Your poem captures a profound sense of liberation. Your transition in particular of fly away at the end of stanza two brings us nicely into the hopeful realm. Your phrase 'thoughts not held in shackles'

In public the European leaders are saying one thing but in private they've been expressing the sentiment that the war can't go on. I'm hearing the Ukrainians have enough to keep fighting until May. Until

Your cartoons put a smile on my face. Plus great episode of the Twilight Zone.

Not in those crinolines no. Thought provoking stuff.

I liked your use of metaphors - 'a faint shadow that dances in the breeze' and ' stars that shine on distant nights,' stood out to me. It's the way they reinforce the idea of movement and life among all

Very relatable.

Well there was Queen Victoria, Empress of India.

I liked your imagery - the 'carcass of giants' - the 'cries of fallen soldiers' - and most of all your 'purposeful warriors'. 'Ii also found 'the greater crown' is intriguing idea.

I liked the line 'a small plastic bag filled with dust' - felt like the heart of your poem. A metaphor for existence. And after all that philosophising about weighty issues you finish brilliantly on that

Exactly. Which is why, apart from a brief appearance, I wanted Nigel to be more a figure (as he is for them) then a real person. Thanks for your comment.

Your poem exudes positivity - keep shining

The snapshot imagery is strong - gentle forms - shattered pieces. I enjoyed the rhythm and pacing. Could some lines be broken up, sure, but overall a very heartfelt and raw piece evoking the emotional

Yes you are correct. Post updated. Cheers for the edification.

I found the character fascinating - I would have liked to know what he was thinking. It builds extremely well towards the finale as each stanza develops the theme of pride and humility. I think the air

Your conversational tone made it very easy to read. I like the symbolism of the bear, the metaphor beautifully illustrates solitude and vulnerability.

The fearcast lol :)

This is heartfelt and poignant. I liked the conversational tone. Punctuation could be better to help guide us through the poem as you want it read.

You paint a clear picture. I liked your imagery of galaxy of time and imprinted love... The contrast between darkness and light in the poem is particularly striking. Nice uplifting ending taking us back

I enjoyed the flow and rhythm of this poem which I thought reflected the sense of reminiscence. Have you ever played around with sonnets?

You've articulated a profound dichotomy between societal perceptions and personal truth. The repition really serves to create a meditative quality to your work. Very authentic.