of course, 'insanity' is often a matter of perception, and it's often just 'different'.

FANTASTIC presentation!

Top internal as well as external rhymes in this riveting tale.

Great to see you back at your creepy best.

Wonderful word choices.

'his pen was halted, his mind, assaulted; he held on by a speck' - I stumbled just a bit on meter here, and perhaps deleting SECOND 'his' may make it smoother (with altered punc. of course)

Maybe:

'hell's minions can't [express] opinions, to retain meter better IMO.

Maybe:
'[when] nearly there, he [felt] despair...' for better beat again.

'undead followed; he scarcely swallowed -- soon came many more' - I find the meter well out in this line, with respect.

'"Lenore, my dear, you're not welcome here, although I loved you once' - I find an extra syllable here. Maybe: 'Lenore, my dear, please go from here...'

Anyway, that leaves 31 of 36 lines unquestionably in top meter.

I sure don't wish to patronise such a brilliant poet, but your meter has improved enormously of late, in my humble opinion, and my nit-picks aren't major...and may not all be correct.

For the general entertainment value and brilliant extra work on the internal rhymes, I have to give this a sixer!

Bravo!

Best wishes, Ray.






 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014


reply by the author on 21-Sep-2014
    Thanks so much for the sixer, Rayman, and for your outstanding suggestions as well. I have since made a few subtle changes. My sincere hope is that it reads much better now.

    Thanks again for the exceptional rating, which was very nice, but more for what you said.

    I deeply appreciate it. :}

    With respect,

    ~Dean
reply by Domino 2 on 21-Sep-2014
    Always a pleasure, Deano, especially as you're always so gracious and make me think some of my suggestions are worthwhile.

    Cheers, Ray.
reply by the author on 21-Sep-2014
    They're always worthwhile, Ray. :D
reply by the author on 21-Sep-2014
    One of these days, I'm going to be able to write a poem in which you will be able to find no faults at all in whatsoever. I'll get there, just wait and see. :}
reply by Domino 2 on 21-Sep-2014
    There's no such thing as 'no faults at all' in writing, Deano, and of course 'faults' seem plusses to many.

    Please don't take too much notice of my observations. As you know, I'm a great admirer of your writing, and you as a person.

    Sometimes, flair and genius can be restrained by too much attention to rules such as meter. To retain the former and improve the latter is a fine balancing act.

    I wish I had your flair for entertainment, my friend.

    Best wishes, Ray xx
Comment from Sandra Stoner-Mitchell
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

That was amazing, Dean! Excellent writing, and such a tale to tell. Edgar Allen Poe had such a sad life. Such a shame, he was a very talented writer. As to his sanity, if all writers of dark, gothic writing were thought as such, would we then think you insane???? Hmmm, something to think about there!! LOL. A real pleasure to read, Dean. xsx Sandra

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014

Comment from Andrewajgblue
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

That was really interesting about Edgar Allen Poe, I didn't know all that, your poem was great I enjoyed the internal ryhme very much, and the wording was really good, it was a great story, I found it very entertaining, great writing,
Andrew

 Comment Written 21-Sep-2014