Spectator (Spring 2023) by Madeline Song ** https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886 en-us 2023-03-28 12:35:59 UTC 2025-10-20 05:27:09 UTC hello@padlet.com **Storefront (accepted!!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535834553 Comments:
- like the shading
- like the design of the first building
- perspective is a little off; it seems like the building curves
- very detailed, and the details add to the picture in a way that allows us to overlook the slant
- the slant can be seen as whimsical 
- realistic, but cartoony at the same time—it's a good mix
- the texture is really well done—everything is the same color, but the texture comes through very well
- it doesn't feel flat
- at first glance it can seem messy, but it's actually very detailed and ornate]]> 2023-03-29 00:57:36 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535834553 PADLET GUIDE msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535836359 Each column delineates an individual piece.

Asterisks (**) indicate that the submitter did not have a title, so the EICs put in place a temporary one.

Opening the pieces by clicking on them can improve resolution/quality.

Results and notes will be regularly updated by the editors.

Email spectator@bbns.org to submit pieces!]]> 2023-03-29 00:58:53 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535836359 Crossing (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535837002 Comments:
- it looks really cool
- like how the shoes stand out
- like how there are figures that you can't quite make out until you look closely at it—really nicely done
- some of the people blend into the background so well
- gives off a really cool feeling of unease—almost want the man in neon to move back off of the street
- doesn't like how the woman in the back stands out—draws attention away from the man in neon
- on the contrary, it creates tension within the piece
- first, you see the person in the yellow, then the person with the white shoes, then the person with the white shoe soles—it's really neat how you can keep looking and discovering more
- like that the man in neon is in the very center 
- since the background is all dark and the crosswalk is the only thing that is lit up, it feels like that's the man's path into the unknown
- draws the question of how someone could take this photo]]> 2023-03-29 00:59:22 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535837002 **Boot (Accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535839137 Comments:
- the technique that she used to make the boot is very impressive
- looks very realistic
- choice of not using a glossy glaze made the texture very realistic
- the surface designs work with the organic feel of the boot
- the bootstrap on the top is a very nice addition that ties the piece together
- the boot is very level
- the whole thing looks very clean and professional]]> 2023-03-29 01:00:56 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535839137 sea of platitudes (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535846730 2023-03-29 01:06:32 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535846730 이천시 (Accepted) sren34_1 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535847843 Comments:
- love the picture
- matches the music
- music is the type of thing you could hear on a loop and not get bored of
- beautiful, flowy feel of the music
- the picture is very dreamlike]]> 2023-03-29 01:07:19 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535847843 Dreams (accepted with minor edits) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535851588 Comments:
- love the “how are you / so perfect” —hidden question the speaker may want to ask
- interesting how the car is portrayed as “beautiful” at the start and beat up and taped together and the end
- like the speed changing from really fast to “twenty on a goddamn rotatary”—humorous interruption of their anger
- the poem starts off feeling very purposeful and controlled and then “spirals” out of control
- possibly take out the word “dreams” in the first and last night—might strengthen the poem
- the title could stay “dreams” which would be interesting
- “dreams” and “pristine” go well together]]> 2023-03-29 01:10:05 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535851588 Atoms (rejected, but encouraged re-submit!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535869441 2023-03-29 01:21:56 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535869441 **every day (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535874994 Author's Note: this poem was inspired by https://www.loc.gov/programs/poetry-and-literature/poet-laureate/poet-laureate-projects/poetry-180/all-poems/item/poetry-180-070/sentimental-moment-or-why-did-the-baguette-cross-the-road/ by Robert Hershon!

Comments:
- simple short and sweet
- main reaction: effective
- “little nook of the back right corner” sounds a little like she’s talking about the bus—maybe confusing, but also cool that it could be either one
- the storytelling is very good—written in a way that feels like prose 
- first reaction: relatable sadness
- italics feel intentional and well done
- really cute—mother’s day theme 
- the single quotations are slightly bothersome
- “every day” sounds like the title—maybe make more clear
- on the contrary, it kind of works as both]]> 2023-03-29 01:25:34 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535874994 One Way (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535882494 2023-03-29 01:30:15 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535882494 Up (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535883187 Comments:
- don't love the title—it doesn't seem to fit the photo since the tram is not moving upwards
- like how distinct the color blocks are—the sky is blue, the tram is red, the scaffolding is tan
- like the colors a lot
- the only bright color—the red—is the vessel that is transporting the people to a new destination
- do not like the grey lines that run along the tan scaffolding—takes away from the color sections
- on the contrary, those pipes bring reality and commentary into the piece
- like how the lines that hold the tram slice the sky
- somewhat ominous feel with the color scheme—are the people traveling to a new destination or trapped within the tram?]]> 2023-03-29 01:30:45 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535883187 **Who can you miss? (rejected, but encouraged re-submit!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535888331 2023-03-29 01:34:21 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535888331 Summer Reflections (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535892128 2023-03-29 01:37:06 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535892128 Fairy (unedited) (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535892940 2023-03-29 01:37:41 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535892940 **bridge (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535896722 2023-03-29 01:40:17 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535896722 **sunset streetlamps (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535898639 2023-03-29 01:41:41 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535898639 **sunset streetlamps 2 (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535898949 2023-03-29 01:41:55 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2535898949 Gravity (Accepted with minor edits) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2539119850 Comments:
- “He, whom”
- Orbiting earth 
- He’s the earth, she’s the sun? 
- Word choice is weird 
- Likes the storyness of it
- Good imagery 
- “She’s not alone…]]> 2023-03-31 00:47:20 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2539119850 In the Dim sum Shop (Accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2539141619 Comments:
- really liked the incorporation of the different languages
- the last line ("pursuing my happiness in America") is a little too much "tell"—it could be more subtle
- the epigraph in the beginning is well done
- the enjambment works really well
- like the theme of starting anew in a new place but struggling to fit in]]> 2023-03-31 01:04:28 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2539141619 **desert sunset (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546529986 Comments:
- the shadows contrast with each other in a very interesting way
- like how the angle allows the viewer to see so far into the distance
- like how the rolling hills are smooth up close and pointier beyond
- like the colors of the sunset]]> 2023-04-06 18:13:56 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546529986 **dusty desert (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546530485 2023-04-06 18:14:35 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546530485 **red village (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546530858 Comments:
- like the buildings
- they look really cool, and the fact that you can see more in the distance adds to the photograph
- like how the photograph shows the horizon in the far distance—feels like the scene continues forever
- feels like the photo content is more artistic than the photography itself]]> 2023-04-06 18:15:04 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546530858 **red house (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546531446 2023-04-06 18:15:50 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546531446 **sandy tracks (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546531989 Comments:
- love the details in the sand
- the sunset is really neat, especially how it highlights the shadows in the photo
- like the way the sun, even though there are large clouds, catches interesting shadows in the sand 
- on the contrary, some were not a fan of the lighting
- nice that the sand texture is so distinct close to the camera]]> 2023-04-06 18:16:23 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546531989 **dark sunset (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546532091 Comments:
- the 'leftover' sunset is very cool—the small patch of bright colors is really pretty
- love the lighting
- on the contrary, not a huge fan of the overall darkness
- like the sky and clouds
- the colors in the sky are beautiful
- like how the shrubs throughout the photo break the monotony of the smooth sand dunes and add texture]]> 2023-04-06 18:16:30 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546532091 **sunset village (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546535107 Comments:
- very cool city scape
- like how the colors in the sunset match the reddish pink of the buildings
- like the slanted angle of the photo
- like how the photo is broken into three sections
- possible edit: crop out the pole on the right]]> 2023-04-06 18:20:16 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546535107 **desert hills (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546535535 Comments:
- photo looks very clean and professional
- like the bright vibrancy of the sky and the sand
- like the contrast of color between the two mediums
- gives off screensaver vibes
- feels somewhat like a stock photo]]> 2023-04-06 18:20:48 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2546535535 Snails Watching TV (Accepted) sren34_1 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2548822785 Comments:
 - Shell siverstine
- Very whimsical
- Like the illustration style
- Good drawing 
- Fun, unserious and it works well ]]> 2023-04-10 13:49:41 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2548822785 Summer Dad (accepted!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549378298 Comments:
- ending is very strong and it has a lyrical feel
- it reads like a memory
- the beach imagery is distinct and original
- begins and ends with a wave—nice allude to the ocean
- maybe the speaker is remembering this moment after they have lost their father?
- love the line "the man who puts the beach to bed each night / expects you on Fridays"
- the ocean may be "the man" who "rakes the sand"—very cool way to describe that image]]> 2023-04-11 00:36:10 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549378298 Habits (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549378701 Comments:
- villanelle poem
- speaks to an older audience than high schoolers
- the repetition is comforting, in a way
- like the specifics of the dishwasher and the vacuum lines—relatable images
- like the comparison of household chores to aging
- villanelle structure fits the theme of the poem—with everything settling into its place after time
- title may be too on the nose—very direct
- not many cliches—strong word choice and language
- like “a unique approach becomes stagnation”—everything becomes old at some point]]> 2023-04-11 00:36:31 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549378701 Smorgasbord (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549383115 Comments:
- really like the colors
- pretty to look at
- cute—childhood blanket
- wish it was a photo of the quilt alone—it’s more interesting than the surroundings
- on the contrary, like the off-angle, folded artistic choice
- like the color splash against the pleasant but drab background
- fits well with the rest of the series
- title matches well]]> 2023-04-11 00:39:57 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549383115 Mug Rugs (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549383580 2023-04-11 00:40:19 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549383580 Blue Boro (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549384054 Comments:
- more original—haven’t seen much stuff
- difference between craft and art
- possibly cropped
- scraps of fabric turned beautiful
- technical details seem very skilled—complicated stitching at the edges]]> 2023-04-11 00:40:44 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549384054 Beach Day (accpeted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549384108 Comments:
- feels purposeful—both the rug and the picture
- stitching feels intentional
- complexity
- colors—very beachy]]> 2023-04-11 00:40:47 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2549384108 **untitled (accepted with edits) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2568023588 Comments:
- love the enjambment of “when push comes / to shove me into your arms”
- however the enjambment in other places doesn’t seem to work as well
- metaphor of roses is woven through well
- like the imagery of rain and storms
- the lack of punctuation is somewhat bothersome—it’s all one sentence
- wish the comma after “them, i try to cover you” wasn’t there
- like the first stanza—nice parallel
- wonder who the “you” is—it sounds like some sort of caretaker rather than a lover
- possible edit: change the enjambment so it feels more purposeful and edited]]> 2023-04-26 01:23:36 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2568023588 Bones (accepted with edits!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2568026108 Author's Note: the author wanted to clarify, although it may be obvious, that this is a made up story and not real!

Comments:
- the imagery with the blood and bones is very interesting
- very macbeth-like the description of the knife 
- it reads somewhat like a short story
- cool premise—makes the reader wonder what this world is
- like "fit in well with the memory of my hand"
- the repetition of "nobody liste-" is somewhat too repetitive—it doesn't seem to add very much to the story by the end
- possible edit: change the line over time so it's not the same thought being repeated over and over]]> 2023-04-26 01:25:27 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2568026108 Surf Shack (accepted!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2584581039 Comments:
- like the contrast between the sky and darker ground—wish it was even more emphasized
- crazy shack amidst scenes of normalcy—really cool contrast
- chaos and craziness dropped in the middle of a normal cityscape
- black and white emphasizes the dreamlike nature of the photo
- houses are plain and normal, and contrasted with the shack, it’s very cool
]]> 2023-05-10 00:53:27 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2584581039 **burlington (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2584583224 2023-05-10 00:55:07 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2584583224 **chicago (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2584583389 2023-05-10 00:55:14 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2584583389 **boathouse1 (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2588783158 2023-05-12 14:23:26 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2588783158 **boathouse2 (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2588784150 2023-05-12 14:24:07 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2588784150 **boathouse3 (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2588784366 2023-05-12 14:24:15 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2588784366 Convergence, 1952 (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590144966 Comments:
- like “is it perfect if it needs to be preserved?”—cool ideas
- like the flickers/speckles
- like “our love painted this canvas blind”
- like “ours is strong stuff: the military-grade kind of love”
- like how the author is talking about the painting convergence but also relating it to their personal life
- feels very adult and intentional
- good vocab, purposefully used
- good alliteration
- feels very clean and professional
- good show not tell—meaning is subtle but sticks
- poetry about abstract paintings is exciting]]> 2023-05-14 16:43:32 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590144966 On the Romantics (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590145742 Author's Note: The Romantics are often celebrated in our culture with media like The Dead Poets Society. Their young deaths and suffering are often romanticized. The Romantics often idealized the deaths of their compatriots (Adonais, Endymion). This poem is a criticism of the celebration of the idealization of the deaths of the Romantics. It is written in a variation on the typical sonnet form employed by the Romantics. In fact, it is not ideal to suffer greatly and die young. We should celebrate the works of the Romantics, but question the way they lived and be cautious in our idealization of their deaths. 

Comments:
- love “found, attic bound” —good slant rhyme
- like “to scrawl poor poetry and leave a beautiful carcass”
- romantics was a time period characterized by the names in the poem—keats, shelley, chatterton—who all died young 
- the background information is helpful in understanding the poem
- very honest]]> 2023-05-14 16:44:51 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590145742 Daylight Moon (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590145895 Comments:
- really like “sticky, illicit trusts”—sounds very nice
- reminds of goodnight moon
- cute title
- like repetition of “must”
- like how the speaker is talking to the moon
- like the control of the voice and the tone, but the second to last line feels too sharp in contrast
- like the idea of the sun vanquishing the moon]]> 2023-05-14 16:45:09 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590145895 Shibari Series 1 (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590155008 Comments:
- it’s a tasteful piece in terms of form
- like how the silk wraps around the woman’s shoulders—looks very realistic 
- shades of blue are nice
- it’s intentionally not perfect—you can make out the brushstrokes
- sense of realism
- lot of empty space—half of it is not the subject
- super interestingly composed and well painted
- the background does seem to have some things going on since the brushstrokes are distinct
- the hand holding the foot is a little bit odd—feels a little rushed, maybe the perspective is off
- the hand does seem a little off
- the foot is a little pointy when you look closely—both at the tip and the 
- other elements that look sharply pointed when you look closely, but when you look at it overall, it works
- like the shadow that the leg is casting on the man
- depth is very good
- possibly changing the title so people don’t google it…]]> 2023-05-14 17:01:20 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590155008 Cathedral (accepted) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590155140 Comments:
- the glass on the top really looks like glass—absolutely gorgeous; it looks just like light going through glass
- the detail of each brick is so well done—nice that they’re not exactly perfect
- first impression: very tall
- nice that the overall image creates a pattern—beginning of another window at the bottom
- the narrow, claustrophobic framing works well with the piece—highlights the detail and allows the audience to zoom in and focus
- adding the triangle at the bottom gives the piece and interesting perspective—it adds more height]]> 2023-05-14 17:01:34 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590155140 atoms (re-submission) (accepted with edits!) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590194170 Comments:
- talking about father, grandfather
- more capitalization—including “I”
- like the idea of missed opportunities
- like “dog eared” and “corpses”
- sometimes went on too long about the same things
- like the atoms were mentioned later
- enjambment—parenthesis starting on the line before
- atoms moving—cancer?
- when someone dies, their body reverts back to atoms—cool idea
- less is more—show not tell as much
- like how it’s more narrative—
- like how the speaker is grieving and regret plays a part in that]]> 2023-05-14 18:03:37 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2590194170 Feesh (accepted :) msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2593947292 Comments
- the group immediately wanted to accept ("accept with praise!")
- it’s interesting trying to figure out where the fish is situated—sky? water? log?
- perspective is bizarre in a cool way
- title is great!
- really impressive that the medium is colored pencils—that must have taken a lot of time
- the idea that we’re looking at something 3D on a 2D space is really hard to do—skilled foreshortening
- like how the nostrils are different colored—feesh vibes
- people love the title]]> 2023-05-17 01:52:59 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2593947292 pretty perfect girls (rejected) :( msong38 https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2609835067 2023-05-31 02:05:50 UTC https://padlet.com/msong38/8k5vbdg6bpaqn886/wish/2609835067