Who da best?

[REDWAVE]

Poetry fans, those of you who have been around a while will remember my previous "Who's the best poet?" That one had only 3 specific options, and was won by "Other." Some people complained I didn't offer enough options, so this time I'm giving you 10 different choices-- the maximum allowed by Lit. (If you want more choices, talk to Laurel, not me.) Here's your chance to vote for your favorite Lit. poet. Have fun, poetry freaks!

 

[Fairytat]

I voted for Smithpeter because I love his funky style. He also has a poem for every situation and emotion.

 

[Debbie]

REDWAVE, it is great to see you back posting!
But please remove my name from the list.
I have no wish to be on this list. Yes, you have
freedom of speech but I would prefer not to
be included in this poll.
I asked you last time you did a poll similiar to
this to remove my name. My feelings on the matter
have not changed since then.


Everybody has a right to their opinion.
"Who's da best?" No one in my opinion.
There are so many amazing poets at lit.

Now if you were to say, "Who's your favourite
poet at lit?"
I still would have a hard time choosing.

But I would give an answer.

 

[Blue Dolphin]

Bravo Debbie

I agree with your expressed sentiments entirely.
Bravo for having the courage to ask to be removed
P

 

[lovetoread]

I personally believe that I am the best.

So there.

 

[Debbie]

Thank you for removing my name, REDWAVE.

And lovetoread? Hun, to me you are
amongst the best. And the sweetest.
In what ever category.


Lots of love on your new travels.

 

[JUDO]

LMAO!

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! Thanks for including me, RW, but no way, José.

 

[karmadog]

Best?

I voted.

But I voted for the poet who spoke to me.
Does that mean that he or she is the best poet? Of course not.

Ask twenty people who's opinion matters to you (if there are that many) what their favorite movie is and you will probably get twenty different answers. If you ask me on twenty different days you will get at least ten different answers.

The poll is just for fun. Settle down.

 

[REDWAVE]

Absolutely, karmadog-- this poll is totally unscientific, proves nothing, and is just for fun. I also take it as a given that "best" means "best in your opinion." Poetry is highly subjective.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Wow, you put my name in there? Scraping the bottom of the barrel, huh?

I voted for daughter because she never fails to move me in some way. I didn't vote for me because I have a bunch of stinkers available for public perusal.

 

[REDWAVE]

Hi to all!

Love your new av, ltr. You're definitely the best at something-- maybe not poetry. (Heh, heh.) Judo, always good to hear from you. Hey, I see your version of "Inverness" is rated higher than mine-- although neither of us has gotten that magic 10 votes yet. I respected your wishes, debbie, but I wish you'd stayed in-- you'd already gotten one vote. KillerDiller, you know I just love some of your poetry, esp. that "Fury Twisted" piece. I prey on you, my twisted love!

Wow-- looks like there's been a "storm front" lately. Last time I checked daughter had been in the lead with 3 votes, Storm with 2. Now he's surged ahead!

 

[Debbie]

Thank you for respecting my wishes REDWAVE.
Where ya been lately? Your input has been missed!


KM, I am no kiss ass. But if some of your poetry is stinkers?
Then mine are barf material or doggy doo! (On a side note? My 13 year old son - he who dislikes writing and English at school- wrote a pretty good poem yesterday! I am so proud.)

I am stepping beyond how I normally write my poetry and less rhyme, rhyme, rhyme. Thanks to input from you and daughter.

 

[smithpeter]

Why a list?

How to vote? No matter. Debbiexxx, your decision to be excluded was noble but what is the point? After reading your request to Redwarehouse I would have changed my vote from SA Storm to you but it was too late. What is the harm? You did not create the list.
What is the harm? Too many good poets are not mentioned on that list.
Look at the work of Wicked Eve after she forgot how to rhyme and started to use perfume. Now she is fuming all the time (to all our great fortune). A two edged sword, indeed. Her Master is no stranger to the ways of poetry and would be well served to be on "the" list.
Many of the best I have read only contributed one or two. Stories or poems, Corazon, Fairytat, Sonia_de_Beaumanoir.
So, I will not complain to Laurel.
Mind your Pee's and Que's,
bunz, no unz
sp

 

[WickedEve]

Whispering in smithpeter's ear...

One reason I may not be on the list is because I don't have poems on lit anymore. lol Well, I did submit one a couple of days ago. But basically, my work in unknown to new posters. Master's poetry is gone too.

I will say that I love Corazon's poetry. She's very good. And there are more poets that deserve to be mentioned. So it's really hard to list poets and vote on them.

It may be interesting to pick 10 poems and vote on those, and comment on why you like that poem. If you need more than 10, start a second list. I know I'd rather read about which poems are preferred and why. I think I'd learn more from that.

Wicked Eve

 

[perks]

sorry, sugah

I follow the poetry, not the poet.

Although, fucking daughter whispering the smooth jazz of her poetry in my ear is kick ass.


Wicked Eve, missed you girl.

oh yeah, I'm back

perks

 

[WickedEve]

My duck girl!!!

Missed you too!
You're another excellent poet that wasn't mentioned. And Drake, KattPurrs, Savage Kitten, pleasureu... Literotic is teeming with a good and diverse group of poets.

 

[REDWAVE]

She's baaack!

Uh oh-- lock up the dildoes, Wicked Eve is back! Eve, the only reason I didn't list you was you quit Literotica (quite dramatically) and took all your poems off. But now it seems you're back. Welcome back!

There are quite a few other poets I would have liked to have listed, but the poll format here only accomodates a maximum of 10 options. A best 10 poems is an interesting idea, and maybe a subject for a future poll.

 

[WickedEve]

Red

If a girl has to leave, then she might as well make a dramatic exit!

 

[REDWAVE]

More poets

Besides the ones already mentioned, some other fine poets at Lit. are Littlemissblair (with her outrageous lesbian fantasies), CRaZy, and new poet lenti.

 

[TheDR4KE]

wb WE

Great to see you back on board Wicked.

quack,

Drake

 

[KatPurrs]

Have I been missing a reunion party?

Hey ya'll...(every now and then my southern drawl returns)

I've been gone for a while and it looks like a party goin' on here!

WE welcome back girl! And thanks for the mention here and at your site, Sexlacious! (sic?) Cool place!

Redwack, I can't vote! How the hell am I to choose? Everyone is so unique. You and your ding dang polls! LOL! Oh, and sorry again for pooping out on you and sucking you into doing 2 interviews in a row.

Hey WE! Wanna do the next one? Please? (I am pathetic) ha!

KM, wake up girl! When are you ever going to give in to being a good poet. huh? Damn!

So anyway....when are we going to have a Lit. party in R/L?
Just imagine! hahhahahahaahah

Kat~

 

[Unmasked Poet]

Redrump,

Perhaps most consistent would be a better question. Many of the poets you mentioned have written some good work.


U.P.

 

[REDWAVE]

RED_____

Why does everybody feel they have to play around with my name? Drat that Wicked Eve; she started it. It's all her fault.

Good to see you've come back out of hibernation, UP. A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, as Ralph Waldo said. Which is better-- a poet who's consistenly good, but never reaches any great highs, or a poet who's sometimes terrible, then comes out with a masterpiece? (Ginsberg is a good example-- he's published some poems that were real stinkers.) Evaluating poetry is almost entirely subjective, anyway.

 

[Unmasked Poet]

Hardly

Thank you for the welcome please forgive my bludgeoning of your name. I am in hibernation, yet your post stirred some interest.

“Good and great poets are consistently good. Mediocre poets are never great and reach good as a peak. Poor poets strive for tolerable.”
R. Frost.

When asked what makes a poet good TS Elliot replied:
“It’s really quite simple many good poets write poor poems. A poor poet has never written a good one”


Evaluating poetry is not subjective at all. The technical aspects of poetry are fairly simple. The mechanics of the art are easy to evaluate. Just as a painter must understand how colors and shape work together. A poet (any writer) must understand and have some control over the atoms of their art. The evaluation of poetry is valid when a consensus of knowledgeable people agree. When a consensus of unknowledgeable agree it is merely popularity. I will not begin to argue which of the two is of more value.

Now I grow fatigued, time to sleep.

U.P.

 

[REDWAVE]

Back to your cave, bear!

Yeah, go back to sleep, UP. And now that I think of it, the analogy of you to a bear is a very appropriate one. You sure frightened a bunch of poets, at least at first!

I see we're reviving that old debate, which was begun by Horace and Longinus. You emphasize the technical aspects of poetry: rhyme, meter, form, diction, etc. Those are important, but to me what's most important are the intangible, ethereal aspects of poetry-- which cannot be scanned or diagrammed. I've read many poems which were well-crafted, but left me cold. Also, I've read some poems which were technically quite flawed, but were still powerful, compelling poems. I subscribe to Emily Dickenson's test for poetry: if it makes me feel as if the top of my head has been taken off. And that is entirely subjective.