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HIGH TIDE (emotion shop with and without metaphors and similes)

The waves are not too large today
as the tide rolls slowly in.
They advance than they go away
then turn and march back in again.

And the breakers barely break
when they do they hardly produce foam.
Perhaps only for sand fleas' sake
which surface then burrow in their home.

The waves feel warm on my bare feet
their salt leaves rime upon my lips
and as each wave slowly retreats
my toes curl as sand shifts and slips.

These waves, they always come and go
and hang around but temporarily
and underneath the sun's warm glow
I realize they're a bit like me.
----------------------------
OK, so much for without. Let's see how it works with...
------------------------------
The waves are not too large today
as the moon's pull slowly rolls in.
The soldiers march in and then march away.
They rebound and come back home again.

And the breakers barely earn their name
barely capped by foam at all.
Do they move only for the sand fleas' game
which hide then surface with wave's stall?

Waves are a hot tub on my feet
and salt air turns my lips to rime
then as another wave beats a retreat
sand shifts from my feet yet one more time.

These waves...they come and then they go
like workmen hired temporarily
and beneath life giver's gentle glow
I realize they're much like me.

OK, OK, it's pretty bad but maybe it will fit shop parameters....stan

Style / type: 
Structured: Western
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Last few words: 
It's tough to describe without using metaphors or similes in a poem. Indeed, I think I slipped up and used one in last line. By Not using either it makes it a lot harder to connect with the reader i think.......stan
Editing stage: 

Comments

Your poem "connected". I understood it and was even drawn into the moment. I think that without metaphor the loveliness of the language is hampered (not destroyed... it can be done... you did it).
The beauty of the language is over half of the poem and metaphors benefit all language.

Without metaphor and simile we are back to "telling" and "showing". Your poem told me where we were and what was happening. With the metaphor I know you were dying to use you would show me where and what.

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

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being aware of it my stuff has come to depend a lot on simile and metaphors in order to add the "human" touch to my see and say writing. I'm pleased that I managed to reach out sans their use.......stan

author comment

hmmm.. I must have got it wrong. I thought the assignment is to post a poem without using metaphors only. Similes is okay. By the way, I love this poem. You sure has a way to describe the waves.

Alid

But I think I'll keep out both simile and metaphor in this one although I Did want to say the waves moved like an old widow's gray hair...........stan

author comment

You been spending a lot of time by the sea shore Stan , may be reminiscing about younger days on the beach...lol..

fun apart, your observations are sharp and captured well and succinct w.r.t. the theme Beach Guy..

Regards,

raj (sublime_ocean)

Got back from a 3 day vacation by the sea. First time I've been there in over ten years. The ocean has its own type beauty and allure but I still prefer the mountains and foothills.........stan

author comment

I believe that infers simile as well. In other words... a dry, direct poem. I didn't have any trouble writing two quatrains without metaphors. I think that might be a bad sign.

W. H. Snow

A poet is a nightingale, who sits in darkness and sings to cheer its own solitude with sweet sounds. Percy Bysshe Shelley

Learn how, teach others.
The NeoPoet Mentor Program
http://www.neopoet.com/mentor/about

Quite the contrary I think. It speaks more toward being able to write in a semi-minimalist way......stan

author comment

I know this is tougher for you than the next assignment. Still a vivid description and I'll let that line go :)
but you have a tiny typo that I won't point out. :)
Thank you for sharing.

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Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

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A Tipo? lol. I'll find it and straighten it out........stan

author comment

The 2nd one, stanza 1 line 3, you misspelled ''march''.

Alid

Thanks Alid

author comment

it's bad at all Stan. It has a satisfying quantity of metaphor and other figures of speech enough to meet the workshop requirements.
As I have earlier pointed out to Ian that putting each of these in a separate submission would give a better chance for others to read it and to give comments.
Thank you!

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

Please follow me on Instagram
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I had considered doing so but thought it might be best to do it this way so comparing would be easier. No big deal posted separate if you want me to...........stan

author comment

It is so hard to write without a metaphor but you nearly did it in the first one.
Stanza one the last line:-
"then turn and march back in again"
This is the only fault I can find Marching waves, left, right, left, right, you will have to use a word other than March lol.
Flow would do.
Take care young woodsman, Yours Ian..

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

I'm not sure you are right about marching. Being a verb it doesn't assign an identification to anything. Guess we'll await the boss's opinion.......stan

author comment

Which side is up have forgotten lol March the month I was born many years ago can't recall much let alone Metafours.
Take care Yours Ian..

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

are no problem compared to metafives lol

author comment

but thought "march" works as personification to show the waves moving forward and then withdrawing. "Flow" could then be only a "metathree" lol

❤❤❤❤❤❤

Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words
........Robert Frost☺

Please follow me on Instagram
https://instagram.com/poetry.jo?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

You have to stick to the rules.
Metas = one or more
Metatwins is two
Metapair is also two
Metacouple betwixt two and three
Metatrees is Irish
Metatrip is three
Metafour is four
Metaphor is one or four
Metaquad is four
Metaquin is five and so on,
Poetic licence at its best Lol.
Have a great life out there and may your own Spiritual pathway keep you true to yourself,
Yours as always Ian

.
Give critique to help keep Neopoet great.
Unconditional love to you all.
"Learn to love yourself first"
Yours as always, Ian.T, Sparrow, and Yenti

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