02-25-2026, 10:58 PM
Hi Jon, read this a few times and although there is some nice imagery I may not be getting the whole concept of what you are trying to convey, however this may just be me. Perhaps a title change might help, see at as another line.
I've left a few thoughts below
A different title would definitely help and a few tweaks here and there.
Looking forward to seeing how you develop this one.
Cheers for posting
I've left a few thoughts below
(02-25-2026, 03:38 PM)jonvandalen Wrote: You moved over fresh snow - longing for a better description than 'moved' how did they move, cautiously, quickly? Also you start with 'you' and we have no idea who they are and we don't get much clarification throughout the poem. Also this line seems connected to line 4 so separating them is awkward. You could move 4 to line 2The overall image I am getting is of someone running away in the middle of the night to get away from an abusive father.
in that not-yet-morning, - there are so many ways to say 'not-yet-morning' -- late twilight, early dawn but not as prosaic as these -- 'that' would be changed to 'the'
past the stark pines along the road, -- to me this line would sound better switched 'along the road past the stark pines' -- not sure what you mean by 'stark' pines. There weren't many, they were thin.
powder crunching underfoot. -- see above for this line
The stars burning hard. -- awkward tense here 'burned' - line could be seen as cliche
The house behind you slept. -- this line says nothing here, if this was the last line it works better for me, the idea of leaving behind something
Father slept behind a dark window. -- Because of the single 'Father' here I'm led to believe that the Narrator is the sibling of the person in the poem. I'm not entirely sure what you mean by 'dark window' it's not the window that is dark but the night. If the dark window is intimating a sinister element to the Father's character then I think this could be elaborated on.
Your steps kept time in the night.
Your breath drifted cold, ahead of you.
A different title would definitely help and a few tweaks here and there.
Looking forward to seeing how you develop this one.
Cheers for posting
wae aye man ye radgie
