11-18-2015, 01:38 PM
Thank you kindly! Somewhere near the intersection of these critiques lies a good, scary poem (or anyway, a better, scarier one).
And *another* thing wrong with l.12! What was I thinking?
L.1, "As I drove home alone one yada night," (1 across, two syllables, for really dark...) Much work ahead to crank this one into shape.
And *another* thing wrong with l.12! What was I thinking?
L.1, "As I drove home alone one yada night," (1 across, two syllables, for really dark...) Much work ahead to crank this one into shape.
(11-18-2015, 11:42 AM)billy Wrote: i enjoyed your sonnet and had but a couple of nits. sorry for pointing out more than a couple but it's a good enough poem to deserve a proper read.
for me the first two line could do with a rethink as they could scare the reader away. solid rhyme abba bddb dccd ee scheme; i did like the starlESS moonlESS darknESS but i think it would be worth forgoing these sonics for some scarier setting. as i drove home one...yad yada yada....
great effort and worth the read.
(11-12-2015, 04:10 AM)dukealien Wrote: On Fear
As I drove home one starless, moonless night, could a better image for black or empty be used instead of starless, moonless
I met the fear of all fears, and was schooled. cliche
My speed was seventy, old darkness ruled;
Within it, three faint traces flickered white.
Lines marked the road’s two edges, reflex-jeweled, no need for two unless roads only have 1, 3, or more edges.
And passing-dashes pulsed out centrally,
Like years or heartbeats, unreliably,
Each guide-mark quenched when tar or shadows pooled. i really like the image of this verse and comparison to a heartbeat; possibly a broken one
One trace, or two, blanked periodically -
If three, I feared I couldn’t see or stop, couldn't or wouldn't?
But hurtle off the road at speed and drop,
Ditch-tumbling, catastrophically. while the meter seems to be missing half a foot, i didn't notice but for counting [i read it as tum bling] though i can see it's not missing the half if read as [tumbaling]
So fear of falling’s not the final curse:
Sustained, anticipating dread is worse. good couplet nice skid mark in the underpants.
Typical of recent work, but this one lacks hoped-for intensity befitting the theme. Why? Robust criticism will be appreciated.
Non-practicing atheist

