lost at sea

lost at sea by stephayyyy
the heart is wanting, the heart is not a metaphorBanner Credit: Melissa

Marta Thinks: This collection of poems ‘lost at sea’ is more than a simple collation of works and pieces; it expresses what we feel and, often, don’t know how to express. Some poems are catharsis, others talk about universal truths. The best ones are rawly honest, such as: “i hate how/the state of my heart/depends on/how fast i can/make yours beat”. Through this cleverly worded verse, we can come to understand a sort of love that can only correlate to someone else’s (as an author’s note puts it succinctly: “In loving you, I forgot how to love myself.”) I think the most skilfully crafted poems are: “to forget”, “searching for you again” and “on growing up”, but I think this says more about myself than about my poetic preferences, and this is what makes the wide range of eighteen poems so attractive. There is most certainly one you can relate to and through which you can newly experience emotions.

What is most interesting, I find, is the summary which denies the heart an intangible meaning and its portrayal as a symbolic instrument, rather; the heart is raw and vivid and real, and beats with a sense of longing. It is written: “the heart is wanting”, and wanting what exactly? Candid, love, meaningful happiness, hope sprinkled across our lives. The heart is wanting, and though these poems are spun with a desperate thrum of sadness, they promise the truth of what we want, and so desperately need.

a moment of possibility

a moment of possibility by his terrible beauty
girl tells boy she's in love with him. a moment of possibility.
Banner Credit: Marta

Marta Thinks: This gorgeously written one-shot manages to pack a punch with a mere 800 words. Through the effective use of
second person, it’s all to easy to share the sentiments of a girl who professes her love to a boy. I think the title captures perfectly what the one-shot shows; a moment in which something is possible. But it’s just that: a moment, and it will pass even though ‘it will come again, I promise.’

wednesday runaways

wednesday runaways by invisibly.inked
shakespeare's got nothin' on us
Banner Credit: Arden

Marta Thinks: ‘wednesday runaways’ is a simple poem, full of simple words and a simple meaning.
There are no grand gestures or words. It is there, for you to read and absorb. After all, runaway lovers is a common enough theme. Despite this, there is something new about this particular piece, this specific line: ‘two stupid teenagers in what they thought was love’. It makes you think. Is the poet right? Or is she voicing the opinion of others and we will never know? The decision is up to you and I think this makes this poem especially magical.

breaths

breaths by a headless butterfly
inhaling is easier than exhaling.
Banner Credit: Melissa

Melissa Thinks: There is not a poem on this site that has touched me as deeply as "breaths" has. What the piece lacks in word count, it makes up for in substance. In particular, the first and last lines stand out to me as being the most meaningful - both of them channeling the poem's emotionally charged theme while helping the reader to piece together the significance of the lines caught between.

Of Ghosts

Of Ghosts by Sam Marino
"I never was afraid of ghosts in the days of my youth, would probably be fearless still if not for meeting you..." 
Banner Credit: Melissa

Helen Thinks: “Of Ghosts” is a lovely piece of angsty poetry by Sam Mariano. Now I know that sounds more like an oxymoron because can angst be lovely? Yet this poem is the proof that it most definitely can! The writing is flawless, the tone soft, gentle and yet there’s an edge to it that helps the meaning behind the prose jump off the page at the reader because I bet that the situation detailed is something that most of our readers can relate to. Who doesn’t have that one ghost in their past that stops them from taking a leap into progressing into their future selves? "Of Ghosts" is a simply fantastic poem that has left me hoping that the writer will write more!

lost cause

lost cause by citrus scented
you made me believe I could fly just to watch me hit the ground. You are not an excuse, you are just the reason.
Banner Credit: Marta

Melissa Thinks: lost cause starts out very "in your face". Aggressively, we are told a love story - one of friendship turned romance turned heartache. The lack of grammar throughout conveys the urgency and pain the narrator feels.

The clear semi-autobiographical nature of this poem is, to me, the most compelling part because you become aware of just how real the feelings are and that makes it all the more emotionally raw to the reader. Through the author's sorrowful experience, a beautiful piece of prose has been created. The soulful writing, stream of consciousness styled formatting, and the use of figurative language succeeds in drawing you in, so that by the end of the fifth stanza, it's as if you are the narrator.

Skinny

Skinny by Autumn's Addiction
For my friend, who is struggling with anorexia nervosa.
Banner Credit: Marta

Helen Thinks: I think I have mentioned before how much I adore poetry that show us the author's vulnerabilities or allow us a glance
into their lives and this is definitely delivered with “Skinny” by Autumn's Addiction. This is a poem that details their friend's struggle with anorexia nervosa and I think it's beautifully written. Autumn's Addiction has used fantastic vocabulary that helps paint the picture of what they are seeing when they see their friend. It's a jumble of really short sentences to really long ones which makes you almost sense that this poem could be how they would approach the conversation with their friend, rushed and frantic, so that they could understand what they are doing to themselves. However, the most powerful thing about this poem is the layout. Autumn's Addiction has centred the entire text in one long thin stanza which really hits home about the context. You may not know anyone struggling with anoxeria nervosa but this poem still hits a nerve with the reader and we find ourselves hoping that Autumn's Addiction won the battle.

You Should Be Shot

You Should be Shot by i call it laughable
what really goes on in the darkroom during photography class.
Banner Credit: Marta

Helen Thinks: The first thing that jumped out at me about "You Should be Shot" by I call it laughable is the almost gritty edge to the prose that the author has chosen. Despite still being a poem that has a romantic undertone to it, the rawness towards the emotions portrayed seen to remind the reader of how awkward a time it is to have feelings for someone at high school. There's chemistry there but at the same time there's the sickening, confusing feeling of is this right? Through the use of bending literary rules like using the symbol '&' in text and by putting short sentences in parenthesis, the author creates a layout that just adds to the rawness that they are trying to put across. It makes the sentence come to a standstill, almost as if the narrator is having a little afterthought in their head about the situation and it just provides another glimpse into the confusion of a teenage mind. With beautiful yet almost gritty prose, a killer last line and stunning layout, "You Should be Shot" is a bittersweet read.

butterscotch kisses

butterscotch kisses by les petits bateaux
indulgence: too much pleasure will result in unforeseen circumstances.
Banner Credit: Melissa

Marta Thinks: One of the things I love the most about this poem is the title. The simple combination of two words evokes a beautiful imagery that appeals to the senses, and that makes me want to read it over and over again, just so I can remember it. Perhaps the summary describes it better, mentioning "indulgence" and "too much pleasure". The unforeseen circumstance are no longer unforeseen for me – it's clear they're both addiction and admiration.

The poem itself doesn't fail to live up to the perfect title-summary combination. The use of "we" incites the reader to relate to the verses, and the lines are lovely in the way they are worded. I especially liked the first verse: "…we dream of many things…and yet, we call them trash…" It can apply to so many circumstances in real life, which was wonderful.

My only qualm was the mention of a "dancing bear" which momentarily pulled me out of the poem. It was a little strange and didn't feel like it fit the mood of the piece. Even so, it is no reason to not enjoy "butterscotch kisses", which will surely remain in your mind the whole day.

bones

bones by la nuit mes yeux t'eclairent
the anatomy of a relationship, in five senses. 
Banner Credit: Helen

Melissa Thinks: "bones" is a wonderfully beautiful poem. With astonishing phrases like "ribbed boy breath" and "february bones", la nuit mes yeux t'eclairent writes in a way that captivates and resonates with her audience. The alliteration ("boy breath" herself a home") weaves in perfectly with the rest of the poem to create a lovely picture in your mind. From the choice of words, to the rhythm - this poem is a powerful and memorable addition to the poetry section of FictionPress.

i tell you stories in hushed tones

a summer without you by creepy kiss on tuesday
never raise your voice.
Banner Credit: Helen

Helen Thinks: This poem is absolutely gorgeous. Its beauty lies mainly in its stunning simplicity; unadorned words strung together to create something that leaves you breathless, as it gives a message. It gives it to you oh-so-incredibly well.

At mere fifty words, "i tell you stories in hushed tones" will never get repetitive or tiring, but something you'll easily get addicted to.

Stellar

Stellar by clockwork kiss
we're all made of star(dust).
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: Stellar is pretty stellar. (I promise that's the only joke I make.)

But I'm not wrong. And it's not my fault that the title of this poem just so happens to be the best word to describe it. Some of the phrases clockwork kiss used were nothing short of perfect. My favorite: "Even your sentimental side was violent." How… what's the word… oh right, brilliant is that? Answer: so, so brilliant. I'd even shorten it to 'brill' and that's when you know it's real.

Her words were beautiful and the poem itself was beautiful, but what I love the most is its personality. I can see the exact person who the speaker is talking about, and I can see the relationship the speaker and the 'you' have. It took me a time or three to actually understand the story in it, but once I got it, it because so much more than just pretty words strung together for the sake of pretty words being strung together. And those are truly the poems worth reading.

Forgotten

Forgotten by burning in effigy
she was living in ignorant bliss but someone needed to wake her up from her nightmare: also known as romeo
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: Forgotten was short, not-exactly-sweet, and to the point. Though it's only contains 48 words, it's a beautiful depiction of a moment in a conversation. The best part about this is that it doesn't just end with the moment. It's really easy to see a scenario surrounding it, and there are so many that it could apply to, which potentially makes every person's potential interpretation of it different than the next. It really reminds me if a picture, which is difficult to do with a poem. They say a picture's worth 1000 words, but burning in effigy's 48 do it more than justice.

sensual

sensual by his terrible beauty
the anatomy of a relationship, in five senses. 
Banner Credit: Marta

Ali Thinks: I FOUND IT.

'It' being the best poem I have ever read in my life. his terrible beauty poets like a goddess. I swear in a past life she was one of the Nine Muses.

I think instead of telling you why this is great because there is so much great to gush about, I'm going to walk you through it. So first you're going to open the page, then you're going to groan because it looks so long, then you're going to read the first line and do that weird I'm-frowning-but-happily thing more and more as you go along and then you'll add it to your favorites and read it as many times as you can for the rest of your life because it's just that good. You'll also probably want a boyfriend. And the ability to write so well.

Whether you love poetry, or prefer to stay on the fiction side, sensual will still be an amazing read. Her prose is so descriptive and straightforward that a picture still forms, but at the same time, it flows and would probably get a lot of wistful sighs at a poetry reading. Really, it's the best of both words. Plus, it's sweet, and cute, and the actual epitome of lovely. I'm in love with it, so in love.

throttle and base

throttle and base by ellison
i wanted to burn bright, a falling star. but i'm disintegrating in the clouds of your breath, bone-thin, exhausted & starving for control.
Banner Credit: Ali

Marta Thinks: I've read this poem I don't know how many times, and yet I'm still entranced by it every time I read it, picking out new imagery, making it linger in my mind, and letting the melodic words roll off my lips. ellision writes beautifully, and what is particularly amazing about it is that she doesn't add words because they sound nice, but because they make sense. I love that.

"throttle and base" is meant to be a collection, but even though ellision may never add any other poems, this stand-alone is lovely on its own.

Sometimes We Only Lack Infidelity

Sometimes We Only Lack Infidelity by i call it laughable
i guess the latest trend is saying i love you.
Banner Credit: Marta

Helen Thinks: Are you guilty of dropping the ‘L bomb’ regularly into relationships that come and go? Well "Sometimes We Only
Lack Infidelity” is a short poem that addresses this fact. It’s a short poem with a powerful meaning. It’s closing lines echo exactly what I have just asked you. It may be a slightly cynical outlook on the way people use those three powerful words but in this day and age it’s becoming the truth - it is nothing more than a trend for some. Despite the negativity, "Sometimes We Only Lack Infidelity” is a poem that I find myself falling in love with. It’s raw and i call it laughable shows us that poetry doesn’t have to be all rainbows and butterflies, it can be dark and depressive. With clever tricks like breaking in and out of the poetry law of rhyming, "Sometimes We Only Lack Infidelity” has a flow that makes it easy to read. Highlight of the poem - as pointed out by one of the reviewers - is that the layout of the lines form a gun shape. Coincidence, freudian slip or deliberately constructed? Who knows but I know it’s the perfect touch to a fantastic poem.

Silence

Silence by The-Truth-Will-Strike-You-Down
Silence, biting at my lips ... I'd rather burn. I'd rather bleed.
Banner Credit: Marta

Helen Thinks: “Silence” by The-Truth-Will-Strike-You-Down is
probably one of the most lengthiest poems that has ever been suggested even with it only being a couple of hundred words in length. However, this was not off-putting in the slightest - more of a bonus. The writer managed to keep a beat flowing throughout the entire length of the poem with their short sentence structure that keeps it catchy and the readers attention hooked. Their use of vocabulary is enough to leave you breathless as well as clinging to every last word. My utmost favourite thing about this writers chosen vocabulary is that its picturesque. It's beautiful, it's flowing and I think it speaks to every person that has held onto something so long they either beat the silence or succumb to its power.

ocean boy

ocean boy by art by sola
he likes the sea, he's like the sea.
Banner Credit: Helen

Helen Thinks: 'Ocean Boy' by art by sola is a short, sweet poem that captivated me immediately. I believe this was thanks to the beautiful imagery created by the words that the author chose. Throughout the poem, art by sola does use rhyming words but they switching the rhyming 'on and off' which I think makes the poem catchy, as well as creating a pace in the reader's mind. The two closing lines, separated to make a stanza of their own, are – for me – the perfect touch to this poem. A beautiful summary to close off a piece of fiction that is simply breathtaking in less than fifty words.

november girl

november girl by smile persephone
i always believed that actions spoke louder than words, but why do i feel so guilty & ashamedofmyself?
Banner Credit: Melissa

Helen Thinks: I have stared endlessly at a blank word document trying to put down in words what I think about the poem 'November Girl'. Seriously the words floating around my mind like extraordinary, unique, fabulous just do not give this amazing piece of literary art credit. 'November Girl' by smile persephone is every positive adjective your brain can come up with on the spot. The layout is quirky, different and sets the pace. They use tricks such as jamming words together such as in the summary 'ashamedofmyself' and you actually feel yourself reading those words quickly whereas when they put dots after every word you read it extremely slow. This poem is raw, fresh and most definitely a one of a kind piece of work that will have you remembering it long after you have read it.

love in february

love in february by i call it laughable
maybe there is such a thing as "perfect" - it's just that no one can keep it in them.
Banner Credit: marta

Marta Thinks: If the summary doesn't grip you, then the poem definitely will. The first lines may make the relationship sound like an ideal romance ("they left together, hands/ interlaced/ together they lay/ after their fun") but it's soon clear that everything is not as it initially seems. The boy asks his girlfriend to take away her beauty - promising that he'll still love her ("you won't look like a psycho/I swear-swear-swear "), despite everything. Will he? You’ll have to read to see.