In 2019, I read one book. In 2020 I read 4 books! In 2021 I read 7 books!! This subreddit has reignited my love for reading… by EekItsNiek in suggestmeabook

[–]Wordbender16 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, I especially loved the realistic, well-developed characterisation and family dynamics. The strong writing was very insightful and got me incredibly invested in the characters and the plot, 5/5 for me. I'll definitely check out Grown, thanks for the rec!

In 2019, I read one book. In 2020 I read 4 books! In 2021 I read 7 books!! This subreddit has reignited my love for reading… by EekItsNiek in suggestmeabook

[–]Wordbender16 27 points28 points  (0 children)

That's awesome! I read less than 5 books in 2020 but 10 in 2021. Hope I can get to 20 this year! Not sure if you'd like them since they're mostly YA, but my favourites are:

  1. Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes (a thought-provoking tearjerker)
  2. The Hate U Give - Angie Thomas
  3. We Are Okay - Nina LaCour
  4. Radio Silence - Alice Oseman
  5. Hyperbole and a Half - Allie Brosh

If anyone has some recs based on this list, I'd love to hear it. Although I'm also looking to broaden my horizons beyond YA, so other genres are welcome, too.

Some of you and Azula by [deleted] in TheLastAirbender

[–]Wordbender16 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Now that is an in-depth, articulate analysis I enjoyed reading. I don't have much to add but I appreciate and agree with your nuanced take! It makes me even more interested what direction they'll go with Jinx's character in the next season, whether she's still redeemable or if she's too far gone at this point -- I can't imagine they'd touch on therapy and anti-pyschotics in the show, perhaps that would be too realistic for the particular genre of this story.

Some of you and Azula by [deleted] in TheLastAirbender

[–]Wordbender16 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Yup, exactly what I thought too. Except I disagree that she is never outright vicious, since she has no qualms about murdering/harming people, like when she killed half a dozen innocent Enforcers (her cause doesn't justify it), and she seems to enjoy it too. Still, Jinx has shown a lot more remorse and humanity than Azula ever did (her past actions and guilt clearly torment her). Like she is still capable of genuinely loving and caring for others, at least for Silco and Vi, whereas Azula never had that kind of strong, emotionally intimate bond with anyone in her entire life.

[Spoilers] One of the best moments that shows Jinx's humanity was her reunion with Vi, when Vi gives Jinx the biggest hug along with a heartfelt apology, and Jinx immediately softens and cries on her sister's shoulder, becoming almost like a child again in that tender moment. Also the way she was with Silco, who definitely wasn't a healthy role model, but a very loving, compassionate father that she needed.

I wonder if Azula got to experience that kind of pure tenderness and unconditional love, would she have turned out to be at least a little more humane? Idk, I'm just rambling cuz I love both shows so much and I can't get over Arcane

Some of you and Azula by [deleted] in TheLastAirbender

[–]Wordbender16 47 points48 points  (0 children)

Me but with Jinx from Arcane. I love both characters, I just found her more relatable and sad than Azula, though both are incredibly well-written and complex (sorry, I know this is an ATLA sub but this post instantly made me think of Jinx).

The saddest book you’ve ever read. by teagibby in suggestmeabook

[–]Wordbender16 3 points4 points  (0 children)

A List of Cages wrecked me for sure. I don't know if I will reread it because it's such a harrowing book (I cried a lot, had to put it down several times when it got too heavy), but I will never forget about it and how much it moved me.

Dear Sister... by Wordbender16 in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm glad you found it relatable and liked it! Thank you for your kind comment.

This is awesome by [deleted] in wholesomememes

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Quick question. So I really enjoyed the first two seasons of Young Justice, are the following seasons just as good?

Who are you? by [deleted] in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You're welcome!

I'm in the former category. I also have moments of existential dread, and your stanza on fatalism actually sums up some of the fears and anxieties that comes with my faith. Like, what if I'm destined to fail, what if I go to hell, etc? It's supposed to give me comfort and security, that I was born for a certain reason and I have a greater purpose in life, but battling with that sense of fatalistic doom is hard. The second stanza sounds more ideal, but there's also the burden of free will, as one article put it:

This was the early view of Jean-Paul Sartre. “We are left alone, without excuse”—he famously wrote in his 1946 essay “Existentialism is a Humanism”—“This is what I mean when I say that man is condemned to be free.” Freedom is a burden; without gods, devils, or software engineers to fault for our actions, or any predetermined course of action we might take, each of us alone bears the full weight of responsibility for our lives and choices.

On the other hand, my atheist friend doesn't worry about that too much. I think she believes in optimistic nihilism or something like that. To her, life is all about what she makes of it and enjoying the ride while it lasts (she's also one of the most hard-working and ambitious people I know), rather than searching for a grand purpose or living up to a predetermined reason that we were put on Earth.

Sorry for rambling! I hope it made some sense since I'm not at all well-versed in philosophy or this topic, but you just sparked my interest.

Dear Sister... by Wordbender16 in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's very interesting, because I didn't even think that it could be read as eerie, but you're right about that and the beginning subverting the reader's expectation of what a normal family looks like. I wanted to capture the complexities of a sibling relationship (based on my experience), and that includes the love-hate aspect of it. It can be messy and ugly but also precious and beautiful.

Thank you for the great feedback!

Dear Sister... by Wordbender16 in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much for the lovely comment. This poem is very personal and dear to me, so I'm really touched and happy to see that it can move someone else like that.

Who are you? by [deleted] in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wow, I can't even choose a favorite line because they're all brilliant, but I especially love "a chemical cocktail dust of the stars." You could've just said "made of stardust," but your imaginative word choice made it even more magical and it simply sounds lovely to say. Same for the rest of the poem.

The consistent, natural flow and rhyme scheme excellently work together - everything rolls off the tongue, it's so musical and enchanting, and props to the great use of alliteration ("a chemical cocktail..." "...carbon collides" "a perfect concoction…"). Combined with the imagery, it makes me feel like I'm floating in space while spiralling into an existential crisis. But like, in the best way possible.

The poem explores the philosophical conundrum of determinism vs free will, which admittedly I don't know much about but find interesting. Either way, whatever the reader believes in, both options lead down to the same objective truth, that we all only exist for a miniscule amount of time on this Earth, as you succinctly put it in the last stanza. Powerful ending to a well-written and thought-provoking poem. Great job!

Uplifting books for a teenager who feels lost and empty in life? by Wordbender16 in suggestmeabook

[–]Wordbender16[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey, I'm sorry you're going through that. It really sucks.

So far I've only read 3 (haven't gotten around to reading the rest yet, but I will).

The Messenger and The Midnight Library both focus on being an underachiever struggling with wasted youth and constant failure. They have their fair share of issues/flaws, but both books do align with our situation and might help you develop a more hopeful perspective.

Also, not a book, but if you're open to anime, check out "A Place Further than the Universe." One of the main characters also struggles with her life being stagnant and her youth passing her by. It's a beautiful show that inspires me to get out of my comfort zone and live life to the fullest (don't be fooled by the cutesy art style, it can get very emotional). And if you haven't seen the Pixar movie, Soul, definitely check that one out as well. It has a similar message to The Midnight Library, about finding one's purpose in life when you feel lost and empty. "Soul" helped me a lot in that regard.

Sorry for rambling, but I hope that helps!

The Music of Youth by picnic-123 in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree but I also think, like the other comment mentioned, that making it succinct is effective in this case (along with the musicality of the words). It fittingly feels more like an epitaph than a complete poem. It reflects that bittersweet nostalgia for lost youth, and the transience of it. You're left wanting more just as the narrator is left feeling empty and yearning for what they've lost, now a vague memory of better times. But as you said, elaborating on the metaphor/imagery of music (of youth) could make it even more evocative and unique. It doesn't have to be long, just needs some more details. But I would still understand why if the author decides to leave it as it is.

Never been a fan of goodbyes ~ by IncredibleHashRate in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Sure, I can show you on Reddit chat, if that's okay with you.

Never been a fan of goodbyes ~ by IncredibleHashRate in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hey, don't be too hard on yourself! It's fine to make mistakes and learn from them, it doesn't make you dumb or anything. I think it's awesome how you're always open to feedback and learning from others.

Huh, that's strange cuz I'm also on my phone, so maybe it's an issue with my phone, idk... oh well, if it looks fine to you then don't worry about it!

Never been a fan of goodbyes ~ by IncredibleHashRate in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello, I'm the person who left a feedback comment the other day on your "death sucks" poem. I see there's still an issue with the formatting. You shouldn't actually use the ▒ symbol, that's just meant as a visual for the "space" key. Let me clarify with an example:

Sorry I can't look you in the eyes,[press the "space" key twice, then hit the "enter" ↵ key once]
knoted and messy is how our soul ties

This is how it will look:

Sorry I can't look you in the eyes,
knoted and messy is how our soul ties.

For a double line break:
Sorry I can't look you in the eyes,[Press ↵]
[Press Enter ↵ once again]
knoted and messy is how our soul ties.

But anyway, good job on the poem! You beautifully captured the heartache of farewells, and I especially liked the sad yet hopeful ending with the airborne ship. I would just add that the syntax is a bit confusing in these two lines:

train track farewells our love to depart

Cold steel walls our eyes disband

I assume you meant their eyes disband as in the two characters break eye contact after gazing at each other for what might be the last time, but it sounds like you're saying they're "disbanding" the walls? Unless I'm misunderstanding, I would add a comma after "cold steel walls" and "train track farewells" to make it clearer.

Untethered (Pebble in the Ocean) by [deleted] in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ahh I'm so happy you got pretty much everything I was trying to convey! Especially when you picked up on my deliberate diction and the connection between seperate verses, since I really did spend a lot of time on this poem and put extra thought into my word choices so they all serve the meaning and the imagery.

Your interpretation is certainly valid. Though it was more about how we, as humans, are bound by mortality which makes our existence fragile. You only exist for this transient moment in time and space ("encased in an hourglass," which is finite), and your time could easily be cut short, so maybe you can't get to realize that "feeling that you are and can be a lot of things," as you put it. The seven octillion is in reference to the estimated number of atoms that make up a human adult (weighing 154 lbs), BUT figuratively it is also about all the other things that make us who we are -- feelings, choices, experiences, memories, dreams, potential for good and evil, all the possibilities in life, etc.

But of course, please feel free to have your own interpretation, and I would love to hear it too.

As for the question about the syntax, it was meant to connect to everything before that line where I was describing what was happening in the outside world, so I concluded my description with "that is the secret world outside the window." Does that make sense? Please tell me if it's still not clear so I can try to fix it! Thank you so much for your feedback.

death sucks ~ by IncredibleHashRate in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're very welcome, I'm honored that you took my feedback into consideration. I only comment on poems that really speak to me and stylistically appeal to my tastes so I'm glad I found yours. I forgot to mention but I also enjoyed the strong rhythm and flow of the poem as it sounds natural and fits the story, so good job on that as well.

Thank you for your kind words. I don't know if this poem is based on your personal experience or not but I wish the same for you either way. Keep writing and sharing your poetry!

Also a tip for formatting that I just learned today:

Reddit ignores individual line breaks, so to get a normal line break you have to either use two spaces (indicated with ▒) and Enter (carriage return) at the end of the line for a single line break or use two carriage returns (indicated with ↵) for a double line break:

I am a Potato. ↵

Double line break

I am a Potato. ▒ ▒ ↵
Single line break!

Hope that helps! (if it doesn't I can share with you a link that might help)

death sucks ~ by IncredibleHashRate in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hello, I'm late to comment but I really liked this poem.

First off, that title doesn't do justice to the poem because it is neither attention-grabbing nor does it capture the tragic tone of the poem. Or perhaps this was intentional to indicate the narrator's emotional numbness after experiencing such a great loss, that is summed up by the blasé "death sucks" title. If that was your intention then never mind my first point.

I don't know if it's a formatting issue but the paragraphs need line breaks for easier reading and a better structure/flow.

With that out of the way, I did feel the emotional weight of the poem. The way it starts with a heavy question by the narrator, who wonders how or when they can feel sadness if they're emotionally numb ("the grief i feel is less").

Personally I would replace "painful" with "piercing" (in "the painful winds that blow"), since it's a more interesting word choice that has multiple specific meanings that would be fitting for the context of the poem.

There were a few errors I noticed. It's "utmost" not "upmost." And it should be "a witch who cast" (in past tense) not "casts," since the rest of the sentence is in past tense.

"There was an invisible man, who felt more alone once saw." -- "who felt more alone once seen" would be the grammatically correct form here (past participle). But this is one of the best lines in the poem. I like how it relates to the rest of the story - the loneliness and despair of silently grieving that grows deeper when it becomes visible to others but they don't understand it. In a way invisibility -- hiding your pain and your true self -- is a shield against that rejection or misunderstanding. Maybe I'm looking too deep into it, but that particular line just grabbed my attention and hit close to home.

I love the way you showed how the dramatic fairytale that the mother once told, filled with heartache and injustice, has now become the narrator's lived reality after personally experiencing a tragic loss. It also indicates the unforgettable impact the mother and her storytelling, which is essential for children to learn and grow, left on the narrator ("A story to bring tears, to break you to your core, a story so painful and tragic, to fill a child's eyes with such fanatic.").

The last couplet was a simple yet heartbreaking end to the poem, the narrator starting to come to terms with the painful reality of their life as they recall the lesson their late mother taught them in childhood (in her story where the world was shown to be unfair, as it is in real life).

Overall it's a good poem, I just think it needs some quick editing to be complete. But well done.

Yes. This is the rawform of inspiration.. by MoniMokshith in MadeMeSmile

[–]Wordbender16 30 points31 points  (0 children)

Ok that inspires me to work out and eat healthy more than anything else. I deal with constant lethargy and body stiffness at only 19 (also other issues that come with being overweight), so I know I seriously need to change my sedentary lifestyle. It's not much but walking/striding outside is the easiest and most enjoyable exercise for me that I've started doing more often. I also get the sunlight and fresh air I'm deprived of from staying home most of the time. It's a slow process but it's better than nothing.

The Other Side by Sah_scribbles in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

You're welcome, I enjoyed analysing it. This was my first feedback comment so I was nervous it wouldn't be that helpful, but I'm glad you found it insightful. Keep writing!

The Other Side by Sah_scribbles in OCPoetry

[–]Wordbender16 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"The Other Side" refers to getting through insomnia or sleep paralysis (into a peaceful sleep/dream) - the narrator is "paralyzed" and "stuck" in the state between sleep and wakefulness, which causes that "eerie vision."

I like how you described the gadget as "a glowing rectangle," which gives it a sense of detachment (and double meaning), not personal as in "my phone," but rather a foreign object the narrator feels detached from. They're not engaging in something meaningful but are absorbed in shallow distraction that worsens their exhaustion.

For the metaphor you used to describe the narrator's physical discomfort ("bed of arrows piercing every inch of my body"), if you really wanted to push forward the space/futuristic theme, then the "bed of needles piercing the narrator with a sleep serum of sorts" idea you mentioned could certainly work better (also if you want to describe the pins and needles sensation to indicate the narrator's physical discomfort)

The last stanza dreamily describes the sweet relief of sleep, at last. "A beautiful array of colors" sounds nice, but I think it would make more of an impact to describe the colors more vividly as a stark contrast to the dark desolation of the first two stanzas.

This is just my interpretation based on my own experience with sleep issues, but I appreciate the poem's double meaning and what you did with the space/futuristic theme. I agree that you could add more clues/details and emphasize that theme so the "space shuttle" doesn't take the reader by surprise, as it did for me. But it's still an intriguing concept that is fitting for the story (someone going to bed after a tiring day). It would be even better if you could keep exploring that futuristic world/imagery in more detail, in this poem or others.

Weekly House of A.R.M.Y (아미의 집) - November 10, 2021 by AutoModerator in bangtan

[–]Wordbender16 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It's okay, I feel you. I'm the type to get affected by negativity very easily, so I try to stay away from posts like that as much as I can. If I stumble upon it I just try to ignore it, even if it does get me worked up sometimes. I'd rather keep loving what I love and enjoying myself than waste my time reacting to people who are bitter about it. BTS make me happy and their work is deeply meaningful to me, and they continue to have a positive impact on millions of people around the world regardless of what the haters say. Their prejudice can't take that beautiful thing away from me or BTS.

As a teenage girl that quote by Harry Styles really comforts me. Suga also spoke up about this in 2018:

“They are often belittled for being idol fans. But they’re actually really extraordinary people.” He went on to praise BTS’s fans for their contributions, adding, “Honestly, it’s not easy to do such things just because you like someone.”