Leanne,
I've been reading this poem since you put it up looking for anything that felt off, and at least to my tastes have found nothing. I even went to the used bookstore yesterday and thought maybe I should get some Rimbaud (someone I'd heard a lot about but had never read. I thought it would be worth reading anyway, and maybe it would help in critiquing this poem. The book I got i think is two collections A Season in Hell and The Drunken Boat. I couldn't help but smile at your Hell references. I love the interplay between the two people and how one knows the words while the other knows the spirit behind the words. I also like the lines about the narrator's full stop resulting from cowardice. This was a really strong poem. I enjoyed it.
Best,
Todd
I've been reading this poem since you put it up looking for anything that felt off, and at least to my tastes have found nothing. I even went to the used bookstore yesterday and thought maybe I should get some Rimbaud (someone I'd heard a lot about but had never read. I thought it would be worth reading anyway, and maybe it would help in critiquing this poem. The book I got i think is two collections A Season in Hell and The Drunken Boat. I couldn't help but smile at your Hell references. I love the interplay between the two people and how one knows the words while the other knows the spirit behind the words. I also like the lines about the narrator's full stop resulting from cowardice. This was a really strong poem. I enjoyed it.
Best,
Todd
The secret of poetry is cruelty.--Jon Anderson