The Secret Society

If anything ( and I know ) age will solidify your membership as long as you continue being you. This is a very moving read, and you are right that like-minded attract. You can recognize kindred by the energy. I enjoyed this read.

Because you have requested honest critique, I want to honor that with the following:

Firstly, you have good, solid lines. Some of them can be improved by adjusting the enjambments. For example:

Glances of understanding and
Nods of solidarity.

If you moved 'and' to the next line, then it would carry on seamlessly.

Glances of understanding
and nods of solidarity.

A good test is to see if the line can stand on its  own. While what you've done is perfectly acceptable, I feel it could be stronger.

Here is an example of an excellent enjambment from your very poem:

Cling to my identity and hope
That age will not render my membership void.

That being said, let's look at those lines. You've got some really nice alliteration going on between my/membership that adds a smooth flow to the read. Your assonance throughout these lines, and many others, is in good harmony. And wherever there is solid assonance, so is there consonance. You seem to have a natural ability to render rhythm through such application.

While capping the beginning of each line is certainly an acceptable form of poetry; however, I feel that capping only the beginning of sentences creates a smoother flow for the reader. Lastly, while placing a comma at the end of a line is another acceptable form, the end of the line itself creates a brief pause for the reader. Therefore, many commas aren't needed. This is just a general statement; this poem is good with what you have. You certainly haven't overused.  I wouldn't suggest removing any. But it could work if you did.

What also helps are stanzas. for example:

Though rare,
We are there to be found
If you know where to look.

We blaze a spectrum
From palest sun-tinged straw,
Through cool amber, warm orange,
Fiery red, burnished brown
To glowing chestnut.

Subject to the same insults
And saddled with the same clichés,
We are in fact unique and proud.

Part of a secret society,
We look twice when we encounter one another;
Give shy smiles of recognition,
Glances of understanding and
Nods of solidarity.

As a child,
I shrank from the sun
And from the attention.
Now I embrace both;
Cling to my identity and hope
That age will not render my membership void.

Do you see how that space in between thoughts allow the reader to absorb and digest the delicious imagery and emotional conveyance before moving onto the next?

Anyway, these are just suggestions. You appear to have a natural gift of writing in regards to what I've previously mentioned. I thought I had you followed. I was certain I did; however, now I don't, but will remedy that.

This is exceptionally helpful. Thank you for the time you have taken to give so much useful advice. I will bear in mind the punctuation possibilities, but like you said, I don't need to change them here. I'm about to go through and sort out my line breaks and stanzas.

I honestly have NO idea if I'm any good or not. I'm not particularly prolific, but am speeding up a bit. I just need (and love) to write.  A few people have comments on rhythm and sound... I wonder if the fact that I'm a professional musician feeds into this?

Being musical definitely contributes to poetry. I almost asked you if you played an instrument or composed.

I do need to admit that upon reading the title I couldn't help but hear Ally McBeal singing 'Secret Society' in Cruel Intentions! 😂

Ha ha! On the recommendation of some silly 16 year old girls, we once took our youth group (which those girls belonged to) to see that at the cinema. Pretty quickly, we realised it was an entirely unsuitable film for our organisation, and most of the leaders walked out, to make a point. I never did see the whole film!

I specialised in composition at university, but if you Google nine music exams in one day, you'll find me.

Oh but but but. . .it ends perfectly! It's karma personified! But, yeah, a group of young girls, no!

I just googled and read the article! Wow! That's all I have to say! Well, and maybe that you're one gifted lady!

Winking hello from behind my own membership card... 😉 Clever write!
And if you've never heard this, you're missing out: https://youtu.be/KVN_0qvuhhw

I did google the nine exams... holy crap, girl! You're amazing!!
❤k

Thank you! Yes, I know it well, but just watched it again for the LOL. The guy is a genius.

Thank you!  This one did spring to mind when we were talking about colour!  Only in this poem, it's literal, as you can see from my profile picture.