Review of Dennis poem, Mia Forbes

When first reading this poem I thought it was relatable to people, especially young teenagers who feel that their life is in the streets. Reading the first couple of lines it sounds like a suicide attempt from the speaker of the poem. Then after I continued to read it sounded more like gang violence. For example, in when you say “but this pain isn’t accidental” and then begin to describe your surroundings. I really like how you touched on this topic because the way that we are losing to people, especially young people to violence is ludicrous now. I also like the details that you used instead of just saying vodka you gave a brand, and with different types of drugs as well. I like the simile in line 15 “gunfire lit up the night like Baghdad”. I really like the imagery that is used here as well. You can really picture the scenes in this poem that you are trying to portray. I think it makes it ten times better when you can actually visualize what the writer is saying. I also like the ending and how you basically ended this poem with a lesson learned. I love the imagery in the third stanza I would say when you are having these flashbacks because it defines the point you are making when you literally see your life flash before your eyes right before you think that you’re going to die. One thing that I would have to change about this poem is that it just seems to run on. I feel like it’s something that you cannot pause and read its very continuous. I think breaking it up a little more would make it easier to read.