literature

Death's Last Words

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guitargirl94's avatar
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Literature Text

Lately I don't feel a thing.
Just a dull, lifeless body
Walking around this town.
I can't decide what I should feel.
Think about how it used to be back then.
Don't know what I'm doing in the future.
Why did this happen to me?
Losing people everywhere I go
Has become an unwanted habit of mine.
Drama has become my shadow.
I hear the Grim Reaper
Coming to me to take me away.
Please hurry.
I don't know how much longer
I can take this.
We both made mistakes.
But why am I the only one being punished?
....
© 2009 - 2024 guitargirl94
Comments14
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dr3amup's avatar
:star::star::star::star-empty: Overall
:star::star::star::star::star-empty: Vision
:star::star::star::star::star-empty: Originality
:star::star::star-empty::star-empty::star-empty: Technique
:star::star::star::star-empty::star-empty: Impact

Indeed, as Neil Young sings in the "Old Laughing Lady", Death is always smiling at us like a long lost friend who returns to see us one last time. You make very good use of this idea.

As I read it again, I do get the impression that I spot too many common expressions:
"I don't feel a thing."
"how it used to be back then."
"Why did this happen to me?"
"I don't know how much longer I can take this."
"why am I the only one being punished?"

It feels like I'm almost talking to a friend and not really delving into a poem and, in general, I think that poetry should strive for extraordinary language, especially if it is a small piece where these everyday expressions fill too many lines with no room for them to be interpreted any differently than what already is their ordinary meaning.

Another thing that I feel is that, on several lines, the same meaning could be implied without using that many words. Some possible alternatives:
Lately I feel nothing.
Has become an unwanted habit.
Coming to take me away.
Why am I the only one being punished?

Personally, I just ask myself "is this word adding anything to the meaning of the poem?". If not, and if the same thing can be said without that word, I drop it. This guides the reader into focusing his or her attention into those words that I really think are essential and rich with meaning.

Speaking of rich with meaning, notice that the poem really shines with lines like "Drama has become my shadow." and "I hear the Grim Reaper". That's because you are stepping away from abstract or vague expressions like "a thing", "future", "people" or "mistakes" and instead are using more concrete words that are more specific and also may have a deeper meaning for the reader.

Overall, I think that you stepped into this concept of the Grim Reaper with a clear knowledge of what you had to say and you have communicated it perfectly. I just feel that perhaps the piece needs to be expanded in terms of its poetic power.