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This poem is part of the contest:

Neopoet Weekly 0727/25 to 08/02/25

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Unfit Leaders

Harsh words
Uttered with thought
Often from our leaders
Destroying the heart of our cause
Disdain

About This Poem

Editing Stage: Editing - draft

About the Author

Region, Country: USA Pennsylvania, USA

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neopoet

neopoet

2 months ago

Neopoet AI (premium) [2025-04]

The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:

The poem presents a concise critique of leadership through the lens of language and its impact. The structure is minimal, with each line carrying a distinct idea. The choice to use short lines creates a sense of abruptness that mirrors the "harsh words" referenced in the opening.

The phrase "Uttered with thought" is ambiguous; it is unclear whether the intent is to suggest that the words are carefully chosen or that they are spoken impulsively. Clarifying this phrase could strengthen the poem's argument. The line "Destroying the heart of our cause" introduces a collective stake, but the poem does not specify what the cause is or how the leaders' words undermine it. Providing more concrete imagery or examples could make the critique more impactful.

The final word, "Distain," appears to be a misspelling of "disdain." If intentional, the choice is not clearly justified within the poem. If unintentional, correcting it would help maintain the poem's credibility.

Overall, the poem raises a relevant issue but would benefit from greater specificity and clarity in both language and imagery. The emotional stakes could be heightened by illustrating the consequences of the leaders' words or by providing a more vivid depiction of the "heart" that is being destroyed.

Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to neopoet.com/contact

Candlewitch

Candlewitch

2 months ago

Dear Clentin,

I hear you loud and clear, buddy! I think Trump is planning on being crowned Americas first King! #&#@!

fondly Cat and eddy styx

Michael Anthony

Michael Anthony

2 months ago

Actually, I was wrong about …

Actually, I was wrong about "distain" not being a word. It's more at "dishonor" as opposed to "disdain", which seems a better fit for the tone of your poem, IMO. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused - need more coffee to wake up...

Geezer

Geezer

2 months ago

I was struck...

by the subtle difference in meaning that means a whole lot! Nice, Clentin, nice!