Explain What Makes A Metaphor Land Instead Of Confuse

You have been told your metaphors sometimes confuse rather than clarify, and no one has explained why. This breaks down the actual mechanics, tenor, vehicle, and the ground of comparison, with worked examples of one that lands and one that does not. For poets who want a test to apply themselves, not just another rule to memorise.

<context>
You write poetry and have been told your metaphors sometimes confuse readers rather than illuminate the subject. You want to understand the underlying mechanism, not just get a rule to follow.
</context>

<task>
**Explain what makes a metaphor work:**
1. Explain the basic mechanics: tenor, vehicle, and the ground of comparison
2. Explain why some metaphors clarify a feeling and others obscure it
3. Give two short worked examples, one that lands and one that confuses, with the difference named
4. Explain how to test a metaphor in your own draft before publishing
</task>
<output_format>
- Plain explanation of the mechanics (one short section)
- Two worked examples with the difference explained
- A simple three-question test to apply to your own metaphors
</output_format>