I was thinking of a poem that captures what could go wrong with writing when a person simply doesn’t see what is wrong with their writing. I think you beat me to it. You did such a great job with your words I’m sure there’s nothing better I could conjure up on my own.

I thoroughly enjoyed this poem.  The message that you wanted to get across was easy to find by the reader.  Your comparison of words and behaviors was truly captivating.  There is no way I could have written something this well about this topic.  As far as the topic goes, I agree with your message whole-heartedly.  Keep up the good work!

 First off let me thank you for sharing your work, secondly I love the concept of this piece and the way you separated the lines. I wish I was a little more educated though. There are two words that I don't understand the meanings of "harbingers, juxtaposition." Sometimes I think that half the beauty of a piece is in the simplicity of it, I suppose that could work with written works as well as visual. So for what it is worth that is my opinion,  I believe you would get a bigger audience without the fifty dollar words. Thank you for the time.

 Poetry, more my style to critique. /cracks knuckles

I think you might consider changing around your sentence structure. It is a problem I have a lot as well, but consider the flow when you read/speak it. I usually read my poems as if I'm doing so outloud (though usually not outloud cause then people could hear me >.>. For example, in your work, you could do...

Words, profound harbingers of denial,

telling what we want to hear,

or fear to hear spoken.

Such potency placed in their tangibility,

because we are taught from earliest ages

to listen.

Years of my life given to words -

they kept me prisoner with their

powers of persuasion.

Had I perceived the behaviors,

I would have been dumbfounded

by their juxtaposition.

Words were the bars

in my prison of choice.

Behaviors, once acknowledged,

set me free.

I also made a few changes to wording, though I did not touch any of the more powerful words you used. I'll let you make that decision. I like the idea though. I see in one of the other critiques/comments, Dylan read into your poem as meaning the words you write have you trapped. The way I see this piece, and the way I see life, is it is the words we are spoken, especially when as a child, that have us trapped into different paradigms and beliefs that are fradulent and designed simply to change and control us. Seeing through the pre-programming of a childhood with a society of liars is an important step to growing up.

 I really enjoyed your poem, and it had a sort of flow and simplicity to it that I really liked. It was the kind of poem that made people think about what words can actually do. I didn't find much wrong with this poem, nothing really. You have a talent for writing poetry and should keep up the good work. You have such a way with words!

Words, profound harbingers

Of denial, telling what

We want to hear,

Or fear to have said.

I think these lines were a really good opening to the poem also, it reeled the reader in very nicely!

Debra,

This reads like a writer's rite of passage. I don't know if it is autobiographical or not, but it appears to be. Congratulations to you for the  journey you've taken and the person you're finding yourself to be.

I think many of us find ourselves ruminating over old conversations we've had or wish we'd had. It is hard to let that all go. It is hard to find the courage to open up and share. You've encapsulated this sentiment with style and grace.

I hope you continue to find the means for expressing yourself as you wish to.

Louise