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She'll be inside, mostly

But it might be too cold
Out there, papa!
And wont the landlord know?
If she’s inside, papa?

Don’t you want the kitty,
Little one?

I do papa. So much!

Then trust me,
Little one
You just pet the kitty,
That’s all you need to do
Just pet the kitty.

His voiced cracked
And his hands shook
Tears gathered
He wiped them with his sleeve
Staring across the busy street
Out into the fields

She remembered now
30 years later
As the same autumn winds blew
Through the same creaky porch
Open to the raw world
And the new
Strange, smelly brut of a man
Called her back inside.
She didn’t want to go.
Where was her papa?
Where did everyone go?

Style / type: 
Free verse
Review Request (Intensity): 
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
Editing stage: 
Content level: 
Not Explicit Content
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Comments

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

This poem effectively uses dialogue and narrative to evoke emotion and tell a story. The use of repetition, particularly in the lines "Just pet the kitty", adds a sense of urgency and emotional intensity to the poem.

However, there are a few areas where the poem could be improved. First, the transition from past to present is abrupt and may confuse readers. Consider using more explicit language or imagery to signal the shift in time.

Second, the final lines introduce a new character without much context. While this adds an element of mystery, it may also leave readers feeling unsatisfied or confused. Consider providing more information about this character or their relationship to the speaker to help readers understand their significance.

Lastly, the poem could benefit from more descriptive language. While the dialogue and narrative structure are effective, incorporating more sensory details could help to immerse readers in the poem's world and enhance its emotional impact. For example, instead of simply stating that the man is "strange" and "smelly", describe what makes him so. This could involve describing his appearance, behavior, or the way he makes the speaker feel.

Overall, this poem has a strong emotional core and effectively uses dialogue and narrative. By improving the clarity of the time shift, providing more context for the new character, and incorporating more descriptive language, it could be even more powerful.

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

Sounds like a little girl who loved a kind, caring father. Thirty years later abandonded by her own hope. I can't see anything that I would change. Great job, hope your family is well!

Today never knows what tommorow will bring!

Thank you Leslie for reading and commenting! You got it...abandoned by her own hope. perfectly summed up. Thank you for your well wishes.

Captain

author comment

This poem, in beginning the daughter has a kind and loving father, who is also protective. I wonder about the kitty...? for some strange reason, I thought the kitty was dead. thirty years later she is married to someone her father would find objectionable.... her longing for better days?

*hugs, Cat

*
When someone reads your work
And responds, please be courteous
And reply in kind, thanks.

Reading this, thinking of the cat as somehow dead - wow! that really puts an interesting twist on it. It works somehow like that in ways that maybe were subconscious to me. thank you so much for reading and commenting! Your input is always appreciated.

Captain

author comment

Hello, Captain,
Such a strong melancholy feeling, such a sense of hopelessness. The title is intriguing - not so much about the kitty at all, it seems. Almost haunting in its nature.
Thank you!
L

Lavander, thank you for your thoughts on this! Yes, as far as the title goes, I was thinking not just about the kitty, but the women who is the subject -- living mostly hidden away her whole life. I don't really even know where this poem came from - it just wrote itself. I'm not totally sure what it means. lol. I just felt it needed to be said -- for her.

Thanks! Captain

author comment
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