Comment from tfawcus

Excellent

A clever way of avoiding having to fit this impossible word into a rhyme scheme! Your acrostic explains it perfectly and with the leavening of a light touch of humour.

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

You caught me, Tony! I thought it might just slip by that my phobia is actually trying to use 7 syllable words in poems. Thanks for reviewing, and the kind comments :) Craig

Comment from Jannypan (Jan)

Exceptional

Ok Craig. For all of us you can barely write a few lines of a sonnet, you show us how to write one as an acrostic! This is really great. The color scheme, the formatting of the 1st letter of each line, the rhymes are awesome. Your message is clear, too. Great job. Thanks for sharing. Jan

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Well, I have to be totally honest with you, Jan. I posted this very late last night, when my brain was in it's pre-sleep fog, and it had couple of silly errors. But some kind people had pointed that out overnight, while I was asleep. So I made the corrections just a few minutes before you reviewed.

Many thanks for the great feedback, and the wonderful rating. I'm glad you enjoyed :)

Craig

Comment from amada

Excellent

A curiously nice acrostyc in a word I hardly knew. But it opens the avenue of my own thoughts, the seemingly innocent things that I am afraid of. It's all in our mind, they say...I must say, wow, now I am thinking...Bravo

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Thanks very much for the kind comments, they are much appreciated :) Craig

Comment from Gloria ....

Excellent

How handy was that, eh? A new word that also has fourteen letters. Form problem solved! Excellent sonnet form even with the shoe-horned metred words.

Phobias are most odd indeed and must be horrid to have fear of receiving correspondence, especially back in the olden days, or is it any kind of correspondence including email?

Great job with an acrostic sonnet, Craig. I wish you all the best in the contest. Oh wait, my bad, not a contest. :)

Gloria

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Thanks, Gloria. I think it is laziness, rather than fear, that makes me the world's worst letter writer. Much appreciated - Craig.

Comment from Phyllis Stewart

Excellent

Wow, impressive! An acrostic in sonnet form! Bravo! Weird word, though. Hard to imagine anyone needing it. Who are these strange people afraid of correspondence? Not counting mail from the IRS and the other bad news boys. Can you fear receiving a birthday card and other positive things? I don't like getting junk mail, but I don't fear it. Yep, this is a verrry strange word.

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

I fear phone spam more than any written correspondence. I never answer my cellphone (on the rare occasions it's even charged), unless it's displaying a number I know. Why? Because I'm so sick of people asking for money or wanting me to buy things! Thanks for reviewing :)

Comment from Linda Kay

Excellent

I think you captured a good sense of dreading a task, and I continue to enjoy learning the obscure words your book unveils!

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Thanks very much, Linda. I appreciate your comments :) Craig

Comment from bichonfrisegirl

Excellent

What an odd phobia to have. Well now I know the word for it ... "epistolophobia".
One would think that people with this type of phobia would also be afraid to receive phone calls, texts and emails as well; but I guess not. I've heard of people having a phobia (I forget the name for it) wherein they can't reply to messages or socialize as they need to be alone in order to recharge themselves as contact with others depletes them. Oh, the strange afflictions we humans deal with!

Your acrostic poem is a great way to introduce this word to your reader. "By trashing mail my actions are absurd" is my favorite line. This is another great addition to your book of poetic curiosities. Well done, Craig! ~~ Connie

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Thanks so much for the thoughtful review, Connie. I'm sure it's laziness, rather than fear, that makes me the world's worst letter writer :) Cheers, Craig

Comment from --Turtle.

Excellent

Hey, Craig,

One's cellphone is not all there is, I know{,} (emdash? or period? not sure about the comma here, pulling forward for you to check.)

Written into this acrostic is the fear of written correspondence, as the pov of the poem avoids, redirects, and yet reflects on their own fear of letters and mail. By the end, there seems to be a step towards getting some letters done, but most likely, that won't be an easy thing for the epistolophobic to do, and procrastination makes a great buddy to fear of doing something.

I like the tone of the lines, first trying to rationally wiggle away from dealing with letters at all to facing that there might be a problem here. Too bad there wasn't another letter available to secure the phobia by backing away from from the getting letter writing done, like a typical... maybe tomorrow.

I think this is fun and pleasing as is, though I'm going to share my thought on a line that I paused on, with 'chew the fat'
It does well to mirror the spot of tea, as more laid back, though it did stand out against the rest of the poem where spot of tea didn't. I wondered if conversate ... ah, I see why my brain wanted to switch it... chew the fat is pretty much the same as conversate, an informal way to express the engagement of not urgent conversation, but it's the US informal.

A smooth flow to this poem, nice rhymes

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Interesting. I'd never heard the word 'conversate' until now. And immediately I thought, "what's the difference between 'conversate' and 'converse'?" Turns out there isn't one, except, of course that 'conversate' would fit the required syllable count. Turns out there was also a problem with the rhyme, so I've changed those lines completely.

Many thanks, again, for a great review. Craig

reply by --Turtle. on 03-Mar-2018

Was the call once chat at another point?

I like the change, though. You know, I had wondered about the call/ fat... maybe that was the reason I paused on the line as standing out.

reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

It was at some point, I think - though I'm not sure it made it into a version I actually filed. I think I need to stop trying to squeeze these in last thing before bed - the quality control is suffering somewhat :)

Comment from Joy Graham

Excellent

I like this sonnet and acrostic. What a fantastic poetry combination :)

The iambic pentameter is a bit wobbly:

- "Each letter I receive (causes) me fear" - brings out my fear?

- "(Sadness) could swiftly fill this heart of mine" - Such sadness truly grips this heart of mine?

Good rhymes, except I'm not sure about the phone and fat combination?

Terrific closing couplet.

Good turn indicated by, "perhaps"

Well done!

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Thanks for the terrific catches with the meter, Joy. I've changed both lines. I think in my head, I too easily stress whichever syllable suits the purpose, rather than going with the natural rhythm. Must pay more attention to that. As for phone/fat - brain fart lol. I simply forgot to rhyme it, slipping from ABAB into ABCB. Perhaps the lesson is don't write last thing at night, trying to rush it before bed time? Terrific review, thanks for the help. Craig

Comment from Dolly'sPoems

Excellent

I have that fear! And you have put a name to it! No news is good news for me! A very creative Acrostic! I still write letters too, clever words here, love Dolly x

 Comment Written 03-Mar-2018

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reply by the author on 03-Mar-2018

Thanks so much, Dolly. I think it is laziness, rather than fear, that causes me never to write. Cheers, Craig