📝 Feedback, Freedom, and the Poet’s Heart

💭 Opening Reflection

I’ve been thinking about feedback lately.

Do people really want it?
Even when they ask, do they want affirmation or growth?
How do I know if someone is resilient enough to handle critique-
even when offered with gentleness, with care, with constructive intention?

Not so long ago, a friend’s feedback stung. They said, “Only AI-generated drivel makes use of the em dash.” As someone who uses em dashes often, it cast my craft into doubt. Yet days later, that very sting morphed into a new poem.

Because feedback, no matter how softly spoken, carries a subtle power. It can illuminate what is working, clarify what is cloudy, and nurture a poem’s hidden potential. But it can also bruise confidence, especially when words are tender and new-when the poet’s own self-belief is still taking root.

🌱 Feedback and the Poet’s Freedom

Is there a correlation between the ability to accept feedback and a poet’s freedom?

I think there is.

When my esteemed poet friend made the em dash comment, I took it to heart. It opened my eyes, though they stung. That comment made me wonder again: Do people really want feedback? Do they seek affirmation, or the gift of growth it can offer?

When a poet becomes open to feedback-not just praise but critique-they claim a quiet freedom. They are no longer shackled to the approval or rejection of others. They learn to discern which suggestions align with their voice, which edits strengthen their vision, and which comments, though well-meant, do not serve their truth.

Feedback accepted with openness becomes a tool of liberation. It frees the poet to:

• Explore without fear of imperfection
• Revise without shame
• Stand firm in their own artistic decisions

I feel a kinship with Emily Dickinson, who made wonderful use of the em dash. I strive for her adeptness.

The poet who welcomes feedback, without being ruled by it, becomes free to write what is most real and necessary within them. Their freedom grows with each critique that is weighed thoughtfully, accepted when useful, and released when unneeded.

🕊️ Quiet Verse Practice Reflection

Today, I invite you to reflect:

• What feedback has strengthened your voice?
• What feedback wounded you unnecessarily?
• How can you become more open to feedback while remaining grounded in your truth?

Write a short poem or note of gratitude for a piece of feedback that helped you grow-even if it was hard to hear at the time.

📝 Coming Soon to The Quiet Verse

Before we close, here is a glimpse of what’s ahead in our upcoming newsletters.

Over the next few months, we’ll journey deeper into the relationship between feedback and freedom in poetry. In this upcoming Feedback & Freedom series, you’ll explore:

• When critique becomes a chain or a key
• How to receive feedback with courage and discernment
• Ways to stay true to your voice within critique
• Practices to become your own best editor

✨ Plus, a Quiet Verse Gift

Alongside the series, we’re creating a special printable chapbook,
“Feedback & Freedom: A Poet’s Companion.”
It will include reflections, prompts, and gentle practices to support your growth as a poet rooted in truth.

💛 Stay tuned for the first installment in our next issue.

📬 Subscribe to From the Quiet Verse to receive each part directly to your inbox and be the first to download the chapbook when it blooms.

👉 Subscribe here or visit my newletter signup

✨ Closing Thought

When we give feedback, may we do so with the heart of illuminating the poet’s journey, not just improving their poem.

And as poets, may we learn to open ourselves to receive both feedback and freedom.

I leave you with thoughts to ponder:

• May we offer feedback with kindness, and receive it with wisdom.
• May each critique become a stepping stone to freedom, not a chain.
• And may your words remain rooted in the deep, quiet truth of who you are.

“If you wish, share your reflection or poem with me.
I would be honoured to read what feedback has sown in your life.”