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Creative Non-Fiction
The Echo of It
Thoughts in the night
Reviews (5)
Berniethebard
4/19/2026
The Words That Got to Me
I have to admit, as I believe you might know, that i am a bit of a nerd for wanting to infer somethung from a title before I start to read a piece of writing. I had initial thoughts about "The Echo Of It" and the additional comment and they centred around what it might be. When I saw it was creative non fiction my thoughts went down a certain route. And then your opening sentence. They say you always need an opening that draws a reader in, makes them want to carry on reading. "Betrayal isn't new to me" is most definitely that. And, as the reader gets further into the writing, well this reader anyway, they realise that there are so many poetic tools used in your writing. The metaphor of the storm which you continue throughout the story and the scattering of similes you use are evidence of that inner poet. The part I really like is where you write. "For one person the moment passed. For the other it keeps echoing." And there is the reference back to your title. And it seems that, though the writer has endured difficult times in their relationship with another, though those times still haunt the writer, the very fact of having endured them has given the writer a strength to realise that, as you say in your closing line, the writer was always in control of their own destiny.
Rachelle Allen
4/19/2026
The Words That Got to Me
life like weather that never quite clears. *Right off the bat, right in the first sentence, you've already taken my breath away with this analogy. Your writing has mesmerized me since the very first time I was ever exposed to it, Woman. xoxo How a life can look whole while a crack runs straight through the center of it. *See previous comment and think "ditto." a heart that keeps lighting candles even after the wind pushes through the room. *So. Freaking. VIVID!! But storms pass. And this house was always mine. *And from the sadness and loss comes the strength and determination that defines the person: Yep, affected, but not destroyed. Love, love, love the phoenix-rising-from-the-ashes feel of this
I like the contemplative nature, the simple expressions and descriptions of feelings in the aftermath, but most of all, I love the way that it pushes through to a shrug and a "That's okay; I'm smarter now" resurgence. Beautifully done battlecry for "That's your best shot? Don't make me laugh." xoxo
The Words That Got to Me
Of all the wounds you seem to have had, you narrow it down to one. "Most wounds behave like raging storms. They rage, they tear things up, and eventually the sky finds its way back to blue. This one didn't leave the rain. It stayed behind." And from there, it seems that in many small daily things it inserts itself, expressed so perfectly in your really amazing phraseology. "Less is more" is truly alive and well in this piece. It makes the reader pause and think. I have to keep reminding myself that it is non-fiction, creative as it may be.
Suggestions / Possible Tweaks
no Ss or PTs
I am just in awe of your writing. I would imagine you have won many writing contests, and have many books to your credit. And I have to honestly say, it out-classes the writing in many books I've read. It (your writing) is rather an oxymoron in that it simplifies the meaning in short, single sentences while using rather unique words and phrases. It left me with a definite complex, but also a determination to, as they say, think outside the box, and be more original. Thank you!
Heather Wickham
7/5/2026
Ironically enough, I had never shared my writing before. The first time I ever posted something I wrote was in January of this year, and I was so nervous. I always knew I loved writing. Friends who received letters from me, or even just sat with me while I wandered through conversations about life and its meaning, would tell me I had a way with words. I just never thought much of it. For me, writing has always felt a little bit like magic. It slows my mind down just enough for me to make sense of my world. It helps me step back and see the bigger picture. Somehow the thoughts racing around in my head become a living, breathing thing once they find their way onto a page. And the beauty of words is something I think only a writer truly understands. I have always been fascinated that a word by itself is just a word. Some carry emotion, some simply hold a definition or meaning. But when you take those same words and arrange them in just the right dance, they can become something more. They can reach across time, touch another person, and leave behind something bigger than the person who wrote them. I don’t know if that makes sense at all. Sorry for my delayed response. I’ve sadly been neglecting my writing lately — but maybe it’s been waiting patiently for me to come back.
R
Rachel Gosling
4/28/2026
The Words That Got to Me
'I learned early that trust is a fragile bridge' 'And suddenly I remember how thin glass really is. How a life can look whole while a crack runs straight through the center of it.' These lines gave us that image of a sensitive and trusting soul, reaching out, only to be hurt or disappointed. The cracks do remain and can invade the sunniest of days.
Suggestions / Possible Tweaks
'And this house was always mine' confused me a little.
I found this a powerful and deeply affecting poem. The pain and sorrow we receive from betrayals stays with us forever and your poem captured this well. I loved the way you showed inner strength and a reach towards positivity with the line, a heart that keeps lighting candles even after the wind pushes through the room.
4/18/2026
The Words That Got to Me
“It has followed me through most of my life like weather that never quite clears.” is such a simple, clean opening. You set the tone, and I know what to expect. “This one didn’t leave with the rain. / It stayed behind.” You use short lines well; they give restraint and set pace. “It moves through the quiet places now, like a draft slipping under a closed door.” One of the most powerful images in the poem. I can easily visualise and feel what you are expressing. “how thin glass really is.” understated and effective. When paired with the surrounding lines, it becomes a pivotal moment. “And this house was always mine.” A great closer. With it, you reclaim yourself.
Suggestions / Possible Tweaks
Not a lot here. A bit of a lean towards familiar phrasing in places that stand out when surrounded by such great originality. “like weather that never quite clears” “storms pass” “the sky finds its way back to blue” (are good, but familiar.) Used with care and minimally, they are ok but they can dilute things if overused. “From the outside everything still looks normal. Someone walks through the day like the house never burned down. Like the walls are standing exactly where they always were.” The idea is clear, but it’s said twice in slightly different ways. You could cut or compress without losing meaning. “That’s the quiet truth no one really talks about.” This is telling the reader what to think. It was unnecessary, as the previous line already showed this so well.
This is a strong poem, rich in powerful metaphors with a cohesive spine holding the work firmly together. You control the emotional tone well, and considering the subject, you avoid melodrama—something a lot of this type of poem slips into. Where it is at its strongest, you hand us beautifully crafted original lines that are both visually and emotionally solid in their meaning. We can sit with you and experience the message in your words. Where it leans on familiar phrasing or the occasional over-explanation, it softens and loses its impact. Overall, this is an excellent, mature and well-crafted poem, showing a strong instinct for rhythm and imagery.