I do no know about anybody else but I am beginning to fear the death of this
conference. It seems that posts are so few and far between that I hardly go
there anymore. I remember way back when, this place used to be hoppin'! I
don't know if there's anything that can be done but if there is I'd like to
see it done soon. I have to admit that I personally have not posted a poem
in here is often as I used to, but I find that when I do post it gets a
maximum of 3 responses if that. Now mind you I'm not sitting here and
complaining just because I don't get responses, because that's not the case.
However I am sure there are many of us who are feeling the same way. Now
certainly, after you read a poem, there must be SOME type of initial first
impression you get. Whatever that may be, POST IT! I know I am going to make
an effort to do this, for fear of the death of the poetry conference. I hope
the rest of you will do the same, thanks.

-Craig

25 responses total.

I haven't been commenting because I've been busy, and I'm not expert
enough to be a good critic.  I haven't been writing much either, mostly
because my muse is fickle.  There's been some irony in my life of late,
maybe I should try turning some of that into verse (like the "dinner date
from Hell" piece).

Better than nothing! :)

I've been in poetry for fivve years, and periodically, people get too busy
or lack inspiration (sometimes at the same time, as is the case with me,) to
post.  It's okay, it'll pick up eventually.  Poetry is a confernece that has
to take it's own course.

OK I can accept that. But I have began to post my stuff in other places
because I just don't get the feedback I need here.

That may be necessary sometimes-- why should you limit your material to 
just this audience?

I do my best to be a good and constructive critic, but sometimes some 
pieces are just too longish for my taste, or I am just SUPREMELY 
stressed.  It kills my creativity, too.  Usually, I write pretty 
cathartic to ease spontaneity, but all too often I am so brain-fried 
that I can't think to write anything.

You ALSO must remember that the opinions here are pretty subjective, and 
lack of comment may indicate that the reader either didn't know what to 
suggest for improvement, or didn't know what to say other than the trite 
"It was nice."  I've learned to take lack of comment as sometimes 
meaning everyone liked it okay.

Of course, when there is comment, I take it with a grain of salt.  Dan, 
who is generally lauded here for his poetry talent, said something about 
a recent piece of Josh's that I *totally* disagreed with, i.e., that I 
understood and appreciated the thought expressed in it.  I realized 
suddenly that not everyone thinks as I do, so there will be times that I 
will write something that makes perfect sense to me but none to the 
person who is on a completely different brainwavelength.

By all means, if you need criticism and arne't getting it here, post to
other bbs forums.  I'm all for criticism. 

Often, I don't give criticism to those I don't know well enough.  Like I
said, after five years, I know who's amiable to my lash, but those people
have obviously been here a while.  The newer lot might consider noting in
their item #0 that they desire criticism; I always have asked that the
critics of poetry be constructive, and I reitterate that here for the
newer participants.  No flaming, no infantile behaviour -- and please keep
your criticism as productive as possible, because "it sucks" (or even "wow,
great," which is a habit that's developed and irritates me,) doesn't challenge
the poet to change the poem for its betterment.  It only squelches creativity
and breeds contempt and negativity.  If you have something negative to say,
at least back it up with a comment of substance.

Worthwhile criticism is something I worked on here.  I found that even 
when I wasn't too inspired to write, or sometimes even too stressed to 
write, I could still muster a decent critique.

I usually avoid negative criticism for the most part because I figure 
my comments in general are so right-brained that negative ones could be 
written off with the same amount of subjectivity.  Critiquing poetry is 
a delicate art, precisely *because* it's not objective writing.  The 
best that your critics can really say is essentially that you didn't 
express yourself in a way that they could relate to or better yet 
understand.

Most people here will suggest other arrangements or writing techniques 
that will get you understood by most, or at least the majority here.

Again, I reiterate, don't limit yourself to just this audience, even 
when you are getting plenty of feedback.  I would think that writers 
would want to expose themselves fairly broadly, unless it's a "shared 
among friends" type of piece.

        Not to mention that so many people take their writing so personally;
moreso with poetry than prose.  It's almost impossible to even suggest
improvements in a poem without inferring some sort of personal flaw.

if you're human, you're flawed.  recognition of this fact makes it easier to
consider criticism.

        Doesn't change the fact that people get pissy sometimes (irrationally
pissy) if you criticize their poetry, or even offer suggestions.

this is true.  (;

I am not human, Erinn. I am an alien. ;) *pulls of his mask to reveal a green
lizard-like tentacled face*

wow.  I knew we got all sorts in here, but don't that just beat all. d=

(Snowth emerges from the woodwork after long periods of silence)

I don't know what it is, but it seems like I always catch the poetry
conference when it's in an off moment.. Oh welp, that would be my lot in life,
eh?

At any rate, I'm back, and I've even been (almost) writing some stuff
recently, probably for the first time in years that I've been this productive
(which is still to say not very). So I'll try to get some stuff up, and reply
to some other stuff too, while I'm at it. I'm a college student now (go me!)
so I live on free time. ;)

Speaking of criticism, though, I actually like posting here better than I do
going other places. Mostly it's because I don't have a whole lot of respect
for my poetry, and I feel much more comfortable posting it here where I feel
more like I know people (from other discussions, or the fact that I _do_
actually know people here) rather than going out and finding some random group
of people who might be more useful but are more outwardly intimidating.

(And that last sentence had no punctuation. Oh well...)

I concur; I don't like posting in other places, it doesn't feel as warm and
cozy as grex.

I have new stuff coming soon I'll post just for the heck of it. No feedback
required. ;)

I've got about five ideas for items for this conf that don't involve me
writing original poetry that I keep meaning to kick around at some point. 
I've been thinking for a while that I'd like to see this conference be a place
not only to post one's own poetry and offer criticism, but also as a place
to discuss poetry in general, study  and discuss the masters, learn about new
forms of poetry, post neat poems that you've been reading, etc.  -- in addition
 to writing original stuff.  Does anyone else think that kind of stuff would be
appropriate here?

terribly appropriate. (;  we play writing games and such here, too, so if
anyone wants to start another one, go right ahead.  (Maybe the abandoned
game can be resurrected, too.) 

(I keep trying to get a life.  Really I do.  I just keep mysteriously ending
up back on grex instead..... :) :) :)

So yeah, I'm back.  And put me down as fully in favor of discussion items as
well as writing items.  (Maybe we might want to mark items as one or the other
in the title so that people can distinguish them better?)

*g*  <in a hypnotic voice> You do not need to work, it can wait...come to
grex, you need to grex.....

Besides, where but grex can you sit around and talk to such sexy wenches? ;)

        Train stations, the Y, the unemployment line ...

What jazz said...eheheh

Are you casting aspersions on the quality of our wenches?  Where's your grexer
pride?

Thank you daniel, I was momentarily frightened that my proper wenchness was
being called into question. I'm glad you find the wenches here of a higher
value then some people.

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