Hi Norman,

I'm going to attempt to review this poem for Lilli's Birthday Activity Challenge. (I need to review somebody who's WDC anniversary is this month. Happy Anniversary in advance.

I chose you from the list of authors because I have always admired your poetry and enjoy reading it. But I'm not sure you know that, so now you do. The problem reviewing somebody who is consistently good, is it's hard to find fault. Please bear with me while I try to give you a helpful review ...

I was really hoping for a good ending to this. Was hoping he would sit there and stew about how much he loved his wife and appreciate all the things she did for him and how you'd make it better... which of course you did. In my mind I had her returning over and over again with the dude being nice for a day before he fell back into his
"taking her for granted" rut. And each time she'd leave the house, I had him worrying about the "Big Goodbye". I think I was hoping for a bit of humor, because in the first several stanzas there was a glimmer of it.

But, alas, it really was the "Big Goodbye". But you know ... sometimes it's these tough lesson poems that are more valuable. I like that you turned it into an example of what could happen to your readers if they choose to take someone for granted.

You are a master when it comes to rhyme and meter. But I did stumble in a few places with the rhythm.

4th stanza, 1st line ... I think only because you started with a stressed syllable instead of unstressed, like the rest.

I also stumbled in the 7th stanza, 2nd line.

And again in the 11th stanza: "she was already gone, could be "Already she was gone."

It could be I stress my words differently than you, and honestly I was just nitpicking because I'm also writing this review for Schnujo's Birthday review raffle and I needed to offer some helpful advice. It's just darned hard to find fault in your work.

Norman, I'm a fan of your poetry ... you need not change a thing.

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" .