I'm not the man you met three years ago.
#8
Hi, welcome to the site! Here's some feedback for you. As this is mild I won't go incredibly deep into the critique though I might write quite a bit for clarity's sake:

(09-07-2013, 07:45 AM)in-need-of-an-empire Wrote:  Revised.


delicate wispy fingers gently interlaced--First off, if your title talks about "him" you shouldn't lead with a characteristic of hers. Also, when you do descriptive imagery or point out a physical characteristic like in fiction it should tell us something about the person being described (the outer self showing the inner self) Some of your elements in the poem seem contradictory.
his tired bony knuckles.
and a soft palm caressed
the most tender part of his sore neck.
"____________________________"--Don't put a blank here leave the Spanish phrase in over using a blank
he said to her. she taught him that.
how to say it.--Look to condense a lot of this narrative. It comes off more prose than poem at the moment.

and the hour of fate was upon them.--In my opinion, this melodrama doesn't help you

she was a tower of skin and bone--The first interesting line because you've stepped into imagery. Here's the thing wispy fingers above do not go with a tower. A tower is an image of strength yet the skin and bones part makes me think of her as anorexic. It doesn't convey anything beyond the physical frame. If you were building on the wispy elements you could say tower of smoke and shadow to give her the illusion of strength and solidity. Not saying you should do that just giving an example
with smooth firm flesh--This doesn't go with skin and bone for me
and green eyes, hot like hell-fire
that brands your soul...--This really doesn't say a lot. It has the appearance of saying something but it doesn't actually do anything. Whenever anyone these days comment on the soul in a poem they almost always go over the top. Again, it doesn't really say much. You could come up with better imagery.

they leave a mark that never fades.--Look to condense ideas. The word "indelible" could replace a lot of this line. Effective poetry gets there in the fewest words. I suggest you make ruthless cuts

her hair was a dark and lovely storm--This comes close to cliche, but is actually quite nice in a way. You need to carry the metaphor forward though. To say it fell easily over her shoulders isn't what a storm would do. It would be a wild tangle of energy and motion. You seem to start and then retreat resist that urge
that fell so easily over her shoulders.
and she had green eyes that brand your soul...--The repetition doesn't buy you anything.

but he didnt love her.
no, not until it was too late.--melodramatic, telling, and not really poetry
he broke her heart a dozen times--This is overused cliche
before she ever even touched his.

and once he allowed himself to feel her there
she burst forth from him with vengeance.

but even now his mistakes are not regrets.
even if she hates him.--All of this is not poetry really just exposition

He was a tower of skin and bone
with pale, scarred flesh,--this is a better way to build on it than earlier
and he had green eyes, lukewarm like day old mud puddles
that fade from memory.

his hair was a dark and lifeless form
that dangled meagerly across his face.

and he had green eyes that fade from memory.

but she loved him.
yes, every single day.
until the day before
he loved her back.

she offered up her heart to him
a dozen times with no avail
before she turned her back on him.
but even now...
her mistakes may be regrets.
because he may still love her.

and the delicate wispy fingers that interlaced so gently between his tired bony knuckles are gone now.
and the hour of fate is upon him.
The repetition doesn't really work for me as you have it. This feels too much dry exposition and too wordy. There are a few elements I like that you could build on. I hope some of this was helpful.

Best,

Todd
The secret of poetry is cruelty.--Jon Anderson
Reply


Messages In This Thread
RE: I'm not the man you met three years ago. - by Todd - 09-07-2013, 10:15 AM



Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)
Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!