Blueprint

Hey there!! I’m here to give you a review on this frankly chilling poem.
First of all, welcome to YWS!! I hope you’re enjoying it here so far--I do hope you keep posting more of your wonderful poetry, this was a treat to read :D
I love how you’ve used one metaphor and deepened it so well--often, it’s easy to fall into the trap of wanting every metaphor on the page, but this is so cohesive!! This one theme of woodworking and carpentry follows through to the very last line, and it never gets old. I think it also fits with those arts usually being connected with boys, and the narrator wanting to escape that trap.
I also love how I didn’t immediately recognize what this poem was about--that might sound counterintuitive, but good poetry makes you think a bit!! Once I realized that it was about a trans woman’s experience, it made it all the more devastatingly meaningful.
The rhythm is also beautiful--I feel as though if I read it out loud, it would bounce along, with all the right emphasis. Good job with that :)
Here are some of my favorite lines: (though every line in this poem is MAGNIFICENT.)

I was six when I learned
a hammer doesn't ask—
it insists.
Each nail a prayer to the god of sameness.

WHAT?! I love this!! So cutting and deep, with few words.

Told me: you’re a beam, not a window.
Told me: be useful, not seen.

Also LOVING this repetition--it definitely adds another layer of depth :D I’m a sucker for repeating things twice, and you’ve executed it perfectly.

My hands knew flowers
before they knew fists.

This was one of the lines that lead me to the meaning of the poem, and it’s beautiful.
Overall, just BRAVO for this. I adored reading it, with all its depth, metaphor, and rhythm. I hope to see you around the site!
Keep writing!
<3, chem

Hello and Happy Pride Month!!! This is such a beautiful poem and I'm here to give it the review that it deserves!

First off, I would just like to say that this poem really made me stop and think. I used to be a homophobe and fell victim to a lot of conservative media and values being preached all over the internet, but I sort of just let go of that hatred the more I made friends online. It's easier to meet all sorts of people, but not so easy to suddenly cut ties with them because they're against some silly little belief system you value a little too much.

But even after the fact, I never actually considered how hurtful it must feel for people - especially people close to you, that you care about - to try and make you fit a mold that you just don't fit.

I feel like most people would be perturbed or a bit lost because of the lack of structure throughout, but I actually really enjoyed it.

I also love how each metaphor (there's a lot of them too) branches off of the same theme of carpentry, and how they're being used to draw parallels between how tools shape something to give it a purpose or use with this controlling figure and how he talks down to the speaker like a hammer would beat down a nail. Very consistent throughout and very vivid. It literally gave me chills.

I can totally see where the speaker is coming from because, again, I've had a lot of friends who've been in similar situations with their parents and felt the same way.

My father
measured my shoulders
with a carpenter’s tape.
He said: this is where the weight goes.
Then he drew a line from my neck
down to my hips
& called it
straight.

Also, the beginning in particular I thought was genius. You really know how to capture people's attention and that's something I really admire and hope to achieve in my work as well.

Overall, this is a very beautiful poem that had me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. Keep up the amazing work!!