Hey there! I saw this in the Green Room, so I figured I'd come and review it.
I've been to the Philippines, though I've never been to Iligan, so I found this poem quite interesting. I could really picture the scene here. Overall, I think this is a very powerful poem in subject matter and overall imagery, but you could reword some of your lines to make it flow better.
In this quite a crowded place
You don't need the 'a'.
Well, I immediately recognize you
Like you will recognize any blue-blooded fellow
Who was once biting a silver spoon
But by any means, was biting her nails beside the streets.
It's unclear what 'you' you're referring to here. 'You' in the second line seems to be referring to a general, all-encompassing 'you', which isn't a good idea when you're referring to a specific person throughout the rest of the poem.
I'd recommend changing 'once biting' to 'once bit' to make it feel more immediate. Your last line also doesn't make much sense - "by any means" means that the person tried really hard to get there, which I don't think is the case. I think "but now" is more along the lines of what you mean. Overall, however, I'd recommend reworking this stanza entirely to make it feel more immediate. Don't write it like you're speaking - things like "Well," tend to detract from the flow. Instead, add a few more sensory details to the woman biting her nails in the street. What else is going on around her?
Of rocks in the mountains, and water cascading between them
You don't need the comma, and "and" should be "with."
Where was that royalty that I saw before?
Should be "Where is," but overall, I think the line is rather weak because you're just asking a direct question.
I really like your last two lines - they convey the tone very clearly and wrap up your poem well. Anyway, I hope this helped a bit!
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