Well, as long as you like it, it makes it worth it. :)

You have no idea how grateful I am that you took the time to do this, and for 155 words no less! Thank you <3

Yeah! I like either the narrator as a boy expressing his feelings in pornography, or the narrator using the backwards text as a distraction and the meaning of his crass words actually being backwards because he yearns to experience being a sexual bottom but isn’t brave enough to say it (I want your lips, dear reader, closed around my cock = becomes = I want my lips, dear reader, closed around your cock, etc). The second is another super interesting approach that I think could go either way regarding whether the narrator is gay; personally I think in that reading that narrator just yearns to submit, but is probably a powerful man (professionally).

That’s what makes poetry so much fun though!

Just a note, I found your and u/Mobile-Escape 's crits super interesting. On my read I didn't think it was possible to establish a clear narrator or narrative goal. The sexuality of the piece veered so close to xbox live insults that it didn't even strictly read as sexual so much as about establishing power dynamics in relationships. To me its unclear if its author reader or narrator reader or narrator lover, which is why I described the intent as mangled. So for y'all to get so granular with reads was notable and interesting!

Hello.

This is the first post I’ve read in this forum since joining about a week ago that I expect I’ll be thinking about for the next few days. 

My whole interpretation is probably bullshit, but maybe you’ll find it entertaining to read anyway to see what some stranger on the internet thought of your poem. I don’t know if it’ll help you because I suck at analyzing poetry, always have, but hey, it’s nice to read people’s reactions to your work, right?

I’ll be using the below diagram to discuss the poem in the course of this post. The left number represents the line number, of course, and the right number represents the number of syllables in the line, since I was drawn to that when I first started decoding the lines from reverse. 

#

Message in reverse

1 I write this poem backwards to throw you off my scent 13

2 Please pay close attention if you wonder what is meant 13

3 by alien constructions, unfamiliar to the eye 14

4 My message here is crystal clear to those who wit apply 1

Some chucklefuck downvoted you, it wasn't me. Thanks for the feedback! Was a bit worried I wouldn't get any full length crits.

I'll give it a go. and I was kicking around an idea that needs a teeny weeny crit for fuel.   
**the elephant in the room:**  
So why write it backwards, but not in mirror script or encoded? the barrier to entry is just low enough that its still easy to get through and 155 words is tiny. So functionally, this slows the reader down. Inconveniences. So might say it establishes a power dynamic. I'm not sure I would say that.   
Because look where we are.  And also the whole up/downvote thing.   
And this comment section as it stands. Maybe it does establish a power dynamic then eh?

  
There's an inherent tension here, authorial want to be read and understood, yet the desire to obscure a meaning. So for me at the beginning it creates a little tension, not knowing where this goes. But then the author narrator faffs about for a couple lines. Tension wears thin, and the reading is slow enough the scansion and rhyme are mostly lost.

  
Not exactly if on a winter's night a traveller, a text t

Thanks for the excellent feedback! Downvotes by themselves are only so helpful, especially when it's unclear whether it's the structure, overall (lack of) quality or the ick factor that drives them. I greatly appreciated (and agree with) your input on cadence in particular.

The poem is indeed written as is for some other, more superficial reason.

It's a bit of a mixed bag for me.

On the one hand, I like the stylistic decision. It makes sense, thematically, for one who is bashful, particularly for sensitive, personal subject matter, to be reluctant to express oneself openly. Yes, it was a bit of a struggle to read, but I'm of the opinion that if the decision is justified, in this case meaning the style adds something to the narrative, then there's nothing wrong with making it more challenging for the reader. Then again, a lot of people don't feel the same way, which is valid and understandable.

On the other hand, the execution falls a little flat for me. While I thought the cadence sounded better when spoken out loud (which I consider a good sign with poetry), there were a couple points that didn't fall into rhythm. For example, the first clause of the second-to-last line is hot garbage, rhythmically, and could do with some re-working, such as the following:

>How have you been managing? I hope I'm not too crass

Like the othe

Any and all feedback welcome.

Crit \[[2211](https://www.reddit.com/r/DestructiveReaders/comments/rggf49/2211_driving_graveyard/hokt636/?context=3)\]

[Poem](https://drive.google.com/file/d/152-FiUAyam1QuDrtmq0EB1hRYMF9CoMZ/view?usp=sharing)

[155] esrever ni egasseM