Love this ! The rhyimg flows beautifully. The last stanza is my favorite.

Rearranging stanzas until they make sense. This is a novel way of assembling poetry. I guess poetry is a way of the sub-conscious to speak, like the pen being dragged by some surreal entity.

Take care.

Tony this has really touched me. It's just brilliant and must speak for so many of us who use their poetry to purge their innermost feelings. I'm fascinated to learn how you write then rearrange the stanzas ... it's totally working for you and the last one is indeed the hardest hitting - the final line especially. Added to my faves :-) x
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Hi Tony I'm sorry I missed this because it truly is a gem.
The title should it be letters? As in you've written them to your notebook or as it is at the moment and that the notebook has written back? Hopefully that makes sense though I'm sure I'll find out once I read properly (sorry just writing what comes into my head please take no offence)
Ooh as I thought I found out that this is actually a letter written from your notebook as in it's for you from your notebook very smart Tony.
1) This opening is extremely powerful and shows that you have been hurt somewhat in the past with the words you decided to use 'crack' 'mar' (meaning to spoil) 'drag' and 'rage' I like the words you use because it shows in my humble opinion that you are using this book to let out emotion whether it be happiness, sadness or infact rage though usually we only write in diaries about things that are troubling us because it feels atleast for once we're being listened to.
2) Again, the words use make me believe this book (similar to my experience too) bears all of ones pain and things that are troubling and that it sees/feels our tears as we write which is a wonderfully sad image and one that makes you think twice about if this book was actually a person would it be the good listener it is when it's inanimate?? Or would it tell us to get a grip? Makes you wonder doesn't it.
3) This stanza was my favourite. I can't put my finger on why but the image of this book being 'the tattered mirror to your soul' is a fantastic one even if sombre. Here you speak of it being the last of you self control which is a very vivid image and one which took me back to when I was in my abusive relationship I would do anything to be able to write in my book, even hiding it so it was never found but in the end unfortunately it was and I was made to burn it.. Anyway this gave a little bit of hope to the piece and shows the understanding this book actually has.
4) fantastic and again shows understanding 'Councillor' 'pastor' and speaks of 'peace' no doubt the only bit of peace we can grab?
5) This speaks of inner turmoil (in my opinion) and a place of sanction to be able to let your guard (shield) down and be able to let out what's bothering us but that it will be the 'sword' that we can pick up from by writing in it and be able to calm ourselves once our words have hit the deck.

This is a very powerful, fluent and thought provoking piece. One which I will read over and over.

Take care
Em x

Well done, Tony.

congrats on your win

Congratulations Tony on your win. Well deserving, this is an amazing write-

Congrats tony

Amazing write! Congrats

Congrats on the win, Tony! A wonderful write. My notebook serves the same purposes ;-)

Judging comment:
I found this to be such a powerful articulation of poetry. The notebook writes a letter to the poet saying – “I’m here, and I’m all of these things for you”. The physical manifestation of the words poets write are given an image (cracked spines and grinding teeth) as well as a spectrum of emotions (rage, anger, pain, tears, self-control). The fact that our poetry is often a direct reflection of how we’re feeling is also addressed (‘the tattered mirror to your soul’). The releasing nature of poetry means we do indeed use it to express guilt and love, and to help us grieve and find peace - all boxes ticked here. The final stanza expresses how our words can both wound and protect, but mostly poetry can be “the voice to voice the things you can’t”. Reading this I felt understood and soothed, I’m not sure how else to describe it, but Tony, this is magnificent! :-) x
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Judging Comment - Letter from my notebook by Tony points 10 - This piece oozes with truth, power and unfortunately relatability as many of us have probably been at a low point therefore written in a diary ‘notebook’ to express the emotions we're going through. I have fortunately been saved by my very own diary through times of hardships and when I felt like no one else understood I had this ‘little book of emotions’ where I could let my pen do the talking because I found it difficult to talk being told to shut up so often and I knew that this inanimate object wouldn't judge me but instead would listen as it certainly had no choice to listen to my ramblings.

I do not know how I am JUST NOW seeing this piece. But, It is so beautiful, raw and true! Every stanza makes me want to reread all of my journals I have kept over the years to see the pain, anger and hatred that only they knew about. I absolutely LOVE this Tony.