Greetings Sumojo !

I am currently reviewing as part of the tasks set by the "Game of Thrones" . I am reviewing together with Chrys O'Shea for Door #4. We found your piece in the Browse By Genre section of this site.

In this review, I mainly focus on the positives of your piece and I may point some Areas for Improvement if found any. Without much a do, here are the things I noticed after delving deeper into the contents:


The poem "Collage" evokes a strong sense of nostalgia and the bittersweet joy that comes with reflecting on the past. The speaker's act of physically arranging photographs becomes a powerful metaphor for the way we sift through our own memories, cherishing the special moments frozen in time. The focus on "smiling faces" emphasizes the poem's core theme of love and connection, while the speaker's question, "which is the most beguiling?", suggests a deep and enduring affection for the people in the photos. It's a love that transcends mere physical appearance and implies a rich history woven through these captured smiles.

The line "Times long gone; babies grown" underscores the way photographs confront us with the fleeting nature of time. There's a bittersweet ache in this realization, a poignant reminder of how quickly moments slip away. It's fascinating that the speaker seeks "perfection" when arranging the photographs, hinting at a subconscious longing to preserve the past in its most ideal form. This highlights our innate desire to battle time and hold onto our dearest memories even while recognizing the impossibility of such an endeavor.

The directness of the final lines, "My love, my life," beautifully condenses the poem's emotional heart. These photographs aren't merely pictures; they visually represent the people who form the bedrock of the speaker's world. While the poem itself is structurally simple, its sincerity and the universally relatable experience it describes create a lasting resonance. The poem reminds us of the profound ability of even the simplest images to hold immense emotional weight.

Best regards,
Gervic