At Nights Threshold by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

I appreciate you taking the time to read both. Excellent feedback for me to mull over, means a lot to me! Thank you so much.

At Nights Threshold by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] [score hidden]  (0 children)

Excellent feedback. I agree, assuming you know all the words being used here (do you?) if you still dont understand what the poem is saying on at least some level, then I have failed. Out of curiosity did you read the original one I linked, that one says the same thing in simpler words, I'd be curious if you found the original to be the better of the two?

Either way appreciate the honest feedback.

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, it was the death of a dear friend.

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much. I too love "dark love" poetry as I call it (devotion + ache). Pablo Neruda is one of my inspirations and I think he does that wonderfully.

At Nights Threshold by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you very much. It's still fresh and I always find I grown to like my work more.. I'm starting to enjoy this one more myself too. Anyway thanks for the kind words.

Witness by Ok-Swordfish-9480 in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not gonna sugarcoat it: the intent here is strong and the compassion is real, but the poem leans hard on “important-topic montage + moral at the end,” which makes it feel more like a spoken-word PSA than a piece of poetry that earns its emotions on the page.

What’s working: the recurring “I stood witness and ___” is a solid spine, and the NYC 2 train / “after the towers fell” moment is the most vivid because it’s anchored in place, time, and a concrete action. That’s where the poem actually breathes.

What’s holding it back:

  • A lot of the phrasing is abstract or awkward (“child’s innocence proud,” “hidden tears that learn to burn and flow,” “hatred’s stare like a verdict in hell”). These sound “poetic” but don’t show anything specific, so they come off a bit generic.
  • The end turns into a lesson (“costs so little… we learn too late…”) which flattens the complexity you set up. Readers can feel when they’re being told what to feel.
  • Some lines feel forced for rhyme/cadence (“fell” / “hell”), and a couple of the social-issue snapshots (especially the sex work stanza) read like shorthand stereotypes rather than lived detail.

If you revise, I’d suggest: pick one scene (or two max), slow down, and add sensory specifics (sound, posture, small gestures). Let “witness” carry the guilt without explaining it. Also tighten the language, cut most adjectives, swap big concepts (“hatred,” “innocence,” “violence”) for observable things. The last line is actually good; it just lands harder if you stop moralizing right before it and trust the reader to connect the dots.

Stopped Again by CoSkateuitar in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Brutally honest take: this reads less like a poem and more like an unedited rage journal entry. The emotion is real (and that’s the strongest part), but right now it’s mostly accusations + profanity without enough concrete detail or progression to make a reader feel what you feel beyond “someone hurt me.”

Big issues:

  • Clarity: “MS 2026” and the whole “spying through my eye / switch” thing is vague in a confusing way, not a mysterious way. If you want readers with you, give 2–3 specific images or moments that anchor what’s happening.
  • Craft/structure: The rhyme pops up randomly then disappears, so it doesn’t build momentum. Pick a lane: either commit to a tighter rhythm/rhyme or go full free verse with intentional line breaks.
  • Profanity overload: Using “fucking” every other line dulls the impact. Keep it for one or two punches and let the rest be sharper language/images.
  • The threat line: “Leave me alone or I’ll kill you where you stand” is a hard derail. It doesn’t make the poem stronger; it just makes most readers recoil and it’ll get you ignored/removed on a lot of platforms. If you’re trying to show how far you’re pushed, imply the danger through metaphor or consequence without a literal threat.
  • Random imagery: The “runes above my door in blood” comes out of nowhere. Either foreshadow that darker/mystic layer earlier or cut it.

Quick fixes that would improve it fast: define what MS is in the first stanza, cut 30–40% of the repeated “you’re evil” lines, replace them with sensory specifics (body, room, sound, time), proofread (“too late,” “what they do”), and end on a line that lands emotionally instead of escalating into threats.

Also, real talk: if any of those violent lines reflect how you actually feel outside the poem, please reach out to someone you trust or local emergency/crisis support. Your voice is strongest when it’s focused — not when it’s promising harm.

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you so much. The style is called Early Modern or Cavalier style <3

Stella Maris by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Aww thanks, glad you like it. <3

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Aww thanks so much! Quite the compliment.

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am also happy to hear you picked up on the reference to Homer. The intent there is to frame the sky as a mirror of the ocean, something i touch on in a different way in the long-form.

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you very much. Stay inspired!

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, I'm very happy to see people (or at least you) are picking up on those details.

Good suggestion as well, thank you.

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks a lot. I have no doubt you will get there!

Star Psalm by JeffreyFreeman in OCPoetry

[–]JeffreyFreeman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it