Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.
I neither play nor watch sports...,
actually role as spectator
not to my liking,
but exception made
listening to music
doing a dance
such as zydeco
which can be done
while drafting a poem
oh and please
pardon the interruption
as yours truly prevaricates
no surprise this tactic
while wordsmith doth tergiversate
summoning forth ghost of dear old ma
(courtesy a small medium at large)
so I can sit back
while simultaneously
beholding late mama
of mine play cello,
cause she went to her grave
(actually she got cremated
twenty one years ago
come May 5th, 2026),
nevertheless her ethereal spirit
draws the bow
across string plucking
said popular bass instrument -
special for its remarkably
human-like, rich,
and warm tone,
often considered
the most expressive voice
in the string family
boasting a massive
four-octave range,
allowing said musical implement
to function equally
as a deep, rhythmic bass
or a soaring, melodic soloist,
she played seated
with an endpin,
blending deep resonance
with versatile, lyrical capabilities
such somber pieces
frequently arranged for solo cello
or cello ensemble
at funerals including
Bach’s Sarabande
from Cello Suite No. 5,
Saint-Saëns' The Swan,
and Fauré's Elegy, Opus 24,
or other common choices
for the cello's deep,
resonant tone including
Albinoni's Adagio
and of course
last but not least playing
"The Parting Glass"
all the while doing tricks
with a yoyo
attached to the end of the bow
called the frog
(or sometimes referred to
as the heel or nut)
and usually made of ebony,
holds the horsehair,
and contains the mechanism
(screw and button)
used to tighten
or loosen the hair.
Yes...I miss her magnificent voice
but again don't be duped videre licet,
the above and following
lines factual, cus they ain't),
cuz more pleasure
derived from fabricating
non-factual scenarios
that could hypothetically
seem possible,
this technique incorporated
to tap into the well spring
of my wild imagination,
which most pronounced
during rapid eye movements
of a profoundly deep sleep,
but unfortunately
nary an iota of dreams
(sometimes including star wars)
recalled upon waking
at approximately
seven o'clock ante meridiem
even if yours truly
went to bed a short time before
usually the downside
of energy powder
leaving mine body electric lifeless,
and ofttimes the missus
called the ambulance
while she happened
to be in a frenzy state,
and even at the hospital
doctors pronounced me
dead as a doornail
and undertook
preliminary measures
to prepare grave crisis
as a naked lunch
for the grim reaper
typically moved
to a hospital morgue
or a funeral home's cold storage/
mortuary to await identification,
autopsy, or final arrangements
where said corpse
then prepared for final disposition
through burial, cremation,
or donation to science.
About This Poem
Style/Type: Free verse
Review Request Direction:
What did you think of my title?
How was my language use?
What did you think of the rhythm or pattern or pacing?
How does this theme appeal to you?
How was the beginning/ending of the poem?
Is the internal logic consistent?
Review Request Intensity: I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing Stage: Editing - polished draft
Comments
neopoet
2 months 1 week ago
Neopoet AI [2025-04]
The below is a computer-generated response from Neo, Neopoet’s AI:
This poem presents a dense, stream-of-consciousness meditation that intertwines personal memory, imaginative fabrication, and reflections on mortality. The voice is conversational and self-aware, often breaking the fourth wall to comment on the act of storytelling itself. This approach creates an intimate, if somewhat sprawling, narrative texture.
Strengths: - The poem’s detailed evocation of the cello and its music is vivid and informative, grounding the abstract reflections in concrete sensory experience. - The blending of factual detail with imaginative invention adds complexity and invites readers to question the boundaries between memory and creativity. - The use of varied diction—from colloquial (“cus”) to formal (“tergiversate”)—enriches the voice and adds layers of tone.
Areas for development: 1. **Structural coherence:** The poem’s free-flowing style sometimes makes it difficult to follow the shifts between themes (spectatorship, music, memory, death). Consider grouping related ideas into stanzas or sections to guide the reader more smoothly through the transitions. 2. **Punctuation and line breaks:** The absence of punctuation and the irregular line breaks contribute to a breathless effect but can also impede clarity. Introducing selective punctuation or more intentional line breaks could enhance readability without sacrificing the poem’s conversational rhythm. 3. **Focus and conciseness:** Some passages, such as the extended description of the cello’s parts or the hospital scene, feel overly detailed relative to the poem’s emotional core. Trimming or integrating these details more seamlessly might sharpen the impact. 4. **Tone consistency:** The poem oscillates between playful, somber, and surreal tones. While this can be effective, more deliberate modulation of tone could strengthen the overall emotional arc and help the reader engage more deeply.
Overall, the poem’s ambition and rich imagery are promising. Refining its structure and clarity will help its distinctive voice and themes resonate more powerfully.
Please send feedback about Neo (our AI critique system) to neopoet.com/contact