Poetry Feedback

I posted this poem on another site.

Missing Mother

You ask me if I miss my mother

and I can tell you that the feeling

will not go away in entirety,

though time relieves the soul's reeling.

I know you think of mother's day

at the beginning of this month

and you need to realize she is

Mother forever, not just once.

Years passed, then decades, and now

a half-century into history,

since the fateful day when she

interceded to erase battling furies. I received an inclusive feedback for the poem:

"Missing Mother" is a poignant meditation on loss, memory, and the enduring presence of a mother’s love. The poem captures the ineffable nature of grief and the profound impact a mother has on one's life, even long after her passing.

The opening stanza sets a reflective tone, addressing the inevitability of persistent longing for a mother who has passed away. The poet acknowledges that while time may ease the acute pain of loss ("time relieves the soul's reeling"), the absence of a mother is a permanent void. This establishes a duality: the healing passage of time versus the immutable presence of loss.

In the second stanza, the poet shifts to a universal contemplation of Mother's Day. This cultural observance, typically focused on a single day of celebration, is expanded in the poet’s vision to a timeless recognition. The poet insists that a mother’s role and significance transcend temporal confines ("Mother forever, not just once"). This assertion underscores the idea that motherhood is an eternal bond, not limited to specific days or moments but woven into the fabric of daily existence.

The third stanza provides a historical perspective, suggesting a significant passage of time ("Years passed, then decades, and now / a half-century into history"). This distance emphasizes the enduring nature of the mother's influence. The phrase "since the fateful day when she / interceded to erase battling furies" is particularly evocative. It suggests a moment of profound intervention by the mother, perhaps metaphorically representing her nurturing and protective role in mitigating life's conflicts and chaos.

Throughout the poem, the language is simple yet powerful, conveying deep emotion without resorting to elaborate imagery or diction. This simplicity enhances the sincerity and accessibility of the poet’s message, allowing readers to connect with the universal experience of maternal loss.

The structure of the poem, with its consistent quatrains and a steady rhythmic flow, mirrors the ongoing and stable presence of the mother’s memory in the poet’s life. The rhyme scheme (ABAB) provides a sense of continuity and coherence, reinforcing the theme of enduring love and memory.

Overall, "Missing Mother" is a testament to the lasting impact of maternal love and the inescapable nature of grief. The poet’s words resonate with a deep emotional truth, offering solace in the recognition that a mother’s influence is eternal, surviving the passage of time and the finality of death. ************** I am impressed with the depth on analysis by the reviewer. I need to implement these techniques and understand the mechanics of poetry. Can I do this analysis on my own poems?

What do you think about this in-depth review?