A poem about a post that I read yesterday https://discuss.tchncs.de/post/54986573
We wake up in our cells and dress in limitation
To deprive ourselves of action and causation
Can’t or won’t we see that we rob ourselves of agency?
Why waste our will with can’t where we could won’t?
So don’t say that you can’t.
And do say that you won’t
And I will know that you will will
And who knows where you may stray
For where there’s a will, there’s a way
Impression
The rhymes of limitation and causation start the entire poem of strong.
The underlying idea is great, I like how you play with ‘will can’t’ and ‘could won’t’ and the double meaning of will.
Critique:
And I will knów that you will wíll
And who knows whére you may stráy
For whére thére’s a wíll, there’s a wáyI feel like that ‘know’ is left hanging, it has no rhyme connecting to it’s rhythm, so the ‘will’ in the same line is without partner, maybe you could add a line to close it, like:
‘a matter of want and not of skill’
I like the ‘stray’ and ‘way’ rhyme, additionally the words are thematically connected which gives the poem a very nice, round feeling ending.
But the speech-rhythm of ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way’ breaks with the established rhythms, it feels like the poem “stumbles” here. I understand you want to incorporate this popular saying, but I think the entire poem shows that you can do better than that.
Overall:
Themes are fitting and on point, I like the play with won’t and can’t, especially the ‘where we could won’t’ and ‘that you will will’ are very nice turns of phrase. The changing rhythm in the middle of the poem is not breaking the flow. I just think that ‘you will will’ is too nice to be left hanging and that the end is stumbling a bit where it should gracefully glide into the end.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read it and provide feedback, I don’t know anyone else who writes poetry :) The feedback is very good, I will see if I can improve the flow.

