circles

HIii! So I saw this poem and the knife cover and thought I'd nose around. And I think this is really great;
the opening

the sweet pain shotting through my body
the drops of blood falling on the cold tile
the knife abandoned on the floor
but still close enough to reach

\---the words "sweet pain" and the line

but still close enough to reach

gives the impression that *part* of the person is, ah, fixated on pain. Or in my opinion, it might be what the person considers a 'solution' to the

makes me despise the voices in my head I can't stop listening to
that whispers in my ear
murmurs in the back of my mind

my theory is that the whispers are telling them to self-harm? And the line

just a little zing of agony
it would make them quiet for a little bit, right?

makes me think that, oh, and I really like how you used the word "zing" to describe the sharp pang of pain,
but that's only for one part of their mind, the *other* part is a tad bit insane than the part 'fixated on pain'---not really sure about that heh, since the other part is trying to, say, *convince* the first part of their mind? Even though it's trying to convince, it seems *stuck* on the idea. Well, the lines being repeated, for example

healing insanity
healing insanity
healing insanity

look like the other part of the mind trying to persuade to heal their "insanity". And my favorite part :

ground yourself
door
counter
sink
mirror
scissors
knife
blood

it shows their mind like a cyclone---circling back to the start.
And the rest of the poem, I think, is the first part of the mind trying to think of a bigger view; help? other's view? dilemma? All of them, I think. And we sway back to the insanity of trying to block the whispers and control. And at the end, I like how the person realizes the circle and foresees death (I think).
Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I think the best way to describe the central theme is of them losing control. There're a few suggestions though, in the line "I'm ok"; I think that's not the right spelling, a bit more colloquial (since 'ok' is a short form of okay) you could use 'OK' or 'okay'. Just a suggestion! And lastly, I think a bit of more punctuations might make it a bit better---with the rhythms and stuff.
It's wonderful, and I love how you captured the eh, tornado, of thoughts and the word choices are brill! I'll be hoping for more! (Pardon me if this made your mind a mess, I've tried my best---which seems to still be a mess ;P ---Sorry ( >\_< '') )

Hey! This poem is incredibly powerful, and what strikes me most about it is the way in which the title relates to both the structure and the content of the poem itself. For me, “Circles” represents the endless cycle of trying to move on and be better that the speaker experiences and has to realize.

I like the way in which the poem begins in media res and manages to capture the sense of fatigue and frustration perfectly. The description of the thought process that the speaker goes through is particularly notable to me, as it helps the reader understand the exact moment and the speaker’s predicament.

One excerpt that stands out to me in this regard is as follows:

why is it that every time I get better

every time I learned to cope

to look around the room

counting rectangles

listing senses

I still circle back here

I appreciate the inclusion of grounding techniques here, as it adds to the authenticity of the speaker’s pain. They specifically list actions that one is supposed to take in order to alleviate negative emotions, and the fact that none of them work reinforces the tragedy of the situation.

Another strong aspect of the poem is its use of fragmentation, and the way in which the sudden breaks affect the viewer in the latter half of the poem. By listing random thoughts and things that the speaker observes, the poet manages to capture the sense of panic and internal turmoil. As such, the repetitions of the word “no” at the end are especially powerful, as they evoke a sudden break in thought.

A similarly strong device is used in the following verse, in which the speaker struggles to decide whether to seek help or not:

I could tell someone

but then

am I telling them for help

advice

or pity

I think that this excerpt is one of the strongest in the poem, as it encapsulates the internal conflict that the speaker experiences perfectly. They begin to doubt themselves and their needs, which is shown in the way in which the speaker questions their motives. This is yet another instance in which the poem presents a cyclical nature of emotional distress.

I would like to comment further on the use of repetition in the final segment of the poem, in which the speaker says the following:

the cycle repeats

over and over

healing insanity

healing insanity

healing insanity

Once again, the poet uses repetition to reflect the unease and frustration of the speaker. The mere fact that they have to repeat the phrase shows the extent to which they are hurting and unable to move on. The same sentiment is conveyed by the closing line of the poem, which provides a fitting conclusion to the fractal structure of the poem.

In short, I believe that the strength of this poem lies in the way in which the author manages to utilize the titular mechanism to present a distressing scenario and evoke a corresponding emotional response. The fact that the structure of the poem is similar to a cycle itself is an especially interesting feature that reinforces the conveyed meaning.

I believe that the author would benefit from revising some minor aspects of the poem, including its punctuation and certain phrasings. Due to the nature of this piece, some minor errors could potentially be mistaken for intentional stylistic choices, which should, of course, be avoided. Aside from punctuation, I do not think there is much else that the author needed to correct.

Ultimately, this is a deeply distressing poem, and the way in which the author conveys the cyclicality of emotional pain is truly powerful. The structure of the poem plays a significant role in this, as the way in which it repeats itself mirrors the reframing of the speaker’s thoughts. As such, this piece is undeniably strong in its current state, and I do not think that there is much that the author needed to change.

Lovely work<3