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Just Some Poems

Just Some Poems

by An_Rosa

Reviewer: RowanCarver

I am using a different review template for this one since this is poetry and not prose.

Cover: is it eye-catching/noticeable?

Really simple and eye-catching cover. This is a poetry collection and every piece is different from one another, so the author went for a really satisfying and eye-catching design. If I were to suggest anything it would be to change the background picture to reflect maybe one of your poems or themes (maybe flowers, or a maze, or a snake, or a collage of symbols for each one of your poems) but that's just an opinion. Really, what you have is fine.

Title and Blurb: does it engage the reader?

I really enjoy the simplicity of your work. The title tells you what to expect: Just Some Poems. The blurb tells you what lies ahead: "A collection of poems written by me which are based on a variety of themes (most of them are dark)." Yeah, I'm into that. I know exactly what to expect, and I enjoy dark themes.

Originality/creativity: do you show a unique writing technique?

I was really impressed with the author's ability to tackle really difficult topics and maintain an air of creativity throughout. Nothing was cliche. Analogies were different and really intriguing. I like the author's use of symbolism A LOT. That was what ended up having a big impact on me. The first poem in particular, about a wife who finds out that her husband (a soldier) died in combat, has some really poignant symbolism; flags, medals, shirt. Those three elements definitely have a different meaning to me now.

I like the creativity in the author's analogies as I said before, particularly in Never Surrender, which is a lovely piece about encouragement, in my mind, I read it as a friend helping another. I really liked the line "Like a phoenix, from the ashes, you must soar higher/ Just one thing my darling, you must always remember. Put a smile on your face, and never surrender." The comparisons are creative, lovely, and memorable throughout. Between the author's staunch symbolism and original similes, creativity is strongest here.

Character Development: did you have strong personalities/memorable characters?

A wife grieving a soldier from the war.

A speaker raising their voice against sexual assault and abuse.

A friend encouraging another

A citizen observing the oppression of the world throughout history, and the evolution of cruelty in mankind

A lover, or maybe, someone who is just in love with the world

A lonely soul wrestling with heartbreak

A Hogwarts student

A speaker comprehending complex emotions

A speaker observing both their appearance and inner self in a mirror

A betrayal

A voice

A lost wanderer

These were the speakers I met in this poetry collection and my interpretations of who they are. This is excellent character development through poetry, where the author presented real people to me and their thoughts. I felt like I just met fourteen different people at different places in the world and different stages in their life, and each one had an impact on me. I especially connected to the last one in the Labyrinth.

Grammar:

The author's writing style flows really well. The poems make sense rhythmically (I especially think that Never Surrender would make a great song). The grammar is solid, the vocabulary is diverse and impressive. The language is modern and poetic, so it's relatable to readers, and I think her choice of writing style really helps send her messages home to her modern audience.

Detail/Use of vocabulary: Did you reuse the same word multiple times?

The author uses plain vocabulary, however, every repeated word is intentional, and every single one has thought behind it. I particularly enjoyed What They Said and What I Thought. It starts out with the repeated line "They said..."

"They said, "Your heart will skip a beat when you see him!"

They said, "You'll get butterflies in your stomach!"

They said, "He'll be the center of your universe!"

They said, "He'll be your only thought!"

After the repetition is established, the author introduces conflict and breaks the flow. The speaker learns that 'they' are wrong, and that love is not a shallow thing after all. And then they break into a lovely analogy with love and flowers and the complexities of it all, and how it can exist in the world as different things instead of just one finite relationship between another human being.

This is an excellent use of repetition to establish a theme that is to later be broken and challenged. I found this poetry mechanic to be really clever, and because the author used repetition to present conflict, this piece in particular really stood out to me.

Summary

The author is clearly talented and I believe has been writing poetry for quite some time. They have a lovely writing style that feels tailored and unique to them, and it reads unlike any other poetry. They have a knack for tackling difficult and dark topics with grace and maturity, and they are excellent and implementing creativity when it comes to comparisons and symbolisms.

What I found to be particularly intriguing is the voice of the character. This is my personal interpretation of the author's work, but I really did feel like I met a different person in every piece, and I got to see a sliver of their life from their eyes and experience their emotions. Whether it be trauma, betrayal, grief, love, excitement, complex and incomprehensible thoughts, loss, abandonment, etc., each speaker told me their story subtly through the poetry, and I got to experience powerful thematic elements through each of them.

It's just lovely, that's all I have to say. It's just a lovely, lovely collection of poetry. I do hope that you write more

See you, Space Cowboy...