Name: 800 words of heaven (Signed) · Date: 03 Dec 2018 07:47 PM · For: Warfare

Hey, there! After tussling with a Niffler, I come to your AP with a review, on the request of Kaitlin/TreacleTart.

 

I have no idea how poetry works, honestly. It seems a little bit like dark sorcery to me :P But I’m trying to read more of it recently, so I thought I’d give this a go! I’ve never heard of or seen a contrapuntal poem before. You’re right, the concept is definitely cool! But how on earth do you write one? I am amazed at your skills! Whilst reading this, I was thinking that I basically got three poems for the price of one, and since I always love a good deal, this was great! I commend your skill. It was a little difficult for me to read, but I think that’s just the nature of the structure, since it challenges the conventions of the written word in English.

 

This was totally excellent! I am in awe of your mad poetry skillz.

 

Xx 800

Name: Rumpelstiltskin (Signed) · Date: 13 Sep 2018 06:23 PM · For: Warfare

Hey! I'm here for your entry review for A Poetical Mood Challenge!

 

Reading done as in Step One:

 

There's something about this that screams innocence. I believe it is the soldier's youth -- his inability to answer questions that are rattling his brain and the inability to ask them. He's told to become a soldier and hopes that he can somehow find himself by doing just that. Being lost in life happens oh-so-often -- it makes sense that he would want to become a soldier so that there would be some sort of meaning brought to his life. 

 

Reading done as in Step Two: 

 

There's a stark contrast to the tone reading it in this manner than to the first way. There's a lot of energy in this, where the soldier isn't lost or confused -- he's filled with this vigor, as if he knows what it means to be a soldier. He seems very confident and full of honor, seeking glory. And when he is faced with the idea of having to kill someone, he is determined to go through with it...because even though it is a horrific thought, it is his duty. 

 

Reading done as in Step Three:

 

Reading it as a whole, of course, brings about another new meaning. This soldier seems a bit more self-analytical, a bit more likely to question the world than the others. He looks back at his naivety in youth to see that he can't say no, because he needs to know more.  And when he is told to go fight, he can see the horrors in is dreams. But, he believes maybe he can find himself in the middle of all of this terror. 

 

Final Thoughts

This was beautifully done, Chelts! There is so much energy in this -- you've really hit the concept of a Contrapuntal Poem on the head. I positively adore how the meaning shifts from one reading to the next. The emotions you brought into this were raw and refreshing to read. One of the things I like most about Contrapuntal Poems is the need to choose your words very carefully so that you can create the style with purpose and meaning. Your word choice and sense of story-telling in this poem were awesome. You should be extremely proud of this. 

 

Congratulations, again, on taking second place! 

 

-Rumpels

Name: TreacleTart (Signed) · Date: 18 Aug 2018 12:30 AM · For: Warfare

Hey there! 

 

I’m dropping by to leave you a review for Quodpot Match 2 where we review stories with the war theme.

 

This was a really interesting concept for your poem. It’s cool how it can be read right only, left only, and then by putting the two sides together. It was a really cool effect.

 

The subject matter was definitely of interest to me. I write a lot about war as I was married to someone who dealt with horrible ptsd from war. I thought it was really interesting how the speaker in your poem starts out questioning his ability and slowly comes to terms with things as violence occurs around him. I wonder if he and his buddies made it through. 

 

Flow wise, I think this piece flows much better as one whole than as two separate parts. The right side flows decently on its own, but I found the left side a little confusing as a solo piece. Mainly at the end. It’s pretty impressive though because often people lose flow over unusual structures and you kept it pretty good.

 

Overall, really a cool piece. It has a lot of depth with a really interesting structure. 

 

Good job! 

 

~Kaitlin

Name: Dojh167 (Signed) · Date: 17 Aug 2018 03:56 AM · For: Warfare

Quodpot - match 3

 

Ooh, I love a good poem with instructions XD That seems very Ravenclaw to me somehow.

 

And yet I had to read the top half of the left side like five times before my brain put them together in phrases that made sense XD But that says more about how slow I am at interpreting than your writing. Once my brain did catch up, I was pleased with how clever it was.

 

Aaan now I read goddman as goddamned. Am I maybe too tired for this? No - I soldier on! (see what I did there?)

 

This is really cool! I really like how each reading had a distinct meaning, and each changed the last. I think that really works well with the theme, given how the same person can have different perspectives on war in different stages of their life, and this captured that well for me. Reading the two sides separately kind of felt like contrasting black and white thinking, and then the final reading of everything felt like it was all coming together in a more nuanced perspective, that was still informed by the previous.

 

I’m curious how you came up with the format for this. Is it based on other similar poems, or did you come up with it yourself? Did you do this for a class assignment or for fun? Either way, I definitely think you should be proud of it, and I applaud you for sharing it.

 

Sam.