I think your Deviled Egg costume might be the coolest ever created. I laughed out loud when I read this.

Lydia, your mother's burial sounds beautiful. I'm glad my poem means something so personal to you.

Thank you Niamh! i love this process of both sharing and taking poetry. it's a beautiful relationship of feeding and being fed.

no, i think it is a heavy word, 'pliers. ' I wanted a strong word to ground the poem, but maybe it doesn't need it.

fixed the 'heals,' thanks. no subtlety intended, at least in that line. Yay! Thanks for the awesome compliment.

I understand exactly what you mean! Maybe this poem is hard for me to be satisfied with, cause it's not me in there, it's Ms. Melba. So glad you enjoyed it anyway!

bkm,
sometimes it's hard to know if a poem is finished or incomplete. Maybe my indecision comes from loving this character and wanting to go farther with her? I'm thrilled that you get something you can bite into from my poetry! From one writer to another, I'm sure you know how nerve racking putting your work out there can sometimes be, but you guys make this easy! Thank you. I love constructive criticism, encouragement is so sweet.

Thanks Willow!

encouragement is just what the doctor ordered! You all rock my socks, thanks so much for coming back week after week, it means a lot!

Thanks cm, every writer needs to edit right? Makes me feel so much better, the idea of being able to go back and continue. Sometimes I think a poem is never done.

Terresa, Brian,
I think you both are right, I just need a little breather from this one. Maybe the reason I feel like it needs work is because it's not finished yet; i prob. could give it a little more, go farther. Thanks guys for your sage advice!