Reviews from

Summer Made for Barefoot Boys?

Barefoot little boys and summer fun

11 total reviews 
Comment from Annmuma
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Well, there is no wonder as to how your poem placed the the contest! Wonderfully descriptive and the flow is just right for the subject Add the picture and the poem becomes picture-perfect. I love and congrats on your contest placement. ann

 Comment Written 09-Jul-2022


reply by the author on 09-Jul-2022
    Thank you so so much, Ann, for validating my placing. I'm so glad you liked my poem!
Comment from dragonpoet
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Verna,
This poem has strong images of a childhood summer. This is true of both boys and girls in the summer. I remember all these doing all these things.
I climbed trees, but we didn't have any apple trees. I would of picked the apples and thrown them down for the others to catch.
Keep writing and stay healthy.
Congrats on placing second in the contest.
Joan

 Comment Written 09-Jul-2022


reply by the author on 09-Jul-2022
    Thank you so much, Joan, for a great review. I have to admit that most of these pertain more to my brothers and my son, even though I was a tomboy!
reply by dragonpoet on 09-Jul-2022
    You are most kindly welcome, Verna.
    Climbing trees was the only tomboyish thing I did.
    Joan
Comment from harmony13
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

I found the author's words to be lovely, sweet, kind, caring and
creative. I thought about my grown sons and also now my
grandsons and so many of these words touched my heart. The
poem flows and connects well. The artwork is awesome!

 Comment Written 22-May-2022


reply by the author on 23-May-2022
    Thank you for your great review.
Comment from K. Lang-Slattery
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

Thanks, Verna, for this charming and well-written poem about little boys.
Your use of rhyme is seamless and the images are delightful. I especially like this line: "Till ground becomes a slush of mud To squish between their toes."
Question:
. In stanza 5, end of first line, is truck meant to be possessive? I don't follow that.

 Comment Written 22-May-2022


reply by the author on 22-May-2022
    Thanks so much for your review and question. I'll check that out.
Comment from Richard Montfort Cary
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

As ever, your kindly, loving nature shines through the several well-balanced stanzas. Nicely done! Clearly a contender for first prize! Thanks again for the post.

 Comment Written 22-May-2022


reply by the author on 22-May-2022
    Thank you so much, Richard, for your kind review.
Comment from Wendy G
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

What a lovely poem about boys and their summer fun. Your poem captures their innocence and joy and their busy-ness! It reads well and smoothly with fine metre and rhyme. Sending best wishes for your entry.
Wendy

 Comment Written 22-May-2022


reply by the author on 22-May-2022
    Thank you for a great review.I
Comment from BethShelby
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

I love this poem. However those little barefoot boys sound a whole lot like a little barefoot girl I used to know; namely me. I did all though this except spent hour fishing and I might have don't that if I'd someone to go with me. I hated shoes and still do.
'

 Comment Written 21-May-2022


reply by the author on 21-May-2022
    Thanks a million for the wonderful review. I'm glad it struck a note with your own memories. And thanks, too, for the six!
Comment from RodG
Exceptional
This work has reached the exceptional level

You draw a vivid picture of these Barefoot Boys we often see in summer. A bit of Tom Sawyer in their antics. I especially like all of stanza three, but every scene described is easy to visualize. Because you (1) brought back memories of my youth and (2) put a smile of my face, I award you six stars.
One tiny flaw: Line 2 of stanza 8 needs one more syllable.
Rod

 Comment Written 21-May-2022


reply by the author on 21-May-2022
    Thank you for this wonderful review, especially the constructive reminder! I'm glad it brought back memories of your youth, and I love the six!

    Adding here- Smile! I went back and reviewed it. I'm from the South and "entire" is three syllables. I need to think about how I want to fix it! Smile!
reply by RodG on 21-May-2022
    I?d love to hear your Southern accent as you say ?entire.? In the Midwest it?s two syllables with the accent on the second.
reply by the author on 21-May-2022
    en ti' er Sorry about our drawl!
Comment from Carolyn Dooley
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

This reminded me of my favorite pastime. I enjoyed reading your story. I went everywhere without shoes. That Alabama ground and streets were hot ð?"¥. I would hop and skip. Tire debris would bubble. Thank you for sharing this post.

 Comment Written 21-May-2022


reply by the author on 21-May-2022
    I'm so glad this brought back good memories for you, Alabama girl!
reply by Carolyn Dooley on 21-May-2022
    Yes, my feet would burn. Thank you.
Comment from Lloyd T. Okoko
Excellent
Not yet exceptional. When the exceptional rating is reached this is highlighted

The objective correlative of your work reminisces a realm of innocence brought to the fore by barefoot boys in summer.

The work highlights the coterminous nature of them and summer; their casting aside their shoes to run around barefooted; their antics atop apple trees, gardens, ice cream trucks, rock bottomed creeks, on river banks fishing under fiery sun rays; and their endowment with innocence earned through God's Grace.

The work earns its texture through its effective use of rhymes, alliterations, rhetorical statements, similes, and imagery.

Excellent work. Bravo.

This rating does not count towards story rating or author rank.
The highest and the lowest rating are not included in calculations.

 Comment Written 21-May-2022


reply by the author on 21-May-2022
    Thank you for this excellent review with your understanding my use of poetic devices and the pictures I wanted the reader to see.
reply by Lloyd T. Okoko on 21-May-2022
    Remain Blessed.