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Young Writers Society


E - Everyone

Synesthesia

by RoyalHighness


A/N: Synesthesia is a neurological condition in which certain senses are inexplicably intertwined with other senses; for example, when you say the word, "Lake," I see (in my mind's eye) the colors red and green. Enjoy this little ditty I wrote about experiencing this phenomenon on a daily basis.

Synesthesia

~

I do not merely listen to a song,

I experience it.

I do not simply hear Sheeran’s voice,

I become it.

I do not just enjoy music,

I live it.

~

Sounds wrap themselves

In colors, in breaths of life

In memories, and light.

Songs are sonatas of color.

They are symphonies and orchestras,

Concertos and compositions

Of hues.

No moment is quite like another.

Nothing is so sweet a muse

As the blue blaze that surrounds me

When immersed in “Cold Coffee.”

~

Drums burst forth in fireworks,

Violins sing gold sunshine.

Pianos cry out in purple verse,

Guitars hum in russet rhyme.

Sounds are feelings;

Music, soulfire,

Sending me reeling

Headfirst

Into the color-pyre.


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Wed Jun 25, 2014 8:16 pm
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Liv wrote a review...



Wow, after reading the comments here I found out how many others have Synesthesia, too! I really like this poem - not many people even know what it is but this describes it perfectly! I myself have a type of Synesthesia and some people just DON'T get it. This poem was really well done. You really captured what it is, and probably how a lot of us Synesthetes feel xD I never even would have thought to write about it - bravo to you!




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Wed Jun 25, 2014 7:04 pm
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BellaRoma wrote a review...



I loved the wording of this poem. As soon as I saw the title I HAD to read it because it was about synesthesia (which would be a totally cool condition to have by the way). I have heard of it because I read a novel called "Ultraviolet" by RJ Anderson where the narrator is a synesthete. I'm pleased to see I'm not the only one such a condition interests.
The kind of description you can give about colour and perception is amazing (especially as you are a synesthete yourself) which is why I loved that particular novel so much and why I expected so much from this poem.
It didn't disappoint.
I loved when you were talking about the instruments and their sounds. The perceptions you gave were easy to picture and had a real FEELING to them that was almost spine tingling. Though I don't have synesthesia myself I got a real idea of what it's like as you promised.
Good work




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Tue Jun 24, 2014 3:41 am
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Deanie wrote a review...



Heya! Yeah, it's me again. I keep bothering you by looking at all your works.

This one was, really interesting. I have heard of synesthesia before, I even spent a long time researching it because I decided it was really cool to have :) I hope I am not mistaken there ^.^ Anyway, I think its awesome that you decided to put a little bit of you in the poem, and I thought there was going to be some beautiful description coming up when you mix the idea of colours with words and ideas.

And you managed to do this perfectly! I loved the last two stanzas, especially the ending of the whole poem. It brought the whole thing together, especially the idea of going headfirst into the colour-pyre. Brilliant <3

Just two small things. Nothing big, because this was pretty fabulous. But firstly, why do you capitalize every line? I know this is a stylistic choice, and you can leave it like this if you want to ^.^ You could totally ignore this. But you could also just start with a capital to emphasise things like the word headfast and colour-pyre, or you could have it simply at the beginning of a sentence. And seeing as a sentence is stretched over more than one line here, it would mean each line doesn't have a capital. Experiment around with it a bit and see what you like best :3

Another things is the first stanza.

I do not simply hear Sheeran’s voice,
I become it.
I do not just enjoy music,
I live it.


I didn't include the first two lines, because they are fine ;) But after reading the first two, I found these follow ups a little bit repetitive c: I didn't really like how you referenced Sheeran specifically because I liked it being more generalized, even though you do mention his song in particular. But, later on, even if you don't know the song, Cold Coffee as words sounds pretty poetic, don't they? ;)

So I would maybe take out the two lines at the top of the quote? If you did that, I wouldn't mind those last two lines in that stanza either.

Well, that's all I have to say. The rest of the poem was purely brilliant <3 You write so well, it's always a pleasure to read ^.^

Deanie x




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Mon Jun 23, 2014 3:57 am
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deetea wrote a review...



I adore this. You should embrace having synesthesia, if it can paint these images in your mind. I like how descriptive you are. When the topic is something so complex and beautiful as music, all the poems are almost always the same, and this isn't. I love originality. You should be glad that you can have these experiences, I'd e happy if I did. Even more, you are spreading awareness for synesthesia, what ever that may be, I know I'm gonna google it as soon as I'm done with this review. I hope my comment helped, in anyway possible. Keep up the good work.






Thank you!!



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Sun Jun 22, 2014 12:53 am
Snowery says...



I'm a synesthete too! I thought this was great :D






YAS! More!! ~~~



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Sat Jun 21, 2014 11:33 pm
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Maximilia says...



Well done, from one synesthete to another~
:)






YAS I've found another! ~



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Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:43 pm
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Astronaut says...



*sigh* I have synesthesia too but I have the boring kind... you have the cool kind.






There's a boring kind?





Kind of. I sort of associate colors with letters/numbers/days of the week, but I don't actually see them. Like, when I hear A, I think red. But I don't see he color red flash before my eyes or anything.





I don't either. I said in the author's note, I just see the colors in my head.





Yeah, I know. It's difficult to explain. I don't see the colors in my head at all, but I think about them. Does that make sense?





Yeah, I get that.



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Sat Jun 21, 2014 9:22 pm
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TakeThatYouFiend wrote a review...



*claps*
This is a truly magnificent poem. A poet alway trys to compare sensations and this subject matter allows you to do it perfectly. Also I don't think there is a writer who couldn't relate to this, even if they don't suffer (is that the right word?) from this.
Just a small nit-pick, methinks "of hues" should be part of the previous line, just to make more sense when reading it out loud.
Also... Sheeran? You speak of her as if the reader knows her yet you have no previous mention. Perhaps consider changing it to "You".
Other than that as I say tis a fine piece.
Take That You Fiend!






Sheeran is a reference to Ed Sheeran, the famous British singer-songwriter.





Oh right... I'm British, and I like songs, famous... don't know so many of them. :-)



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Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:35 pm
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MargoSeuss wrote a review...



I have heard of this condition. I believe this works for taste as well. I heard that some people, upon hearing a certain word, can taste things. I wouldn't mind tasting chocolate everytime I heard my name!

This poem was beautifully written. The imagery here was phenomenal. "Voilins sing gold sunshine, Pianos cry out in purple verse." Very nice, my friend. The personification you used with the instruments was effective as well. It is clear by your first verse that you are an Ed Sheeran fan! I'm sure he would approve of this piece.

There were a few places where you rhymed. Like "hues" and "muse" and "feeling and "reeling." I'm not sure if you intentionally chose to rhyme here or not ( I'm guessing it was intentional). Though no sceme was developed for your rhyming (at least none that I could see) I found the few places where you rhymed to be appropriate. The rhymes did not seem out of place to me. Impressive, as it is hard to write something this free ( and by free I mean free of a strict rhyming scheme or not) and have it read as smoothly as this.

You write majestic words your RoyalHighness. *bows* Outstanding work.






Thank you thank you thank you!



MargoSeuss says...


You're welcome! You're welcome!



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Sat Jun 21, 2014 4:59 pm
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ladcat13 wrote a review...



Well I've never heard of this thing before but now that I have I think you've done a wonderful job explaining it! The poem is very descriptive and, well, poetic! I can't find any real nitpicks, it's that good! Synesthesia sounds interesting. Is it annoying or disadvantageous to have? I'm curious now. I'm going to google it xD.






When I'm driving, it gets a little distracting. When I have to think in large crowds of people, I have to cover my ears to block out the colors so I can think clearer. But other than that, it's nice.
The thing is, I've never ever been diagnosed with this by a real doctor; I probably just associate stuff with colors without the full mental condition. So don't think I have some big issue that I have to deal with every day; it's just a different way of thinking about things.
I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for the review!




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