[Jim Hayes]

Thank you for your insightful comments Dick, this is a very good poem indeed on a horrific and oft too repeated punishment in the past.

My take on the rhymes was that they had a statacco, whiplash effect and were well chosen for their purpose although I take your instructive point about the heightened effect of rhyming on more emotive, stronger words.

Personally, I don't consider it de rigueur that a volta should always be at the octave, feeling that it it should be, if it has to be at all, where the logic within the poem allows, no matter the line designation.

Jim




[This message has been edited by Jim Hayes (edited May 03, 2002).]