Comment from Sarah Das Gupta

Excellent

This poem uses free verse very well to express the very real damage that bullying can do. The imagery concerned with physical hurt is used well to express emotional wounding.

 Comment Written 16-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks for the positive comments and high rating.
Joan

reply by Sarah Das Gupta on 16-Jan-2023

Welcome, I enjoyed the poem.

Comment from Jannypan (Jan)

Excellent

You did a great job, DP, with your poem. You expressed your
thoughts and feelings about bullies well. I liked the way this
poem started with the bully but ended with the victim realizing
s/he has control over themselves. They learn to rely on their
own and not let the words of the bullies hurt them. That takes
time, but it is well spent for their future. I'm sorry you missed
the contest. This was a well thought out poem.
Thanks for sharing, Jan

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks, Jan, for reading and reviewing my poem. Glad you enjoyed it.
Joan

Comment from Mrs. KT

Excellent

Hello, Joan,
Your words speak volumes!
And, yes, once a bully gets his/her stranglehold on an individual, said individual begins to think the bully's words are true. So hurtful and damaging...

Thank you for sharing!
Your words will resonate with many readers.

diane

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks, Diane, for the encouraging words and high rating.
Joan

Comment from lyenochka

Excellent

These are great words to help those who are hurt by bullies today. I hope you share this poem in a magazine for kids. They need to know " who and what they are" and that bullies
"can't ever change that."

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks, Helen, for the review and the suggestion. I may look for children's magazines to send it to.
Joan

Comment from JT traveller

Excellent

Strong concluding stanza and oh, so true. Such a well composed piece of writing. Yes, we know who we are and only we have the power to control our own emotions and reactions. Great writing.

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks for your response to my poem. I appreciate the words and the stars.
Joan

Comment from jake cosmos aller

Excellent

very powerful and moving poem about bullying and its impact on people as they grow up. There is a very good K drama on Netflix called "Glory" on the theme of a woman who was bullied in High School growing up and taking revenge on her tormentors ten years later. Very gripping tale and this poem resonates with that movie.

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Hi Jake,
Thanks for the review and the comment on the Netflix movie.
Joan

Comment from Aussie

Exceptional

Having been in that situation as a child, my response was my fists. Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone. You are unique, taunting oafs have no power over you. Well done.

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks, Kay. I am honored by the six star rating. I would never think of fighting my bullies because they were all much bigger than I was.
They did cause be pain. But instead of crying or fighting, I wrote about it.
Joan

reply by Aussie on 17-Jan-2023

I didn't like my pigtails dipped in the inkwells (yes, we dipped our pens way back then) so I thumped him. He went home, teacher told me to walk instead of getting the bus. Later years when adults Frank came to out house as an electrician and we laughed at the female punch!

Comment from GWHARGIS

Excellent

Your entry fit the bill. It was polished but full of raw emotion. I liked the sparse imagery. This was like watching someone who was just learning to show their true colors. I hope you can get enough funds together for the entry fee. Gretchen

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks for the encouraging words and high rating, GW.
Joan

Comment from Tom Horonzy

Excellent

Abuse destroys the soul. Confidence is put on hold. Doubt creeps in which becomes the sin of the beast that beats his own even if only mentally. I know. Been there.

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Yes, this all happens with bullying. Thanks for the review, Tom.
Joan

Comment from Jesse James Doty

Excellent

Bullies are dastardly fools who make fun of others just to bolster their own egos. They have nothing better to do than to tease others who take on the teasing as if it means something bad when in reality it only reflects on them and their terrible ways of hurting others when they are only hurting themselves.
Jesse

 Comment Written 15-Jan-2023

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reply by the author on 16-Jan-2023

Thanks, Jesse. I think bullies lose a chance of finding friends that could give them what they are missing in their lives that make them need to tease others.
Joan

reply by Jesse James Doty on 16-Jan-2023

This is so true!
Have a lovely day, my friend!
Jesse