Hello! Sis here to give you a review! Just a warning, I'm going to me more critical than EmeraldEyes was of your poem...
So, you say that this is a precedent to a novel...Okay, well in that case I guess it helps the poem. But since you submitted this as poetry, I'm going to review it like poetry.
Let's start with the first stanza.
Arnold arrived sometime midday,
And he expected a town fine-tuned and gay.
Okay, these first two lines start your rhyme pattern. With midday and gay you began that.
Secondly, you set your rhythm. The rhythm first line was fine to me. The second line was longer, the rhythm more difficult, but I thought, He can make it work...But in the third and fourth lines, it just didn't flow right at all.
He was let down.
In for a sordid surprise.
On the outskirts of the town
Were a million circus clowns.
As I said, you set the rhyme pattern in the first stanza and blew it off here. Either rhyme and keep the pattern, or don't rhyme. Rhythm was better here, but still messed up a little due to rhyme.
"Come and play with us, and dance the night away!"
This sentence messed up the rhythm because it was sooooooo long. Don't get me wrong, long sentences are fine. I like them! I wish I could use them in my poetry! But, this sentence can easily be shortened to something like, "Come, play with us and dance the night away!" And to me, that makes a difference already. Also rhyme.
Let's say it was the last straw.
Arnold's mouth was his biggest flaw.
I see nothing wrong here. This is really beautiful, and probably my favorite part of the poem. Either this or the last stanza.
But His maker enjoyed him writhing in pain.
When you say His, it makes me think that you're referring to Arnold as a god. I think you meant to say, "But his Maker enjoyed him writhing in pain."
Your last stanza is also beautiful.
Overall, I think this would be a great idea for a novel. But you'd obviously have to stretch out the details, add stuff, and make it long enough to be a novel.
Congratulations! Really, I thoroughly enjoyed reading the poem, and I look forward to more!
Keep writing, and as always keep smiling!
-Sis
Points: 2762
Reviews: 123
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