Footprints in the Woods

There is just something about the structure of the poem that intrigues me. I also really enjoy the imagery you evoke. Additionally, it's interesting how in this poem "growing up" means leaving curiosity behind. I think the length is fine but it wouldn't be bad if you had included another stanza.

Hello,
First I would just like to say that I am awed by this poem. It's short and punctual, and that helps it send an extremely powerful message. The repetition of "There are footprints in the woods" as well as the way the poem is divided, gives suspense and anticipation to it. You used commas after it the first two times, but a period in the last stanza, and it's amazing how much of a difference that can make. This stanza has an air of sadness, of something ending, something that was once had but is now lost.

My emotions during this:
First stanza - curious: why don't they have an urge of curiosity?
Second stanza - satisfied and anticipating: I was so glad someone was going to follow them. Not everyone in the world has lost their curiosity. But where would they lead?
Third stanza - sorrow: one of the reasons for my sorrow is that this is so true. It's also a message that portrays my own fears, that maybe the world would change me so much that my inherent curiosity (in this case, a metaphor for something that is a part of me) is taken, and that I will lose myself and turn into someone else.

Wow... I never meant to write so much, but I loved this.

Thanks for sharing. The poem outlines how the world seems less and less miraculous to some persons the more time they spend in it. Fortunately this isn't an inevitable outcome of a long life. A scientist, or curious person at heart, will maintain that sense of wonder, always asking questions always probing beyond present human knowledge. But for others who are either not curious by nature or else by defective upbringing, things can get pretty boring very quickly.


I once had a person tell me that she would not like to live forever in a paradise Earth because she doesn't like the idea of petting a lion for all eternity. That speaks more about her mentality than it does about the paradise of the eternity. The truth is that the more we know the more there is to be known and the vaster the perimeter of the unknown becomes. So it is really an individual thing.

About the poem, nice use of repetition for emphasis. I like the way it's organized into three stanzas and the logical thought progression which indicates an insidious process.

Suggestions:

The pronoun "they" in the first stanza seems to refer to the footprints.
To prevent that distracting ambiguity I would use:

"Are peop0le afraid of what they might find?"
--

Why the shift of "woods" to "wood" in the middle stanza? The reader will pause to ask.

Perhaps the use of "tugging at heart" can be substituted with something that won't be viewed as a cliché?

"Curiosity that beckons me?"

" Curiosity that captivates [entices] my mind?"

"Curiosity that impels me to quest?"

"Curiosity that enthralls me?"

Hello Catalyn! Welcome to YWS! Kara here for a (hopefully) quick review!

Give me your soul.

With that aside, I'm not the best at poetry but here we go!

Bold = grammar and flow issues.
Italics = suggestions and overall
Strikethrough = remove
Underline = krazy Kara komments.

Spoiler

[1] {You don't need to number the stanzas. Use "--" instead}

There are footprints in the woods,

Footprints no one follows.

Are they afraid of what they might find?

Or do they feel no need to look, {This line is a bit confusing grammar-wise}

No urge of curiosity?

{--}

There are footprints in the wood{s},

Footprints I will follow.

No one knows where they lead,

But I'll find out. {Flow-wise, this throws the flow off. Extend it a little }

I'll satisfy the curiosity tugging at my heart.

[3]

There are footprints in the woods.

I know one thing about them{ -- }

I will not be the one to see where they lead.

I grew up,

{So} the curiosity left me too.

My interpretation:

Overall:

This review courtesy of