My personal take on the new poems thread

[perks]

in answer to Lauren's perspective and other's comments on what should and shouldn't be in there.

I do the reviews on Saturdays now, and this is my process in picking the poems I comment on.
I read all the poems from my day. If I have something to say about it I will. That does not mean it's necessarily a spectacular poem that everyone must read. It means I see things in it that I would fix or change or perhaps I do like it.

I've mentioned poems I absolutely hate, and absolutely love. There are reasons I don't mention some poems, and mostly because I'm tired of stating opinions that get bomblasted by writers who feel antagonized.

I know when I make comments toward the regulars of this board, I know they will at least hear me. If that feels "inner circlish" to some people, that's fine, but don't get your panties in a knot when someone actually critiques your poetry. You can't have it both ways.

You can't cry "my poem is awesome why doesn't someone mention it" and then turn around when someone says something you don't like about it and scream "inner circle".

I'm not saying everyone does that, but it does happen.

Also, some poetry just isn't fucking good. If you read the greats, and that can be anything from classic poets to modern day rappers<I'd steer clear from most pop stuff for reference> and your stuff doesn't even come close, if you're just writing without any concern for basic emotions or imagery, then really you're just ranting and adding a bit of rhyme if that. If you want to be taken seriously, then be serious. And yes, you can be serious about comedy, rhyme scheme and the light hearted. It's called integrity in writing.

There are some basic things at work here. The abc's of it start with "writing". Wooooo Hooooooo... then comes the pain.
You incorporate life experience, imagery, vocabulary, grammar, and all the poetry tools to come up with something. When broken down it feels like a daunting task, but once you practice at it, it starts to come to you sometimes, or not.

The bottom line is, it's such a bendable thing, that can use the rules or not, but if you ignore them completely and at the very least don't respect them, then you'll never write poetry, no matter how many stanzas or line breaks or structure and rhyme you use.

That all being said, or um ranted about, I choose what I mention according to the writing and then after the writing I probably tend to mention the people who frequent the forum especially if I can edit the hell out of it.

So, maybe I'm not technically reviewing the "new poems" in the spirit in which the thread was started, but I'm still going to do it that way, because the more I do, the more I learn, and god knows my word groupings still want to be better poems.

 

[Angeline]

I think you are very much in the spirit of where the thread was when I first came to this forum. There were people here then who did critiques--right? Daughter, Unknown Poet, JUDO. I didn't always agree with their opinions or the way they stated them, but I loved hearing what they thought and appreciated the time and effort that went into a considered review.

An nu bubeleh, since when is knowing a little traditional poetry and using spell check a bad thing?

You go, duck girl.

 

[perks]

Daughter, Unknown Poet, JUDO.

A

oh my gosh, if you say that three times I think beetlejuice appears. *grin*

all I can think of is how daughter goaded me into commenting on all of her poetry, and now that I know a little bit more... what is it... three years later some of the stuff I just laugh at myself. She must have been in tears with some of the stuff I said. *cracking up*

 

[normal jean]

hey perks

me and the other 2 here, we like your reviews, you seem to always be fair and honest and I never thought you did that inner circle thing, and you have shown me things in my work that needed help and you have said good things and well, I like your reviews. I havent been here long, but long enough I think, to say thanks for doing such a hard job, to everyone that does it in fact and we will be soon too ( shut up maria, she knows ) okay, back to work, oohh oooh eee eee aaahhh

 

[perks]

hey perks

me and the other 2 here, we like your reviews, you seem to always be fair and honest and I never thought you did that inner circle thing, and you have shown me things in my work that needed help and you have said good things and well, I like your reviews. I havent been here long, but long enough I think, to say thanks for doing such a hard job, to everyone that does it in fact and we will be soon too ( shut up maria, she knows ) okay, back to work, oohh oooh eee eee aaahhh

I appreciate the vote of confidence. Oh and if anyone wants a big laugh...

here's the link to my daughter review, it was so long ago, it was still listed in the story forum, before we seperated. How funny is that? *grin*

the pounce thread

 

[Angeline]

I appreciate the vote of confidence. Oh and if anyone wants a big laugh...

here's the link to my daughter review, it was so long ago, it was still listed in the story forum, before we seperated. How funny is that? *grin*

the pounce thread

Thank you. I needed a laugh. I just remembered that I told Lauren earlier I would write a hypersonnet. LOL. Remember that form? She created it, the lil beotch.

 

[perks]

Thank you. I needed a laugh. I just remembered that I told Lauren earlier I would write a hypersonnet. LOL. Remember that form? She created it, the lil beotch.

she gives the worst forms/constructs. However, I did write my microscopic men poem from within her restraints, maybe I should call her my poetry Mistress, cause I seem to write from subspace when she directs me. *laughing*

 

[Angeline]

she gives the worst forms/constructs. However, I did write my microscopic men poem from within her restraints, maybe I should call her my poetry Mistress, cause I seem to write from subspace when she directs me. *laughing*

I love that poem! And I forgot all about it!

microscopic men in my mind

 

[twelveoone]

perks, I like your honesty
Mental Note: avoid Saturday, not likely to scratch my pyschic ass

 

[Lauren Hynde]

So, maybe I'm not technically reviewing the "new poems" in the spirit in which the thread was started, but I'm still going to do it that way, because the more I do, the more I learn, and god knows my word groupings still want to be better poems.

Perks, I just want to say I have always loved the way you do your reviews, and that you should keep doing what works for you.

The only reason I made those considerations was for the several reviewers to give some serious thought to what they have been doing.

The worst things that could happen to a poetry board are, in my opinion, 1) becoming a fluff-forum, and 2) people stop enjoying poetry. I know you agree with me on this.

After my post yesterday, I have received PMs from two reviewers admitting they saw themselves in my comments, that they often mentioned poems they didn't care for, just to not upset the supposedly fragile egos of the regulars. They also admitted that doing the reviews has become a task more than a pleasure - and when you're taking 3 or 4 hours to make a New Poems Review post instead of 30 or 40 minutes, there is something seriously wrong, people.

They both used the exact my same expression: my post freed them to do what they want without having to think about anyone else's ego, review the poems they feel like reviewing, and getting back to having fun with it.

I hope the other reviewers get that message too. I hope we all do that.


Poetry Mistress extraordinaire

 

[Liar]

Here's a post that got lost...

...when my net connection dies yesterday. I thought it fit in here, since it's about reviews and reviewing in the New Poems thread. Mostly about "the clique" versus "the others". Not a reply toperks, just my general take.


------------

Hey Lauren. good points there in your review post.

When I review, I single out all poems that I like. I'm not good at it, and I don't apply any kind of analysis, check for poetic devices of count mistakes. It's is gut feeling, and gut feeling from someone who knows dick about poetry, but just happen to enjoy it. I don't cojmpare the crop of poems with eachother. Nor do I compare them with the great masters of literature. Because frankly, I don't know who the hell they are.

It just happens ever so often that most, sometimes all of the poems I single out and recommend are from the regulars here.

That is, frankly, because the regulars in the poetry forum are all that good.

You whose names I see here have become, or have since long been, quite able poets, and I have found that those who come here to participate, practice and interact, do in fact develop and improve their poetic...shall we say...cratsmanship. I'd like to think I have. Added to those I've come to know from the forum, there are a great deal of poets (at least as many) that catches my eye on a regular basis that never or rarely set their foot in here.

Those two groups, names that I already know can deliver good poetry, will actually have it harder to get on my recommendation list. They have to meet the high standard that I expect of them. Meanwhile, I cut new poets a little slack, and will recommend (and subsequently lure into the forum) a fresh poet that may not have written as great a poem, but who shows promise, just to lure them in here and become a part of the community/clique/whatever.

Now and then a previously unknown name will blow my hat off, and then you'll be sure to see that in my reviews. Now and then, those poets have been some of you in drag, but I take that risk.

Anyway, that's my position, and whay you can expect from a friday review.

*stumbles down from soapbox*

#L

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Re: Here's a post that got lost...

[BIt just happens ever so often that most, sometimes all of the poems I single out and recommend are from the regulars here.

That is, frankly, because the regulars in the poetry forum are all that good.[/B]

I know what you mean. Just look at my review, yesterday.

I think it's important that everyone knows that there is a difference between mentioning poems by regulars that are just that much better than the others, and mentioning all poems of all the regulars just because they're regulars. It's important to our integrity, and it's important to the new poets out there that haven't been mentioned. It's important that when they do get mentioned, they don't get swallowed by 50 mediocre poems written by regular posters.

Fridays are good.

 

[Liar]

Re: Re: Here's a post that got lost...

Fridays are good.

Especially yesterday.

 

[perks]

Lauren, I totally got what you were saying and just wanted to add my perspective too. I think you were right on target.

I think it's crazy to take three or four hours to do a review too, if you're only doing it not to ruffle feathers. Of course, I do take that long, I've actually put the two-two and a half hour time limit on myself, but number one, that's because I AM CRAZY and number two, I love dissecting poems, I'd do it all the time if I had the time, but I've been doing the stuff that makes writing "mountain majesty" possible, you know?

I think Liar has some good points too. His view is pretty much what mine is, except I add a whole bunch of break down on top of it.

The thing is, I know how valuable time is, and if someone is going to go out of their way to support this forum on a continuous basis, when I know I have not, then I damn well will be commenting on their poetry whether I like it or not.
Of course, I more often than not say I hate it. *laughing*

blah blah blah, where are my new poems? I didn't get to bring the pain this morning! However, I did get a whole two extra hours of sleep and it was deeeeeeeeLICIOUS!!!

 

[Angeline]

Re: Re: My personal take on the new poems thread

.......
They both used the exact my same expression: my post freed them to do what they want without having to think about anyone else's ego, review the poems they feel like reviewing, and getting back to having fun with it.

I hope the other reviewers get that message too. I hope we all do that.


Poetry Mistress extraordinaire

You're like the Abe Lincoln of poetry.

I generally just think about my own ego. It's not that I don't care; it's just my ego--yknow?