All Comments on 'Pandora'

as usual. Pleasant to read, and the title is great.

Your poems are short, which I think makes it vital to keep every word useful, and the entire poem mistake free.

I think there is excess in line one (perhaps "once", perhaps "a poem")

In line 2 "my soul" doesn't feel right, and I think might be better verbs than "convey" for your purpose.

I am just offering some things you might want to think about, not only in those 2 lines but in all of your poetry. Your ideas and method of expression are excellent, I think -- your word choice needs to improve if you want your poetry to step up to the next level, and so does your care in making them precise and error-free.

I think the last line here is a perfect example -- terrific closing thought, that might be phrased more precisely. . .

so everyone could see

there wasn't a stone inside.

I am always attracted to literary works which allude to some other work. It holds some promise for another layer, maybe more maturity which goes beyond naval gazing. Many times it works. I was not disappointed!

I am also attracted to succinctly written poems. Almost immediately you slow down your reading, and examine each word like a little clue.

Then I got the self reference framework to another time of a poem writing on the same subject. Hamm…. TRICKY TRICKY! I like it even more!

All together the effect is similar to sticking your head between two mirrors – you get many reflections of yourself, presumably ad –infinitum. She once wrote a poem about herself, she says, which we assume she is NOT doing now (or else why the word “once”); even though the word defies her action, because she IS doing it. Quite a paradox! She is calling our attention to compare and contrast ‘once’ and ‘now’. The way I am searching: the connection between this paradox and the allusion to 'Pandora'. Suggestions are welcomed.

TSSST…the talent of some of these young poets! There is still hope for America!