Help Needed

               

               Hey - readers of my blog! Poetry people! Anybody reading this -

                I am starting the process to self publish again, hopefully within the next several months. This will be a book of all my poems about friendship, from when I started at about 15, to my present age of 19. I have about 70 poems with 16,421 words total at the moment.  Eighteen of them have been previously published in my other two books, but because I want to do a full friendship poetry compilation, they will be republished. 

         Would you consider reading a few poems (*even just one or two*), and giving me your opinion? (Harsh critique is welcome - I'm well aware I have a lot to learn.) I'm especially looking for any confusing vagueness, grammar errors and punctuation mistakes, as well as any comments on meter, flow, and word choices.  Every extra set of eyes is a help, no matter how much you actually have time to read.

Anyone who helps will be given extra entries to the giveaways I will be doing to promote my book. (Signed books by me, clay critters, etc.)

And you'll have my forever gratitude, but yeah, that's a given....

If you would be interested in helping me out, please let me know. :) *Points to my 'Contact Me' tab at the top of the page* Please email me.

*Deadline is October 10th for you to send critique back to me*

~Ophelia - Marie 

Please Don't Judge The Outside

A dear friend of mine posted this on FB:

"Please don't judge people by outward appearances.
The most popular person I knew was the loneliest.
The most jovial person I ever encountered was severely depressed.
The people who I though had it all together were often hurting the worst.
I've been thought arrogant when I was my most insecure.
I've heard people say I was full of energy when I was my most exhausted.
Truly, each heart knows it's own sorrow. You just never know what someone has been through, until you really, intimately get to know them." 

Here is the poem, inspired by her words.

Please Don't Judge The Outside 

8/15/14

It's been a day of weariness -

Expectations take their toll,

As I am told I'm wonderful,

When I feel less than whole.

You say that I am popular -

Oh look how I am loved!

Yet here I am the loneliest,

With dark emotions shoved.

You say that I am respectable -

An example to the young.

But I am fighting battles

That you know nothing of.

You say I flow with tenderness -

There's such love in my stance.

But I keep pulling back away,

At every painful chance.

You say I have found joyfulness -

With smiles on my face.

But there is pain behind my eyes,

With none to fill that space.

You say I show togetherness -

Life looks so figured out!

But I am warring with my past

And cringing in my doubt.

You say I'm almost arrogant -

My words seem backed by pride.

But really I am insecure

And close myself inside.

You say there's boundless energy -

But that is not a fact.

For I am tired of this pace,

And weary of this act.

You speak of really knowing me -

And yet you never do.

You think I'm perfect at arm's length,

But I am broken too.

You speak still, almost glowingly,

Of all you see in me.

And yet I wish I trusted you,

To look and truly see.

~ZA