Karen Ann Jacobs's E-Mail Address: eyra@sbcglobal.net
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Below you will see ALL of the Critiques that Karen Ann Jacobs has given on The Poetic Link.
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Displaying Critiques 51 to 82 out of 82 Total Critiques.| Poem Title | Poet Name | Critique Given by Karen Ann Jacobs | Critique Date |
| japanese verse 41 (Rainbow) | Erzahl Leo M. Espino | A person blind from birth would understand what a rainbow is by hearing this poem. This is the feeling of a rainbow. This is a nice poem to have running through my head as I go to sleep. Night and happy dreams. | 2004-07-06 00:57:55 |
| japanese verse 48 (Worms) | Erzahl Leo M. Espino | This one made me smile and reminded me of my young days of fishing. I liked worms better then fish eggs. Thanks for letting me know the order of your posting of these. You should make a daily calendar and sell it. Thank you for all the information you gave me in your reply to my review. I'm learning that everyone has a different view. | 2004-07-06 00:53:53 |
| Sleepless in Colombo | Mark Andrew Hislop | I’ve never really had trouble sleeping, but after reading this poem I can sympathize better. This poem really places the feelings on the page. So much so, that I can almost feel the inability to sleep myself. My spouse sometimes has trouble getting to sleep. I feel bad and try to wish him to sleep. Gods, I can feel the frustration of laying there, looking around when you’d rather be sleeping. Working on the phrases to describe what you see and feel instead of being allowed to rest. This was my absolutely favorite verse. It just stood made my eyes feel heavy but sore with fatigue. My eyes’ canopies flicker Like old men threatening to die Awake, asleep, awake, they’re mindless Or should be. The ending was perfect. It was an eloquent turn of phrase that encapsulated the longing to sleep. Thank your for sharing this. I hope you get some sleep soon. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-05 18:32:44 |
| Crystalline Life Collage | Robert Wyma | Wow, I needed to take a deep breath after this poem. This totally made me think of a person in an argument, who finally gets to have a say so is saying everything at once and in one breath. It did slow down. I was able to gulp a breath between, “in mighty waves of suffering” (and) “ripping pieces sharp”. The absence of any capitalization helps emphasis the “spewing” feeling of this poem. I’m sorry I can’t think of any better word to describe the feeling. It’s a good spewing, though. If we hold things in too long we spew. The flow seemed to slow from that point, like the words were being wrung from an almost dry sponge. Perhaps this poem should be titled, “Bottled Life Collage.” I understand your choice of the word crystalline, it’s classier then Bottled. The more I think about it the more I like Crystalline better then Bottled. So never mind that suggestion. I had to go back over the poem and mentally break it up to gather the separate meanings. I could feel them, but it was hard to consciously examine them. Upon closer examination of the separated words and prhases I am left with that disturbed feeling one has after a nightmare. Thank you for sharing this tightly packed and powerful poem. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-05 15:11:12 |
| In Anticipation of the Pines | Joanne M Uppendahl | I know that the title of this poem says Anticipation, but it fits as a last poem of the trip as well. It mentions the beginning, but it could be summing up the trip, and planning the next. This poem is so versatile. This has been a great series of poems. Joanne you are a truly gifted writer. I can’t wait to start in on your July poems. I can see you reading this poem at the end of your poetry reading. This poem has a slow, tired, but happy rhythm to it. These words emphasize this feeling: “beach at dark” “drowsy shore” “curve to an end”. You and the other great poets here have made me totally addicted to TPL. Thank you and more please. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-04 22:22:28 |
| Mother Sea's Recipe (Serves Two) | Joanne M Uppendahl | I love this form. It’s complex but easy to understand. The metaphor is built in instead of saying, “Hey, this is like this.” You show it. The only thing that doesn’t seem to fit to me is, “Serves two” in the title. I guess it would fit if Mom didn’t take anyone else but her child. Which would be cool, too. It was just a part that made me pause. This is a poem that if I saw it in a magazine, I’d cut it out and put it on the fridge. The ending really got me. It gave that feeling you get when a puppy does something cute, you know, like breathing. Thank you, Kay-Ren | 2004-07-04 11:46:27 |
| Tending Tending | Molly Johnson | I really liked this poem. I loved the imagery and the erotic feel of it. I felt that at any moment passion would overrun the both of you and my computer screen would fog up. I agree that the title doesn’t do it justice. The title is too structured and doesn’t hint at the tornado waiting to be unleashed. I felt a breathless basking, savoring anticipation, and pleasant torture. These feelings coupled with the organic images made this poem about and for savoring. For a title, how about: Natural Tendencies It Is Natural Natural Savor Nature’s Couple I hope these help. Thank you for sharing this poem. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-03 12:35:02 |
| I Am Fred Chapter 111 | marilyn terwilleger | I went back and found the other two parts of Fred’s story. This is an adorable story. It’s too bad that the subject is so adult, because I think Fred could star in a children’s book. I can completely see him and the house. You’ve developed a wonderful character here, and I hope you continue to see where he will take you. The only suggestion I would make, would be to adhere a little more to standard grammar. I don’t think a few more commas or periods would hurt the flow. I look forward to reading what Fred does next. Thank you for sharing these poems. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-03 11:49:49 |
| japanese verse 50 (Swallows) | Erzahl Leo M. Espino | So far I’ve read “Belt”, “Zephyr”, and now “Swallow”. I really liked “Belt” and “Zephyr”. I saw “Swallow” on my list and I smiled. I couldn’t wait to see what this little gem would be like. I am tempted to skip ahead and read all your Japanese verse, but I like looking forward to them. I’m not sure how to critique or review each one, as I am not versed on the form. I can tell you how each one made me feel. “Belt” made me giggle and think of the Movie “Karate Kid”. “Belt” was the first one I read and I wanted to say that I liked it, but I didn’t want to leave such a short comment. “Zephyr” I thought was brilliant. It captured the awe I feel every time I see a little ‘dirt devil’ racing across the road, kicking up dirt and debris with it’s little funnel. “Swallow,” It’s just magnificent. I am jealous of bird’s ability to play in the clouds. Have you seen the movie the “Birds”? It was scary, but it added another element, perhaps even a greater respect for them then I had before I saw that movie. I love these poems. They are treats. They’re like chocolate to me. A little piece is precious, but it leaves me craving more because it was so good. I don’t want to gorge myself, though, because that would remove the treat aspect. If you have a moment, some time when you aren't busy, could you drop me an email (eyra@sbcglobal.net) about how to do Japanese verse, please? Thank you and I can’t wait to read more of your work, but I’m going to make myself wait. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-03 11:28:50 |
| I Know You Love Me | Edwin John Krizek | I enjoyed and related with this poem. I really liked this part: “I wonder when it happened that thoughts of you replaced the demons.” It made me want to get up and yell, “Yeah, that is so cool!” This part confused me a little: “Our touching and rubbing remind me of sunbathing nude on a summer day.” I don’t see how laying nude in the sun, which is a still and solitary thing to do, can relate to “touching and rubbing”. I’ve sunbathed nude and I’ve felt daring and naughty. Perhaps you mean it that way and I’m getting hung up on stillness verses movement. I read the poem again, trying to see it from just the feelings of the acts, but it still tripped me. This is a wonderful poem, perhaps after reading the other reviews, I'll see that passage in a different light. I really liked this poem. Thank you for sharing it, Kay-Ren | 2004-07-03 10:13:06 |
| Daybreak | Jana Buck Hanks | Hi Jana, I totally get this poem and I’m jealous. I miss being able to walk outside and experience such natural beauty. I walk outside and I see a very crowded street. My neighbor sneezes, I say, “Bless you”, and he replies, “Thank you,” before we realized what we’ve done. This poem did not just flow it glided. The climax of this poem was perfect. I really enjoyed it. Can I come to your house? Thank you. I’m really glad I read this poem. Where do you live again? Kay-Ren | 2004-07-03 00:51:52 |
| Life | Stephanie Corrine Mueller | Despair and confusion war with a desire to find hope in this poem. This poem flowed gracefully from one feeling to the next. There is always hope. Search for the positive course and cling. Thanks for sharing this poem. I hope you’ll share more. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-03 00:39:40 |
| The Cancer of Tropics | Mark Andrew Hislop | This reminded me of Dennis Leary. I was glad to get to the end so I could take a breath. When you rant, you rant with style. All those images and all that anger, I feel like you rode me hard and instead of putting me away you just shrugged, turned and walked away. I was left sitting here, with my eyebrows raised, wondering, what did I do? I’m glad you added the little thing at the bottom, were you said, “I guess I just had a bad day.” Remind me never to get you mad at me. All the topics were great, but I had my favorites. My favorites were, “a sauna of struggling ambition,” and “a moustache as a lonely emblem of manhood.” Thanks for placing this Poem were I was able to read it. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-01 17:17:56 |
| Electron Self | Carolyn Gale McGovern-Bowen | I felt that most of this poem was very free flowing as was the intent. This phrase really tripped me up, “Living lottery lives”. It’s probably just me, but it seemed too clever. It stood out from the rest of the phrases, and I had the thought that it might be a better title or an ending. I hope this makes since. If not please drop me an email and I’ll try state my meaning more clearly. Have you thought about a different word instead of living? Perhaps “animating lottery lives”? I really liked the message of this poem. The last line felt light, and I am left with a floating feeling. Thank you for placing this poem where I would have a chance to experience it. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-01 12:30:13 |
| Eternal | Thomas H. Smihula | I really liked the flow of this poem. I feel the rhythm is perfect. The meter and your choice of words take a dire subject and give it hope. You’ve shown the positive and purposeful side of death. Death isn’t something we want to have in our lives, but what kind of lives would we have without it? Getting back to your poem, sorry about starting to head off on a tangent, I like the feel that the placement of the lines gave the poem. The lines that jutted out make a statement, to me, that they were the rulers of this poem, so I read just those lines. Now I see this poem as two that were merged. Two have to merge to make the birth of one. In this case the birth of this poem. Thank you for placing this poem where I was able to have the chance to read it. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-01 01:42:31 |
| Old Age | Edwin John Krizek | I’m the opposite. I love winter and dread the summer heat. It gets up around 110 here. My roses and I burn. I really like your writing style. It’s easy to identify with the outer layer, but after thinking about it, other deeper meanings are exposed. Maybe it is just me, but I feel the claustrophobia of the darkness in this poem is about more then just the weather. Sometimes our lives are full of a darkness that engulfs us. We struggle through those times of our lives, hoping to just see the ‘light at the end of the tunnel’. As long as we keep moving we will see the light again, and we’ll reach it. Sometimes the light isn’t where or what we expected it to be. It is always there. Sorry if I’m sounding preachy. I’m speaking as much for myself as for you. Thanks for posting this poem where I would get to read it. Hang in there. Kay-Ren | 2004-07-01 01:22:00 |
| Shadows of Youth | Edwin John Krizek | I’d love to say that I don’t get this poem, but I do. Although when I read over things I wrote when I younger, I laugh. I was kind of expecting a nature related metaphor at the end of the poem instead of a more spiritual one. Upon examining the choice closer I see that the poem takes us through your growth by eloquently and subtly demonstrating it with strong visual images that we all can recognize. So that we are left feeling that you are more spiritual as an adult then when you were younger and more rooted in solid things. The brackets were the only things that really threw me off. To me they detracted from the poem's power. Just my opinion though. Thank you for sharing this wonderful poem. Kay-Ren P.S. We can still go to jazz clubs. | 2004-07-01 00:40:04 |
| Alabaster Angel Wings | Wayne R. Leach | I read this poem before bed last night and it affected me right away. I tried to write about how it made me feel, but my review was scattered. I went to bed and dreamed about this poem. This is a very powerful poem. You portrayed the frustration, pain and confusion not just with the word’s meanings, but with the word’s sounds. I think my biggest trouble with reviewing this poem is that it reminds me how I felt after my ‘fall from grace’ and right before I decided to live for myself instead of a religion. It was a nasty transition. Phew. Now that I’ve gotten that out I can look at other things in this poem. You used two phrases that give me shivers, “Gray Screams” and “Brain Grave”. I have to say that I don’t think you are not crazy. Keep moving forward and things will clear. Good luck, Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren | 2004-06-30 10:48:44 |
| BEFORE WE…. | Wayne R. Leach | Phew. That was an intense and heart wrenching poem. I love the phrases you created for this poem. The rhyme scheme, especially in the first stanza, was like getting hit with a one – two punch. I was left with a visual image of someone pounding out his or her frustration, calming for a moment, then pounding again. The first two lines of this poem stick with me the most. The last stanza just knocks me out. Once a chance is past, it’s gone. I used to think I’d never have any regrets, but that is not how it worked out. We just have to remember that we are made from our mistakes and our successes. Thank you for sharing this poem. Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren | 2004-06-29 17:20:17 |
| The Christmas Angel | Michael N. Fallis | This was definitely a ‘warm and fuzzy’ poem. The sentiment through out the entire poem felt like Christmas should always be. The ending was just beautiful and touching. The ending made me feel like you'd given me a gift with your wish. In the third and forth stanza you might have used the word Christmas too much. Have you thought about maybe calling the tree, in the forth stanza, Douglas Tree, instead of Christmas Tree? It’s just an idea. As I read this poem over again, my mind added the word “And” to the very start of the last stanza. This poem was really good. I was reminded of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. I hope you’ll pass this poem down with the angel. It’s really good. Thank you for sharing this poem. Only six months till Christmas. Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren | 2004-06-29 16:53:54 |
| ♥ Moon Dance ♥ | Carolyn Gale McGovern-Bowen | I can almost see myself lying out on the grass, gazing up at the moon, and feeling all these feelings about her and thinking all these thoughts. The only place where I really tripped was the two lines that rhymed. “Ageless embrace, Mute illumined grace,” You hadn’t done any rhyming in the rest of the poem, so having these two words rhyme felt funny. They changed the flow of the poem for me. I really enjoyed the images and feelings your poem conveyed about the moon. This poem reminds me that it has been too long since I went outside, lay in the grass and just looked at the moon for a while. I miss doing that. Maybe I'll have to sneak outside some night, soon. Thank you for sharing this poem, Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren | 2004-06-29 15:21:08 |
| INSIDE MY HEAD | Michael N. Fallis | This is now forever a favorite of mine. I loved it!!! It had me nodding in agreement and then it made me laugh out loud. I loved the lighthearted rhyme scheme that I could almost tap my foot to. This is a poem that I can easily see circulating the world in emails. Is it okay if I print it out and read it to my spouse, my mother-in-law and my eldest son, please? I’m sorry I can’t find any thing wrong with your poem. I don’t have any suggestions for improvements. I think it’s perfect just the way it is. Thank you for writing and sharing this awesome poem! I’m still smiling. Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren | 2004-06-29 15:04:32 |
| The Perseids Are Coming | Joanne M Uppendahl | I loved this poem. As I was reading it, a picture popped into my head and stayed there. I saw an anchorman sitting behind his anchor desk trying hard not to be excited about the news he was giving. The audience can tell, though, that he can’t wait to get out there and see this sight for himself. His excitement transferred to me. Although, I felt a little sorry for him because he’ll probably have to work reporting this sight instead of seeing it. I’ve never really gotten such a clear image of a narrator before without the narrator being described. I think it was the artful way your poem shifts between dry commentaries in one phrase to energetic imagery in the next line. The voice speaking this poem has a personality and my brain couldn’t help but add a picture to it. Great poem and thank you for letting us read it. Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren | 2004-06-29 14:13:37 |
| The Black Waltz | Lynda G Smith | This poem had an old-world feel to it. I’d loved the ending, when all that the poem alluded to was stated plainly. As I read, the cadence of the poem pulled me along. Even though I had many guess as to the message of this poem, the poem twirled me about and onward. When I reach the end, the music and the words had stopped; I stood faced with knowing that I would die and knowing that most creatures don’t know their fate. I have to agree that they are probably better off for not knowing. Thank you for sharing this wonderful waltz. Karen Ann Jacobs aka Kay-Ren P.S. This poem was perfectly named, in my opinion. | 2004-06-29 13:39:17 |
| THE CLOUD THAT FOLLOWS ME | Michael N. Fallis | I really liked the rhyme scheme in this poem. The rhyme felt happy as it pulled me along. To me it felt like the content was in conflict with the rhyme. If this was your purpose then you did it perfectly. I identified with the message. Thank you for sharing this poem. Kay-Ren | 2004-06-21 23:49:19 |
| Spiritoso | Jana Buck Hanks | There is so much meaning packed into each phrase of this poem. I feel that I'm just getting the gist of its meaning and if I knew what Spiritoso was I would understand this poem. Gods, I'm going to be trying to figure this out. I have that feeling that, in a flash, I will understand and I'll feel silly for not connecting sooner. Thank you for the puzzle. Kay-Ren | 2004-06-21 21:02:09 |
| Return to Reeow | Regis L Chapman | I finished this poem feeling confused. I read it again and this time I read your notes. Yep, confusion and pain mixed with a little anger. There are some things we just never get over. We live with them, but they are a part of us. I don't believe in forgetting as long as the memories don't keep us from living. I understand the emotions of this poem and I'm glad they are in your past. Kay-ren | 2004-06-21 20:43:19 |
| Morning Coffee | Edwin John Krizek | You make me sad that I didn't fall in love with a poet. I would love to receive a poem like this one. I could almost smell the coffee and the cool morning air as I read the great imagery you've painted with just a few words. I'm learning a lot by reading your poems. My favorite part, that made me giggle, was "A gaggle of wheeled vehicles". In that simple phrase you made me feel that the cars passing by were silly gooses and didn't belong. Okay, I'll stop gushing on you. Thank you for letting us read this. Kay-ren | 2004-06-21 19:52:43 |
| Jaden | Jana Buck Hanks | This is a beautiful poem for a beautifully named baby. I felt a bit jolted that the first two verses rhymed and the second two didn't. This poem still conveys a feeling of soft awe. | 2004-06-21 19:43:32 |
| Regret | Edwin John Krizek | This poem hits close to home. It flowed wonderfully and I loved the feel of it. I can't find anything wrong or anything I'd change. Thank you for sharing this poem. I wish we didn't have to age. I have to go cheer myself up now, though. :) | 2004-06-21 19:35:07 |
| Dancing For The Gods | Rick Barnes | I was really enjoying this poem until I ran into the word thrum. I'm not sure what the word thrum means but my gut wanted to say thrummed instead of thrum. I've looked up thrum. Yahoo dictionary said, "To play (a stringed instrument) idly or monotonously: thrummed a guitar." That explains why the word was familiar to me but I wasn't sure about it. My estranged Mom was a classical guitarist. I think thrummed would have kept the flow better. I loved your use of the word sashay. There is something about that word that just makes me smile. I had to think about the ending before I got it. I think I get it now. You were saying, "hindsight is 20/20". I really like the way you phrase those last two lines. Thanks for a very enjoyable read and for the smile. | 2004-06-21 19:28:57 |
| Hacking Chestnuts | G. Donald Cribbs | I feel I am defective, because I didn't understand this poem at all. Maybe I don't get it, because I am a girl and I played "Pencils" in school, too. Something that might help a silly girl to understand a boy's viewpoint is if you used "The Loser's shattered" instead of "The Losers shatter". Then we would see that you were talking about your nuts. I really liked the flow of the first paragraph. I could envision your world as a boy by just the few words you used. I hope this helps, Kay | 2004-06-17 21:55:11 |
| Poem Title | Poet Name | Critique Given by Karen Ann Jacobs | Critique Date |
Displaying Critiques 51 to 82 out of 82 Total Critiques.
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