Join the Neopoet online poetry workshop and community to improve as a writer, meet fellow poets, and showcase your work. Sign up, submit your poetry, and get started.
R
Rita
Member since January 17, 2026
Member for 4 months, 26 days
recent new member
Premium
10
Poems
47
Comments
6
Followers
Most recent
A Coal Miner's Story
A whistle pierced the quiet calm of the morning.
The clock struck the time
for our band of brothers to make a daily trek.
Dismal faces adorn the pack.
A heavy mist from our breath arises in the air.
Quiet prayers are said
in our heads and in our dwellings
for our safe return, come day's end.
Down, deep into the bowels of the earth we go
into the pitch black
fragmented by the light of our headlamps.
"Tunnel rats" trudging through stagnant water
hunched and crawling in cramped shafts.
Musty coal infested air creeps up our nostrils.
Read the rest of the poem Show less
Free floating black coal dust
coats our garments and camouflages our skin.
Our daily ritual for the black gold
to power the industrial revolution,
for the survival of our beloved families above
anxiously awaiting our homecoming.
Today the timbers held
keeping us safe in the belly of the beast,
elusive gases did not stop the canary from singing,
explosives did not bring the beast to life
to enact revenge upon us.
Today, we are able to climb out of the belly once more
returning to the loving arms of our families.
Rita’s timeline
- June 2026
-
11 ThuReceived a critique
on A Coal Miner's Story from @Sen99
"Hello A poignant story of forgotten men who toiled underground, a dirty and dangerous job for decades, all the collieries here have been shut now a forgotten industry. This poem imagery is stark and the sentiment honest…" -
07 SunReceived a critique
on A Coal Miner's Story from @patrickgadoury
"I actually like the familiar phrases buried in this poem, like “band of brothers.” Maybe that’s a weird take, but to my amateur eyes the poem already feels pretty literary, and those familiar phrases showing up every fe…" -
07 Sun
-
06 SatCritiqued
"A Little Poesy" by @Lavender
"Hello to you too I can just picture the scenes as I too enjoy my daily walks. The imagery takes me there." - May 2026
-
17 SunReceived a critique
on A day at the beach from @Obadiah Grey
"Here's the winner,!! ,, Nice one Rita. Obi." -
07 ThuReceived a critique
on A day at the beach from @William Lynn
"Hi Rita. I enjoyed this trip to the ocean and your use of so many senses to invite us along to share the day. I am sure that many accomplished poets write without using enjambments or periods at the ends of sentences, b…" -
06 WedReceived a critique
on A day at the beach from @Lavender
"Hello, Rita! I like the usage of all the senses within this - lots of motion and activity throughout. I can almost see and hear the seagulls! I do wonder about going ahead and stating that it's a kite flying into the sk…" -
03 Sun
-
02 SatNew follower
@RJ Bear
- April 2026
-
26 Sun
-
20 MonCritiqued
"You're wrong" by @Lenka Bojadžievski
"Kindness and empathy comes to mind- for we never know what someone is personally struggling with. Sometimes the ones closest to us, can hurt us the most. I feel you have courage to be able to write about what you face…" -
14 TueCritiqued
"Time to give up?" by @The Eccentric poet
"My comment itself is about the mental state-depression, not about your writing. Sorry if it led to a misinterpretation. I have no reason to question why one writes nor is it what my comment was meant to express." -
07 TueCritiqued
"A Brief Forever " by @RJ Bear
"Enjoyed the poem, sad, but the reality of things that do happen. Life." - March 2026
-
27 FriNew follower
@Lavender
-
23 MonCritiqued
"Time to give up?" by @The Eccentric poet
"Depression is not a "pretty" picture but empathize with the thoughts." -
23 MonCritiqued
"I Could Have Lit The Match" by @William Lynn
"Enjoyed your piece- building better than burning!" -
15 SunCritiqued
"War All the Time" by @Sen99
"Enjoyed the poem. Enjoyed the rhyme that carried it through, but the message more so, and the reality of war and fear for our way of life and survival. RM" -
04 WedReceived a critique
on What happened to me from @Geezer
"a fair piece. I too, wish that you had decided to go full on with rhyme and meter, but... The rhyme seems to be well done, and you could have made this sing with the sing-song kind of rhyme and meter that carries a poem…" -
03 Tue
-
02 Mon
-
01 SunReceived a critique
on Beautiful soul from @Wallyroo92
"What a beautiful piece. This is the kind of writing that gives the world hope and optimism. Wonderfule work." - February 2026
-
21 SatReceived a critique
on Boys to Men from @Jane A. Rug
"the poem spoke volumes to these myopic eyes, a baby boomer who seems to recall the innocence of my boyhood." -
16 MonNew follower
@Bruno A. Barroso
-
15 Sun
-
12 Thu
-
09 Mon
-
06 FriNew follower
@Cecily
-
05 Thu
- January 2026
-
31 Sat
-
31 Sat
-
21 Wed
-
17 SatFirst critique offered
on "Death " by @mercy the poetess
-
17 SatFirst publication
Empowerment
-
17 Sat
-
17 SatJoined Neopoet
Membership begins
First poem published 1 days later.
About Me
About me
I enjoy writing free verse.. I have published my first chapbook "Seasonal Poetry" in 2025, on Amazon and Etsy. I have published over 30 poems in various literary magazines and anthologies. I am a reader of submissions for the Words Faire. I also actively engage in local open mic nights and author events with readings of poetry .
Location: PA, USA
Favorite Poets
Amanda Gorman, Maya Angelou, Thoreau
Hildy Morgan inspired me to write
Recent Work
Wake Up
Posted:
Contest Wins
| Winning Submission | Contest | Contest Date |
|---|---|---|
| Empowerment | 01/26 New Member Contest | – |