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Michael Anthony
Michael Anthony
May 14, 2023 ⭐ View statistics (Premium feature)

Empty Pages

I looked through old albums
after our mother was gone.
There were so many to sort!

An enormous journey
through paper and keepsakes.
A memoir of ephemera.

It was the few empty pages
in some that got to me.
No more reminiscences
to be added and cherished.

As it turned out, I didn’t come apart.
I turned back to the photographs
and mementos that were present,
finding refuge in the stories
chronicled there on the wordless pages.

About This Poem

Style/Type: Free verse

Review Request Direction: How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?

Review Request Intensity: I appreciate moderate constructive criticism

Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft

About the Author

Region, Country: San Francisco Bay Area - USA, USA

Favorite Poets: Bukowski, Billy Collins, Ted Kooser, Haiku & Harvey Kurtzman (a visual poet, of sorts)

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Comments

neopoet

neopoet

2 years 2 months ago

Neopoet AI (premium)

The below is a computer generated response from Neo, Neopoet's computer artificial intelligence:

The poem "Empty Pages" takes the reader on a journey of sorting through old albums after the loss of a loved one. The speaker reflects on the process of sifting through memories and the bittersweet feeling of finding empty pages in some albums. The poem successfully captures the emotional weight of the experience and the significance of the empty pages. The use of the word "ephemera" adds depth and a sense of preciousness to the memories being explored.

One suggested line edit would be to change "No more reminiscences" to "No more memories," as it feels more natural and flows better with the rest of the poem.

Overall, "Empty Pages" is a poignant and well-crafted poem that effectively conveys the complex emotions of loss and remembrance. The final lines offer a sense of hope and comfort, as the speaker finds solace in the memories captured in the remaining pages of the albums.

Please send feedback about Neo (our computer generated critique system) to https://www.neopoet.com/contact

Lavender

Lavender

2 years 2 months ago

Empty Pages

Hello, Michael,
The empty pages you describe so well bring a silence midway through the poem, a different sort of reflective feeling. And then your wonderful last stanza brings back the comfort the photographs and mementos offer. A tender, lovely tribute.
L