Welcome to my Poet Lady Chat Room. I would like to invite you to click on the chat box and type in a question, a suggestion, submit a poem, in other words – “chat with me.” I may, if you submit a poem, decide to feature it in my Poem of the Week section or, we may simply exchange ideas and suggestions about your poem.

This is a place to “talk” poetry with someone who has loved it all her life. I have a true passion for the possibilities of poetry and would love to hear your thoughts and/or read your poem. I will be happy to offer my reaction to your work and, based on over 40 years of teaching poetry, organizing, and conducting poetry workshops, working as a book review editor for an international poetry magazine, authoring five books of poetry and two textbooks on teaching poetry, send along my thoughts on ways to make your poem stronger and more impactful.

If you’re on my site, you have a connection to poetry. Feel free to connect with me – right here -right now, by typing your message into the “chat box” and clicking send. I’m waiting…

 

Your friend in poetry, Susan

FEATURED POEM
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Lost (1 reply)

NorwegianSoul
1 year ago
NorwegianSoul 1 year ago

I looked into the mirror
Darkness surrounded me
Speaking to me as if it wanted me to enter
Faces appearing
Smiling at me but not with kindness
Shadow hands stretching out of the glass
Grabbing me
Pulling me
Trying to take me into the mirror
My face no longer mine
A grim face
A horror smile
The darkness swallows me whole
I have lost all control
As they look into the mirror
No one knows
That I am lost inside a dark and deep hole
Seeing all the faces as they look
Smile an honest smile
I am in there all alone
For each smile
Wishing to die

Susan Katz
1 year ago
Susan Katz 1 year ago

Thank you for sharing your poem with me.  There is a lot that works here and some very fine moments as you move through the poem.  I particularly like:

A grim face
A horror smile
The darkness swallows me whole
I have lost all control

My main suggestion would be to tighten the poem by eliminating unnecessary words.  In poetry, less is more - for example:  "A grim face

/ horror smile /darkness swallows me whole / I have lost control..."

You definitely have everything you need here for a very powerful poem.  As with all writing, the fun part is writing - the hard part, is editing.  Would love to see it again, if you choose to do some editing.  Again, thank you so much for sharing with me.  I love receiving new poems that enrich my day.  Your friend in poetry, Susan

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